How to level volume on a CD???

[Mr. C]

I've finally gotten around to taking some tracks that my band laid down with my 424mkii using a program called Kristal. I then put it on CD using the Roxio program. When I listened to it some songs were much louder than others. How do I adjust this so that the volume is the same level for all the songs? I'm sure it is a step or two before putting it onto CD. Just to let you know how I did this, I mixed down to the Kristal program. I added some effects (probably not wisely, but it's my first time) then I used the mix down on Kristal to convert the tracks to wav. files so that I could burn them to CD. So where did I go wrong?

 

[Zaphod B]

Mr. C, the way I understand it is that the overall level of each song is determined at the time you master the song. So in order to produce a CD where all the song levels are the same, you have to ensure that you end up with approximately the same level on all songs during their mastering.

Remastering would be one option. I will leave it to the more knowledgeable on the boards as to whether you can even out the levels some other way.

 

[ssscientist]

Here's a link to a freeware audio editor called Audacity. Bring up the tracks in question in this before burning them to CD and you will be able to see and adjust the levels.

 

[eh91311]

mastering

In order to bring levels of the .wav files up you need to use a loudness maximizing program. Import the wav files back to Kristal audio then use a loudness maximizing VST plugin such as Endorphin (http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.php?item=2&subItem=3) to limit the peaks and raise the overall level. It works great and it's FREE. Import the .wav, apply the VST effect, re-save the effected .wav file.