Subject:Levelling for entire video program?

Posted by: Gweilo

Date:3/18/2004 3:09:20 PM

Anyone have a preferred method for overall "levelling" of a completed video program?

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:3/18/2004 6:00:33 PM

Wave Hammer is your friend!

However, i would also place markers between the various sections of the sound track, isolating areas that are hotter, softer, or otherwise different from other sections. Wave hammer each section individually, but beware of causing large jumps in volume at the point where one section joins the next.

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: Gweilo

Date:3/18/2004 9:05:30 PM

Hmm..it's a 30 minute piece..not sure if I'll have the time to go through it section bty section. I'm trying to keep the various sections in the ball park so wahtever proc I use won't have to work too hard.
I don't really have a clear grasp on how the wavehammer works. Seems like the RMS normalize would do more what I'm looking for, no?

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:3/19/2004 5:12:52 AM

RMS normalization is going to affect the entire program identically. In otherwords, whatever dynamics you have to begin with will still be identical afterwards. All you'll gain is probably raising the entire program by a uniform amount.

Summary: normalization NEVER changes how the audio sounds; it only affects the overall volume level.

Wave Hammer is a very intelligent compressor that analyzes the signal, cuts back on the peaks, and then normalizes. This gives a much more uniform volume level. However, if you have some sections that are much louder than others then these sections will sound very squashed while the quieter sections may not see much change. This is why i recommend processing various sections independantly. However, if your program is pretty consistant throughout then processing it all at once may not be too bad.

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: RiRo

Date:3/19/2004 6:53:45 AM

normalization NEVER changes how the audio sounds; it only affects the overall volume level.

This is not correct. Normalization to peak Never changes... RMS with the compression option is different. Try it.

RiRo

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:3/19/2004 8:13:21 AM

But, compression is not normalization. They are two completely different things. Normalization by itself does indeed not alter the sound. Only compression changes the relation of the peaks to the quieter material. Usually the two processes are used together: after compression lowers the peaks, normalization brings the entire material back up in volume.

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: Gweilo

Date:3/19/2004 8:23:36 AM

from the SF Help:
"When you normalize using average RMS power, Sound Forge will raise the average RMS value of the sound file to a value you specify. This is helpful for matching the apparent loudness of different recordings."
When you enable the "If clipping occurs" "Apply dynamic compression option, you get some limiting as well.
The wave hammer seems different but I'm not sure I understand the volume maximizer

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: RiRo

Date:3/19/2004 2:34:49 PM

Compression may not be normalization, but it is a feature of the normalize option of the Sound Forge program...

The use of wavehammer, a compressor/limiter, does not give rms options. Thus, the normalize, which by your definition is not a normalizer, does, and for the purposes of the original question is the better tool. It focuses on the apparent loudness of the final product, regardless of the apparent loudness of the original material. Thus, it accomplishes what the original poster wanted to do.

My bad. I thought we were discussing the right tool for the job in question based on the options offered through the Sound Forge software, not the dictionary definition of the terms involved.

RiRo

Subject:RE: Levelling for entire video program?

Reply by: RiRo

Date:3/19/2004 2:38:31 PM

Wave hammer is a compressor/limiter. The volume maximizer is basically a powerful limiter that wacks the tops off the peaks at whatever level you choose. It brings the overall loudness up by wacking off the loudest parts and raising the whole wacked file up to the desired level. It has its uses... if the overall file is about the same volume, it works wonderfully. If volume ballance is needed between two sources that are way off... it will be the death of audio quality.

RiRo