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Using the normalize switch/workflow question
Hi folks,
I have a question regarding the best way to normalize sound. I’m using Vegas Movie Studio Platinum v9.0b (build 92).
I am doing a multicam edit of a chat show. We have a boom plugged (indirectly) into one of the cameras, and appear to have reasonable sound levels all the way onto the tape.
When I capture the tape, I have been cutting the sync claps at the start of each clip, then combining the channels (its a mono recording) and then hitting the normalize switch on each individual clip. After this I edit the clips together as per usual.
The problem is that the sound quality is a) still far too low and b) the volume moves up and down – I guess because the boom is moving between speakers.
What is the correct workflow for using the normalize switch? Should I be applying it to individual tracks or to the Master FX? Does normalize need to be added at the start or end of my editing process? Should I also be playing with the Volume effect on the Master FX?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Marcus
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1 Reply
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Normalize simply brings the loudest sound in a recording up to 0dB FS and then raises the other sounds relatively. That means if you already have a single clap that is at 0dB and the rest of your audio is at -50dB normalize will do nothing.
You can split the clip around the loud sounds and use normalize on the lower audio. You can also add a compressor to the track and set the threshold very low so that it raises the volume of the weak audio. This will also raise the noise floor but that will happen any way that you increase the volume on low audio. There is a tool called Levelator that is supposed to fix exactly what your problem is. It was written to smooth out volumes on podcasts. Google for it. I haven’t tried it but it’s on my list of todo’s. 😉
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com
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