Comments on: 10 Myths About Normalization

By: 10 Myths About Normalization - Home Recording Zone

10 Myths About Normalization - Home Recording Zone — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:27:52 +0000

[...] some background: While “normalize” can mean several things (see below), the myths below primarily involve peak [...]

By: StudioHaen

StudioHaen — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:50:44 +0000

Thanks for that !
I can see clearer now.

By: Den

Den — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:00:43 +0000

some question about making quality mp3 ringtones with Audacity: when we use Compressor effect: should we use “Normalize to 0dB after compressing”? OR better way is uncheck it AND then use “Normalize” effect which will normalize the sound to peak at -3 dB?

By: Azure

Azure — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:06:45 +0000

This was really helpful, I had a friend tell me to normalize everything. Reading this has made me think more about it.

By: Andy Green

Andy Green — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:10:40 +0000

Peder’s Comment “but my song won’t sound as loud as the others on the radio”, I believe most radio stations do their own normalizing before airing.”

A slight understatement! Radio has for many years used complex multiband limiting and compression techniques to alter the dynamic range and frequency balance of the audio, see http://www.261.gr/Jim%20Somich%20Processing%201.html

for a history and description of techniques.

Stevie Wonder owned a radio station in California in the 70’s and it is rumoured that he used to play his new songs over the air late at night to see how they would sound on air.

By: sitric

sitric — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:26:40 +0000

very helpful! thanks a lot.

By: Josef Motley

Josef Motley — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:04:31 +0000

yeah it is just a convenient way of adjusting the gain to a level where it shouldn’t clip (in theory) to my understanding. although i’ve had the odd thing clip when normalised without applying any EQ effects.
some people i’ve spoken to have thought normalising was some kind of compressor and i always thought this was wrong… nice to know i’m right as i’ve been working in the dark up till now.

By: Tucson Bass Player

Tucson Bass Player — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:47:23 +0000

Normalization gives a generic sound with lose of “rawness”. Just need a musician to help with mixing.

By: Matt Hindt

Matt Hindt — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Seems like it is just a convenient way of adjusting the gain.

By: Peder

Peder — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:30:58 +0000

To add to my post; my philosophy is that normalization, if necessary, should be applied after the final product.

If a client wants to put their song on myspace, tell them to normalize after they rip the song, before converting to mp3/uploading.

This way we, the buyers, get a properly dynamic CD and the client can have their insanely compressed/normalized/squashed/nodynamic song that beats everyone else on myspace.

In the “what sound best, CD or vinyl?”, I’m inclined to give my vote to vinyl. Mostly because that format didn’t allow you to abuse the dynamics as much as the “we can keep the level pegged at -0.1dB thoughout the entire song” CD.