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Jeff's Podiobooks Recording Tip #2 - Normalization is not your friend
This tip piggybacks onto the noise reduction tip from last week. If you have any noise in your signal, and EVERYONE does, then be very carefully with normalization.
What is normalization? It's the magical button that makes the entire thing loud. Specifically, it increases the volume to the loudest peak. So if you normalize to 100%, it will make everything louder until the loudest peak reaches 0db.
So what's wrong with this?
It makes EVERYTHING louder. the good and the bad. Your lip smacks, your ambient noise, and the incessant white hiss at -30db that you can't seem to get rid of.
If your levels aren't right, then re-record at the proper levels. If your peak levels are at around -6db, this is perfectly loud enough. You're not producing the latest Britney Spears album so you don't need everything at peak volume.
If you're using audio compressor/expander then you may want to up the output gain in the compressor, since, by nature, it squashes the peaks. But again, only if you have clean audio. If you're using Levelator, well you're on your own, because that thing does whatever it wants to. :)
So record at the proper levels and you won't need to amplify in post.
What is normalization? It's the magical button that makes the entire thing loud. Specifically, it increases the volume to the loudest peak. So if you normalize to 100%, it will make everything louder until the loudest peak reaches 0db.
So what's wrong with this?
It makes EVERYTHING louder. the good and the bad. Your lip smacks, your ambient noise, and the incessant white hiss at -30db that you can't seem to get rid of.
If your levels aren't right, then re-record at the proper levels. If your peak levels are at around -6db, this is perfectly loud enough. You're not producing the latest Britney Spears album so you don't need everything at peak volume.
If you're using audio compressor/expander then you may want to up the output gain in the compressor, since, by nature, it squashes the peaks. But again, only if you have clean audio. If you're using Levelator, well you're on your own, because that thing does whatever it wants to. :)
So record at the proper levels and you won't need to amplify in post.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Evo Terra on
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All true, Jeffery.
BUT...
It is extremely important that files be of the correct volume when done. At least 80% of the submissions I see have volumes that are much too low. That causes all sorts of havoc for listeners, as they have to constantly change the volume between tracks. That's something you rarely -- if ever -- have to do listening to a radio station or across radio stations.
People do not listen to ONLY your files, producers. If you're not working hard to make your volume the same level all other files -- and that includes music files -- then you're not doing your listeners a favor. In fact, those of us who listen in a noisy commuting environment may not be able to hear you at all. That's a lot of wasted effort.
Speaking of The Levelator, here's the rule: If you are not using The Levelator, and you do not have a good reason to not use The Levelator, then you should be using The Levelator.
Jeffrey doesn't use The Levelator. Why? Because Jeffrey is a pro narrator and understands what it takes -- at the recording and post-production stage -- to create files that are better than he can achieve with The Levelator. But that's Jeffrey. He can do this. Can you? You won't know until you try. So again, use it unless you have a good reason to not use it. You file may not be perfect, but at least I'll be able to hear it.
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on -
my intent is not to circumvent the rules or guidelines set forth by the podiobooks community. So first and foremost, do what the rules and Evo say.
Yes, make sure your levels are appropriate and consistent. Download an audiobook from the library and see how it compares to the volume of the rest of your music. Chances are it's a little softer, since they don't compress the crap out of it. But if you like to blast your audience with your voice, then fine.
And yes, for goodness sake, if you don't know what you're doing, use Levelator. Yes, it was painful type that.
My point above is to record originally at the appropriate levels. Don't record low levels and then hope to jut fix it later. If you try to fix it in post with normalization or Levelator, you're not going to get good results. The better your levels are before you run them through Levelator, the less compressing/expanding it will have to do.
Next tip is not technical, so don't worry, Evo. :)
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Permalink Reply by Nobilis on -
One of the experiments I want to try with the Levelator is to take a processed file and add back some of the original sound, in order to put some of the dynamic range back in.
This would require dropping the peak of the processed file because Levelator throws it up pretty high, and I don't want to create clipping.
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Permalink Reply by Curtis Carlsen on -
Nice tip, Jeffrey. I agree with what you say. This is a good follow-up to your last tip. I meant to come back and read sooner, but I've been away on other things too long. I think the important thing to say from my electronics weenie point of view is... The most important thing is to make your original, raw tracks as good as possible. Normalization and noise reduction are band-aids for improving audio material that is not perfect. But they can never do as good a job as taking the time and care when you first lay the tracks down.
Find a very quiet studio. Get a decent microphone (it doesn't have to be expensive, but do some research). If you have SMALL amounts of background noise, you can fix it with noise reduction.
Learn to work the microphone: train yourself to keep your mouth a constant distance from the mike, or use a headset that keeps the microphone poised at the same distance from your mouth, when you move your head. Learn to control your breathing, and most of all LISTEN to what you record. If you don't have the time, energy and patience to learn how to keep your voice work at a more constant level, then normalization can help level out the volume.
Once you get the basic mechanics of recording worked out, it makes everything else easier. Don't shortcut the basics. And that means working on your speech and emoting as well. Might as well practise the fine points of story-telling while you're trying to improve the boring basics of the recording process.
Curtis
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on
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I completely agree with you. I'd piggy your statement of "If you don't have the time, energy and patience to learn how to keep your voice work at a more constant level", then hire someone who does.
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Permalink Reply by Nobilis on
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Jeff, very VERY few people who are posting books to Podiobooks.com are professionals. Most of them are picking things up as they go along, in between writing AND the day job. Many indeed don't have the time, energy and patience to develop professional-level voice talent skills, because at best the recording is a tertiary activity.
To me, this post comes across as dismissive at best.
We really are all doing the best we can. I have been podcasting for almost three years now, including two works on podiobooks.com, and I know that I still have a lot to learn.
It does not help me to hear someone say, "...hire a professional."
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on
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I'm sorry if this was offensive to you. It wasn't meant to be. The intent of the post was to dissuade people from putting out crap simply because they don't have the time or inclination to learn how to do something right. Note that my comment was specifically about keeping your voice a constant level, something very very basic. I'm not telling anyone to go back to school for a degree in audio engineering, I'm suggesting that people learn some basic recording skills to make their books sound the very best they can. If they don't want to put the effort into it, then yeah, hire someone or your book will suffer.
Let's be real. Writing is important. The story is important. But if your book is a bear to listen to because of lousy production values, you're going to lose listeners. It doesn't matter to your audience that you're trying balance a day job and writing. You're not going to keep any listeners out of sympathy. You're competing against the big boys in the audio book world. Do the book right. There is no A for effort.
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Permalink Reply by Nobilis on
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One of the books on Podiobooks.com, "Forever Fifteen", has some of the worst audio quality you'll ever hear. The noise levels are terrible. I don't remember the whole story, but the upshot is that there will be no opportunity to re-record them.
What is, is.
Should the author not have posted them? Should podiobooks.com take them down in shame?
I think not.
Yes, a book with better audio quality is going to retain listeners better than one with worse. That's understood. But there's nothing to be gained by telling people that if they can't produce a quality product they shouldn't record it.
Lots of the books that are posted on podiobooks.com aren't part of some grand marketing scheme. They aren't investments in a writing career. They're just people sharing their creativity for fun. If that results in some sales or a career down the road that's great, but there are ALL levels of skill here, and as far as I'm concerned, they're all welcome.
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on
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My grandfather was a woodworker. He never made a career out of it. It was simply his hobby and he did it for fun.
He was a dirt-poor minister from Iowa and he had no formal training. But whenever he gave us a finished piece, it was nothing short of incredible. He went through a lot of wood to make sure he learned the skills he needed. Putting his name on anything else was unacceptable.
I don't think I need to spell out the moral of the story.
And yes, some books should never be released. My first Podiobook is a great example of that.
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Permalink Reply by Nobilis on
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Well, then it's a good thing you're not the one making decisions about who gets to post there, because then I would never have been able to listen to Forever Fifteen.
Perfect is the enemy of Done.
I say folks should do their best, use the tools available (such as Levelator and noise reduction) to make it sound better, if they have to, because not everyone insists on high levels of skill in audio production. There's room for people to learn by doing, and throwing barriers in front of them with a long list of skills they need to master isn't helpful.
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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Kafer - Male Voice talent on
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I agree!! There's room for people to learn by doing. No argument there. And podiobooks is a great place to build up chops. But in blowing this out of proportion, you've forgotten that my entire point was directed at those who don't have the "time, patience, or energy" to learn. To them, I say, "hire someone." To everyone else, I applaud the DIY mentality and I'm here to help in any way I can.
Remember the original point was simply about keeping volumes constant. It's not a huge learning curve to keep your noggin in the same place and not speak too loudly or softly.
No one ever said anything about a "long list of skills" except you. Let's not make this simple tip to be more than it really is.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Sharpe on -
I say the poor writing and great voice cast is like... I'd say it's like polishing a doodoo.. except Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorodango
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