Audio is clipping... but both clips are normalized
by Deke Ryland
on
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:03:19 pm
I'm using PPro CS3 and have two normalized audio clips in the timeline. Both are normalized and didn't clip originally either, and when played in isolation, both audios do not clip on the PPro VU meters. However, when combined, they occasionally clip into the red.
Now I'm no audio expert, but I thought as long as no audios clipped, that mixing perfectly normalized audio would not put the VU meters into the red? Am I wrong on this? The one audio track is dialog, and it was recorded perfectly at near normalization so as to provide the maximum dynamic range. The other clip is a music track that was prenormalized from the producer (and PPro shows it's -0.4dB from the top... so it's not even normalized 100%).
Anyone know how I can get around this so I don't get clipping on the master render? Thanks for any help or suggestions.
Re: Audio is clipping... but both clips are normalized by Jon Barrie on Jun 18, 2008 at 1:39:34 am
I'm sorry, but you do have the audio concept incorrect. If you add audio it adds and makes more loudness. Therefore a near peaked audio ontop of near peaked audio will peak. This is why mixing is a sole industry. It requires lots of work to get a MIX perfect. Pull your Dialog/VO track down to live inside the -18dB and -6dB. Music as BG should be somewhere in the -30 to -18dB range, Full AUdio (the only thing running) should be around the -12dB to -6dB. These are rough guides but remember that a peak into red is the all sounds when added together are too loud. (or it's too loud on its own). Try to only touch the yellow area (starts at -6dB).
Doing TVC's is another matter for audio mixing as they are compressed to sounds as loud as they can be without losing the illusion of range (high's lows) while always being full loudness and never peaking.
- Jon ;)
How many editors does it take to change a light bulb?
www.jonbarrie.net
