Normalizing vs Limiting
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Posted on Jun 29, 2011 01:54 pm
Quincysan
http://www.unitedmusicians.info
Contributor Since: Nov 11, 2007
I read that Normalizing is a gain adjustment to bring all audio to the same level and limiting is...basically the same thing but it sounds better. Reading a lot of answers that reek of "Internet Knowledge"...some people just have to have or make up all the answers. Frustrating. Anyone feel like breaking it down? I'm stumped.
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Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Jun 29, 2011 01:57 pm To clarify, it seems like "Normalizing" could be a setting on a limiter by setting the threshold really low and using a super fast attack and super long decay, but the answers I've read tend to make me think that normalizing is a different process all together
Jun 29, 2011 04:21 pm Normalizing is brining the peak level to a predetermined point while bringing the level of the entire file up by that same figure (if your top peak is -3dBFS and you want it to be -1dBFS, the whole file is simply raised in volume by 2dB).
Limiting is bringing the peak level down to a determined point while not affecting the rest of the material (bringing -1dBFS peaks down to -3dBFS by reducing only the material above -3dBFS by as much as 2dB). And many limiters will allow for raising the volume after limiting by a certain amount (back to -1 or even -0.5dBFS). "Ramming speed" for lack of a better term.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Jun 29, 2011 08:22 pm Makes sense. Thanks.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 01, 2011 03:11 am hmm cool never thought about it really, now i know.