Ableton Forum

When rendering to disk or creating a MP3's from the rendered WAV, should I click on Normalise?

And, what does it do exactly?

Cheers

Normalize is a way for adjusting the volume of audio files to a standard level. This is useful for things like creating mixed CD's and mp3 collections, where different recording levels on different albums can cause the volume to vary greatly from song to song.

Do it before any mastering process or converting to mp3.

Avoid normalizing mp3s as well.

zekrab wrote:Normalize is a way for adjusting the volume of audio files to a standard level. This is useful for things like creating mixed CD's and mp3 collections, where different recording levels on different albums can cause the volume to vary greatly from song to song.

Do it before any mastering process or converting to mp3.

Avoid normalizing mp3s as well.

ok, cheers mate

zekrab wrote:
...Do it before any mastering process ....

there are a few schools of thought on this issue...

some say, don't do any normalizing before mastering, and let the mastering plugins (or mastering engineer for that matter) do the normalising for you.

am wrote:

zekrab wrote:
...Do it before any mastering process ....

there are a few schools of thought on this issue...

some say, don't do any normalizing before mastering, and let the mastering plugins (or mastering engineer for that matter) do the normalising for you.

Where can I get one of these mastering plug-ins?

Also, when I play back the rendered file, it distorts slightly in places where the levels may have been too high... can this be sorted out after its been recorded? or do I have to re-record with the master volume down a bit?

Cheers

mastering is a fairly complex process to explain....

simple mastering involves, EQ, compression and limiting.

so... you could use Ableton FX for this.

but there are loads of plugins designed for mastering... Waves and T-racks come to mind.

but, as you said... digital distortion or clipping is happening when you render too high. A limiter on the master track will help this. I sometimes use George Yohng's W1 Limiter which is free.

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1510.html

good luck.

yes you'll need to render again

but if you're actually hearing distortion I would guess you should have a look at your comp/FX or one of your channels because a digital render will clip rather than distort (unless it's doing in your amp or speakers but guessing you'd naturally turn it down when you hear it). so if it's actual distortion chances are your pushing something a little to hard within the mix rather than the whole mix

forge wrote:yes you'll need to render again

but if you're actually hearing distortion I would guess you should have a look at your comp/FX or one of your channels because a digital render will clip rather than distort (unless it's doing in your amp or speakers but guessing you'd naturally turn it down when you hear it). so if it's actual distortion chances are your pushing something a little to hard within the mix rather than the whole mix

Its weird - while I'm mixing, there's no distortion - I can only hear the distortion when listening to the recorded file. Nothing to much, just some vocals break up a little and bassline sometimes sounds a little distorted. But when I'm mixing, I cannot hear any distortion.

Is it just a case of lowering the master volume while mixing?

Is it just a case of lowering the master volume while mixing?

Or lowering the gain on your individual tracks.


Most DJs are familiar with a concept known as constructive interference. This is a type of wave interference that often occurs with sound, where 2 waves combine to form a larger single wave.

In the DJ world, this just means that 2 songs recorded at the same volume... but played together at the same time... will create a sound louder than either one on its own.

This is particularly noticable in the bass range sounds.

It is why many DJs use EQs or Filters to modulate the bass on tracks they are mixing.



So... what you are most likely hearing is 2 songs combining and becoming louder, and they are possibly causing the master to clip... even though neither track clips on its own.

This is why I usually reduce the volume on all MP3 downloads I get.... because most of the time someone has mastered them way too loud, so when you mix.... you get master output clipping.

You can find very an excellent guide (and free) about what is Mastering on this page:

http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/guides.html