How to normalize tracks from different cds ?

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hegner

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I would like to know how do i do to have all the tracks "equal" in terms of volume/loudness since I often make cds from different sources (with tracks extracted from various cds ). I just can´t imagine I will have to open all tracks in a sound editor like Sound Forge to have it
normalized. I tried the Spin Doctor that comes with Easy CD, but the software seems to equalize by compressing the highest values to meet the lowest what ends with a low volume at all. I tried Audiograbber too (normalize), but I noticed no effects .
Any help please ?
Thankin´you so much in advance
 
theorhetically, if the somgs you ripped are from commercial CDs, theyre already 'normalized', and should have similar apparen loudnesses....

however, if theyre not, or youre just hell bent on normalizing... in sound forge, under 'batch run' or whatever it is.. you can set it up to normalize them all to the same apparent loudness, all in a batch. then you go have dinner, when you return, theyre all done.

how bout that?

xooxox
 
Thanks

I will try using Sound Forge, since I sometimes mix .wav files (from old Lps)with tracks extracted from different cds, just like doin´a "best of " .
I don´t know how to work in batch run...but let´s get to work ! :)
Thanks for your tip Camn .
 
bah!

in order to achieve common volume you WOULD have to use compression. as i assume you didnt like that i will proceed to say that normalising only takes the peak values and sets them equal.

so you have an acoustic wav file with a cello and at one point in the song somewhere you have a cresendo, well, that would be the peak. say maybe -.7dB, butthe rest of the wav hovers at -12dB. Then you have another file that has rock guitar, loud vocals, and drums, and its pretty constant noise, its recorded a little cool say -5dB, doest really peak much above that. Now you open these in a batch normaliser. It will take you rock file and up the peak to -.7dB to be at a normal peak with the acoustic file. BUT peaks are not volume. The rock file will be WAY louder then the acoustic file. But they will be normalised.

Thats why compression evens the volume out. It compresses the peaks, while bringing up the quiet passages. Sometimes have dynamics on a cd is necessary, you cant compress something so it sits at the same level the whole time, it will sound artificial. An orchestra doesnt stay the same volume the whole time, it varies from times were its almost inaudible to its climax where you can feel yourself shaking in your seat while you watch. if you compressed that you would lose all drama and emotion of the piece.

later.kz
 
but yo, he shouldnt have to compressed commercially produced recordings, because they would have done that already. The Lp thing clears up why theyre not all at pretty close to the same volume already....
Anyway, I'd definately avoid compressing a commercial peice unless you don't like how their engineer left it. Or maybe if its SO old that they didnt have compression back then.

xoxoxo
 
but yo, if that were true, why would he be ask this question? You're confusing relative loudness with volume.

The loudness of a particular tune depends on many factors. If it's heavier on the bass it'll sound louder. If it's heavily compressed, it'll sound louder even though your VU meters never peak 0. And so on and so forth.

Now, unless sound forge does this automatically, batch normalizing won't help. To say that different musical styles will have the same loudness just because they're both normalized to 0db makes no sense. Prove this to yourself by playing a Foo Fighters tune right after the Chili Peppers.

To some extent he's just asked, "how do I master", which is a question that is not really answerable. Yes, compression will probably be involved. But if you're mixing two styles of music that don't want to mix, they won't. You'll have to turn your rock down too much or overcompress your classical.

Normalizing will help if the recordings he made from LP weren't good to start with. After that, it's not going to make much of a difference. Keeping all the music a similiar style will help most. And turn that foo fighters tune down a notch, god damn that's loud!

Slackmaster 2000
 
Well,
First, i´d like to thank you all for replying.
I did a batch normalizing with Sound Forge and it sounded
good. At least, it fixed the very low volume of some tracks
compared to others louder. I do cds for domestic purposes only , not professional as it could look like.
Anyway , i´ll keep on reading the posts since I´m a beginner in "mastering" and have so much to learn with you.
 
i cant tell who you are saying is wrong. i dont think what i wrote is wrong. the example i gave was very extreme, thus to prove a point. but you can go all the way back to nirvana nevermind. something in the way was always going to be quiter then territorial pissings, if it wasnt then you overcompressed as i said you cant do to songs that are inheritently quiter.
 
I can't tell who you're talking about when you say "i cant tell who you are saying is wrong", but I was agreeing with you completely, and simply explaining to camn that normalizing doesn't necessarily have anything to do with relative loudness.

I think this thread has gotten to that "what? what? I didn't say anything. Who are you talking to?" state :)

Slackmaster 2000
 
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