I used to Normalize my audience recordings in the past, however, it's been so long since I have that I've totally forgotten how to do it PROPERLY.
There are a lot of instructions floating around but I'm trying to find absolute, definitive and best accepted procedure for doing this. I've recorded a few shows (with permission) and my levels are a little low (probably around -4 to -5dB. There are a few areas where it peaks higher than the "average" recording level of the file so I don't mind if I have to dabble in MILD COMPRESSION/LIMITING if need be (some will swear not to do this) as the average level is a little lower than the existing peaks.
This said, can anybody point in me the right direction?
Thanks.
Normalizing will examine the entire audio file, find the loudest part and then adjust up, or down, that part until it is as far below the 0 dB ceiling as you have set. This can be done manually. But this is also what we have computers for. 8)
Boojum -- I'd edit slightly to say that what you describe is how peak normalization works. Some software also offers RMS normalization, which works differently. I know there's a description around here somewhere, so I'm not going to re-type it.
Thanks for that, Brian. 8)
Just to tag onto what Brian said:
RMS normalization keeps the peaks from clipping by applying a limiting algorithm, so:
RMS Normalization = signal level (volume) compression
Peak Normalization = level adjustment