Cubase! Finally a real DAW! 
No its in cubase
One thing in mixing i don’t understand: Bjorn puts the level of all tracks to -15 dB to get headroom for mixing. But he leaves all channel faders on 0 dB and sets the input of all channels to -15 dB, f.e. on the output of the software instrument. Would it not be much easier to put the level to - 15 dB with the channel faders?
I had the exact same question and Ive learned a lot about why he does this.
A really great discussion on this from some serious pros in this thread on gearslutz:
TL;DR is this:
Setting the gain right off the source to approx. -15db gives head room for plugins after the source to add to the sound without adding unintended distortion and clipping. The channel fader is at the end of the signal path so setting the level here instead of at the source can not avoid this potential distortion.
If your input source comes in at -0.1db then, for example, an EQ with a +4db boost to the highs coming after will just slam into the ceiling with no where to go except distorting. The channel fader being last means it cannot help, it will simply lower the volume of the distorted signal it receives.
FYI this is greatly simplified for brevity and clarity. There is a lot more to it than just this. Check out the thread if you want to know more. But setting input sources to -15db is a good practice for a number of reasons. how you ultimately choose to gain stage is up to you.
distorting in the digital domain (thanks to 32 and 64-bit floating point precision) - means it isn’t really distorting / clipping at all.
Going into and out of plugins is a slightly different story - some come equipped with oversampling to eliminate the problem, and some don’t, so at the end of the day, it’s best practice to always leave yourself some headroom when going in and out of devices - and is an absolute must if you are going into and out of hardware, as it most definitely will distort / clip then.
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To add to Bryan, he could also be using k metering - where he is considering what signal level is going into his plugins or external hardware - Running at digital full scale can mean the signal is around 14bd to loud for certain bits of hardware and similarly certain plugins. High end model analogue plugins like waves or UAD are modelled at component level in the analogue world, that means they are expecting a signal of 0vu. So when running you DAW and normal digital full scale or above, as we can with 32 bit floating point, means the signal is now like 20db to hot for the modelled plugin and you are therefore inducing the distortion modelling of the plugin. This can add distortion and more harmonic and start to really clog a mix. Bringing everything down to -14, -20 (K14 K20 metering) can really make a difference to the clarity of your mixes and the plugins across them.
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I am really impressed with this tutorial. I have just recently started adjusting the levels of my input stage for the reasons that Chris outlined. I have been using Logic X in “pre Fader” metering at around minus 9 - 10 db. Not sure how that translates though. I also like the way he uses compression and distortion. He sets the level back to unity and only listens for the change caused by effect. He makes sure that it isn’t just louder, because just “louder” makes everything sound deceptively “better”. I call it “Honest Mixing”. It takes a lot of practice but this is what it takes to achieve a world class mix. great tutorial so far. I am at the layering section.
Cheers.
Rob
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Great Job Bjorn! I really learned a ton. I call this the “Precision” Tutorial. It really shows how attention to all of the small details can add up to a massive sound! I would recommend this course to all aspiring Trance producers.
Cheers,
Rob.
I would like to see a video series with alan morris also! His tracks are top notch!
Chris how would i do this technique in ableton
I subscribed to watch this amazing video by an awesome Producer!
but I’m having an issue with the video 
I Have a slow internet connection (2mbps) so watching the videos is a bit painful, is there anyway to lower the quality a bit so my connection can handle it?
Hey
Our Standard Definition videos stream at 1000kbps which is touch and go with a 2mbps connection. I would recommend a faster connection (5mbps) if possible
Hey guys I need help. Since I couldnt find a pluck I liked from the Adam Ellis presets so I decided to make my own. I am quite proud of it, as I am a beginner to sound design and music production, but I cant quite find a good saw lead for the melody. Everything I try sounds really high pitched, even if I lower the keys down an octave. If anyone can help a brother out, it would be greatly appreciated. Great tutorial by the way!
What synth are you using - Have at look at some of the ‘How To Use’ courses on the site, there are great sound design videos at the end where you may get some helpful pointers and tips.
I think the most important thing Bjorn said is that your melodies [and the entire track] is a living, breathing creation, and it changes – there is no right or wrong … as long as it sounds good. Sounding good is up to the interpretation of the listener, creator, fan, and critic.
This is important to because it frees the budding producer to create instead of worrying about “well, DJ X or DJ Y did it this way so I should too”. Just play around with it and have fun with what you do.
And to those who think Cubase is on the downturn, I’d ask you to reconsider. Steinberg just recently uploaded new intro tutorials on YouTube and they show how easy the software is. I have Ableton 9, Logic Pro X, Reason 9, and now I have Cubase 9 and it has given me the easiest path to learning to make music. Give the official Steinberg videos a view: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeAGmrQnjblaWk9pjSNmSbB5uc3r_T-bG
Great tutorial. I especially liked that Bjorn sticks with the built in plugins available in Cubase. I think it would have been better if he had used the VCA channels for volume automation. Using a VCA vs Volume automation frees you to tweak the channel level later without messing up the automation. One of the nicest features in Cubase IMO.
The UAD LA-2A Silver subs nicely for the Waves CLA-2A, maybe even better. (#12).
I really love his principle about melody, love to continue the tutorial.
Really good course, learnt a lot. \o/
Heck yah I’m on tutorial 10 and I’m getting the chills already!
Hi. I am interested in doing this course but need to purchase Cubase 9. Which version would I need to buy please? Is 'Elements sufficient? Thanks