Normalizing vs. volume -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Normalizing vs. volume Posted by: SPP Date:12/17/2002 2:53:19 PM On the topic of Normalizing, can somebody please answer this question for me? What is the net effect of Normalizing vs. Volume? Both are in the "process" drop down menu in SF 6.0. Both seem to add volume. Is one better than the other or are they intended for different situations? The Help menu implies you can use either. A little help would be appreciated. Thanks, Steve
Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume Reply by: Rednroll Date:12/17/2002 3:03:45 PM The maximum Volume that audio can reach in the digital world is 0dB. With the normalizing tool, you set where you want the loudest peak to be at. So if you set it at 0dB, the program will scan through your audio and look for the highest peak. Let's say that it found the highest peak at -3dB. It will raise the volume of the entire waveform up +3dB of the entire file and the loudest peak will now be at 0dB, and there is no risk of going over 0dB. Volume works the same way, but there is no "look ahead" scan feature, and you could create distortion by raising the volume too much and allowing the highest peaks to go over the 0dB limit. Lot's of times, people will Normalize to 0dB then use the volume adjust to reduce the gain to make files more equal in volume. Doing volume adjustments this way will allow you to get the maximum volume out of files and making them equal in volume without risking distorting the audio.
Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume Reply by: Doug_Marshall Date:12/17/2002 3:11:05 PM The Volume function will raise/lower the volume of a file by any amount you specify. It is possible, therefore, to introduce clipping distortion by going too far. The Normalize function scans the file for its highest peak and then raises the volume of the file so that peak is at the level that you specified. It eliminates the possibility of clipping distortion.
Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume Reply by: SPP Date:12/17/2002 7:15:33 PM Thanks to both Rednroll and Doug_Marshall. I really appreciate the info and will start using the two features in conjunction. Very helpful indeed. Steve
Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume Reply by: drbam Date:12/18/2002 8:09:00 AM The volume function is great if you want to just tweak certain sections up or down (which I do a lot of). drbam

Subject:Normalizing vs. volume

Posted by: SPP

Date:12/17/2002 2:53:19 PM

On the topic of Normalizing, can somebody please answer this question for me? What is the net effect of Normalizing vs. Volume? Both are in the "process" drop down menu in SF 6.0. Both seem to add volume. Is one better than the other or are they intended for different situations? The Help menu implies you can use either. A little help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:12/17/2002 3:03:45 PM

The maximum Volume that audio can reach in the digital world is 0dB. With the normalizing tool, you set where you want the loudest peak to be at. So if you set it at 0dB, the program will scan through your audio and look for the highest peak. Let's say that it found the highest peak at -3dB. It will raise the volume of the entire waveform up +3dB of the entire file and the loudest peak will now be at 0dB, and there is no risk of going over 0dB. Volume works the same way, but there is no "look ahead" scan feature, and you could create distortion by raising the volume too much and allowing the highest peaks to go over the 0dB limit. Lot's of times, people will Normalize to 0dB then use the volume adjust to reduce the gain to make files more equal in volume. Doing volume adjustments this way will allow you to get the maximum volume out of files and making them equal in volume without risking distorting the audio.

Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume

Reply by: Doug_Marshall

Date:12/17/2002 3:11:05 PM

The Volume function will raise/lower the volume of a file by any amount you specify. It is possible, therefore, to introduce clipping distortion by going too far. The Normalize function scans the file for its highest peak and then raises the volume of the file so that peak is at the level that you specified. It eliminates the possibility of clipping distortion.

Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume

Reply by: SPP

Date:12/17/2002 7:15:33 PM

Thanks to both Rednroll and Doug_Marshall. I really appreciate the info and will start using the two features in conjunction. Very helpful indeed.

Steve

Subject:RE: Normalizing vs. volume

Reply by: drbam

Date:12/18/2002 8:09:00 AM

The volume function is great if you want to just tweak certain sections up or down (which I do a lot of).

drbam