In 2024, Streamlining Audio Dynamics A Comprehensive Approach to Volume Normalization with VLC

Streamlining Audio Dynamics: A Comprehensive Approach to Volume Normalization with VLC

How To Normalize Volume in VLC

How to normalize volume, why should we do it, and what is it after all? – these are the questions when it comes to editing our audio files, as well as the video clips we tend to change the sound of. So, first of all, the volume normalization is pretty much explained as follows: The process when a constant amount of gain is applied to the audio recording, bringing the amplitude to a desirable level, which is “the norm” for the project. If it is a little bit difficult to understand, we have to highlight that when this tool is applied to our volume, the whole recording has the same amount of gain across it, every piece affected the same way. Accordingly, when we normalize volume, the relative dynamics are not changed.

But, why bother at all and why not leave it the way it is? Well, the answer to this is almost the same as on why editing exists in general, right? Things are not perfect! This is the fact that prompts us to make our video clips and audio better, improve it at least on the level which can get us the right amount of viewers and listeners. Everyone have had some pain listening to several podcasts, when the volume was too high or too low, or there were so much background noise that the whole recording was hurting the ears of a person! People will not convert to being loyal subscribers, viewers and listeners if their user experience is not favored. So, it is in our best interest to serve their best interest, with a little bit of editing.

When it comes to normalizing audio, there are two reasons we refer to this tool. First is when we feel we need to get the maximum volume, and the second is when we need to match different volumes.

In the first case, you might have somewhat quite voice recording, and would like to make it better without changing its dynamic range, while making it as loud as possible. And when it comes to matching volumes, it is logical that you need to manipulate your editing this way in case you have a group of audio files, each or some of them are at different volumes, so, understandably, if not necessarily, you would like to make them come closer to the same volume.

So, until we give you the step-by step guide on how to normalize your volume in VLC player, we also need to inform you about audio normalization types. Here, generally, we come across three of them: a so-called peak normalization, helping adjust the recording based on the highest signal level present in the recording; another is called loudness normalization and it adjusts the recording based on perceived loudness. Last but not least, RMS (Root-Mean-Square), changes the value of all the samples, where their average electrical volume overall is a specified level.

Using any of this, making it better to listen to your voice, without people being annoyed and their ears becoming exhausting with what you have to offer, you will be making it enjoyable for them and easy to come back to your content, as they will not be obliged to change the volume on their own audio players. Instead, their experience with you will be calm and effortless, which you are aiming to achieve.

So, not, what about VLC? – this is a very popular media player, favorite for a lot of people all around the world, so you should already be quite familiar with what it is, at least by having streamed videos and movies there. Speaking more of what it represents, it is a free-to-use, robust, and feature-packed software that plays a wide range of audio, image, and video files. It is worth noting that it can also play multimedia files directly from extractable devices or the PC and additionally, the program can stream from popular websites such as Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.

As if it was not enough, you can do simple video and audio editing in VLC Media Player, which a lot of people are unaware of! For example, you can easily trim and cut videos. So, as it happens, we can also normalize volume in VLC Media Player. It is a very handy feature and it works on Windows as well as on Mac. Sooo… How to do that? Because, actually, it is so simple that you might be surprised you didn’t know about this earlier. To learn how to normalize volume in VLC, follow this simple guideline:

First, of course, as every time working with any software, you need to have VLC Media Player installed on your device. Once you have it installed, open VLC. Go to the Tools and Preferences and there, you will need to check the single box which is next to Normalize volume in Effects. Now, set the level to the one that works best for you. Then, when you are happy with the result, you can Save.

This is not something perfect, because it’s so simple to do and actually what it does is just help adjust the general volume, so it leaves the specifics alone.

But, it might be the case that you are not so satisfied with the simple editing and want a little more to get from the editing process on VLC. So, you can do more with the Audio Effects menu there. And the steps are as follows:

First, on your VLC player, find Tools and then, in the menu, go to Preferences. The window will open, and there you need to select All in Show settings – actually it is a little bit hard to find because this is in the bottom left corner of the window. From there, you will need to navigate to Audio, and then, a little below, click on Filters and highlight it. The checkbox next to the Dynamic range compressor will probably be unchecked – so, check in it.

Next, see where Compressor is in the left panel? Select it. And now, you are free to make the changes to the levels as you see fit.

Here, if you are a little bit overwhelmed with the wide range of options to work on, you can just concentrate the most on Makeup gain, Threshold, and Ratio. The first one is by which you adjust in quiet sequences to raise the volume, the second will help you reduce louder sequences to even things out, and ratio is the maximum level of all audio within a movie, let’s say.

Don’t underestimate Attack time and release time, either. They graduate the changes to ramp them up at first, then down again, rather than initiating them immediately. So, if you set them to your liking as well, this will ensure that you have a more fluid transition in and out of the scene and there are less sudden, sometimes scary volume changes.

Therefore, you are now equipped with the most information you will need to normalize volume in VLC Player – so free to give it a go, play around with the different settings and carry out the best result imaginable for you!

How to normalize audio in Wondershare Filmora?

Now, even though we already know how to normalize audio in VLC in the simplest, as well as in the more advanced way, it might be even better if we know some more about normalizing audios in different programs. Something worth discussing is a software called Wondershare Filmora , which carries out the same task wonderfully. Although, unlike VLC Media Player, it is a real video editor , but don’t panic if you have never laid your hand on editing – it is one of the easiest to use ini the word, operating also both on Mac and Windows, and its interface is utterly understandable for beginners right away. And, actually, it is a qhile that Wondershare Filmora X introduced the feature to normalize the audio for the first time. What to say more - you might want to stop now and download the latest version of Filmora because now we are about to learn how to normalize audio from the video there – so, tune in!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

When it is done installing, open the software. Now, click and drag the video of which the audio you want to normalize. Now you can select the clip you have chosen – if there are multiple, select all of them, then right-click and choose Detach Audio.

Now if you have this kind of graphic before your eyes, you can be pretty sure without even listening, that the noises are really, really different from each other, which highlights once again how useful audio normalization can be:

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Soon, all audio will be normalized, and you will already be able to see on the graphics that the volumes are almost on the same level and when you listen to it, you will make sure that there is no longer apparent difference between how they sound. And from there on, you can save the file you just normalized!

So, in this article, we learned a lot about normalizing volumes, why and how it is done, and, more specifically, how to get this task completed in VLC Media Player as well as in Wondershare Filmora X. you can proceed to putting this new information into a good use and come back to learn more about video and audio editing here!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Unveiling Pure Acoustics: Strategies to Correct and Amplify Sound Quality in Video Production

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials are provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

Sound Tweaking