Topic: Waveform anomaly

[ButchAlmberg]

I am delving into my first attempt at post processing. The recording is an Umphreys show recently at Jones Beach, an outdoor venue on the beach in NY. I am concerned with the waveform as it is displayed in Sound Forge Pro (mac). As I have never done this before, let alone with SFP, I am learning as I go. Is this waveform anomaly a concern? If so, is there a remedy?

[dnsacks]

each of the waveforms represents a channel.  I'm not seeing any "anomaly" -- simply seeing that the top channel was a bit hotter (higher levels) than the bottom channel -- You could try boosting the levels on the bottom channel to match the top

[rocksuitcase]

Butch, I agree with dnsacks. that looks alike a "normal" .wav file, just the top (typically Left ch) is hotter than the bottom (typically Right ch).
This type of file occurs to me when:
1] the placement of the mics is too far left or right and this is what they picked up
2] One of the mics gets turned outward on the mount or if head worn, you faced your head toward the stage while sitting off center.
3] the levels were set that way (accidentally)
4] the mic with lower levels may be damaged or not calibrated similar to the other mic (very low probability considering the screenshot; just trying to be thorough for you!)

Some DAW programs will allow you to raise the level of RT or Left independently; I don't use SF so can't comment on that.
Good luck- keep at it brother! 

[ButchAlmberg]

Could it also possible be artifact caused by the wind in one mic and not the other? The venue is on the ocean and there was a steady wind that evening. In preparing to record here for the first time, another taper in fact warned me to be prepared for this. That said, I only had foam windscreens.

[colinw]

It could be wind, but the mics were likely pretty close together, I wouldn't expect to see such a difference in the left and right channels. I use Audacity, and you can split the stereo file and listen to the files separately. You will hear the wind clearly in the top (left?) channel if that is the cause. I am sure Soundforge does the same.
Maybe just try normalizing the channels indepedently and see how it sounds. It should even out the left/right levels.

Of course, if wind did cause that much of a level hotness you're in for some painful listening!

good luck.

[ButchAlmberg]

I posted the .wav file on another thread and got positive feedback, which is why I decided to take the leap into post processing. Lots to learn in that regard, as I'm as new as one gets. I think my mics were set up properly, I was dead center, I checked and double checked my levels before hitting record, so I'm at a bit of a loss. I'm going to try to figure out how to split the L and R channels to listen to them separately, but ultimately I think I'll need to give some gain to the low channel to make it match the other (not sure how to do that just yet).

Thanks for the insight, as always.

Butch

[JimmieC]

Like colinw said, I would look for "normalize" and hopefully the software has a check button for "normalize stereo channels independently" or else "split stereo track" and normalize the left and right individually.  I normally normalize to -0.1 dB.

If dead center, mic configuration not misalignment, and no gaining issue, I would guess the mics are not matching pair or one capsule is slightly broken.  I always forget if the bottom channel is right or left. 

[Craig T]

Maybe a high-pass filter on the right channel/mic?