Volume & Normalization Help -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Volume & Normalization Help Posted by: SESound Date:7/31/2002 5:41:15 PM I've got several lectures that I want to put on one CD and the recording level varies from one to the next. I would like to have all tracks at the same volume. The majority of the files are too loud and I'd like to bring those down to match the quieter and undistorted ones. Any suggestions on process steps and order of application? (One of my files is perfect so how can I make all the others match?) (SoundForge v6 & NR v2)
Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help Reply by: scooby13q Date:7/31/2002 6:42:23 PM I'm not the most experienced Sound Forge user, but I'll see if I can provide some advice. For the distortion, if it's actually part of the recording (i.e. the level was too high during the recording, so the audio sounds distorted no matter what volume it's played at), then there's not much that I know of that can remove that. As for changing the volume, the simplest way to do that is under the Processes menu with the Volume item (at the very bottom of the menu). If you're looking to get more fancy with it (such as bringing up the level of quiet parts while leaving loud parts unchanged), you could use the Normalize command, also under the Processes menu. A step in complexity beyond that would be the Dynamics (either graphic or multi-band) under the Effects menu. Hope this helps!
Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help Reply by: RiRo Date:7/31/2002 11:27:09 PM Actually, normalize won't pick up the soft areas and leave the loud untouched. That would be Wave Hammer. Normalize will just raise or lower the volume of the entire file by the amount required to take the highest peak to the level you choose. For the distorted files, sometimes the restore clipped peaks under the NR software will help. Most likely, if the recording is distorted, you are pretty much stuck with that. Without seeing the wave files or knowing more about the audio itself, this question is a little tricky. If the distortion was because it was recorded too hot into SoundForge, the fix would be to re-record them into SoundForge at a lower setting. If the tapes themselves are distorted... not much can help. For volume, normalize to Zero VU, and use the maximize loudness under wave hammer if needed. This will put them at the same level, and you can set the playback on whatever source you are using. Sorry for such a long answer, but without knowing more you just have to give several possibles and hope that helps. RiRo
Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help Reply by: VU-1 Date:8/3/2002 6:06:21 PM >>The majority of the files are too loud and I'd like to bring those down to match the quieter and undistorted ones. Any suggestions on process steps and order of application?<< Open up the file that you like the best. Go to the Normalize window and click on 'Scan'. Note the Peak and RMS levels. If I were you, I would Normalize this file to a peak of -0.3 dB (if it isn't already that hot). Then, go to each of your other files, open the Normalize window and scan them. See how it compares to the RMS level of the first file. If needed, set the Normalize To to RMS and adjust it to match the RMS level of the first file. Click on OK and the file will adjusted to the new level. If all files need to be adjusted DOWN, then you will be OK just doing this. If any files need to come UP, then you will need to tell Normalize to Add Dynamic Compression if normalizing will cause clipping. This WILL NOT fix your distortion problem, but it WILL make all your files close to the same volume level. You WILL still need to give a good listen, especially to those files that will be raised in volume. JL OTR

Subject:Volume & Normalization Help

Posted by: SESound

Date:7/31/2002 5:41:15 PM

I've got several lectures that I want to put on one CD and the recording level varies from one to the next. I would like to have all tracks at the same volume.
The majority of the files are too loud and I'd like to bring those down to match the quieter and undistorted ones. Any suggestions on process steps and order of application? (One of my files is perfect so how can I make all the others match?)

(SoundForge v6 & NR v2)

Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help

Reply by: scooby13q

Date:7/31/2002 6:42:23 PM

I'm not the most experienced Sound Forge user, but I'll see if I can provide some advice. For the distortion, if it's actually part of the recording (i.e. the level was too high during the recording, so the audio sounds distorted no matter what volume it's played at), then there's not much that I know of that can remove that. As for changing the volume, the simplest way to do that is under the Processes menu with the Volume item (at the very bottom of the menu). If you're looking to get more fancy with it (such as bringing up the level of quiet parts while leaving loud parts unchanged), you could use the Normalize command, also under the Processes menu. A step in complexity beyond that would be the Dynamics (either graphic or multi-band) under the Effects menu. Hope this helps!

Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help

Reply by: RiRo

Date:7/31/2002 11:27:09 PM

Actually, normalize won't pick up the soft areas and leave the loud untouched. That would be Wave Hammer. Normalize will just raise or lower the volume of the entire file by the amount required to take the highest peak to the level you choose.

For the distorted files, sometimes the restore clipped peaks under the NR software will help. Most likely, if the recording is distorted, you are pretty much stuck with that.

Without seeing the wave files or knowing more about the audio itself, this question is a little tricky. If the distortion was because it was recorded too hot into SoundForge, the fix would be to re-record them into SoundForge at a lower setting. If the tapes themselves are distorted... not much can help. For volume, normalize to Zero VU, and use the maximize loudness under wave hammer if needed. This will put them at the same level, and you can set the playback on whatever source you are using.

Sorry for such a long answer, but without knowing more you just have to give several possibles and hope that helps.

RiRo

Subject:RE: Volume & Normalization Help

Reply by: VU-1

Date:8/3/2002 6:06:21 PM

>>The majority of the files are too loud and I'd like to bring those down to match the quieter and undistorted ones. Any suggestions on process steps and order of application?<<

Open up the file that you like the best. Go to the Normalize window and click on 'Scan'. Note the Peak and RMS levels. If I were you, I would Normalize this file to a peak of -0.3 dB (if it isn't already that hot). Then, go to each of your other files, open the Normalize window and scan them. See how it compares to the RMS level of the first file. If needed, set the Normalize To to RMS and adjust it to match the RMS level of the first file. Click on OK and the file will adjusted to the new level.

If all files need to be adjusted DOWN, then you will be OK just doing this. If any files need to come UP, then you will need to tell Normalize to Add Dynamic Compression if normalizing will cause clipping.

This WILL NOT fix your distortion problem, but it WILL make all your files close to the same volume level.

You WILL still need to give a good listen, especially to those files that will be raised in volume.

JL
OTR