Author Topic: boosting levels after a recording? (Read 6485 times)

seekup40 · « **on:** February 16, 2004, 03:02:47 AM »

Is there a way too raise the levels after a recording, mine are a little low as of now

chris

Humbug · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2004, 04:18:34 AM »

What music editing program are you using? This should be possible in most of them.

seekup40 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2004, 07:42:28 AM »

cool edit

leegeddy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2004, 09:17:57 AM »

Quote from: seekup40 on February 16, 2004, 07:42:28 AM

cool edit

..on CEP, choose (highlight) the entire wave,

Transform > Amplitude > Normalize

marc

timP · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2004, 11:21:00 AM »

ahem... how about when using Wavelabs?
have taught myself alot of it, just know that I'm doing alot in it bass akwards...
thanks

Chanher · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2004, 11:45:17 AM »

Quote from: spreadahead on February 16, 2004, 11:21:00 AM

have taught myself alot of it, just know that I'm doing alot in it bass akwards...

huh?

seekup40 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2004, 11:57:28 AM »

also another thing i just noticed on my recording, for about the first 20 minutes, little thumps can be heard. my mic stand was swaying back and forth for that portion of the show, i have no idea what caused it since it was indoors and my stand was taped down with lots of duct tape, maybe a fan or something from the ceiling, i also thought maybe the pressure from the speakers but i was about 20 feet back? any ideas??

timP · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2004, 12:02:46 PM »

what I mean is that I don't have the manual for it, so am just trying out features and looking thru the Help guide... just sure I'm missing some of the nicer features...

Bubb Rubb · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:42:16 PM »

Can Wavelab be downloaded for free, if so where? If not, where can I purchase it

Rat6666 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:55:51 AM »

Hey spreadahead,

In Wavelab:

Select All (Ctrl+A)
Level --> Normalize

If you need to boost your levels higher than that, you'll need to use a compressor plug-in. Steinberg Mastering Edition comes with a really nice compressor as part of the set. There may be a standard compressor included with Wavelab, but it's been a while since I've fired it up so I'm not sure.

There may be a trial version of Wavelab, but I don't think I've ever come across it (never needed it!

) Visit http://www.steinberg.net for more information and purchasing info. Most Guitar Centers or other larger audio stores should carry it standard if you want to purchase it locally.

Chapper · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:38:11 AM »

Quote from: Rat6666 on February 23, 2004, 01:55:51 AM

Hey spreadahead,

In Wavelab:

Select All (Ctrl+A)
Level --> Normalize

If you need to boost your levels higher than that, you'll need to use a compressor plug-in. Steinberg Mastering Edition comes with a really nice compressor as part of the set. There may be a standard compressor included with Wavelab, but it's been a while since I've fired it up so I'm not sure.

There may be a trial version of Wavelab, but I don't think I've ever come across it (never needed it! ) Visit http://www.steinberg.net for more information and purchasing info. Most Guitar Centers or other larger audio stores should carry it standard if you want to purchase it locally.

Can't you just select the entire .wav, then add gain?

Rat6666 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2004, 09:40:37 AM »

Wavelab 4.0 Demo (Full featured, except you can't Save or Burn CD's):
~ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/download/pc/wavelab/WaveLab_Demo/WaveLab40/WaveLab400fDemo.zip

I would think you'd NEVER want to add gain after normalizing, as that would crush the peaks that you just normalized to. Compression is the most obvious solution, or you could also try a plugin called Loudness Maximizer.

Let me know if any of this helps... I've been using Wavelab for the last couple of years (before I had any interest in taping).

Jon

nic · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2004, 09:46:56 AM »

Quote from: Rat6666 on February 23, 2004, 09:40:37 AM

I would think you'd NEVER want to add gain after normalizing

IME, I would add gain instead of normalizing . . .

Cooker · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:12:39 AM »

in wavelab, just add gain. don't normalize.

Rat6666 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:26:57 AM »

Why would it be better to add gain rather than normalizing/compressing? In most mastering circles the former would be frowned upon, as far as I can assume.

Adding gain generally crushes peaks (clipping = bad). Normalizing to 0dB and then compressing adds overall volume without clipping.

Serious question!

Cooker · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:34:31 AM »

what we're talking about is an audience recording where the peaks are X number of dB below zero. normalizing then compressing would kill the dynamics of the recording

in wavelab, the change gain dialog has a "get peak level" button. if the peak level comes up at 0 dB then normalizing is the only option. if your peak levels are at -4 dB, then adding 4 dB of gain would boost levels without changing the dynamics of the recording.

Rat6666 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:45:54 AM »

OK, that sounds a lot more logical to me now. I was looking at it from a studio audio production point of view where there's not such a delicate dynamic going on (loudness race, anyone?).

Brian Skalinder · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2004, 10:49:47 AM »

Quote from: Rat6666 on February 23, 2004, 10:26:57 AM

Why would it be better to add gain rather than normalizing/compressing? In most mastering circles the former would be frowned upon, as far as I can assume.

Adding gain generally crushes peaks (clipping = bad). Normalizing to 0dB and then compressing adds overall volume without clipping.

Serious question!

Adding gain only crushes peaks if you add gain to bring your peaks up above 0dB. Normalizing to 0dB and then compressing will still leave you with levels below 0dB - how far will depend on the amount of compression you use.

At any rate, if you're compressing, you should compress first and then add gain/normalize to 0dB.

Uh, yeah...what Cooker said - he beat me to it. I will add, though, that I sometimes compress recordings with a very broad dynamic range because for most people's playback systems the narrower dynamic range sounds better. Of course, I always maintain the original copy and send the original WAVs to anyone who wants them (usually those with higher end playback systems).

timP · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2004, 11:24:33 AM »

thanks for some info guys..
trying to take your words and appying them...
I have high-lighted the file, then gone into the Process Tab, then choose Normalize, and raise the levels...
is this correct?
and will this be saved?
how much is of a boost is considered OK?
danka

Brian Skalinder · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2004, 11:31:36 AM »

Quote from: spreadahead on February 23, 2004, 11:24:33 AM

and will this be saved?
how much is of a boost is considered OK?

If you save the WAV file, yes. I'd recommend saving the normalized WAV as a *new* file, that way you have the original if you want to go back to it.

How much is OK - as long as your levels don't go above 0dB, you're fine, so add however much gain you need to get right up to 0dB.

timP · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2004, 11:45:32 AM »

thanks Brian..
when I raise the levels on the MASTERING window it doesn't seem to save/ it isn't on the track when I replay it........

gonna try and work on some tapes I did with my SP mics and see if I can boost the vocal end some...
those mics are great for the music, just sometimes not the vocals.....

Brian Skalinder · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2004, 11:49:35 AM »

Quote from: spreadahead on February 23, 2004, 11:45:32 AM

when I raise the levels on the MASTERING window it doesn't seem to save/ it isn't on the track when I replay it........

Gotta plead ignorance on this one, I'm only familiar with Cool Edit for this sorta thing. Someone'll chime in shortly, I'm sure...

MattD · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2004, 11:58:34 AM »

Quote from: spreadahead on February 23, 2004, 11:45:32 AM

thanks Brian..
when I raise the levels on the MASTERING window it doesn't seem to save/ it isn't on the track when I replay it........

When you change something in that window (plugins, mastering, dither), you need to RENDER and save to a new file, not just "save." Render applies the processing before it's saved. This is because such processing is intended to be the last step in mastering a recording. After you do any of this stuff, you should not do any more editing on the file, other than splitting.

timP · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2004, 12:01:41 PM »

cool, will look into the rendering function...

I figured it would save it as is one the screen...

Cooker · « **Reply #24 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:29:35 PM »

what software are you using Tim? Wavelab? My version doesn't have a separate mastering window - just the active WAV window...

timP · « **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:55:10 PM »

4.0
it is a sort of floating window that you can't really close..has-
Effects
Mastering
Dithering
options listed like that
when I raise the master button, there levels seem to rise.........

mhibbs · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2004, 03:06:23 PM »

How does normalizing differ than adjusting gain if you don't go past the peak? If your peak is -4 and you normalize to 0, are you not just bringing the peak up to 0 and everything else up proportionally? That was always my understanding.

mitch