Normalize - will not normalize entire recording

[dsaldana]

I can preview and normalize a small section of my recording. However, when I "select all" and try to normalize, nothing happens. Any suggestions?

[kozikowski]

"Normalize" doesn't do what you think. It picks the highest point of the tallest blue wave on the timeline and changes the volume of the show (or the part you selected) until that one point is as tall as you told it to be. If you select the whole show and there is one point on one blue wave anywhere in the show that's already that size, Normalize won't do anything.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/normalize.html

Koz

[dsaldana]

Thank you! There was one spot in the middle of the recording - probably where I paused and restarted.

[kozikowski]

Anything like that, pencil drops, pops from bad edits, start/stop problems will drive those tools nuts. It sounds like they should be doing fancy things to your show, but in reality they're just turning the volume up and down according to rules. Normalize and Amplify are sister tools. One sets relationships and the other specific goals.

Koz

[Trebor]

I can preview and normalize a small section of my recording. However, when I "select all" and try to normalize, nothing happens. Any suggestions?

Try a Limiter instead of Normalise : it will knock-down any anomalous loud bits.
You can get a Limiter plugin for Audacity here ... http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Nyqui ... ns#Limiter

[ChristineG]

I know I've only got 6 months experience,but this is a good post for my learning curve. As Hard Limiter is a form of compressor, does this not meam that Leveler would do this as well, as it is also a compressor? I do get confused with some of the differences.

[Trebor]

... As Hard Limiter is a form of compressor, does this not meam that Leveler would do this as well, as it is also a compressor?

Audacity's built-in Leveller effect causes obvious distortion , ( people use it as a distortion-effect ).
Whereas Steve's Limiter plugin, (which I linked to above), does not cause conspicuous distortion unless pushed to extremes.

[ChristineG]

Thanks for clearing that up, Trebor. it is confusing for us Newby's. Sorry to have partially hijacked this excellent post.

[kozikowski]

Sorry to have partially hijacked this excellent post.

Not a problem. The worst thing you could do is insist that you have exactly the same problem...and you don't. That forces us to carry on two completely different, highly technical conversations at the same time.

That makes my head hurt.

Koz