Dynamic Processing

[NinjaShadowz]

I read somewhere on the internet, but I can't seem to find it aymore that a study showed the optimal volume level for voices is -12dB from "Yelling to Whispering". I'm going to try to teach you how to do this.

This article was aimed at people mixing voices for movies but the same principle can be applied to any recordings.

Note: this will make your recordings sound better (or might not) , but will even out the overall volume!

Aright with that said, lets get started!

Step 01: Record
Sometimes when we record (most likely all the time) we can't really keep a steady volume level and your recording may look like the one in the pics below. You see the signals levels going all over the map high signals and low signals, mixed together.

http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/NoDynamics.jpg
The Raw Recorded Sample
Step 02: Evening out the Bumps
Now, its time to even it out. Our goal is to make it a little more like this:

http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/YesDynamics.jpg
After Dynamic Processing
Once you have your raw recordings, add some Noise Reduction,then open the Dynamic Processing window:

http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/DymanicProcessing.jpg
Dynamic Processing, a real lifesaver
Make it look something like in the picture, or you can make your own. Just keep moving a few things around until your satisfied with the way it handles the volume levels.

Once you've applied the Dynamic Processing you may have to take it one step further by using "Normalize".

http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/Normalize12dB.jpg
Dont apply it to sample as a whole; Just bits and parts that need it.


The Steps:
01: Record Voice
02: Noise Reduction
03: Dynamic Processing
04: Normalize (optional)
05: Thank me ;-)
More About Dynamics Processing: (Updated May 16, 2005)

A little more on that graph thingy that your supposed to use. What that graph does is to change the volume level of a certain level (I'm going to use this graph for reference)

Anything under -40dB is not touched... unless specified under the Traditional tab; Any part of the audio file that's -39.2dB and over is adjusted to -40dB



http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/that_graph.jpg
This graph.

Here's what happned when I used the above graph on the following file:



http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/thatgraphbeforeDP.jpg
Before Dynamics Processing

http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/thatgraphafterDP.jpg
After Dynamics Processing

I hope that gives you abit more insight on what that graph does. By the way...in this example, I over did it abit. The volume level is too low... But it's only an example.



If you would like to hear the difference between raw and processed here are
some samples:

No Danamic Processing: MP3 (http://shadowninja.renegade.gamingsource.co.uk/MyProductions/Audio/TestRaw.mp3)
Dynamic Processing: MP3 (http://shadowninja.renegade.gamingsource.co.uk/MyProductions/Audio/TestProcessed.mp3)
More Dynamic Sample: MP3 (http://shadowninja.renegade.gamingsource.co.uk/MyProductions/Audio/DynamicTest01.mp3)
Links of Interest:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/digital_audio_tricks2.html - some audio tips about recording, hardware...etc


Written by NinjaShadowz, edited by TamTu.
NinjaShadowz' DP page: http://www.xbox-fusion.com/ShadowNinja/audiotips.htm

[Edwyn]

Hey, thanks a lot! I've been meaning to try and make dynamic processing work with me instead of against me as of late and this helps muchly. Thanks!

[NinjaShadowz]

heh...no problem...just glad with was useful

one of the reasons i wrote this was
i've seen a few productions that
had some parts that had the volume level
way maxed out, because of effects, or yelling...etc etc

so i just wrote a quick tutorial on something that ppl
can benefit from, Dynamic Processing

i just hope more ppl will use this technique
to make your production sound abit more professional (in my opinion)

here's another tip :

What i do when i mix these kinda things is
first find an optimal volume for each element
1. Voices, 2. Effects, 3.Ambience, 4. Music

then i "Solo" each track
then i write down what dB they usually reach (average out to)

then i use those levels as guide lines
(as in not has to be, but should be around this level)
for each of the elements

just a thought

[NinjaShadowz]

YAY!! its a sticky now....i was hoping sooner or later it would become a sticky :D

[Prissi]

late, i know, but it deserves to be a sticky... and thank you very much, this is helpful.

even though I don't mix RPs anymore... I do songs mostly <3 but yeah... because I can't exactly hold the mic I use I have issues with how loud lines are and how unbalanced they are, I'm excited to try this new method out! <3 <3

[NinjaShadowz]

haha!
this can be applied to any audio, voice, singing or acting, sound fx, gun shots, ambience sounds, .... but u have to play around with it...to get the feel for what it can do, and how it cleans up your audio files

[Fiona C]

linkie no work ;_;

[lirifox]

linkie no work ;_;

And that makes LiriFox sad. ;_;

[NinjaShadowz]

yea....i just thinking that just now.... while i was surfing the net
heh...i was like :

(echos)
hmmm...my address changed...hmm
hmmm....OH!!! heh that link at the VVA must not work anymore...


yea... anyways lemme upload it somewhere else

edit:
Done and Done ... now link work

[Runai]

Such a simple technique, with a great tutorial that makes it even easier to get a handle on =D TamTu shed light on this for me, and as an official sellout, I've gotta say, "once you've had Dynamics Processing, you'll never go back!" It's utterly true; gives your (and your cast's) lines a much more professional ring to them. The first time I tried it, I undid the effect and what I had before instantly sounded pretty inferior ^_^

Thanks to Ninja.S and Blue!

[Pokejedservo]

Forgive me for acting such a noob about this but what program is this tutorial for?

[Windy*]

I might have found a way to create a similar effect in Goldwave
That'd be it.

Or, guess it depends on which part you refer to, since Edwyn thinks you mean CoolEdit. :P

[Edwyn]

Cool Edit Pro, now known as Adobe Audition.

[Pokejedservo]

Cool Edit Pro, now known as Adobe Audition.
Thank you kindly...

[Windy*]

Alrighty, I see how it is. Edwyn, too!

[Edwyn]

Alrighty, I see how it is. Edwyn, too!

The original tutorial is for Cool Edit Pro! Nikkita modified it for Goldwave in her post! ;_; Don't hate me because I'm beautiful! ;_; *sobs*

[JBKEYSER]

Thanks that was great help!

[Aibrean]

o0o this is great :) Thanks for posting!

[Jong]

The newly edited Noise Reduction post was a real help and it'd be nice to get a re-up on this, too, if that's not too much to ask.

[SakuraNek0]

The images are no longer appearing? ?_?

[James_The_Composer]

The images ARE no longer appearing. x_x

[Sukisho]

Well you know it might be because this was posted in 2004...