Free way to Normalize Volume across tracks

J

jesterscourt

New member
I hope the title was specific enough, and I hope I'm using the right term. Anyhow, I have demos that I have done over the past few years, and I'd like to burn them off as a mix/compilation cd. They are already mixed down to wav files, and I don't have individual tracks for a lot of them. As they were recorded over the course of years, with different devices, methods and instruments, the quality (fidelity-wise) and the volume fluctuates a great deal. What is the simplest method to have it so that they are all at the same relative volume (I mean I don't want to lose dynamics within a song, for example, but I don't want one song to be super soft and the next to blow out the speakers). What is the easiest method to do this with either free or shareware software? I did look through the mixing/mastering thread before posting this, and frankly, those people scare me and I didn't find a simple solution. I don't need to sound like a million bucks, I just don't want the people that hear the comp to be grabbing the volume control every song to either turn it up or turn it down, you know? Thanks in advance!
 
You will need to get a professional CD burning program like CD architect. It will allow you to adjust the volume of each track. If you don't want to do any processing, you will have to turn down the loud songs to match the quiet ones.
 
For burning CDs, I use a program called Nero. It has a function that it calls "normalize volume". That does exactly what you are describing. No matter what volume each of the individual songs is, the "normalize" function makes the volume of all tracks nearly the same.
 
Yo & Happy Spring:

I'm not sure if I would want ALL my tracks the same volume. For example, if I add a soft jazz organ playing in the "background," why would I want that track to be as loud as the vocal? Or, even the lead sax solo? Seems to me that all tracks at equal volume would also mess up the stereo field.

I like to add certain Latin sounds: bells, whistles, scratchers, etc. I put these additives left/right depending on what I'm after while mixing. But, I don't think I want them all at the same volume. Maybe I'm missing something here?

I sometimes wonder at some mixes I hear on television drama shows. The music, of course, helps set the scene; however, many, many times, the music plays LOUDER than the actors' voices; thus, I don't know what the hell they are saying at times. Shows that do this that come to mind are: CSI wherever, CRIMINAL MINDS, AND NCIS, just to name a few.

LOUD is all right with me if it fits the purpose of the song/mix/scene.

Green Hornet :D :confused: :D
 
Nick98338 said:
For burning CDs, I use a program called Nero. It has a function that it calls "normalize volume". That does exactly what you are describing. No matter what volume each of the individual songs is, the "normalize" function makes the volume of all tracks nearly the same.
Click to expand...

My version of Nero (6) has this, but for some reason, it clips the songs when it normalizes (not all of them just some of them) and no, the tracks themselves don't clip, only after this process they do.

Could someone guide me through using CD Architect? I downloaded a demo of the newest version, and registered it, so I guess I have limited functionality for the next month.
 
jesterscourt said:
My version of Nero (6) has this, but for some reason, it clips the songs when it normalizes (not all of them just some of them) and no, the tracks themselves don't clip, only after this process they do.

Could someone guide me through using CD Architect? I downloaded a demo of the newest version, and registered it, so I guess I have limited functionality for the next month.
Click to expand...

Why don't you try downloading the manual from Sony? Seems like a nice way to learn the software. :D
 
The Green Hornet said:
Yo & Happy Spring:

I'm not sure if I would want ALL my tracks the same volume. For example, if I add a soft jazz organ playing in the "background," why would I want that track to be as loud as the vocal? Or, even the lead sax solo? Seems to me that all tracks at equal volume would also mess up the stereo field.

I like to add certain Latin sounds: bells, whistles, scratchers, etc. I put these additives left/right depending on what I'm after while mixing. But, I don't think I want them all at the same volume. Maybe I'm missing something here?

I sometimes wonder at some mixes I hear on television drama shows. The music, of course, helps set the scene; however, many, many times, the music plays LOUDER than the actors' voices; thus, I don't know what the hell they are saying at times. Shows that do this that come to mind are: CSI wherever, CRIMINAL MINDS, AND NCIS, just to name a few.

LOUD is all right with me if it fits the purpose of the song/mix/scene.

Green Hornet :D :confused: :D
Click to expand...
You seem to have missed the part about these 'tracks' being mixed down songs on CD. He is trying to get a compilation CD to be the same volume from song to song.
 
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