normalizing causes distortion

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benedict_carey
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:20 am

normalizing causes distortion

Post by benedict_carey »

after normalizing about 3 hours worth of 3 to 10 minute files for work (using the RMS algorithm normalizing to 85%), I discovered that this wretched program allows the waveform to become distorted instead of doing what normalizing is supposed to do and find the loudest part of the track and bring the overall level up until the loudest part is at (for example) 85% of the available volume range. What an oversight! I now have to go back and re-record about 80 minutes worth of stuff off DAT and look totally unprofessional. Really, really disappointed in Amadeus especially when I heard it was supposed to be pretty good.

philxm
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:55 pm

normalizing causes distortion

Post by philxm »

Hi, I had much the same problem with Normalize, until I discovered that the
radio button at the bottom of the Normalize dialog should be set to Maximal
Sample Value, rather than Maximal RMS Power. I'm not sure what the latter is
supposed to do (nor how to work it, if I did), but I've found that by
ignoring it, going with the top button and selecting a factor of 95% I get
consistently excellent results.

I hope this helps, Phil M.


benedict_carey wrote:
after normalizing about 3 hours worth of 3 to 10 minute files for work (using
the RMS algorithm normalizing to 85%), I discovered that this wretched program
allows the waveform to become distorted instead of doing what normalizing is
supposed to do and find the loudest part of the track and bring the overall
level up until the loudest part is at (for example) 85% of the available
volume range. What an oversight! I now have to go back and re-record about 80
minutes worth of stuff off DAT and look totally unprofessional. Really, really
disappointed in Amadeus especially when I heard it was supposed to be pretty
good.




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robert_theory
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:31 pm

normalizing causes distortion

Post by robert_theory »

after normalizing about 3 hours worth of 3 to 10 minute files for work
(using the RMS algorithm normalizing to 85%), I discovered that this
wretched program allows the waveform to become distorted instead of
doing what normalizing is supposed to do and find the loudest part of
the track and bring the overall level up until the loudest part is at
(for example) 85% of the available volume range. What an oversight! I
now have to go back and re-record about 80 minutes worth of stuff off
DAT and look totally unprofessional.
... actually it sounds like you *are* totally unprofessional. Let's
see. You:
1. write over your original recorded files;
2. misuderstand and misuse a basic function of your digital audio
editor; and
3. blame the software for your mistakes and flame in public about it.

That actually does sound pretty unprofessional.

Some suggestions to improve your experience:
1. Never overwrite your original files. Save them somewhere unmodified
before you do anything else. This should always be priority number
one in your audio workflow.
2. Learn the basics of digital audio. Once you do this you will
understand why RMS normalization was the wrong choice for the
modification you wanted to make. You want "maximal sample value" or
whatever it's called. If you use that and normalize to 100% (or
95%) you will get excellent, undistorted results.
3. When you're not getting the results you expect, consider that maybe
all those people who told you AP is a good program might be right,
and you might be making an error. If you're too lazy to learn the
basics and read the manual, you can at least be polite enough to
ask questions that will help you get the information you need,
rather than explode in public because you pressed the "destroy my
audio" button and got exactly what you asked for.

Good luck with your recording.

-- Robert Kennedy
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Gerard Bik
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:04 pm

normalizing causes distortion

Post by Gerard Bik »

Great post, Robert
And very professional.

gerards regards

--
_____________________________________ _
The truth is to be found nowhere else
other than within ourselves, nor can it be found
by using violence against outside enemies.
Mahatma Gandhi
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