How to fix volume of an audio file

[Instant Martian]

Hi guys,
I need a little help (as usual ).
Let's say I join several pieces of audio from different files and end up with one single wav file.
If the source files have different volumes, is there a way to process the outputted single file and fix it to have a constant volume?

[Baldrick]

Try normalize it. Use Audacity or Goldwave. Google for normalize for more information.

[Instant Martian]

Thanks, I'll try.

[Instant Martian]

Well, it seems normalization is not what I was looking for.
Let's say I have two files, A and B.
The volume of file A goes from VAmin to VAmax, the same for file B with VBmin and VBmax.
Is there a way to elaborate the file B so that VBmin=VAmin and VBmax=VAmax?

[MOVIEGEEK]

In Audacity do one file at a time, set normalize to say -1dB. Then combine the two files with copy and paste.

[Instant Martian]

I don't need to join the two files, just want the two volume ranges to match.

[DarrellS]

What are the file types you need to fix?

There are a few programs that fix different file types.

aacgain
ac3gain
Avigain
mp3gain
wavegain

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/255147-Mini-Guide-Normalizing-Audio-for-Multiple-AVI-files


For aac...

Download and install MP3Gain first, then DL and unzip AACGain..
Copy and re-name aacgain.exe to mp3gain.exe, and move it into the MP3Gain folder, copying over the existing mp3gain.exe.
That's it, now mp3gain should handle AAC's..

MP3gain has a default setting so that all audio files have the same volume.

Avigain has a norkal setting and a Soopaloud setting.

Windows 7 has a built in audio meter in the system tray to show the original volume level of the audio (it doesn't change no matter how high you turn the volume up) which makes it easier to manually fix audio volume but XP doesn't have this feature and I can't find any software meters for XP that does this.

[Instant Martian]

Thanks DarrellS for the detailed reply.
The files are .wav that I have to turn into .ac3 for dvd authoring.
I can do the adjustment before or after the format change.
Which would it be the best way?

[DarrellS]

I haven't used wavegain before but it looks like you can drag multiple files into the frontend and set the db for all of them.

With ac3gain, you drag the files you want into the folder and choose between four different settings.

Either way should work about the same.

Wavegain frontend (comes with wavegain.exe)...

http://members.home.nl/w.speek/wavegain.htm

[Instant Martian]

The problem is that I am not a digital audio "expert" so I don't know exactly how to do it.
My goal is to have the volume range (Vmin - Vmax) of one file equal to the volume of a "reference" file, without altering the latter.

[DarrellS]

I'm not an audio expert either. I don't know what Vmin-Vmax is.

With any one these programs using the same setting should give the same results or close to it.

With mp3/aac gain, there is a default setting that you can change to whatever number you want up to 105dB. It has an analyze feature that tells you what the original file is and how much it will add or take away to output to your default setting so if you have a file that sounds good to you then use that as your default and output the rest to your default setting.

If you convert to ac3, make 4 small test files with the 4 default settings with ac3gain and see which one sounds the best and then use that setting for all your files.

Avigain will accept avi with wav files. It will also do ac3 but it will downmix 6 channel to stereo. You just drag your avi's into the folder and choose normal or soopaloud and it will output the altered avi into the complete folder (looks like you'll have to create the completed folder in the new version unless it automatically creates it).

Whichever option you choose is up to you.

I use Avigain except for 6 channel ac3 which I use ac3gain and use mp3 gain (with aacgain.exe renamed to mp3gain.exe) for mp4 with aac and music mp3.


http://drop.io/xrbfrk8/asset/avi-gain-v08-zip


Avigain and ac3gain both do batch and I believe mp3/aacgain does also.

[Instant Martian]

Vmin and Vmax are just two terms I used to indicate the minimum and maximum values of volume.
Anyway, I will see if I can figure it out.
Thanks.

[nic2k4]

What you are looking to do is adjust the dynamic range, I know MP3Gain does that, don't know about the others. Also, any good audio editor will have a dynamic processor, Nero wave editor and Audacity do. You can also run the files through BeSweet and do batch processing.

[Instant Martian]

Thanks to you too nic2k4.

[Bruce Liddell]

Virtually all software will see the audio as one piece of audio and treat it as though there are quiet and loud passages within the cut. The peaks will be limited to the set level, but only the peaks of the whole piece. You will have to split the pieces, normalise and then re-record them. The trick is probably to normalise all the audio sections you intend using before you insert them.

[Instant Martian]

Thanks to you too.
At this time the best way seems to use the Audio Mixer into Premiere.

[ConverterCrazy]

MP3Gain is pretty useful. But, in 2 of my MP3 files, it shows the track gain and album gain are clipped. Now, I have no idea how to correct it!

Using a wave file editor, I tried to correct it by reducing volume of the files to 50% and correcting it by MP3Gain.

But, the clipping remains.

Any suggestions, please?
Thanks

[nic2k4]

Clipping is exactly like the word implies, the waveform is cut and the information is gone. About all you can do is find the same information somewhere else in the track and copy&paste it over. Most likely you will end up with some sort of audible artifact.

[davexnet]

Try the free VST plugin ReLife:
http://terrywest.nl/utils.html

[ConverterCrazy]

@nic2k4
Thanks for the elaborate explanation. But, I suppose only professionals can do that.

@davexnet
Thanks for the suggestion. The Readme.txt file in ReLife says that the plug-in is for Windows Vista only. I forgot to mention my OS is XP-SP3.

[davexnet]

I just looked at the readme . It says XP or Vista - and probably Windows 7 will be fine too.

[ConverterCrazy]

@davexnet

Thanks. That was very ignorant on my part.

I don't know how to use it.. even after reading the README. Will you please tell me, step-by-step, how can I use it?

[AlanHK]

MP3Gain is pretty useful. But, in 2 of my MP3 files, it shows the track gain and album gain are clipped. Now, I have no idea how to correct it!
Using a wave file editor, I tried to correct it by reducing volume of the files to 50% and correcting it by MP3Gain.
But, the clipping remains.

MP3gain will not clip unless you override the "Don't clip" setting under Options.

Also MP3gain's changes are lossless, and reversible-- the volume changes are simple multiplication factors, the waveform data itself is not altered no matter how high the change is.
However, if you convert to Wave that will cause permanent clipping as you found.
And every time you convert to MP3 and back through wave you will lose quality.

But what are you using MP3 at all, I thought you had wave?
Did you convert to MP3 just to use MP3Gain?
If so, just use Wavegain on the original files, and note that it also has a "clipping prevention" setting.

If you want a more hands-on approach, use Audacity and its Envelope tool and perhaps its Equalization or Compressor effects.
You can save directly to AC3 from Audacity using the ffmpeg plugin.

[davexnet]

Here's how to use relife - it's actually quite simple. Install Audacity if you haven't done so.
Copy the two relife DLL's into the Audacity Plugins folder (program files\Audacity\plug-ins)

Start Audacity and select Effect at the top. Look at the lower list, and you should see the two effects, it should say
TWest productions. If they're not there, (at the top) edit/preferences/effects - rescan VST library next time Audacity is started.

Restart the program, open your file, effects / select TWest productions Relife
The plugin Windows will open, press OK, and it will de-clip your file. Save as a new WAV.

[ConverterCrazy]

@AlanHK

Thanks. I had MP3 files [192kB/41000 Hz] and MP3Gain showed clipping. That's when I converted those files to wave with the highest Bit Rate/Sampling frequency. Then re-converted back.

Your post has additional information that I didn't know!
Thanks again.

@davexnet

Thank you for your guidance. No, I didn't have Audacity installed, But, now, it is. I don't install software that intimidates me! I hope I can use it without much trouble.

Thank you all who have helped me by adding to my knowledge.

[AlanHK]

I had MP3 files [192kB/41000 Hz] and MP3Gain showed clipping. That's when I converted those files to wave with the highest Bit Rate/Sampling frequency. Then re-converted back.

That was a mistake.

First the clipping may not have been real, MP3gain is telling you there would be clipping if you applied the full amount of gain.
It won't do that unless you have turned of "don't clip" under Options anyway.
And you can use "Modify gain/Undo gain changes" if you have.

If you're working with MP3s, you can use MP3DirectCut to see the waveform, make lossless changes in volume and do simple edits.

[ConverterCrazy]

@AlanHK

Thank you. I will follow your suggestions.

[snafubaby]

hi. Does anyone know the most stable version of Audacity? Thanks!

[AlanHK]

hi. Does anyone know the most stable version of Audacity? Thanks!

See http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

The "most stable" is the quite old 1.2.6.

But 1.3.13 despite being officially a "beta" is much more functional and works for the great majority of users. Try that first.

[snafubaby]

hi. Does anyone know the most stable version of Audacity? Thanks!

See http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

The "most stable" is the quite old 1.2.6.

But 1.3.13 despite being officially a "beta" is much more functional and works for the great majority of users. Try that first.

Thanks for the info. Now, I have a bunch of possibly clipped mp3's. Mp3gain says they are clipped. Anyway, what's the best way to increase an mp3's volume as much as possible, without clipping it?

Thanks in advance for a simple answer.