Pre Normalizing volumes and Rendering Wav volumes

[Mysugar]

Morrrrrrrrrrnin',

What lvl's should my audio files be when "normalizing" them? how big should these audio files look? and also what volume do I render out my wavs aswell?

I figure most pro's don't normalize their tracks as they probably get the right volume settings to begin with... but for my sake, share with me your thoughts and reasoning behind it plzzzzzzzzzzzz

[domzy]

Originally Posted by Mysugar

What lvl's should my audio files be when "normalizing" them?

is there a reason you need to normalize them? If you need them to be a particular target (for a certain type of format, plugin, hardware etc.) then aim for this. Otherwise there are no rules.
There are loads of debates about this on the internet and i can definitely see the benefit of having consistency in the files you work with, but as long as they haven't clipped the AD or been recorded at a ridiculously quiet level i would say normalization boils down to personal choice.

Originally Posted by Mysugar

how big should these audio files look?

as big as you want so you can see it clearly? you can adjust the waveform without affecting the volume

Originally Posted by Mysugar

and also what volume do I render out my wavs aswell?

what are you rendering for - ie what is the target format / medium?
generally speaking you get max volume at 0db but you might want to leave a tiny bit of headroom depending on what you are doing so -1db is often safe.

[Mysugar]

Originally Posted by domzy

is there a reason you need to normalize them? If you need them to be a particular target (for a certain type of format, plugin, hardware etc.) then aim for this. Otherwise there are no rules.
There are loads of debates about this on the internet and i can definitely see the benefit of having consistency in the files you work with, but as long as they haven't clipped the AD or been recorded at a ridiculously quiet level i would say normalization boils down to personal choice.

Hmmmmm interesting, Okay I'll keep that in mind.


as big as you want so you can see it clearly? you can adjust the waveform without affecting the volume

Dammmm, how do I do that?


what are you rendering for - ie what is the target format / medium?
generally speaking you get max volume at 0db but you might want to leave a tiny bit of headroom depending on what you are doing so -1db is often safe.

Rendering for the stems to be re-amped, mixed and mastered and hoping to hit a millionth of as huge as Diamond Constructs Album Production

[serr]

Originally Posted by Mysugar

Morrrrrrrrrrnin',

What lvl's should my audio files be when "normalizing" them? how big should these audio files look? and also what volume do I render out my wavs aswell?

I figure most pro's don't normalize their tracks as they probably get the right volume settings to begin with... but for my sake, share with me your thoughts and reasoning behind it plzzzzzzzzzzzz

Distorted from too high a level is bad.
Swimming in noise from too low a level is bad.
Everything else is good.

The pcm (wav) audio format DOES have a window for level - low to high.

So, going for stupid volume war destroyed sound, for example, you would need to smash the peaks down with processing to keep the sound in that 'window'.

"Proper" levels (subject to subjectivity) can fit in the window with no "Hulk Smash!" volume stupidity going on, FYI. And especially now that the streaming services are putting a governor on levels.

Some numbers:
Spotify is broadcasting at -14 LUFS
Apple Music at -16 LUFS

Lossy streaming services are as loud as -12 LUFS

The AES wants everything to sit at -16 LUFS moving forward. (Not quite there yet.)

Volume war CDs (and the mp3's shared and streamed from them) can be as loud as -7 LUFS. Fully blown out and distorted sounding. But loud.

Set your monitor volume with "proper" volume audio and then you can record and mix with ease. If you feel the need to produce volume war loud stuff, do that in a 2nd step later. (And keep the unmolested master around for posterity.)