[audacity4blind] Re: Using Amplify in the Effects Menu
- From: David Bailes <david_bailes@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:28:04 +0100 (BST)
Hi Gale,
I don't think there's a typo in that section of the Jaws guide.
My suggestion is to adjust the input volume so that if you do a short test
recording, select the audio,
and open the Amplify effect dialog, then the value in the amplification edit
box is about 6 db, so indicating that the max amplitude in the recording is
about -6 db.
David.
----- Original Message -----
From: Gale Andrews <gale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:
Sent: Tuesday, 16 April 2013, 22:20
Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: Using Amplify in the Effects Menu
| From Rich De Steno <ironrock@xxxxxxxxxxx>
| Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:52:30 -0400
| Subject: [audacity4blind] Using Amplify in the Effects Menu
> I was under the impression that if you go into the amplify option under
> the effects menu with a sound file loaded into Audacity, the first
> item that comes up indicates how much change in volume is needed for
> optimal sound.
The first item "Amplification (dB)" indicates the amplification
change required (if any) to make the peak volume 0 dB (as
loud as it can be without clipping).
A peak level of 0 dB doesn't necessarily mean "optimal sound".
0 dB could sound "too loud" in a heavily compressed pop song.
> Thus, I thought that if it stated 0.0, then no change
> was necessary. However, the below excerpt from the Audacity
> Jaws Users manual seems to indicate otherwise, apparently stating
> that the number should be changed to 6. So should that first number
> be changed to 6 as this seems to state?
Unfortunately there is a typo in that JAWS guide. It is probably
trying to say that -6 dB (not 6 dB) is a good value to aim for in
the "New Peak Amplitude (dB)" box (the second box).
Certainly the official Audacity Manual suggests that you should
set the input level so that you record at about -6 dB (for the
reasons David states). However that advice is only relevant to
setting the input level. Sighted users would gauge the input level
"live" while recording was in progress by using Meter Toolbar.
When you are deciding how much to amplify an existing audio file,
aiming for a "New Peak Amplitude" of "-0.0 dB" (which happens if
you just press ENTER after opening the effect) is much better
advice than aiming for -6 dB.
However many people these days prefer aiming for a "New Peak
Amplitude" of -1 dB. This is the default level to which Effect >
Normalize amplifies. This gives a little leeway to speaker systems
that may distort at the maximum 0 dB.
Gale
> (excerpt from manual)
> If you select some audio, and then open the Amplify dialog on the Effects
> menu, then the initial focus is on an Amplification edit box. The
> initial value in this edit box is the amount of amplification in
> decibels needed so that the recording uses the full dynamic range, and
> it indicates if you need to change the value of the input volume.
> Normally a good value to aim for if about 6db. This should ensure that
> the recording level is both low enough so that distortion or clipping
> doesn't occur, and high enough so that you don't get an unnecessary
> amount of noise. So if the value's less than about 6, try lowering the
> volume, and if it's more than about 6, try increasing the volume.
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