Audacity Forum

Hello, I'm relatively new to Audacity~ m.__.m Please do bear with me if my question sounds really idiotic and there is an obvious solution for it. I can't seem to find a solution for this ;___;

When I try to export my recordings as an MP3, the sound always comes out really low. Has anyone also encountered this problem? And if so, what can one do to fix it?
Thank you so much for your time!

Describe how you're listening to it.

If you open up that song in Audacity again, is it still low -- does match the song before exporting?

Koz

kozikowski wrote:Describe how you're listening to it.

If you open up that song in Audacity again, is it still low -- does match the song before exporting?

Koz

Hmm, when I open up the projectfile in Audacity, the volume is still about the same as when I recorded it, but if I open up the MP3 file on Windows Media Player or Audacity, etc, it's alot quieter. (My volume settings are kept the same as when I initially recorded it, but there is still this sad discrepancy) ;___; I hope that clears it up a little better~

<<<the volume is still about the same as when I recorded it>>>

Most people say that when they really mean "capture from the internet." Is that what you did?

Download this little six second sound file...

http://www.kozco.com/tech/piano2.wav

Open it in Audacity and Export as Wav and Export as MP3. Do both of those files sound about the same when you play them in different players?

Koz

For the piano soundfile, all of the formats sound louder in Audacity than in Windows Media Player (my default for opening MP3 and WAV files). However, I did open the files in Nero (which I don't really have), and the sound volume is only slightly quieter than Audacity. (I'm DLing Windows Media Player 11 to make sure it isn't just a matter of an outdated player, but I think the problem is more than that.)

And no, I have karaoke files of songs that I open up in Audacity to put together with the recorded voice files. (Would this be "mixing" the songs together? I hear people talk about mixing all the time but wasn't sure if this counted...ahh I'm such an ignoramus);;;;

Nobody is shocked if different players play the same sound file at different volumes. They usually each have their own volume controls.

It's much more difficult to believe that the WAV and the MP3 sound the same as each other in Audacity, but different from each other in Windows Media or other player.

<<<I open up in Audacity to put together with the recorded voice files. >>>

"Mixing" is a fuzzy term. Usually, it's taken to mean smashing two or more different sounds together somehow. Doesn't have to be electronic, either. Last night at the jam session, I added a second guitar to the mix.

You can manage two different sounds such that you don't get a mix. Nobody would consider what Frampton is doing to be a straight mix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR_Bjf-a5rs

Koz

Ahh sorry if I wasn't more clear;;; The WAV and MP3 don't sound different from each other in other players. Both just sound alot quieter than when I initially recorded it, so when I want an MP3 file for uploading purposes, for example, you have to turn up the volume alot before you can hear it clearly.
If you look up karaoke covers of songs people recorded with Audacity on youtube, for example, they don't seem to have this problem T^T (I'm really sorry if my explanations are just going around in circles ;___;)

The holy grail is to have the sound performance smash up against maximum volume and sit there through the whole show.

Live performances don't act like that.

The graceful tools are Amplify and Normalize. Run Amplify on your production and use a peak value of zero if it's not there already.

That's the maximum volume you will ever get without affecting the character and music of the performance. If you're willing to fudge the performance quality a bit, you can use Chris's Compressor to make the show substantially louder.

http://pdf23ds.net/software/dynamic-compressor/

Highly recommended loudness compressor. I change the compression from 0.5 to 0.77 and it simulates the serious compression of the local FM station.

Koz

I use Amplify and Normalize alot X'DD (but perhaps not exactly accurately, so thank you very much for the tip!) I guess I'll keep playing around with them until I can accomplish something postable orz;;;
I'll definitely give the loudness compressor a try too DD: (ahh I have so much to learn..) *n00bs*

Thank you so much for all your help and endless patience~~! TT^TT