Audacity Forum

Anna:
Have a look at the Equalization effect page: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Equalization

The two sliders on the left merely change the scale of the graph; they do not affect the equalization.

Be sure the click the "Graphic EQ" mode button if you want to use the equalizer sliders. Leave it at "Draw Curves" if you want to draw a curve directly. For a simple bass boost, the Draw Curves mode is easier.

If you have Audacity 1.3.13 it should have come with a few "preset" curves which you can select from the "Select Curve" dropdown menu in the Equalizer effect.

If you do not have 1.3.13 or do not have the "Bass Boost" preset in the Select Curve dropdown menu, try this:

In Draw Curves mode:
1) Click the "Flatten" button - this makes a "flat" curve that does nothing; like starting with a blank sheet of paper
2) Click on the green curve at the "400 Hz" vertical line - dot appears on the green line.
3) Click on the green curve at the "100 Hz" vertical line and drag the dot upwards until the green curve extending to the left touches the "6 dB" mark.

The Equalization effect window should now look something like this: (I'm just showing part of the window to save space)
This will add a "gentle" bass boost. If you want more boost, drag the point on the 100 Hz vertical line up farther. For less, boost, drag it down.

Adding bass boost will likely make the track louder and can cause clipping to occur. Click on the menu View > Show Clipping. If red lines appear in the track after applying the bass boost, click on Edit > Undo Equalization, then Effect > Amplify and enter a value of "-6" in the "Amplification (dB)" box, then try the Equalization again.

As for the BassBoost effect, a larger "Boost (dB)" value means more boost.

There is no right or wrong setting. If it sounds good to you then it is right for you. Just make sure that you are listening with good headphones or good speakers. If your headphones or speakers don't reproduce bass frequencies well then you might be tempted to add too much bass boost which would then sound "muddy" with good headphones or speakers. Listen to some music that you know and like, to judge the quality of your playback system, then adjust your recording.

-- Bill

Thank you so much Bill for the link, I appreciate it

I do have Audacity 1.3.13 and I can see the few "preset" curves from the "Select Curve" dropdown menu in the Equalizer effect. And I tested in the Draw Curves mode, and as you suggested, ---"clicking on the green curve at the "400 Hz" vertical line – then clicked on the green curve at the "100 Hz" vertical line and dragged the dot upwards "6 dB" mark".
I do really like the effect I got, a slight amplification, that is so cool, thank you!!

1)I would like to know if there is a purpose for the curve not to be straight, but rather with an angle on the 100Hz? would drawing that curve straight instead, directly from 400Hz, produce a more abrupt and less gentle sound?

3) which would be a corresponding setting to this drawing, (for a gentle slight boost) if I choose from the DropDown menu instead? Thank you!!

the Clippings appeared when I tested the BassBoost with the 200Hz and 12 dB, , even though I really liked the effect--- I did as you told me, : “ clicked on Edit > Undid Equalization, then Effect > Amplify and entered a value of "-6" in the "Amplification (dB)" box, then tried to Boost again”
But the result was that the graphic shrunk too much and the volume decreased way much more even than the original, even more than before I applied the boost

So if I would change the 200Hz -12dB in the BassBoost, to avoid Clippings how would I do it? Changing the dB value to a lesser one?, and leave the 200Hz?---- Or change the Hz value and leave the 12dB??

are there are still further things that could determine if a voice has become distorted after boosting, even if there are no clippings?

Thank sooo...much
Anna

You don't have to use the default settings on Bassboost (200Hz 12db), could try 150Hz 5dB,
it's a matter of trial and error to find the optimum settings.

[ Unlike other Audacity effects "Bassboost" does clip if the signal goes beyond +/- 1 ].

Trebor,
Thank you so much for your reply, that will certainly help,

when you say : "[ Unlike other Audacity effects "Bassboost" does clip if the signal goes beyond +/- 1 ]"
Would you mind to explain what "GOING BEYOND +/- 1 implies? isn't 5dB" already beyond +1? Or is it not?

Beside this, I wanted also to ask if there is a way for you to reply only to some of the other questions I posted in my previous post, that are still unanswered? or if you could suggest another part of the forum where they might fit better maybe? ? I can list them again below:

1)I would like to know if there is a purpose for the curve not to be straight, (PLS SEE CURVE DRAWING IN BILL'S PREVIOUS POST) but rather with an angle on the 100Hz? would drawing that curve straight instead, directly from 400Hz, produce a more abrupt and less gentle sound?

2) Does 9dB" gives a louder volume than 6dB" ?
And is -6 dB is louder than -9dB instead? Yes?? No?
Also, is 0dB is louder than -6dB? Yes ?? No???
Sorry, , I cannot tell much difference between 6dB or 9dB, , but want to make sure I understand the difference and which value is louder, still struggling about that!! If you read tutorials, is granted that you should already know the answer, but I am really a total beginner!

3) I would like to know, which would be a corresponding setting to this drawing, (SEE CURVE DRAWING IN BILL'S PREVIOUS POST) if I choose a Preset settings, from DropDown menu of the Equalizer instead? They are all so different, could you suggest one that could be similar? Not exactly, but for a similar purpose (gentle boost) ?? That would be really great, Thank you!!

6) So are these conclusions correct?:
That as a general and basic rule, if there are no clippings showing after applying the BassBoost or Equalization, it means that the sound
IS NOT muddy and that does not have distortion and that it is acceptable? Yes?

And are there are still further things that could determine if a voice has become distorted after boosting, even if there are no clippings?

So these are the points that I am stuck with, and I cannot go on with my recording until I have some answers, so any help you can, is really so much appreciated

Thanks a lot Trebor
Anna

cosmiclight22 wrote:Trebor,
Would you mind to explain what "GOING BEYOND +/- 1 implies? isn't 5dB" already beyond +1? Or is it not?

By “Beyond +/- 1” I mean off the chart: the amplitude has a linear (not dB) scale from +1 to -1 with zero in the middle.
Using the logarithmic (rather than linear +/-1 scale), “off the chart” is anything above 0dB …

cosmiclight22 wrote:I would like to know if there is a purpose for the curve not to be straight

They are described as equalization “curves” but they can consist of straight lines.
A few straight lines can be a close enough approximation to the ideal “curve” for a particular application.
It really is just a matter of trial and error to find the equalization settings which suit your recording and headphones / speakers.

Ok I see now, thank you for explaining
I got the logarithmic graphic by clicking on the track on the AudioTrack arrow and then choosing Waveform (dB), rather than just Waveform
Is that the correct chart I got?

So any sound above 0dB in that chart, should be considered as a clipping,?

Does a clipping tell us that the voice has become distorted and deteriorated? Or does a clipping tell us something else? If so, how do i find out if the voice sounds distorted?

In arithmetic 0 is a higher value than -6 and that -6 is bigger than - 9 (and not the opposite)
Does this apply in dB sound values too?
In other words that means that 0dB is louder than -6dB? And that -6 dB is louder than -9dB?
Am I correct?

About the Audacity 1.3.13 Equalizer, which of those Preset settings, from DropDown menu could best fit --to give voice a conservative, gentle boost ? The Armadio? The Acustic The Decca FFRR Micro or more??..
I hope this is not a difficult question to reply to?

Thank you for your help
Anna

cosmiclight22 wrote:So any sound above 0dB in that chart, should be considered as a clipping,?

There is small margin of error: you may get away with a little over 0dB without clipping distortion.

cosmiclight22 wrote:Does a clipping tell us that the voice has become distorted and deteriorated? ... how do i find out if the voice sounds distorted?

If the waveform has gone over 0dB ("off the chart", clipped the peaks and/or troughs flat ) when you played the track there are red warnings …


You can hear clipping distortion on the “h” of “habitat” here …

cosmiclight22 wrote:In arithmetic 0 is a higher value than -6 and that -6 is bigger than - 9 (and not the opposite)
Does this apply in dB sound values too?
In other words that means that 0dB is louder than -6dB? And that -6 dB is louder than -9dB?
Am I correct?

Yes, large negative values are quiet sounds , e.g. -90dB is essentially silence.

cosmiclight22 wrote: About the Audacity 1.3.13 Equalizer, which of those Preset settings, from DropDown menu could best fit --to give voice a conservative, gentle boost ? The Armadio? The Acustic The Decca FFRR Micro or more??..

Most of those preset curves are for copying gramophone records (e.g. Decca is a record company), they weren’t designed for recording from a microphone. “AM radio” cuts the bass not boosts it, makes the sound like voice-radio (not FM music-radio).
If you want to use a preset , “acoustic” has a little bass boost. You can use the cursor to drag the beads on the on the “acoustic” equalization curve to make your own “custom” curve and see what effect it has: i.e. trial and error. Try Something like Bill's curve.

You can also set the Show Clipping indicators where you will get red vertical lines displayed in the waveform where clipping occurs (actullay when the recording level clips OR just reaches 0dB which is technically not clipping).

The clipping indidicators are available from the View menu. I just leave this setting to "on" all the time - IMHO it should really be the default.

WC