recording a converstion

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

sorry for my ignorance:

when i record a talk with a person or with couple - some speak loudly and others softly. how do i normalize?
if i mark for instance -10 the softer almost disappears.
i would like to bring it all to more or less same level.

thanks,
estee

2

There’s an Audacity plugin for that : LevelSpeech2.ny

[ How to install plugin …http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Download_Nyquist_Plug-ins#install ].

3

You can use the [u]Envelope Tool[/u] to adjust the volume up & down manually. (The idea is to “fade” the volume up & down and try to avoid sudden jumps.)

The Compressor & Limiter effects can help (use make-up gain with either effect). There is also a Leveller setting under the Distortion effect.

Note that any of these adjustments will also adjust the background noise, and that can be distracting.

how do i normalize?

FYI - The Normalize effect doesn’t do that. Normalization adjusts the volume of the whole file by the same amount (like setting the volume control once before you start playback), setting the peaks to a particular target amplitude (typically the 0dB maximum).

4

hi
thanks for your answers.

  1. is there guide lines about “ideal” volume"?
  2. is there a function of lowering like there is Amplify?
  3. it would be helpful to know (i’m a novice) what to do with peaks in talk

thanks!!
estee

5

If you put a negative number into “Amplify” it will reduce the volume, e.g. …
negative amplify.gif

Audacity’s (soft) limiter, (with no make-up gain), will reduce volume of loud talk only, as will a compressor, ( again select no make-up gain ).

6

great video.
GOT IT!
thank you so much

estee