I recently extractd the audio files from Pink Floyd’s The Wall DVD - Resulting in 28 .PCM tracks. I used MacTheRipper 3.0 - R14i to extract the files. Then I converted the .PCM to .Aiff using AIFF from PCM 1.0b11.
After converting the tracks the volume is very low and there are sporatic clicks and pops through out the tracks.
I downloaded Audacity in hopes if increasing the over all volume on all of the tracks. And then going through the tracks removing the click/pops.
Volume - I want all the tracks to have the same volume levels - after searching through the forum, I have a few questions
do I use the gain slider on the left had side to increase the overall volume of all the tracks? If for example, I choose to increase each track +12 db, will that work? Will the volume increase be the same across the board for all 28 tracks assuming that I choose to increase the gain +12 db?
I have also read about using a Amplify and Compression. I don’t understand these functions as well, but after I play with them a while (after some pointers, I am sure) I can probably get them to work ok.
I also have read a little about the batch processor? Can I do all 28 tracks in one shot, if I set up a prearranged lvl adjustment?
The tracks seems to have an occasional pop/click (odd IMO since sourced from DVD).
I have not tried this yet but I assume using the Click Removal effect if the way to go to fix these up. Do I zoom in and select the click/pop areas and then just select click removal?
Is there a better method?
If I have to zoom in and select the individual clock/pop area, what format is best for viewing and selecting? Waveform? Waveform DB? ← what is the diff btw?
Thanks in advance for the help. I have been trying to get a really good copy of this soundtrack for years now. The ones I have found are either incomplete, or crappy. So I decided to try and take matterrs into my own hands!
I look forward to learing more about this application!
There’s a lot of stuff that you can do with Audacity to improve the sound quality of your tracks, but starting with good source material is possible the most important part if you want to end up with a good recording.
I presume that the sound quality on the DVD is good, but something has gone wrong with your ripping/decoding? (your ripped and decoded file should sound virtually identical to the original DVD). I’m afraid I can’t advise on that as I don’t use a mac, but if you can’t get it to work properly, could you play the DVD and have Audacity record it while the DVD is playing?
Star, I have used this method that Steve suggests, with excellent results, to record a track from the Thelma & Louise soundtrack. Just hooked up the DVD audio-out to the input of my external souncard and recorded the track into Audacity.
I can try this - I was just looking to get the complete uncompressed audio tracks. I kinda felt like if I am extracting them directly w/ no compression, I should be getting the highest quality files. I have read that elseware that there is a lot of audio that is artifically volume adjusted because of low settings…
Anyway, would you use the gain slider or some sort of amplify/compression thing to increase the volume? I just want to make sure that all the trackes are increased the EXACT same
“Ripping” is the best way for highest quality, but it sounds like there’s something going wrong with your ripping. As I said previously, if the DVD sounds good, but the rip doesn’t, then something is wrong. Sorry I can’t help with doing this on a mac - I’m a pc user. You could have a look on the Doom9 forum to see if they have any info about ripping on macs.
Again, not sure how this is implemented on macs, but if you can select “wave out” as the recording source, and play the DVD on your computer, that should give pretty good quality. You will need to check that your media player has any “effects” or “enhancements” turned off (they sometime have compression / eq / loudness and stuff like that switched on by default).
Once you have your audio in Audacity, you can increase the volume with the slider (watch out for “clipping” distortion). If you double click on the slider, you should get a pop-up box where you can type in the amount of boost/cut (makes it easier to set to a specific amount.
Once you have your audio in Audacity, you can increase the volume with the slider (watch out for “clipping” distortion). If you double click on the slider, you should get a pop-up box where you can type in the amount of boost/cut (makes it easier to set to a specific amount.
Alternatively you can use the “Amplify” effect.[/quote]
So the Gain Slider and Amplify (under effects) basically do the same thing?
They both make the sound louder (or quieter), but one is a “destructive” edit (actually changes the recorded wave), and the other is “non-destructive” (doesn’t change the recorded wave).
Once the files are exported, both edits are permanent (aka destructive), so it makes no difference except that the Amplify effect can amplify in smaller steps.
But if you’re strictly working within an Audacity project, adjusting the gain slider is non-destructive. The Amplify effect makes a permanent change to your audio data (but only after you save the project).
So for your purposes, the destructiveness of either effect is unimportant since you’re only going to be making very minor edits and (hopefully) won’t be saving an Audacity project.
Starchild, you should be hearing exactly what you hear when playing that DVD through a speaker system that doesn’t apply any effects. If you’re hearing pops and clicks then your ripping method has some flaws somewhere.
Also, why do you want each track to be the same volume? They’re already mixed to sound good when played together, normalizing each track will just throw that balance off.
If you want to adjust each track by the same amount, that’s not a bad idea. DVDs seem to be mastered at well below full volume (I have no idea why). To do that, import each track into Audacity at the same time (that’s a lot of tracks, but Audacity should deal with it). Then edit → select all, then effects → amplify. If you use the default value Audacity gives you, it will amplify every track by the same amount, thus keeping the same relative volume between tracks. It may take quite a while for Audacity to run, there’s at least an hours worth of PCM tracks to work on.
At this point you can use Export Multiple to get each track exported to it’s own file.
the gain slider is the non-destructive and amplify is the destructive.
i would recommend using non-destructive amplifying when possible, because sometimes amplifying and saving a track causes undesirable side effects like excess noise which you can sometimes miss at first.
if you just play with the gain slider no damage can be done to the track.
Johnny from guitars101
Thanks for your reply,Starchild . I have fixed my problem. lol