importing sound from an audio CD

I am currently importing a large amount of music into my project from audio CDs, which comes into Final Cut much louder than I want. Is there a shortcut to adjust the volume of several clips to the same level, say -25, without having to do each one by hand?

Not in the Browser. However, what you can do is put them all onto the timeline -- you don't have to edit them or anything. Select all of them and press OPTION-APPLE-L (Modify - Levels) and enter the numeric amount (eg. "6" if you want +6dB, "-12" if you want -12dB) you want applied to all of them.

And then if you want those levels to be the default levels as you open a master clip, select all of them in the timeline and drag them into a new bin in the Browser. They will now have the volume adjusted. Delete the old master clips and use the new ones in the new bin as your new masters.

I think you're overreacting a bit, though -- it is very rare that CD music comes in 25dB too hot. You're usually better off adjusting by -8dB to -12dB.


www.derekmok.com

Derek, related to that question....

What if instead of raising all the clips by 6 db or lowering -12 db, as mspriytus wants to do, you want to take all selected clips and keep them at an average of -12 db? I have lots of clips where the average dialogue is too low (between -30 and -20) and others where the dialogue is too loud (-6 to +6). Right now I am adjusting each clip one by one, watching where it peaks, but the process is way slow.

Another question: if I DON'T delete the old clips and just make the adjustments on the timeline without saving them to the bin, will I lose my audio settings next time I open the master sequence?

> What if instead of raising all the clips by 6 db or lowering -12 db, as mspriytus wants to do,
> you want to take all selected clips and keep them at an average of -12 db?

There's no way to do that. At least, if you're talking about making all the clips peak at -12dB in terms of real volume. That would be a type of Normalizing, I think.

However, if you're talking about making all the clip level adjustments at -12dB, rather than implementing a universal decrease of -12dB, then it can be done. Press OPTION-APPLE-L (Modify - Levels) and change "Make Changes" to Absolute rather than "Relative". That will make all the level adjustments go to -12dB.

> I have lots of clips where the average dialogue is too low (between -30 and -20) and others
> where the dialogue is too loud (-6 to +6). Right now I am adjusting each clip one by one,
> watching where it peaks, but the process is way slow.

You gotta do it by hand. There's no "smart" way to make all the clips peak around -12dB. Blame the recordist for having such a huge discrepancy in his peak levels from scene to scene.

The good thing about Modify - Levels - Relative is that any audio-level keyframes will stay consistent -- the entire rubber band (Keyframe Overlay) moves up or down. If you have one segment where a keyframe of -8dB is dipping to a second keyframe of -14dB, if you apply Modify - Levels - Relative of -4dB, then those keyframes become -12dB dipping to -18dB. This command is a great thing to use for fast, general mixes to get you close to the levels you want before you muck with keyframes.

> Another question: if I DON'T delete the old clips and just make the adjustments on the
> timeline without saving them to the bin, will I lose my audio settings next time I open the
> master sequence?

No. Sequences are sequences, bins are bins. The method I had been describing before is if you want to access a master clip multiple times and don't want to be blasted with super-hot sound. Basically, I was showing you how to make new master clips with audio adjustments already applied, if you had so desired.


www.derekmok.com

"I think you're overreacting a bit, though -- it is very rare that CD music comes in 25dB too hot. You're usually better off adjusting by -8dB to -12dB."

well you haven't heard these records!

neither have i, for that matter,
but i generally knock CD music down to about -23
i tend to do it as i open the file to listen to it.
i click on the level slider
and for some reason, it always winds up around -23.
that works with my monitoring level, and against the dialogue i've got

timeline trick is teh way to go for a batch mod, tho


nick

Could be because you're mixing to -20dB tone. I usually like to have the sound louder, and I work with DV systems a lot, so I mix to -12dB. If I'm mastering to DigiBeta, I use the deck inputs to take it down to -20dB. Modern CDs are louder, as well...I think Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction is at peak level in a -12dB timeline after about -10 to -14dB of adjustment, but Velvet Revolver's Contraband probably needs around -16 to -20dB.

If the music is at "bedrock" level in the mix, then I tend to end up at -22 to -30dB, as well...I also usually use mid-scoop to create room for the dialogue, allowing me to mix the volume a bit higher. But I'd agree -- erring on the side of too soft is the way to go if there's dialogue. I find it superbly annoying when indie/amateur films muddy up the dialogue with overloud music...especially given young people's music tastes!


www.derekmok.com

What about converting it to 48Khz from 44.1 as well. FCP likes that audio much better on the timeline. And of course this audio is YOURS. (No DRM issues - right?)