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Q: Making multiple tracks the same level?
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| Tech0rz |
I have 6 backing tracks that are all from different sources.
My friend is doing a live performance on guitar and asked me about 'normalising' all the tracks so they sound congruent with eachother.
What is the best way to get them all sounding similar in regards to volume levels?
Thanks :) |
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| psyklolink |
| looks like you want to match volumes... normalizing is just bringing the peaks up to 0db which won't make all the tracks sound the same. don't know what sort of software you've got, but a quick way to do this if you're running Windows would be to download the Goldwave sound editor (www.goldwave.com). Open up all your tracks and analyze each one with the Match Volume tool. Don't do anything yet, but write down the average (RMS) volume for each track...you're looking for the quietest track, i.e. lowest average volume. Once you've determined this number, you can use Match Volume to make all the tracks have the same average volume. After this you can normalize everything to bring the levels back up. hope this helps... |
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| Tech0rz |
Thanks but after I found the average for all and brought them all down to the lowest average, I tried to normalise them and it said don't use normalise with 'match volume' effect...either use one or the other.
What can I do instead to get the volumes altogether up to a decent level? |
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| Pjotr G |
| use your ears and adjust accordingly. |
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| psyklolink |
| oops, forgot about that... the right way to bring the volume up is with a limiter. I don't have the program here right now (at work) so I can't say for certain, but there should be a built-in limiting tool you can use. if so, there should be a setting for ceiling and gain. set ceiling to -0.1db, and set gain to whatever will bring the level up to a decent volume. i.e., if the average you set everything to was -18db, use a gain +6db to bring the volume up to -12db, which is decently loud. |
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| Pjotr G |
| which will not just alter volume, but also dynamics |
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| Diginerd |
| quote: | Originally posted by psyklolink
oops, forgot about that... the right way to bring the volume up is with a limiter. |
I hate to tell you this, but this is EXACTLY THE WRONG WAY TO DO THIS!!!
Using a limiter increases the average level, but at the expense of crushing dynamics.
Anything with a VU meter (as oppsed to your regular peak meeters) should help match levels. No need for plugins, compressors, limiters etc.
You loose no quality by turning UP levels digitally, but you certainly loose resolution when you turn down.
Match to the highest level track, not the lowest, so long as you don't clip.
As with everything digital, it's a compromise someshere, but limiting is NOT the way to go. |
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| Tech0rz |
I see. Well, now that they're all the same average volume, it doesn't really matter as the tracks will be running through a mixer so the gain can be adjusted as desired. It was just that the tracks needed to be of a similar volume that's all.
Thanks for all the info anyhow. Learned something :) |
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| psyklolink |
I'm well aware of what limiting does...
For the particular tool I suggested (match volume in Goldwave) you can't match to the highest level track, as it will only match the RMS of the tracks and doesn't check for peaks, which may (and does) cause clipping in the other tracks. If the volume on all tracks is fine after matching, then no need to do anything else. I'm not suggesting to use a limiter to crush the dynamics, just for a gentle upward boost in volume. Believe me, there is nothing I hate more than over compressed and limited music. The match volume tool will have reduced the peaks, so all the limiter will do is increase the gain, while making sure no errant peaks get through and cause clipping. |
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| Tech0rz |
Actually, some tracks still peak at 0db.  |
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| psyklolink |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
I see. Well, now that they're all the same average volume, it doesn't really matter as the tracks will be running through a mixer so the gain can be adjusted as desired. It was just that the tracks needed to be of a similar volume that's all.
Thanks for all the info anyhow. Learned something :) |
Cool dude, glad to have helped. |
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| psyklolink |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
Actually, some tracks still peak at 0db. |
is it causing a clip indicator to go off? it's fine if it peaks at 0db as long as you're not getting any clipping. if it is clipping than just match to a slightly lower volume. |
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