Members cowby Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi, I have Sound forge 9 and Audtion 3.0 ... But if you think that other wav editor can do the following, pls let me know. all I want is to use a Audio editor to normalize the whole wav form or batch processing for 10 wav files at a time. Right now, I use the above editors by using trial and error approach to normalize the wav files. Say normalize by 110% or 115% and so on. But sometimes after the normalization, the peak level exceeded >> 0db. Is there a way to overcome it by not using trial and error approach ? Thanks!Cowby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Sounds like you might be amplifying not normalizing. Normalizing should automatically adjust the gain so the max level is 0dB. Try Audacity -> Effect -> Amplify and you can choose the new peak amplitude of the waveform. Audacity is freeware. Note: some wave editors normalize to 0dB but there can still be clipping with certain DA converters. Try normalizing to -0.1dB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Normalizing 115%??? If you are indeed using a normalize function, you never want to go over 100% (0 dB)...otherwise you get clipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eminor9 Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 If memory serves well Normalizing in Sound Forge always asks you to which level. I always select something between -1,0 and -0,1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 don't normalize...remix. Normalizing does make things "louder" but also compresses the dynamic range. Over time, normalizing tends to make listening more fatiguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Normalizing does make things "louder" but also compresses the dynamic range. . No it doesn't. It just raises the level of all samples by the same amount so that the loudest sample hits the specified maximum. There is no dynamic range compression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 No it doesn't. It just raises the level of all samples by the same amount so that the loudest sample hits the specified maximum. There is no dynamic range compression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Yes, normalize first. Then, put a compressor at 20:1 across the master bus to make all your tracks sound like one long, loud noise. Radio-ready my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Don Solaris Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 . Stunning! Who would say so? Is there a way to overcome it by not using trial and error approach ? Yes. It's called "use brain" method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Okay true, but in doing so you also increase the noise floor, resulting in a "perceived" decrease in the dynamic range, don't you? Plus the peaks that are controlling the normalization may only be transient peaks, which are not necessarily being "heard" as louder, while also increasing the level of noise which may be heard...still not a good thing, right? Now I realize that these are just some other opinions, and I am by no means an expert. And I did not do a scientific study or any thing like that. My info is very limited to my own experience as a former normalizer, and some other internet forum chatter. I am NOT arguing, just presenting what I consider to be a viewpoint worth looking into. Here are some of my "sources" and their reasons (which I adopted). http://www.record-producer.com/learn.cfm?a=3015 http://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/197401-i-normalised-all-lost.html http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/175384-how-normalize-track.html They could be DEAD WRONG or 100% right or anywhere in between. Only you can tell by your own experimentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 But aren't you going to adjust the levels on the sampler so different drum hits play at the same "volume"? Or adjust the amplifier so you can hear a given track at the same "volume" again? All of these methods will affect the noise floor as well, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members urbanscallywag Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 The only time it is appropriate to normalize a recording is at the mastering stage, when it is prepared for CD release, or release on any other medium. It is part of the CD specification that recordings should at some point exceed -2 dBFS, and there is no reason why you should not peak exactly at 0 dBFS. from one article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Khazul Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 Peak for one sample at 0dBFS is ok, do it with several consecutively and your CD might get rejected as clipped. On normalizing - this only makes sense if all the tracks have about the same difference between average (VU) and peak levels in their busiest bits, for eg alot of pop/dance/rock music targets around 12dB difference for a mix that isnt in-yr-face all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whitepapagold Posted August 28, 2008 Members Share Posted August 28, 2008 This thread makes my head hurt... Normalize to just under zero as EVERYONE has said and call it a day. Or do what most everyone else does and DONT normalize- just track things properly... The answer has been given correctly over and over yet the thread continues on... kinda like a woman talking after sex... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted August 29, 2008 Members Share Posted August 29, 2008 Okay true, but in doing so you also increase the noise floor, resulting in a "perceived" decrease in the dynamic range, don't you? Nope, because the dynamic range hasn't changed....the difference between the loudest sound and the noise floor is still the same. In 16-bit digital audio the noise floor of the recording medium itself is 90dB or more, any noise in the signal will be masked by ambient noise in the listening environment. Vinyl and tape only have dynamic ranges of 40-50dB. Most of the noise in digital recording comes from the source anyway. There are downsides to normalizing but dynamic range reduction is not one of them. That said, I normalize stuff all the time. The audio side effects are easily masked by all the other inadequacies in my signal chain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 No it doesn't. It just raises the level of all samples by the same amount so that the loudest sample hits the specified maximum. There is no dynamic range compression. In Pro Tools you can normalize in peak mode or rms mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted August 29, 2008 Members Share Posted August 29, 2008 Nope, because the dynamic range hasn't changed.... the difference between the loudest sound and the noise floor is still the same. In 16-bit digital audio the noise floor of the recording medium itself is 90dB or more, any noise in the signal will be masked by ambient noise in the listening environment. Vinyl and tape only have dynamic ranges of 40-50dB. Most of the noise in digital recording comes from the source anyway. There are downsides to normalizing but dynamic range reduction is not one of them. That said, I normalize stuff all the time. The audio side effects are easily masked by all the other inadequacies in my signal chain Okay...what are the potential downsides? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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