6 replies to this topic

[jlove]

I posted something similar a year or so ago, just wondering if there might be any new developments--such as whether this might work better in Creator 10...

I rip from CD to 320kbit mp3 using Creator convert. Then I re-convert them using Music Creator to lower bit rate mp3 or wma for inclusion in my mp3 players or mp3 CDs. The music plays at wildly different volume levels forcing frequent jabs to my car stereo.

A related question--some CDs are inexplicably base heavy. The Bob Dylan CD "Modern Times", for example, sounds like a bass-drum is beating louder than any other part of the song.

All advice gratefully received. :-)

Thanks,

-- jlove

[jeanrosenfeld]

You could try in Music Disc creator, click the Project Settings icon, check Maximise volume of each track. That will adjust the volume on each track so that its loudest parts are the maximum.

Or, in Home, Tools, options, Audio CD, check normalize tracks to a consistent level and set the slider.

From the help file:

Normalize tracks to a consistent level: This option sets the volume of songs in an audio project to a consistent level. The level is set by selecting the check box and moving the slider left or right. A setting of 90 percent, for example, sets the volume of all tracks in the current project to 90 percent of the loudest song. Normalization is turned off by default.

I'm not sure whether normalize does the essentially the same as maximise or whether it also reduces the dynamic range in any given track (i.e. makes the quiter parts as loud as the louder parts). I suggest that you experiment with these settings to see what suits you best.

As far as excessive bass is concerned, I think that your best bet would be to edit the tracks in Sound Editor and use the equaliser (tools/cleanup audio/equalizer) or parametric equalizer (Tools/effects) to adjust the frequency reponse envelope as you want it (reduce bass frequencies in this case). Then save the edited file.

BTW I personally think it best to rip to .wav and use that throughout all editing, etc., converting to the required format only at the end. That preserves the original quality and only the final conversion causes loss.

Edited by jeanrosenfeld, 02 October 2007 - 01:55 PM.

[jlove]

First of all, thanks for taking the time to reply.

In Music Creator, the "Maximize volume of each track" option only appears when you select "audio CD". As near as I can tell, this option is not available when creating mp3s.

I think the "normalize tracks to a consistent level" option is only available when ripping, not creating. I try to remember to make sure that's toggled on when I rip, but sometimes I forget and I usually don't feel like running the CD through a second time, although that's probably the easiest way to fix this problem.

You are right that I could edit the sound, but that does seem like a lot of work for this--but I'll try it.

Finally, you are certainly correct about .wav, etc. At this point in my life I am uninterested in iTunes, downloads, etc, so my digitized collection is just a way to have an easily searchable database of mp3 format tunes while I continue to use the actual CDs for critical listening. As storage gets cheaper, I may re-think this and begin using some sort of lossless encoding.

Thanks again.

-- Jack Love

You could try in Music Disc creator, click the Project Settings icon, check Maximise volume of each track. That will adjust the volume on each track so that its loudest parts are the maximum.

Or, in Home, Tools, options, Audio CD, check normalize tracks to a consistent level and set the slider.

From the help file:

Normalize tracks to a consistent level: This option sets the volume of songs in an audio project to a consistent level. The level is set by selecting the check box and moving the slider left or right. A setting of 90 percent, for example, sets the volume of all tracks in the current project to 90 percent of the loudest song. Normalization is turned off by default.

I'm not sure whether normalize does the essentially the same as maximise or whether it also reduces the dynamic range in any given track (i.e. makes the quiter parts as loud as the louder parts). I suggest that you experiment with these settings to see what suits you best.

As far as excessive bass is concerned, I think that your best bet would be to edit the tracks in Sound Editor and use the equaliser (tools/cleanup audio/equalizer) or parametric equalizer (Tools/effects) to adjust the frequency reponse envelope as you want it (reduce bass frequencies in this case). Then save the edited file.

BTW I personally think it best to rip to .wav and use that throughout all editing, etc., converting to the required format only at the end. That preserves the original quality and only the final conversion causes loss.

[jeanrosenfeld]

Sorry, I must have been half asleep, it did not sink in that you were making an mp3 CD.

It is indeed a lot of work to get the output as you want it, if the input is not to your liking, but that's life.

You can also maximise in Sound Editor.

[jlove]

Well, I appreciate the try. Practically speaking it would make more sense to re-rip the CD with the right settings. Of course that means being able to find it in my piles of CDs, binders, etc, and the difficulty of finding them is one reason I was ripping them to the disk in the first place. <sigh>

-- Jack

Sorry, I must have been half asleep, it did not sink in that you were making an mp3 CD.

It is indeed a lot of work to get the output as you want it, if the input is not to your liking, but that's life.

You can also maximise in Sound Editor.

[xekester]

Jack,

Do a Google search on "MP3Gain". A free program on SourceForge.net that can set mp3 levels in a variety of ways.

Hope that helps,

John

[jlove]

Got it--I'll see how it works and let the group know if it solves my issues.

Thanks!

-- Jack

Jack,

Do a Google search on "MP3Gain". A free program on SourceForge.net that can set mp3 levels in a variety of ways.

Hope that helps,

John