Audio Help Please

N2FSU wrote on 10/21/2004, 1:41 PM
I know we have a separate audio forum, but it seems like a lot more people frequent this forum, so here goes....
I am editing a two person interview where the subjects were recorded with cordless mics. One audio level ended up being a little lower than the other and I need to even them out in Vegas. The way I usually do this is to insert a volume envelope and manually adjust the volume each time a different person speaks. Isn't there an easier and quicker way to do this in Vegas? When I tried to use normalization on the audio track it brought the entire sound down to virtually zero. I am obviously missing something here.
I am using Vegas 4.0c BTW.

Thanks!
TB

Comments

Erk wrote on 10/21/2004, 1:47 PM
You might try some compression, perhaps in addition to your volume envelope tweaks on parts that the compressor won't smooth out.

Another option, if your two speaking parts don't overlap, might be split your event between the different speakers, and put all the clips that need a boost on a different track, and then boost the level on just that track. A quick way to put clips on a different track is to create an other audio track, select a clip to be moved, and hit 2 on the number key, which will move the clip down to a lower track without changing its relative position.

Greg
musman wrote on 10/21/2004, 2:32 PM
That's good advice. It would be cool to pull off the second technique, but if nothing else then definitely experiment with the wave hammer and different compression presets and tweaks. If you need links to info on compression, just post here and I'll dig up what I can for you.
Coursedesign wrote on 10/21/2004, 2:51 PM
Sounds like you are normalizing a stereo track where it's really dual mono with uneven settings on the transmitter levels.

Split the two audio channels to 2 separate audio tracks and normalize those (after removing any spikes). That should be all you need to do.
N2FSU wrote on 10/21/2004, 7:54 PM
Thanks everybody for the quick responses!
I think I got it figured out. As Coursedesign said, I was trying to normalize a stereo track that was really 2 mono tracks. I split the channels (recorded with a Canon XL1S) and put them on separate tracks and was able to adjust both so that they peaked at around the same level. I was still hoping to find an easy "one button push" that would bring all audio on one track up to a certain level, but I don't think this is possible yet. Oh well, the audio is fixed at least!

Thanks everyone.
TB
Coursedesign wrote on 10/21/2004, 8:10 PM
But you may want to adjust the levels on your transmitters to match. What are you using?
wolfbass wrote on 10/21/2004, 8:23 PM
Wasn't there a 'bug' mentioned in some posts where after normalisation the levels went to zero?

I haven't seen any for a while, but it might be worth checking out.

If so, and you've split the track into 2 mono channels, the normalising would definately help.

Andy
John_Cline wrote on 10/21/2004, 8:45 PM
All normalizing does is sets the loudest peak in the track to some predetermined maximum level. It does not adjust the track to a set RMS level. The RMS level (sometimes somewhat innacurately called "average level") is what we humans perceive as loudness. Normalizing is virtually useless for matching the loudness of audio tracks.

John
N2FSU wrote on 10/21/2004, 9:32 PM
I am using the Sennheiser EM100 and EM300 series wireless sets.

And yes John, I believe I am looking for an easy way to adjust all tracks to a pre-determined RMS level, not normalization.
Coursedesign wrote on 10/21/2004, 9:55 PM
To match the RMS level you need to add compression to ge there, but think about it first.

You are trying to match two speaking voices, not two instruments or a vocalist against an orchestra.

First be sure you have eliminated every loud pop, click, bump, cough, etc.. After that, normalizing the two tracks should do it.

If one person has a roaring voice and the other a mousey voice, you do not want to match them by RMS power. This would sound really hokey.

To prepare for next time, adjust the mic sensitivity and any compander settings on your wireless sets to match.