How are these two adjusted in post-processing?
When you make a linear volume adjustment with Amplify, Normalize, or RMS Normalize everything is adjusted up or down by the same dB amount.
Usually RMS Normalize will end-up amplifying so the peaks end-up too high. The limiter will “push down” the peaks if necessary. (If your peaks are OK, the limiter won’t do anything.)
Those two steps are virtually foolproof. (It’s easy to get the RMS & peaks into compliance if you follow the procedure.)
With “home recordings” the noise floor is almost always out of spec (even before increasing the noise when you run RMS normalize). So, you’ll probably need some Noise Reduction, and hopefully you don’t get artifacts (side effects) from the noise reduction.
Thanx, Doug … worked perfectly on the peaks … but still about 5db to loud on floor noise … any thoughts?
The best way to adjust the Noise Floor is make your room or microphone quieter. Can you tell if the computer is on just by listening? If so, it’s going to be a long day.
We publish Audiobook Mastering instructions.
This is an abbreviation.
From here.
https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Audiobook_Mastering
If you recorded well in quiet, echo-free room, that process will produce a sound file acceptable to ACX and almost anybody else who needs voice work.
Koz
seems like if I adjust the floor noise, the peak goes up, or the RSM … and vice versa. Is there a sequence I should be using. For instance, I WAS doing the following in post-processing:
noise reduction
normalization
EQ
Compressor
Normalization
Now, per your suggestions, I have downloaded ACX Control and RSM normalization.
So, which comes first … the chicken or the egg???
Post a sample of the work. Sometimes we can tell by analyzing the silent portion how best to deal with the noise. Sometimes, in rare cases, you’re just measuring it wrong.
https://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html
Record, stop, cut it if needed, and export. Don’t filter anything.
Koz
Thanx, Koz, will do later
Every time it says “RMS,” say to yourself “Loudness.”
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/measure-between-23db-and-18db-rms/32770/16
Koz
We didn’t get the two seconds where you hold your breath and don’t move. We need that to analyze the noise.
https://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html
You also need to record louder.
The blue blobs on the left are you reading. The blobs on the right are after I doubled the volume. Twice. And that’s still not enough. Did you post an equipment list? Sometimes we can suggest adjustments.
Koz
This is a simple recording I made in my bedroom.
Koz
KOZ, I’LL RE-RECORD THAT STRIP AND HOLD MY BREATH THIS TIME FOR 2 SECS AT THE BEGINNING
THE MIC I’M USING IS MXL BCD-1 DYNAMIC
Terrific microphone, but still super low volume.
This microphone takes a cable like this.
To plug into something like this.
Which plugs into the USB cable to the computer. The UM2 is the sound booster which is maybe what you’re missing. Do you have a booster (Microphone Preamplifier), or do you have a cable that goes straight into the computer soundcard? If you’re using the computer soundcard, that’s where your noise and low volume is coming from.
Koz
My mic is plugged into a Pro FX6 v3 mixer with the cord you showed above. I have a USB cable from the mixer to the computer
I got the clip to pass, but it’s not by much.
I applied the Audiobook Mastering Collection like this.
Followed by Hum Remover to get rid of the power and lighting hum in the background and then Noise Reduction.
The noise limit is -60dB and you should pass it by at least 5dB. You did.
Koz
Dueling Posts.
I need to look up your mixer.
I need to drop for a while.
Koz
Koz, when you come back on-line pls tell me more about what/where the hum removal tool is located.
Thanx, Tom
Pro FX6 v3 Mixer.
Before you do anything else, make sure the 48V light on the far right is off. That’s Phantom Power and your microphone doesn’t use it.
Plug the microphone into 1, Up Left.
Hi-Z off and Low Cut off.
Talk and advance GAIN until the little green LEVEL SET light flashes.
EQ Both knobs at U
FX Off
1 LEVEL at U.
2 LEVEL, 3/4 LEVEL, 5/6 LEVEL all off (Infinity).
I can’t figure out what they did with that “STEREO PAN” thing.
Further to the right.
TO PHONES up or off
FX TO MAIN off (infinity)
Phones volume control should give you your voice at the PHONES connection top.
Way on the right. LEVEL adjust until many if not most of the green lights in the MAIN METERS light up when you talk.
Launch Audacity, record something and see what the blue blobs look like.
I gotta go for a while.
Koz
Did all of the above and ran a test with the following results in RAW
Peak was at 21.8 and met ACX requirements
Noise floor also passed at 76.4 … BUT …
RMS was at -45.6 and failed
My head is turning to mush …