Why is my audio so quiet now? the only difference is I added a clap

[Basilosauridae]

So this was recorded in garageband and then loaded into Audacity, both are spoken word files. The left audio was recorded with the exact same settings and set up and is zoomed in roughly the same amount as the left. On the left, the ONLY difference is that the client wanted me to add a clap when I mess up my takes so they can edit it out.

I've turned off normalize, I've turned off compression and squeeze, and no matter what I do, the file is super quiet and I have to amplify it by like 20 db to get it to be normal. Can I fix this so it exports like normal and allows clipping from the clap or do I have to amplify in Audacity after the fact?

Thanks!

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Maybe there's some kind of automatic gain control active.

 

[Tadpui]

This would be the exact effect of normalization. I agree, somewhere in the signal chain is some sort of automatic gain or normalization process.

This article makes it sound like Garage Band automatically normalizes on export, and that behavior can be turned off:

How To Export Out Of Garageband Without Normalizing

In this article, I explain how to export tracks out of Garageband without normalization. I also touch on some useful things to keep in mind when exporting

producersociety.com

 

[Basilosauridae]

This would be the exact effect of normalization. I agree, somewhere in the signal chain is some sort of automatic gain or normalization process.

This article makes it sound like Garage Band automatically normalizes on export, and that behavior can be turned off:

How To Export Out Of Garageband Without Normalizing

In this article, I explain how to export tracks out of Garageband without normalization. I also touch on some useful things to keep in mind when exporting

producersociety.com

I've already tried turning it off, it makes no difference (or negligible difference)

 

[gecko zzed]

Something is interfering with the levels.

If you can't figure out what, just clap softly.

 

[Basilosauridae]

Something is interfering with the levels.

If you can't figure out what, just clap softly.

Hmm I can see if I can do something less extreme, but they need a spike so they can find the errors, quickly so I think anything that spikes it is going to cause it to be wonky.

 

[keith.rogers]

Is this OS X GarageBand?

If you are turning off everything in GB, you might as well record in Audacity, if you are familiar with it. (Looks like an Audacity screen capture.)

p.s. you don’t have to put your hands right in front of the mic when you clap!

 

[gecko zzed]

You could just use a word, .e.g "cut"

 

[rob aylestone]

With that dynamic range, the music HAS to be quieter, to fix it, just edit the clap transient and renormalise. There might be a noise implication but if this has to be recorded it’s an ideal use for a limiter