MoviePlus X5: Audio issues

[fo2rest]

We are trying to make a movie of my mother-in-law's life as a sort of oral history. It consists of very many short snippets, both video and sound. The sound level is not even and is overall too low.
What is the most practical way to address these issues. On an earlier visit my wife found a reference to a program that would take the snippets and modulate the sound. Having to do each one separately and somehow end up with consistency is the problem.
Can the video with sound be treated as a whole and the sound treated as a whole to produce a consistent and pleasant sound level.
I confess I am new to the forums for MP. At one point I was on WP forums many times daily.
If this is addressed by another post, simply pointing us to it would be much appreciated.

[MikeR]

Have a look at this. I think the best way to proceed would be to:

• create the project,
• export the sound to a .wav file
• use Levelator to produce a more even .wav
• import the leveled .wav
• delete or mute the original audio track.

[fo2rest]

Miker,
Thanks so much for the concise, step by step suggestion.
Sorry to be so naive, but can you say what 'create the project' means. If it means use MP5 to assemble the components into a video, she has done that. The main uncertainty now is the most productive way to use Levelator. She has perhaps 50 sound clips that I guess are each .wav files. Can these be combined in some way so she can submit just one complete .wav file. In the end, my understanding is she will ask MP5 to make an MP4 completed video but I assume the sound track of the MP4 is not accessible for adjustment. (I guess it is clear we are not sophisticated users.
Thanks again.

[ericlnz]

Originally Posted by fo2rest Can these be combined in some way so she can submit just one complete .wav file.

Go to Export / File and choose wav, the last on the list. Just the audio part of your project will then be exported to a wav file.

Eric

[fo2rest]

Ericnz,
Thanks so much. You guys are the secret of Serif's success.
We will try it...
F.

[siehorst]

Originally Posted by fo2rest ::: Can these be combined in some way so she can submit just one complete .wav file. :::

Hi,
may I come in ?
one possible answer is: yes and no.
Sure, you can export the complete wav file and 'normalize' the audio to 0 dB. But that will only level up the audio in a way, that the loudest part will be 0 dB. This will not level up the quieter parts more than the louder parts.
In principle this can be done with a compressor. As the name indicates, a compresser tries to put all audio to the same level, to compress the differences in volume.
The disadvantage is, that you easily can hear the effect of regulation (it's called pumping - in german language ) if you have to increase the compressor too much to get the desired result of egality in volume.
So, the best way indeed is to take all your snipset one by one, normalize them, and afterwards reinsert the audiofiles to MoviePlus.
The other way (I wouldn't like) is to setup a volume-gain curve manually that is fitting to the volume.
In every situation lots of work,
horst

[MikeR]

Originally Posted by siehorst one possible answer is: yes and no.

Well, I haven't used it extensively but Levelator claims the answer is just plain yes. I've attached a screenshot showing before and after waveforms illustrating what Levelator can do. Note that it can provide leveling within each sound clip, which normalising would not achieve.

[siehorst]

Originally Posted by MikeR ... the answer is just plain yes....

Hi Mike,
that looks interesting! ... And I would like to explore (as I am always interested in audio - and my lerning curve never ends ) Is that a plugin? Your screenshoot looks like Audacity, but the website http://www.conversationsnetwork.org/levelator
seem to offer a complete software?
horst
p.s.: found an effect that is called Leveller within Aucacity. Is that the same?
p.p.s.: I just tested the Leveller that is built in Audacity, but that is not showing the effect you published.

[MikeR]

Levelator is, as you surmised, a stand alone program and it's free. I just used Audacity to demonstrate the waveforms. I could equally well have used MvP.

Someone on this forum recommended it and I have found it useful when dealing with amateur stage productions in a rather difficult acoustic environment.

[Ali]

Originally Posted by MikeR Levelator is, as you surmised, a stand alone program and it's free. I just used Audacity to demonstrate the waveforms. I could equally well have used MvP. Someone on this forum recommended it and I have found it useful when dealing with amateur stage productions in a rather difficult acoustic environment.

Mike - I've been following this with interest and wonder if it will help me. I regularly have to create sound files from clips spliced together, and of course the levels are often very different. I've never found it very easy to remedy this in Audacity, much as I like the software - would it help to run my composite file through Levelator? Sorry to hijack the conversation ...

[ericlnz]

Originally Posted by MikeR Well, I haven't used it extensively but Levelator claims the answer is just plain yes. I've attached a screenshot showing before and after waveforms illustrating what Levelator can do. Note that it can provide leveling within each sound clip, which normalising would not achieve.

Thanks Mike. This is a great find. I passed it onto a friend who has used it on some interviews and who has just reported back after trying it and says " it improved it beyond anything I could imagine".

Eric

[ericlnz]

Originally Posted by Ali Mike - I've been following this with interest and wonder if it will help me. I regularly have to create sound files from clips spliced together, and of course the levels are often very different. I've never found it very easy to remedy this in Audacity, much as I like the software - would it help to run my composite file through Levelator? Sorry to hijack the conversation ...

Ali try it. It's a small download and very simple to use. You just drag a clip onto the window and it creates an output file so your original is untouched.

Eric

[artyman]

You can alter the volume for individual clips in the timeline in MVP, so perhaps do that as a first step to get an even volume, then export as already suggested. You can then increase the volume easily in Audacity in one go. Alternatively you can do it all in Audacity, alter volume levels of parts by just highlighting the segment and applying the effect to that part, working through bit by bit until the volume is how you want it.

[Ali]

Originally Posted by artyman You can alter the volume for individual clips in the timeline in MVP, so perhaps do that as a first step to get an even volume, then export as already suggested. You can then increase the volume easily in Audacity in one go. Alternatively you can do it all in Audacity, alter volume levels of parts by just highlighting the segment and applying the effect to that part, working through bit by bit until the volume is how you want it.

Yes, I think we've probably all done this before, and it is both fiddly and time-consuming. Doesn't the Levelator offer to automate the process? That's why I'm interested.

@ Eric - yes, I'm going to try to find a file and give it a go! Sounds promising.

[ericlnz]

Originally Posted by Ali Doesn't the Levelator offer to automate the process? That's why I'm interested.

No it's simpler than that. It doesn't offer, it just does it.

Eric

[Ali]

Originally Posted by ericlnz No it's simpler than that. It doesn't offer, it just does it. Eric

Great! Got to find a suitable file to test first. The only problem is that most of the ones I have produced already have been saved as .mp3, and I don't think that's a suitable format, so I might have to re-create a project.

[ericlnz]

Originally Posted by Ali The only problem is that most of the ones I have produced already have been saved as .mp3, and I don't think that's a suitable format, so I might have to re-create a project.

Open your mp3s up in Audacity and export as wav? You could even drag them into MVP and export as wav.

Eric

[opampman]

Might I add for those not familiar with it, Levelator is a great program for fixing the levels of audio voice recordings. There are no setting on the program as it was designed for voice so it is a disaster when used with music. But as Mike says, the algorithms used for Levelator are very good at increasing low passages and controlling hot passages. I have been using it for many years and it is often more effective that standard hardware and software compressors and limiters and much easier to use.

Kent

[Anaqo]

Thanks Mike...

[kingell]

I use the built-in controls on the timeline quite effectively. If I need to alter anything else other than basic volume I use Adobe Audition. (Outrageous price but it's an amazing programme!)

It was bought from Syntrillium (£75) by Adobe who immediately tripled the price for an upgrade to their
"new" programme. Now it seems you can only buy it as part of an editing suite for video (over £900).

If you're rich buy it or look for it on EBay. Frankly I think Adobe prices are ridiculous.