After converting multiple seq. files from Realband to a wave file. How do you adjust the volume level so that all the files have relatively the same volume? I am trying to create a backing track CD for worship and can never seem to get the volume levels constant.
Thanks Rich

HI Rich

Some cd burning software allows you to normalise wav files at the burning stage.
Come to that you can choose to do it in RealBand when you render to wav I think.
Have fun,
Mike

Rich,

In case you are not aware of this, what you describe is part of what audio specialists call 'Audio Mastering'... it's all about getting uniformity of sound from multiple tracks when they are combined into a single presentation such as a CD.

When I need to do this, I load each of my dozen or so final wav files into my DAW (Reaper). This allows me to listen and compare each and every file with all the other files. I can then adjust individual files volume, tone, etc., so that they sound uniform (or, at least, sound like they belong together).

A little Reaper tool that I find very helpful in doing the above is the "Analyze Loudness" script. I use this to adjust track volumes by looking at their individual LUFS (Loudness Units [relative to] Full Scale).

Once I have the individual wavs sounding comparable, I export them to new wavs and add to the CD.

Regards,
Noel

• my latest song: So Beautiful

It's hard to say.
What is the true goal?
Do you want every song the same volume? For a worship service I would think this is not the true goal. I'd want some songs louder than others, depending on whether it is playing behind someone talking, someone (or a whole choir) singing, or if it is a feature piece, or maybe a reflective moment.

If you want them all the same, some would suggest using 'Normalize'. This can get things close. RB/PT have a normalize function as do most music apps. This feature usually just adjusts the highest peak to be near zero on the VU. Highlight the whole WAV file, then use Edit-Aduio Effects- Gain Change and look at the Pre Normalize and Peak Limit options.

There are also other meters to measure perceived volume.
RMS meters sometimes help to get closer here.

In a basic system I would open the resulting WAV files using MediaPlayer or similar and listen to them in order, thinking about the application for each.
I'd also set the Visualization to Bars and Waves so I could 'see' the levels of the different frequencies as I listen. Make notes as to which needs adjustment.

Then I'd open the same WAV files in RB (or any other DAW) and use some kind of gain adjustment on them. PGPeakLimit, Ozone, one of the WAVES limiters or whatever.

Rinse and repeat until you have what you think you need.
Then at the worship service, listen and learn for next week. <grin>

Hi, I have found when exporting .wav from RealBand the volumes are all over the place (e.g. Bass too loud). I pull them into my DAW (Sonar or recently Reaper). I then normalise each track to a low level (say -12db) which gives me heaps of head room. I then mix the song and in the master track the final process is to peak limit. I bring up the loudness using the peak limiter and raise it just to the point where I have the volume but not much compression (lately using a Youlean lufs meter to measure to an appropriate level). I had a look in the RealBand mixer it is setup to send everything to A1 you can apply the limiter and lufs meter in the fx at this point. I tried it and it seems to work. As I understand it there is a chance when just normalising that one out of place peak can bring down the entire song.

It seems the world is now measuring in LUFs. Lookup LUF and Youlean.

https://www.kvraudio.com/product/youlean-loudness-meter-by-youlean

Just a thought

Tony

Thanks everyone. The gain change seems to work pretty well. Don't know what a lufs meter is but I will look into it.

LUF, RMS, P/A .. they all help you 'see' what you hear.
Best bet is to still to listen to them in succession, adjust and hone in.
This is just from my personal experience
YMMV
/glad Gain Change helped

Getting consistent volume is a process that starts at the beginning.
All the tracks should be at a respectable volume..... no thin wimpy looking wave forms in your DAW.

When you export the project, you want the levels to be up without too much in the red. Even at this point the overall level should be respectable but doesn't need to be at it's final level.
When I export a wave file of the finished project I always use a WAVE EDITOR such as Wave Pad form NCH software.... it's free.

Here: http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/index.html

In it, you can trim the start and end.... gets rid of the count in clicks and the dead air at the end..... and then you can also NORMALIZE or AMPLIFY the final wave. I Normalize to 98% or so. It also lets you convert to MP3.

All of the songs on my website music page are run through the Wave Pad Normalization process.

As you develop your mixing skills, you will find you're producing more consistent results.

I agree with you Guitarhacker, Wavepad works great! All my songs are processed by Wavepad also as you described.

I will give that a shot right now. Thanks