Topic: Help with the edition of a recording

[realkuka]

Hi,

I recorded the FNM concert in Chile, I´m a newbie in the post recording edition , I used audacity to normalize and increase the volume (I increased 1db), but I didn´t feel too much improvement, which would be the maximum db that I could increase?, this is my original recording (not edited):

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EP2804CL

Faith No More at Estadio Municipal de La Florida, Santiago, Chile October 30, 2009

Source: MM-MCSM-5 cardioids -> MM-EBM-1 (Bass Roll Off @ 69hz) -> Edirol R-09HR
Transfer: WAV -> Audacity

Thanks for your help!

[acidjack]

I would not use the "normalize" function at all - it raises different sounds unequally and will squash the dynamic range of your recording.

Instead, use Amplify.  Personally, I split the track into L/R and amplify each channel to -0.1db.  If there are any errant high peaks, you should trim them down so that the amplification will be appropriately high.  By "errant high peaks" I mean, say, one clap or single drumbeat that is at -3dB if the rest of the recording is at -12.  Otherwise, amplify would only give you +2.9dB of boost instead of the +11.9 you want.

[greenone]

I would not use the "normalize" function at all - it raises different sounds unequally and will squash the dynamic range of your recording.

This is not true. Normalize will find the peak value of the recording below whatever threshold you set, and then raise the volume of the entire file so that the peak goes up to that threshold. What you don't want to do is normalize across multiple files, because with different peak values, you'll get different amplifications.

[Brian Skalinder]

This is not true. Normalize will find the peak value of the recording below whatever threshold you set, and then raise the volume of the entire file so that the peak goes up to that threshold.

This isn't necessarily true, either.  It depends on the audio editor.  Some perform peak normalization (which you describe), some perform RMS normalization (which performs similar to what acidjack described, reducing dynamic range).  I don't recall which Audacity uses.  My vague recollection is that unless the app specifically provides configuration for RMS normalization, most use peak normalization.  But it's really best to confirm with whichever app one uses.

realkuka -- to "trim down" peaks, as acidjack suggests, check the Computer-Related forum stickied post for threads about volume envelope, compression, and limiting.

[greenone]

Audacity does indeed use peak normalization; I'm not sure if I've run into an app that does RMS without also offering peak...