normalizer and multiband comp.

  • Thread starter Thread starter grinder
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grinder

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Can someone explain what a nomalizer does?Also looking for starting points for setting x-overs for 3 band compressor.I set the low/mid at 250hz and the mid/high for 2.5khz.I realize the everything is subjective, just looking for a starting point.

Thanx, Grinder
 
Normalizing will boost the volume level to the specified maximum. It will not change dynamics though so if you have a single peak that is at -1 and you normalize to -1 nothing will happen.

With multiband compression just use it where you need. To find out where you need it try messing with EQ to find the offending frequencies. If you can just EQ it down then all the better. There are many cool things you can do with multiband compressors but you have to know what you are going for. There are no set and forget rules and you should not just be adding it for no good reason. Know what you're fixing or changing and that question answers itself.
 
Is normalizing similar to limiting?When would you use it?
 
No, not at all. Like I said it will not affect your dynamics. You use normalizing when you like the sound of your mix but you want to get it to it's maximum loudness without changing anything. Some would say to never use it but if you have a great mix that needs a few dB to get it there give it a try. The best way to learn about this stuff is to play with it.
Limiting will change the dynamics of the sound being limited. Limiting is like having a tiny super-fast elf on a volume knob. You set the threshold and it's like telling the elf "hey man do me a favor and turn this knob down when the volume gets to *X* level". If he is a good elf he will do what you tell him to and make sure that no signal makes it over that limit. Now imagine if you told him this and then played really loud. He would be turning the knob down super fast everytime the waveform peaked and turning it back up when it went down. So you can see how the volume gets changed right? If your quiet parts were near the limit then you would have a near constant volume. that's what people are talking about when they say the dynamics are squashed. That's in your face or whatever. It is not louder than the normalized track because the normalization can be the same level as the limit but the limited track reaches that point a lot more. That amounts to an increase in perceived loudness.

You dig?
 
jake-owa said:
No, not at all. Like I said it will not affect your dynamics. You use normalizing when you like the sound of your mix but you want to get it to it's maximum loudness without changing anything. Some would say to never use it but if you have a great mix that needs a few dB to get it there give it a try.
Click to expand...
I'm one of the ones who advocates NOT using normalizing.... and unless you've mixed REALLY low, you won't get "a few dB" increase at all.

Without limiting and a reasonably hot mix, it's very likely that there's a transient or two that is just shy of 0dBFS.... if you normalize, you will only get an increase of the difference between the peak of that transient and 0dBFS, which may be less than a dB in most cases.

You're far better off with limiting to tame the excessive peaks and then applying gain (1 step) as opposed to wasting a digital generation on normalizing.
 
Blue Bear Sound said:

You're far better off with limiting to tame the excessive peaks and then applying gain (1 step) as opposed to wasting a digital generation on normalizing.
Click to expand...
Normalizing has always sounded like what a log looks like after an axe throwing contest. Usually if the levels are too low I patch a EQ, MB compressor and then a limiter before dither. I have found sometimes the mix won't take the gain change in a way that is pleasing. I tweak the EQ and MB comp to bring my levels up and them use the limiter to tame the transient peaks, but it really depends on the source.

SoMm
 
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