anonymous
7 September 2004
Right i've just finished mastering some tracks on my computer using soundforge. The process was 16 track -> computer -> normalise -> compression and limiting bringing the overall volume up to a steady 0.0 decibels. However on putting the files onto CD, it is noticebly quieter than other CDs. Now most people have just said 'normalise it' or someot similar, but it is obvious to me that i'm gonna need to go over 0.0db, and was wondering what a reasonable level is which won't end up with digital distortion, and is 0.0db universally the same on all sound editing programs?
Comments
0dBfs is the same everywhere and is the top hard peak of the dig
0dBfs is the same everywhere and is the top hard peak of the digital ceiling. However, peak volume has little to do with apparent volume...
At the risk of sounding "cryptic" which I really don't mean to, there is a LOT more to mastering than limiting a track in SoundForge.
I also don't want to make it seem like there is no way to do decent work in SoundForge - The point is, that every single track is different, and there is no "quick fix" to make something "loud." Most of it is entirely dependent on the song's arrangement and instrumentation, timbre and EQ, effects, compression, etc. Without that raw potential, the maximum "reasonable" volume can be severely limited.
A tracks "ideal listening volume" is decided before the "RECORD" button is ever pressed for the first time.