File Volume Adjustment -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:File Volume Adjustment Posted by: Cbrown Date:8/26/2002 1:27:23 AM Alright, so this might sound like a stupid question, but forgive me for technical shortcomings: I've got a batch of files that I have transferred from vinyl format, to 16 bit Stereo .wav files on my system. The problem is that they all vary in volume, so I need to have a way to adjust them all to the same loudness, a static volume level if you will, so that I may then increment them in volume when I apply them in a digital mix. Will the Normalize function take care of this? Say, if I am to take one of the .wav files of my desired starting volume, and normalizing the rest of the files to the sample properties of that particular file? Or I do I use the Volume control some way? Not sure....btw, I'm using Sound Forge 6.0. Thanks in advance for any replies.
Subject:RE: File Volume Adjustment Reply by: MJhig Date:8/26/2002 3:44:06 PM Just so happens that I'm in the process of converting my vinyl to CD. Been at it for a couple of months now almost full time. Here's what works for me. First and probably most important is to make sure the recording level peaks a hair over -6 dB. Most of my albums are fairly constant, from 80's dance, Paula Abdul etc. to contemporary jazz, Spyro Gyra, David Benoit etc. etc. and once this level is set it really doesn't require too much tweaking. They've only been played once to record to cassette so damage is minimal also. This -6 dB makes the Plugin Chainer settings work without much tweaking and also reduces the noise in relation to the signal. Less is more. Since you have yours recorded already you can use Normalize (Maximize peak value, to -0.3 dB) you could use Batch Converter if you have separate files and call it done, you'll get the volume but not the loudness. To get the loudness you can either use Normalize (Maximize peak value, to - 6 dB), or when you load the file in SF to run the Plugin Chainer, highlight the hottest part of the file, open the chainer, preview that selection adjusting the volume fader on the Graphic EQ until the input level on the Wave Hammer Volume Maximizer peaks just above - 6 dB. This saves an extra process on the data. I record the whole album as one file, this way the relationship remains intact between tracks as it was originally mastered. The Plugin Chain I generally use is Click and Crackel Removal (More conservative, for vinyl recordings) > Graphic EQ (Really don't do much here, just cut Freq's below 20 Hz and compensate for the freq. response of my hardware) > Wave Hammer (Limit at 6 dB and maximize, setting output level to - 0.3 ). Process. If there is no blank space between songs; Place the cursor at the start of the audio in the file. Press "m" to insert a marker. Press the spacebar to start playback. Press "m" again at the crossfade location to insert another marker. Repeat to the end. Click Special > Regions List > Markers to Regions, when prompted click yes or ok. In the Regions List window highlight a region click enter to edit name. Click tools > Extract Regions and save them to a folder and burn them all in your burning software using DAO (disk at once) to prevent spaces between tracks. If you have blank space to eliminate between songs; Press "[" at the start of the song. Press spacebar to start playback. Press "]" at the end. Press "r" to create region and name it. Repeat to the end. Click tools > Extract Regions and save them to a folder and burn them all in your burning software using DAO (disk at once). MJ
Subject:RE: File Volume Adjustment Reply by: rraud Date:8/26/2002 9:13:10 PM I would digitize at a hotter level, peak at -3db or even hotter. I'm sure the record is already compressed a lot and the mastering engineer spent much time on compres/limiting/EQ. Unless there's something you don't like about it, just peak normalize to -.02db.

Just so happens that I'm in the process of converting my vinyl to CD. Been at it for a couple of months now almost full time. Here's what works for me.

First and probably most important is to make sure the recording level peaks a hair over -6 dB. Most of my albums are fairly constant, from 80's dance, Paula Abdul etc. to contemporary jazz, Spyro Gyra, David Benoit etc. etc. and once this level is set it really doesn't require too much tweaking. They've only been played once to record to cassette so damage is minimal also. This -6 dB makes the Plugin Chainer settings work without much tweaking and also reduces the noise in relation to the signal.

Less is more.

Since you have yours recorded already you can use Normalize (Maximize peak value, to -0.3 dB) you could use Batch Converter if you have separate files and call it done, you'll get the volume but not the loudness.

To get the loudness you can either use Normalize (Maximize peak value, to - 6 dB), or when you load the file in SF to run the Plugin Chainer, highlight the hottest part of the file, open the chainer, preview that selection adjusting the volume fader on the Graphic EQ until the input level on the Wave Hammer Volume Maximizer peaks just above - 6 dB. This saves an extra process on the data.

I record the whole album as one file, this way the relationship remains intact between tracks as it was originally mastered.

The Plugin Chain I generally use is Click and Crackel Removal (More conservative, for vinyl recordings) > Graphic EQ (Really don't do much here, just cut Freq's below 20 Hz and compensate for the freq. response of my hardware) > Wave Hammer (Limit at 6 dB and maximize, setting output level to - 0.3 ). Process.

If there is no blank space between songs;

Place the cursor at the start of the audio in the file.

Press "m" to insert a marker.

Press the spacebar to start playback.

Press "m" again at the crossfade location to insert another marker. Repeat to the end.

Click Special > Regions List > Markers to Regions, when prompted click yes or ok.
In the Regions List window highlight a region click enter to edit name.

Click tools > Extract Regions and save them to a folder and burn them all in your burning software using DAO (disk at once) to prevent spaces between tracks.

If you have blank space to eliminate between songs;

Press "[" at the start of the song.

Press spacebar to start playback.

Press "]" at the end.

Press "r" to create region and name it.

Repeat to the end.

Click tools > Extract Regions and save them to a folder and burn them all in your burning software using DAO (disk at once).

MJ