In this section we learn that Audio Compression and Limiting makes the quieter sounds louder and the louder sounds quieter. Audio Normalization finds the loudest part of a sound file and turns every part of that file up as loud as possible.
In this first example, the Cool Edit program was used to compress and normalize every track before the mixing process had begun. The acoustic guitar track has a compression of infinity above -6db, and 1:1 below -6db. The infinity part makes it a limiter.
This first example, is how I choose to control the dynamics, or loudness of the sound. There will be another example. In this first method I export all of the tracks, or stems, to save these files as back up files. I use the Cool Edit 2000 software to compress and normalize these files because the files are already exported as stems. I also like the way Cool edit manages sound files.
Go to the stems folder, just like before.
Right Click on the Cool Edit 2000 Icon.
View the Aguitar file with Cool Edit 2000.
Normalize the file. Highlight the left channel, and normalize, and then the right channel, and normalize. Or you can highlight both channels at once, and do it in one step. Doing it separately, is the best way to make sure both channels are the loudest they can possibly be.
Notice that everything above -6db is the same volume.
Audio signal before limiter and normalization.
Audio Signal after compression & normalization.
This is the compressor that I used on every instrument and vocal except acoustic guitars.
Save your unaltered files (vocals & instruments), because this program permanently changes the files. The Presonus program plugins (Sound FX) don’t permanently change the flies. For example, I save the unaltered drum file as ‘UA – Drums.wav’ then I use a compressor, normalize the file, and save it as ‘M-Drums.wav’. The M stands for master file. This lets me know that the file is ready for the mixing process.
Don’t confuse this master file system with the mastering process. Mastering is done by a professional after a stereo version of the file is created. I usually master it myself. It is done before the public hears the file. It means that this is the final version. The ‘M-Drums.wav’ file means that we are done messing with this file before the mixing process. The stereo master file means we are done messing with this file before the public hears it.
Mastering and ReMastering means that the stereo file is usually processed with a Brick Wall Limiter, Equalization, an Exciter, and sometimes a Sonic Maximiser, among other plugins. The Exciter and Sonic Maximiser don’t come stock with these programs. I don’t own them right now.
Using Presonus Studio One For Everything
The second example, we don’t export the stems, we don’t work on the sounds outside of the Presounus Studio One V4. We don’t backup the stems in separate file(s).
We use Presonus Studio One for everything. You have to use Studio One to record anyway. Why record, export the file, work on it with Cool Edit, then bring it back in to Studio One again. Why not just let one program do everything. I like to use Cool Edit 2000 because I can see the waveform better than anything I have every used. If there is a really loud spot, or a really quiet spot, you can fix it, usually by adjusting the level (volume). Which means amplify in the Cool Edit 2000 software. You can do the same thing with Presonus Studio One software, but in a different way.
Open The ‘Aguitar’ sound file in Presonus Studio One.
Click On ‘Editor’
View The Aguitar file in the editor on the bottom half of the screen.
Normalize the Audio with Presonus Studio One.
Drag the Compressor to the editor portion of the wave file.
Use the Compressor that comes with the Presonus Studio One Software.
Some producers don’t normalize the tracks because they think it make them sound bad. I can’t hear it, but that is just me. You don’t need to use the Cool Edit Program to Compress your tracks. If you do, it is permanent. You can use Presonus Studio One version 4. This compression can be change as often as you want without permanently changing anything.
Save your file every five minutes.
