-
FCP 7 Why are my audio levels always so low?
It seems like no matter what camera we use in the field, the audio looks good (level wise) on the camera and mixer, but when I bring the footage into FCP 7 the audio is always very low. Why is that?
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
20 Replies
-
Might be phasing. The audio is so in phase that the tracks are canceling each other out. Test this by muting one channel, then the other. Also, if you center pan them, it should clear this up.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks Shane. It doesn’t matter. Even if I only record on one channel in camera, the audio level is sill low. Is there something in preferences or system set-up that may be causing this?
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
I don’t think so. How low are the peak levels in FCP? And what are they in the camera?
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Peak levels in FCP are at -28db. In camera with a professional audio guy they are around -6 to -12db.
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
Does anybody else have a thought as to why my audio seems to always be low in FCP 7? Even though the recorded camera audio is at a good level?
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
Describe in excruciating detail what the sound chain is: I mean, are you listening to the computer’s sound card output thru headphones, thru speakers attached to a break-out box, what? List every box, plug, and cable used for getting the sound from the timeline to your ear.
-
Mark it’s quite easy. We shoot our video using either direct mic to camera input on our camera. That could be a C300 or an EX1.
Then I import that into my FCP system. It doesn’t matter what camera or crew I use, it just always seems like I need to boost up the gain in FCP 7 as much as it will allow.
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
He visibly sees that the levels are lower.
So…open the MIXER. TOOLS>MIXER. ON the track level, do the levels look low, or do they look normal, but sound low? Look at the master fader on the far right….is it at Zero, or is it lower?
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
(ON the track level, do the levels look low, or do they look normal?) They look low and sound low
(Look at the master fader on the far right….is it at Zero, or is it lower?)
The master fader is at zero.
I know how to set audio levels, I’m just perplexed as to why I always need to boot my levels.
Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com -
Is there any way you can post a small, 5-10 second sample I can download and look at? I’m perplexed by this.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up