quick easy soundfix plugin: "BROADCAST"

wwjd wrote on 1/25/2013, 2:04 PM
OOH! A can of worms! Here, let me open that for you.
AKA how to steer people wrong, right out of the gate, for a good cause.

ok, so I am tired of seeing GREATING LOOKING videos online, that have crazy levels in the audio. Music so loud you have to turn volume down, followed by talking so quiet you have to crank it back up, only to turn it down again for a couple seconds, then back up. Not only that, but EQ was ignored so the voice sounds muffled and amateur.

For anyone here that doesn't have time to learn audio, just use this VST:
http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/audio_vst_jb.htm
"BROADCAST" plugin found in that free bundle.


drop it on your master track, probably need to lower your main volume after that, and walk away. Done.

It is an automatic 3 band multi-compressor with ambience enhancement and distortion free limiter, all in one.

This free collection was around for years, the author pulled it, but it is back up and available again. The plugin CAN do a lot more, and has lots of helpful adjustments, but just using as is, can create great results.
As long as great is defined as commercial level compression, and sounding closer to movies and tv than regular old mixing.
As with anything, it can completely destroy your mix, depending on what you want to hear.

Don't be afraid of "COMPRESSION". Some claim it is less realistic, but EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE is compressed these days and that is how it is.
BTW the other plugs offered are very effective also, but BROADCAST is the all in one baby.

=========================

additionally, if you want something easier looking, try LOUDMAX:
http://loudmax.blogspot.com/


just drop the threshold, and all that quiet junk comes up. along with hiss and tings you don't want. but it never peaks out or distorts.
set output to -3 (or whatever you prefer) and it never peaks over, never distorts.

Couldn't be simpler.
And couldn't be more wrong according to pros, but it gets the job done.

Comments

farss wrote on 1/25/2013, 3:58 PM
"EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE is compressed these days "

Indeed and that can lead to bad decisions when mixing.
At many points in the chain between your ears and the listene'rs, especially in broadcast, more compression is being added. So mixing and adding compression so your mix sounds like something coming out of your TV might not be appropriate.

Bob.

richard-amirault wrote on 1/25/2013, 6:43 PM
That links says those plugins are for 32 bit Windows systems only.
musicvid10 wrote on 1/25/2013, 7:09 PM
Those look like much older versions of Toneboosters.
wwjd wrote on 1/25/2013, 8:32 PM
right. same guy, old freeware. it is legitimate and free on his website.
Personally, other than Ozone 5, I have not found other software that accomplishes what BROADCAST does.
I don't recommend it for professionals at all because usually they already have the knowledge and tools to hit sound levels well enough.
Still, they help in a pinch and can really bring out dialog.
rraud wrote on 1/26/2013, 8:44 AM
I have had the B'cast processor for years.. It is NOT an easy one knob dynamics processor, there are many parameters, and therefor not suitable for the inexperienced...IMO and can do more harm than good in the wrong hands. The LoudMax is a much easier volume maximizer as is the WaveHammer's 'brick wall' limiter. however both can.. and usually are, used to excess. (aka, "if some's good.. more is better"
wwjd wrote on 1/26/2013, 9:44 AM
one doesn't HAVE TO touch any controls. or just try the "SMOOTH" preset.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 1/26/2013, 10:15 AM
Why would I use this instead of the track level compressor in Vegas? What's the advantages?
MSmart wrote on 1/26/2013, 3:22 PM
Why would I use this instead of the track level compressor in Vegas? What's the advantages?

+1

I've been using its "3:1 compression starting at -15 dB" (with auto gain and smooth saturation checked) with good results for the last couple years.
larry-peter wrote on 1/26/2013, 4:33 PM
If you're willing to spend some time with a multiband compressor, it can give much more transparent results than a full-band compressor like the track fx. Because you can set different thresholds and ratios for different frequencies, when it's used correctly there's a lot of psychoacoustic masking going on that even when a listener who's sensitive to compression hears it, it can sound pleasing.
A de-esser is an example (although with only two bands). The frequencies around 4-7kHz will be compressed with the remaining frequencies untouched and if used right, you'll never hear it.
wwjd wrote on 1/26/2013, 4:41 PM
try it and see if it sounds different or better or worse for you. It does a lot of different things at once. from the explanation PDF:

Conventional compressors are based on peak or rms-level estimation to compute their time-variant gain or attenuation. This property of most compressors often causes undesirable intermodulation distortion and pumping/breathing artifacts.

Broadcast features a 'psycho-acoustic relevance' mode. Instead of using a peak or rms-level estimation, this mode employes a perceptual loudnessmodel to compute the loudness of the input signal. This perceptual loudness model is combined with advanced attack and release stages that model peripheral adaptation of the human auditory nerve. The result is a very transparent compression characteristic, even with very short attack and release times.

A spatial image processor with control of the side signal level, to enhance the ambiance.

A great Brickwall limiter.

The WLIM is a width limiter. If the phase correlation in one of the bands comes below zero ( = going out of phase), a width limiter will modify the stereo signal to ensure that the phase correlation stays within the range [0,+1] (which means that it manages to avoid the phase cancellation possibly caused by the 3 bands settings). Basically, it prevents 'hollow' sounds that could result from too large side signals. If the side signal becomes large, the phase between left and right may become problematic (especially if you set the width and ambiance sliders to high values). This stage corrects potential out-of-phase problems.

density slider determines the amount of hysteresis of the limiter which influences the limiter/compressor characteristics in a similar way as the 'hysteresis' from Barricade pro. This is how it works : If there were many overs in the past, the limiter will react differently than if no overs were present in the past. The more overs were in the past, the larger the probability of overs in the future. This makes the limiter somewhat more conservative in terms of release (longer release times).

so it's 3 band, side chain operating psycho-acoustic multi-band compression with setable cross over points, width limiting, phase negating, ambience enhancing, with AGC (if desired), and final limiter, all in one, from the guy that makes the TONEBOOSTERS plugins. And it's free.

It basically does things in a different way than other plugs and the sound benefits from it pretty nicely. (or gets destroyed)
I basically recommended for peeps that don't know much about audio, a quick bandaid if you will.