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Author Topic: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?  (Read 3281 times)

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Offline emalvido

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Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« on: October 22, 2018, 12:52:50 AM »
Hello
When I checked my recorder the levels were high, all the way up, and my peak light indicator was lit, Tascam DR-05
I turned down the volume on my battery box, so the result is this.
Could someone please point me how to fix it?
The "loud" section doesnt sound clipped or saturated, sound ok with no distortion or brickwall
Im on Sound forge 11 or even advice on audacity is appreciated
Thanks
« Last Edit: October 22, 2018, 12:59:38 AM by emalvido »

Offline bombdiggity

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2018, 02:13:28 AM »
I would run a declip tool on the segment that is overrecorded.  I use Izotope or Audition for that.  Other programs probably have one too.  Adjust the parameters until it is enough to bring that section down. 
Gear:
Audio:
Schoeps MK4V
Nak CM-100/CM-300 w/ CP-1's or CP-4's
SP-CMC-25
>
Oade C mod R-44  OR
Tinybox > Sony PCM-M10 (formerly Roland R-05) 
Video: Varied, with various outboard mics depending on the situation

ilduclo

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2018, 10:11:10 AM »
This happens to me fairly often. When I know the musicians or can listen to the sound check, I try to set my volume then to get a decent recording without having to do so.

But, when it does happen, here’s my work path:

First, copy the file so as not to lose the original, that should be number 1 step in any audio editing,

Then run an analysis to get a numeric value on each of the samples, before and after the volume change.

Then run an envelope amplification tool, starting at an inverse of the numeric values above, say for example 60% up to 100% of volume with the transition occurring as close as you can to the section where you lowered the volume.

Alternatively, post the show, in flac and some of us might be willing to give it a go.

 :headphones:


Offline noahbickart

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2018, 10:15:58 AM »
There's nothing to fix. Turn the volume down when listening to the first part. Turn it up at the point at which you lowered levels.
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Offline gewwang

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2018, 11:18:37 AM »
What artist was this? It looks like there was an acoustic/unplugged section in the middle. Maybe run 'click removal' on the section following the quiet section, then boost the levels up some starting when the levels were lowered.

Offline nulldogmas

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2018, 11:40:05 AM »
I may be missing something here. If the too-loud part sounds fine aside from being too loud, can't you just reduce the volume of that section (Amplify filter in Audacity, setting a negative number of however many dBs too loud that section is relative to the rest of the recording)?

ThePiedPiper

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2018, 06:54:02 PM »
I may be missing something here. If the too-loud part sounds fine aside from being too loud, can't you just reduce the volume of that section (Amplify filter in Audacity, setting a negative number of however many dBs too loud that section is relative to the rest of the recording)?

+1 That what I was thinking.

Offline bombdiggity

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2018, 02:03:32 AM »
The picture is a bit small but it is very clear that the loud part is severely clipped.  I'm sure that will have at least some impact on the sound despite thoughts otherwise. 

So again declip the section that was overrecorded.  That will bring the levels of that section down and should more or less repair all the clipped wavforms.  It is pretty easy to do. 

If you just reduce the levels you'll have a massive number of chopped peaks now sitting somewhere below 0 dB.  Reducing the levels without addressing the clipping will make those sound worse than they do when they're off the scale. 
Gear:
Audio:
Schoeps MK4V
Nak CM-100/CM-300 w/ CP-1's or CP-4's
SP-CMC-25
>
Oade C mod R-44  OR
Tinybox > Sony PCM-M10 (formerly Roland R-05) 
Video: Varied, with various outboard mics depending on the situation

Offline nulldogmas

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2018, 08:04:48 AM »

If you just reduce the levels you'll have a massive number of chopped peaks now sitting somewhere below 0 dB.  Reducing the levels without addressing the clipping will make those sound worse than they do when they're off the scale.

How so? Chopped peaks sound like chopped peaks, regardless of whether they're chopped at 0 dB or below that.

If it genuinely sounds okay now — maybe those chopped peaks are all drum hits that don't sound so bad when clipped? — then just reducing the volume should be fine. If declipping makes it sound better, that's great and by all means do it, but ultimately this should be about how it sounds, not how ugly the waveform is.

Offline emalvido

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2018, 10:52:19 AM »
gewwang:  Taping is Nick Cave & Bad Seeds

Offline rumbleseat

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2018, 05:49:01 PM »
If it sounds perfectly fine, then just adjust it with an "envelope volume":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eRpu3UqNwA

If it sounds distorted, you can run the whole show through the "declipper" tool first.
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ThePiedPiper

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Re: Taped high levels then turned down, how to fix it?
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2018, 10:15:42 PM »
I am on the same line as Nulldogmas and Rumbleseat ... try adjusting the volume issues first. Declipping (or any type of limiter) is a nice tool to use sparingly, but in the long run it can be destructive if overused. It's something we all do (eyeball EQ'ing) but just let your ears have the final say. Start simple with the volume and go from there.

Just my 2 cents  :cheers:

 

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