[peel] Re: Festive Fifty Holy Grails

[Roger Carruthers]

A proper normalisation algorithm shouldn¹t do this ­ it can only increase
levels up to a maximum defined by the loudest peak; to mess with dynamics,
you need compression or limiting.
 This actually means that normalisation is often not very effective as a
means of bringing up the levels of quiet tracks when they¹re mixed in with
loud ones, unless you go through the mix and apply it to individual tracks.
Adjusting dynamics intelligently is a skill ­ hence the existence of
mastering engineers. This is something I often find myself trying to explain
to students looking for a quick fix to a shitty soundtrack.
 The nearest thing you¹ll get to a quick fix, is to go through the file and
reduce the level of any  really loud stuff, and then apply normalisation to
the whole mix, but even then you¹re probably better off just listening with
one hand on the volume control ;-)
Cheers
R

On 26/1/08 11:36, "Martin Wheatley" <martinw@...> wrote:

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>> >Barguest said
>> >
>> >3. use 'normalise' function to maximise volume without clipping
>> >(and have same vol for all mp3 files)
> In general I agree  There is nothing more irritating than listening
> to a compilation where you have to keep adjusting the volume
> However you do have to remember context
> On a lot of albums there are tracks which are deliberately soft
> to contrast with loud ones and you don't want to destroy
> the dynamic difference by bringing those soft tracks up to the
> loud level
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>