How can i normalize to nearly 0dB?

[Caine]

i want my waveform nearly to the 0dB, not exactly but nearly. so i have the same wavform 3 times from top to bottom:



1. unchanged wavform
2. normalized with the standard settings, very minimal change
3. i used the "envelope tool" and raised the wav manually.

is there a way to let audacity normalize it to nearly 0dB?

or is it no problem to just use the "envelope tool"?

[billw58]

What do you mean by "standard settings". How did you get that third waveform - did you use the envelope tool then "mix and render"?

-- Bill

[Caine]

What do you mean by "standard settings". How did you get that third waveform - did you use the envelope tool then "mix and render"?

-- Bill

standard settings, both settings in normalize marked.

please read 3. again, i wrote it i used just the envelope tool and nothing more.

[steve]

With the Normalize effect you can set the peak amplitude to whatever you want. IIRC the default in Audacity 1.2.x is -3dB
If you want it a bit higher, try setting to something like -0.2 dB.

I'd also recommend upgrading to Audacity 1.3.12 as there have been many improvements and bug fixes.
The default peak level in Audacity 1.3.12 is 0 dB.

[whomper]

Sounds like you want a compressor.
Just repeat it until everything is as close as you want to 0 dB.

Otherwise just use the amplify or normalise function.
That will take the peak to as close to 0 as you want.

Then select all and either use amplify
set the box to say -1 db (or something <0)
if you don't want to go all the way to 0 db.

Alternatively use normalise and do something similar.

Use the db view instead of the one you have.
The scale will show db. That will be easier to judge how close.

[kozikowski]

<<<i want my waveform nearly to the 0dB, not exactly but nearly. >>>

What's the goal? Most people who post questions like this are really after performance volume changes or some other definite final performance in mind.

Straight volume changes are usually done with the Amplify tool and both that and Normalize only work on the one highest peak in the whole show. In Audacity 1.3.12, you can choose any volume setting including lower and, if needed, higher than overload.

For example, if the system needs to increase the show level by three dB to get the loudest peak to settle at "0," then it drags the whole show up three dB. It will not change the loudness very much if it has to do that and it will not even out different loudness portions of the show. It won't make two different shows match, either.

Koz