normaizer question

hi I’m using version 2.2.1 …I have a couple of tunes that require more volume than the default at -1.0db…whats a good setting for the normaizer
to add more volume to the tunes…im on windows 64 bits…thanks

lenny

The “digital maximum” is 0dB. If you go over, WAV files (and CDs, etc.) will clip (distort) or your digital-to-analog converter will clip if you use a format that can go over 0dB…

But, if the songs are not loud enough one more dB isn’t going to help that much.

Normalization* doesn’t “normalize the loudness”, it sets the peak level… Loudness perception is complicated, and as you’ve found out it doesn’t correlate well with the peak levels.

There are tools such as ReplayGain, MP3Gain, and Apple Sound Check that will match the loudness of your entire music library, but since many quiet-sounding songs are already “maximized” they work by making the louder songs quieter and overall most of your music may get quieter.

Or, you can try using dynamic compression or limiting. These (when used with “make-up gain”) can bring-up the overall-average level without boosting/clipping the peaks. That’s how the pro mastering engineers make “everything loud” ([u]Loudness War[/u]). But, that does reduce the dynamics and a song with constant-loudness can get boring. If you push it too far, compression and/or limiting can sound like distortion and you may not be able to get the same loudness without distortion as the pros.


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  • Normalization is a mathematical/statistical concept where the numbers are adjusted to a range of 0 to 1.0 or 0 to 100%.

so your saying let it be right?

When Dominic Mazzoni (original author of Audacity with Roger Dannenberg) wrote the Normalize effect he set the default to be -3.0db as
a) being loud enough
b) providing headroom - not all players play nice at or near 0 dB

Personally I normalize to -2.0 dB (and my son complains these are too loud for his iPod)

WC

so your saying let it be right?

I’m saying go ahead at set it to zero dB. That’s slightly louder and it’s as loud as you can go linearly without clipping/distortion.

P.S.
Depending on what you’re starting with, you might be making it quieter by normalizing to -1dB.

hi whats a good default for the normalizer?

lenny

As shown in the manual: Normalize - Audacity Manual

hi
I don’t mind telling you that this stuff for me can be mindblowing…being a amateur…but I think I got a little of it…the volume goes higher if you
increase that number after the dash…but the default number is -1dbs…how high can you go before you have trouble?im just trying to understand this…

lenny