The first file is without reduction.
I suspect we need the one before that. You should follow this list.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html
Don’t Process Anything.
Also in your submission, I can hear you moving, shuffling and slurping during the silent periods.
Freeze and hold your breath for that first two seconds.
Koz
Hi Koz.
Track is unprocessed with the MIC1/gain set at 1 am and the output at 2 am.No audible hiss in headphones.
That’s more better. First three listings and sentence 2/3 down.
I won’t be able to listen critically for an hour or two, but as far as I can tell, that should be good to go.
All I did to it was apply the tools in Audiobook Mastering.
https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Audiobook_Mastering
You can skip down to PROCESS. Those are the three tools plus ACX Check to test your work.
You do have to download and install ACX Check and RMS Normalize. Those two are not included in the current Audacity. The instructions are in that web page.
Koz
One note. I did cut off everything after about 14-1/2 seconds. It’s not good to leave too much silence in the tests. The two seconds of room tone at the beginning is enough for ACX Check to chew on. If you put too much silence in the piece, it can throw off RMS.
Root Mean Square is a sort of average and it depends on normal conversation and spaces to work out right.
Koz
Thanks Koz I have downloaded the Normalize and check and going by your comments I am starting to feel a bit more optimistic… Will keep you posted.
Normalize
Audacity already has Effect > Normalize. This one is special. It’s RMS Normalize.
Koz
And one other depressing note. Technical conformance—what we’ve been doing— is the first test. After you pass that, your submission goes on to Human Quality Control where they judge your theatrical presentation. This is where you go to die if you can’t read out loud.
We’re not that good judging this stuff unless you have obvious voice problems, so that’s generally between you and them.
Koz
Cheers Koz. I have downloaded the RMS Normalize and I am intrigued that they recommend the graphic equalizer as opposed to the amplification before normalize, limiter, ACX check…I do public speaking so voice is no problem though I do stammer…
I am intrigued that they recommend the graphic equalizer as opposed to the amplification before normalize, limiter, ACX check
The first step is a rumble filter. It doesn’t matter what the volume is for that. Most sound lower pitch than about 100Hz is useless (or outright evil) and is discarded. This is a rough copy of the filter Hollywood uses for outside sound shoots.
The next step is RMS Normalize which sets the loudness (RMS) of your show properly no matter where you started from. That’s the magic custom tool.
Follow that with Limiter to catch the occasional loud peaks. Those are the three steps.
If you started with a very quiet, echo-free room, you may be done.
I do stammer…
So do I. That’s why they invented editing.
Koz
Hi Koz…Well I have used equalizer,then RMS Normalize then Limiter and presto,no noise reduction necessary to pass the ACX test…Sent the file off to be assesed and waiting with baited breath…
waiting with baited breath…
And past that you should be waiting to post their results and comments here, no matter what they are.
Koz
Will do Koz. And post a crate of beers your way…
Hey Koz.
Got the Email today from the ACX recording engineer and it was great to be told it is a passable recording level…Yay!!, thanks to your perseverance, patience and knowledge I have overcome the first hurdle…
Thanks you have been great.
Gary.
I thought you were going for a full-on performance test submission. It’s pretty unusual for anyone to get access to ACX engineering.
Do you have all the rules for a full-on audiobook submission test? Have you been through that whole web page of question and answers? It’s not just cut a five minute sound test, post it and go home.
As weird as it is, it’s a lot better than reading a whole book and only then have them tell you it’s trash.
Koz
I did the full five minute test the first time that was rejected. I subsequently submitted smaller samples and kept up a dialogue with the chap who handled it and kept him constantly in the loop…The result was an open communication which resulted in a constant to and fro. much like you and I. I guess I was just lucky