Balancing audio levels for multiple tracks in PP CS6 ...

 

joneisele wrote:

 

 

Other videos show adjustments to the volume level by dragging the little yellow volume line on a clip by clip basis inside the track display.   Easy enough, but if I end up deciding I want to make further adjustments I have to go back through all the clips again.   I suppose one advantage here is that those quieter clips sometimes run in batches so could use key frames.

 

Feedback?

Once you get the all of the audio clips balanced, nest the sequence in a new sequence and you can adjust the single audio track with the all nested clips at once.

Personally, I like locating all of the offending camera's footage onto a separate Audio Track, and then making the adjustment at the Track-level.

This is not unlike what I do, when I use dozens of SFX files. As an example, I had one recently, where I had Frogs Front, Frogs Rear Left and Frogs Rear Right. Along with those, I had Loon 1 and Loon 2, plus three Ambiance Tracks, plus some other SFX Tracks. It was simple to set up, and just as simple to make critical adjustments for each set of SFX.

Good luck,

Hunt

For what you're desribing I would recommend just placing all the clips inside the timeline and viewing their waveforms and then simply right clicking the clips and selecting the audio gain option and then either raising the gain or lowering the gain until all the clips appear roughly the same. This will allow you avoid the need to raise the volume as you're describing. If the videos were for sale or TV I'd recommend using a dynamics filter but for your scenario I feel the option I have mentioned should be sufficient. When using the audio gain function it adjusts your waveforms so you can actually view the changes made which makes it fairly easy and straightforward to be able to check if all the clips have solid audio levels.

If you need to raise it more than just 6db then you can use the right click audio gain method I described. It will allow you add much more than just 6db. Also the method I desribed updates your waveform view while the track method doesn't.

If you want to take all the loud clips and stick them on one track you could consider using the dynamics effect and placing it on the corresponding audio track. This effect takes some getting used to though, so honestly for what you're wanting to do I'd recommend simply using the audio gain function I described or if you don't need more than 6db just using the audio mixer level controls.

I emailed you about how normalization works. Also to answer your question about if using 1db of gain with one method vs another method being different other than the waveform being updated after adding the extra volume boosts there shouldn't be any difference. 

1. I'm still confused on exactly what is normalization

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_normalization

The professional and best way to accomplish what you are looking for is to use a combination of a compressor and possibly limiter.  (touched upon by the mention of the dynamics filter.)  It can get complicated, but in a very simple description, the compressor will use an effect to make the quiet and loud parts closer together so you can have even levels which won't peak. 

There is a compressor in the dynamics effect, but to do it right, you should send your audio over to Audition (included in the suite) to do the work.

This is not too complex once you learn it, and it is the best and most pro (and in my opinion, the right way) to do it.  Search free tutorials on working with audio in auditon, and compression/limitors.

Good luck!

As a quick work around, select all the audio and right click select 'audio gain' click on 'Normalize All Peaks to:' and set -5db in the box. Click OK. This will set the maximum peak in every clip to a bit below maximum. If you want it quiter chose a larger negative number (-10 db perhaps).

RMK

PS to select all the clips just click on the timeline and drag the mouse to include them all.