Low Playback Level - even after normalize and amplify

[vorvick]

Hi All:

I record demo's into a digitech jamman. I upload those to my computer (Windows XP) via USB port. When I play back these .wav files the level is about 20% of a normal wav or mp3. I downloaded Audacity hoping it would help my problem.

Process thus far:
Import the file as an Audacity project
Normalize/Amplify till it's at an exceptable level - so playback in Audacity is great
Save as .wav or mp3 (using lame.dll)
Level's revert back to original, 20% strength... It's like I'm losing the Audacity effects when I export.

Any ideas?

V

[meaksy]

When you say you "saved as Mp3 or wav" do you mean you exported it?

you need to save it as an audacity file first then export it (if you have not allready done this), if you export before you save then you are exporting the original saved version , ie the one at 20% so then yes you would be losing your efforts in audacity.

i do this all the time when i copy a song and get rid of the click then export before i saved and of course when i listen to my export its still got the click in it. one day i will learn he he.

try that and if it doesnt work then hopefully someone else can help because thats all ive got.

regards

[vorvick]

Hi meaksy:

I'm pretty sure I saved it as an Audacity project (.aup?) and then exported to both .wav and .mp3, using lame.dll. I'll go through it again tonight to make sure I did the proper steps.

Thanks!

V

[vorvick]

No luck so far. Here's what I did:

Project > Import Audio… (selected wave file I want to raise the level on)
Ctrl A (select all) > Effect > Amplify > raised level to 20db (clicked on “allow for clipping”) > OK

Listened to it, sounds fine, and amplified.

File > Save Project As…<filename>
Closed and reopened project
File > Export as .mp3 (I already have the lame.dll)

First time through it made a perceptible difference, but not near what I was looking for.

Did it a second time add boosted the already amplified file by another 10db. Barley any difference.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

V

[waxcylinder]

Are you sure your MP3 player (or the player-software on your puter) is not interfering with the playback levels. iPods, for example, have a setting which tries to average out the sound levels for all tracks on the iPod.

The other thing I would try would be to export the WAV/MP3 to a slightly different filename from the original - and test that.

WC

[vorvick]

Hi WC:

I've been using the iTunes software for playback on my computer. I can make the file loud to the point of clipping in Audacity, and it barely changes when I export as an mp3 or wav. If I play a commercial recording in iTunes it's at a normal level.

I'm trying to record the sound on this video:
http://www.punknine.com/videos.html (scroll down to "ring of fire")
NOTE: This was recorded in mono on a digitech jamman looper. It allows you to export the file you create as a wav. I've been operating under the assumption that a wav is a wav and that I should be able to use a wav editor to raise the level to something closer to normal.

Thanks

V

[waxcylinder]

have you tried what I suggested in the last post - and exported to a different filename and tested that?

When I make WAVs and MP3s with Audacity and play them in iTunes an iPod they tend to be louder than commecial recodings (both ripped from CD and bought from the iTunes store) - so I don't understand what's going on in your situation.

WC

[vorvick]

Thanks WC, I'll try the filename change tonight.