Diff between peak normalization and vol. envelope? -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Diff between peak normalization and vol. envelope? Posted by: nolonemo Date:9/14/2007 12:39:04 PM Please pardon my audio ignorance. . . . Let's say that I have audio that's a little too quiet, when I playback from the Vegas timeline, it peaks at -12dB, and I would like to get it higher, say a peak of -3dB. I could: a) do an "Open in Sound Forge" and do peak normalization to my target peak level in Sound Forge, or b) do an "Open in Sound Forge" and do RMS normalization so my peak was -3dB (though I don't know how I'd determine the amount of normalization required to do this) c) insert a volume envelope in Vegas and drag it up until my peak level in playback is -3dB. Are these different approaches doing the same thing or something different to the audio (ignore the fact that inserting a volume envelope does not change the original media unlike editing in SF). Thanks, Nolo
Subject:RE: Diff between peak normalization and vol. envelope? Reply by: Kennymusicman Date:9/14/2007 4:02:45 PM Yes and no.. I'll explain a bit. Normalising (peak) is like boosting the volume up with a gain boost. So 1 and 3 are pretty similar. THe normalising method looks ahead, and works out how much it can boost up to get your intended target. Wheras with a gain boost, you're doing that calculation so to speak. Normalising (RMS) works a little differently. I'm not going to explain in this message - but if you normalise in SF with Peak, then undo and compare with RMS you'll see the difference quite clearly. ps.. When you do RMS, don't go any higher than -6dB. RMS is much more destructive to your audio - in terms of it really changes dynamics. Peak is a uniform boost to the whole track and whilst arguably destructive, it's also not so to speak.

Subject:Diff between peak normalization and vol. envelope?

Posted by: nolonemo

Date:9/14/2007 12:39:04 PM

Please pardon my audio ignorance. . . .

Let's say that I have audio that's a little too quiet, when I playback from the Vegas timeline, it peaks at -12dB, and I would like to get it higher, say a peak of -3dB. I could:

a) do an "Open in Sound Forge" and do peak normalization to my target peak level in Sound Forge, or

b) do an "Open in Sound Forge" and do RMS normalization so my peak was -3dB (though I don't know how I'd determine the amount of normalization required to do this)

c) insert a volume envelope in Vegas and drag it up until my peak level in playback is -3dB.

Are these different approaches doing the same thing or something different to the audio (ignore the fact that inserting a volume envelope does not change the original media unlike editing in SF).

Thanks,

Nolo

Subject:RE: Diff between peak normalization and vol. envelope?

Reply by: Kennymusicman

Date:9/14/2007 4:02:45 PM

Yes and no..

I'll explain a bit.

Normalising (peak) is like boosting the volume up with a gain boost. So 1 and 3 are pretty similar. THe normalising method looks ahead, and works out how much it can boost up to get your intended target. Wheras with a gain boost, you're doing that calculation so to speak.

Normalising (RMS) works a little differently. I'm not going to explain in this message - but if you normalise in SF with Peak, then undo and compare with RMS you'll see the difference quite clearly.

ps.. When you do RMS, don't go any higher than -6dB.

RMS is much more destructive to your audio - in terms of it really changes dynamics. Peak is a uniform boost to the whole track and whilst arguably destructive, it's also not so to speak.