Normalizing Normals for CD Burning -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Normalizing Normals for CD Burning Posted by: Timewriter Date:12/16/1999 5:45:00 AM I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought" CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this result, I will be in your debt. Thanks
Subject:Re: Normalizing Normals for CD Burning Reply by: RickZ Date:12/17/1999 5:45:00 AM Hi Mark, In a word, compression. "Normalize" only brings the level of the song up to the point where the highest peak becomes 0 dB. "Apparent volume" of such a file can be increased substantially by using compression, although not without side effects. To demonstrate this to yourself, record some music off the radio. You'll find that it looks like a black band on a Forge window. Quite unlike a track you may have recorded of yourself or a group, which will have lots of peaks and valleys. I've tried fooling around with compression on recordings I've made of a choral group, without much success. Then there are good compressors and bad compressors, as well as good and bad "users" of compressors. It would take a lot of time to experiment. For starters, you could use Forge to 1. normalize the file, 2. apply a small amount of compression, say 2:1 @ 15dB, then see how that sounds to you . . Regards, Rick Z Mark Roberts wrote: >>I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to >>the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert >>to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every >>other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs >>for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought" >>CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this >>result, I will be in your debt. >> >>Thanks
Subject:Re: Normalizing Normals for CD Burning Reply by: CoreyShay Date:12/19/1999 11:20:00 PM Mark Roberts wrote: >>I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to >>the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert >>to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every >>other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs >>for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought" >>CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this >>result, I will be in your debt. >> >>Thanks 1st of all, don't ever Normalize. It's pretty much a waste of time, and SoundForge does not dither and noise shape properly when doing this. The best thing you could do is to use the Waves L1 Ultramaximizer Plug-in (www.waves.com). You can get this and a bunch of other handy plugins for about $280. Try going to www.bayviewproaudio.com. This is about the closest thing you could get to a serious mastering tool for such a low price. Store bought CD's either use this plugin or something very similar.

Subject:Normalizing Normals for CD Burning

Posted by: Timewriter

Date:12/16/1999 5:45:00 AM

I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to
the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert
to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every
other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs
for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought"
CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this
result, I will be in your debt.

Thanks

Subject:Re: Normalizing Normals for CD Burning

Reply by: RickZ

Date:12/17/1999 5:45:00 AM

Hi Mark,

In a word, compression. "Normalize" only brings the level of the
song up to the point where the highest peak becomes 0 dB. "Apparent
volume" of such a file can be increased substantially by using
compression, although not without side effects. To demonstrate this
to yourself, record some music off the radio. You'll find that it
looks like a black band on a Forge window. Quite unlike a track you
may have recorded of yourself or a group, which will have lots of
peaks and valleys.

I've tried fooling around with compression on recordings I've made of
a choral group, without much success. Then there are good
compressors and bad compressors, as well as good and bad "users" of
compressors. It would take a lot of time to experiment.

For starters, you could use Forge to 1. normalize the file, 2. apply
a small amount of compression, say 2:1 @ 15dB, then see how that
sounds to you . .

Regards,
Rick Z

Mark Roberts wrote:
>>I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to
>>the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert
>>to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every
>>other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs
>>for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought"
>>CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this
>>result, I will be in your debt.
>>
>>Thanks

Subject:Re: Normalizing Normals for CD Burning

Reply by: CoreyShay

Date:12/19/1999 11:20:00 PM

Mark Roberts wrote:
>>I've normalized each song of a CD I have recorded to
>>the "music" default in the dialog box. But, when I convert
>>to MP3 and compare the volume, it is much less that every
>>other song - What is the best setting for normalizing songs
>>for CDs that will be the standard volume of "store bought"
>>CDs? And, if you can include the best settings to get this
>>result, I will be in your debt.
>>
>>Thanks

1st of all, don't ever Normalize. It's pretty much a waste of time,
and SoundForge does not dither and noise shape properly when doing
this. The best thing you could do is to use the Waves L1
Ultramaximizer Plug-in (www.waves.com). You can get this and a bunch
of other handy plugins for about $280. Try going to
www.bayviewproaudio.com. This is about the closest thing you could
get to a serious mastering tool for such a low price. Store bought
CD's either use this plugin or something very similar.