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“Thickening” my Audio
I recently produced a local commercial for a client. Watching it air alongside other commercials, it seems my audio track is weak.
When I mixed everthing on FCP, all the levels were pumped as high as they could go without peaking.
I realize audio production is a varied and complicated subject. However, can anyone offer any advice or resources for getting my audio to sound richer.
I am printing to video onto a miniDV tape for export. Can this be part of the problem. Is there some degradation in the sound by exporting this way?
Thank you for any guidance.
-Waddy
Mac Pro
2gb ram OSX.2.11 -
7 Replies
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Try to use a compressor on your audio.
Most commercials are mixed and have a lot of compression on them. (they are aloways louder than the program.
Final cut pro has an audio compressor built in. IF you use it in conjunction with a LIMITER, This allows you to boost the low part of the sound but keep the peaks the same.
David
Peace and Love 🙂
Read my Blog
https://blogs.creativecow.net/DavidBattistella -
Thanks for the info David.
I have been told before that compression was the way to go, but everytime I used it, It gave it a very artificial sound.
Any ideas what settings specifically should be used. I know that with compression, a little goes a long way…but a little of what? Threshold? ratio? etc.
Peace
-Waddy -
You really need to find the sweet spot with each track.
It’s a trial and error thing, but you get better at it with experience.
David
Peace and Love 🙂
Read my Blog
https://blogs.creativecow.net/DavidBattistella -
Here’s a place to start.
Add the Compressor/Limiter Audio Filter to one of your clips and click it into the viewer “Filters” window.
Adjust the Settings to my “all 2’s” formula:
Threshold (db) -20
Ratio 2
Attack Time 20
Release Time 200
Preserve Volume CHECKED (very important!)Now click the viewer to display the actual audio track and set the Level to “2” or “3.”
Now when you play the low track it should be at “full” level.
You can play with my “all 2’s” formula if you want, but its a good starting point for raising the levels without a lot of compressor “pumping.”
The “Threshold” setting will affect the clip the most… as you slide left, it brings MORE of the low levels UP
The actual volume adjustment now comes from the “Level” slider on the actual audio track (and you can key-frame that if you want.)Give it a brief try and let me know what you think (if you have time.)
First, select only ONE clip. (Make it a “typical” clip with levels that are similar to many of the others.
Then add the “Compressor/Limiter” Audio Filter to that clip, and click it into the viewer “Filters” window.
As a starting point, adjust the Settings to my “all 2’s” formula:
Threshold (db) -20
Ratio 2
Attack Time 20
Release Time 200
Preserve Volume CHECKED (very important!)Now click the viewer to display the actual audio track and set the Level to “2” or “3” or higher.
Now, when you play the track it should be at a more “normal” level.
You can play with my “all 2’s” formula if you want, but its a good starting point for compressing the levels without a lot of compressor “pumping.”
The “Threshold” setting will affect the clip the most… as you slide left, it brings more of the low levels UP.
The actual volume adjustment now comes from the “Level” slider on the actual audio track.Once you get the level on this clip the way you want it, SAVE that (pre-adjusted) Compressor/Limiter” Audio Filter by dragging its icon over to the browser.
Now, select (highlight) ALL of the rest of your audio clips and drop your newly-saved filter to all of them at once. -
Thanks for your help.
Those settings worked pretty well and gave the track the ‘umph’ I was looking for. We’ll see how it sounds on the air.
I didn’t have to raise the levels to 2 or 3 and actually had to use keyframes in a few places to bring some peaks down.
Overall, using the ‘all 2s” formula was a major improvement.
However, here’s another question…It seems like anytime I have messed with compression, I get a tinny, almost robotic sound. It was relatively low with the formula, but it was there. I don’t know that the casual listener would pick up on this, but it bugs me. How does one reduce this side effect of compression?
Thanks again.
-Waddy -
Double-Double Post-Post
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[Waddyworldtv] “How does one reduce this side effect of compression?”
Use less compression.
Increase the attack time.
Increase the decay time.
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