boosting low audio?

Have a talking head, editing in FCP 6.

He's a low-talker, and the unedited/unenhanced audio peaks at about -16db. I'm able to boost his signal several ways (compressor/limiter, normalizing, etc) and can get his signal up to 0db, but I'm getting a "Can you boost it above 0db, still hard to understand" request from my boss. I understand that's like asking....I don't know what...but you get the idea.

I guess what I might try next is some selective EQ to boost some of his mids, but in the end, a whisper still sounds like a whisper whether it peaks at -20db or -0db.

Any other ideas? I'm all ears.

Use either the Gain filter or the Dynamics Processor. Both can add gain beyond the usual 12dB of level increase. But make sure you put them at the top of the audio filters so that the boosted levels are compressed. The order of the filters does matter.


www.derekmok.com

hmmm...nothing seems to be boosting my initial mix beyond what I already had done. I can make it sound louder, but the VU meters are peaking all over the place, which won't fly for the final version of the spot.

If you're already going into the red (and at 0dB, you are) and the bosses "still can't understand", then they need to stop listening on their crappy laptop speakers.

Seriously, if they're going by their ear, they need to be listening on a computer with properly monitors. Don't just go by their word; check their equipment and make sure they don't have their volume all the way down at one. Laymen are also used to completely blown out YouTube audio and may not understand that broadcast levels are actually relatively low compared to what's out there on the web.

Or it could be a question of articulation or noise-to-signal ratio, in which case it's ADR time.


www.derekmok.com

You try using the multiband compressor in strkpro and good eq techniques. But if it is unenergetic delivery, it isn't about loudness, you may need to book an ADR and foley session with a voice actor.



www.strypesinpost.com

Hi Clay, Clay here,

you might give this a try:

[the-levelator.en.softonic.com]

Works pretty well with low level vox. You'll still need to do some sweetening, but it might save the day.

That's cool utility, with core code from the folks who make PluralEyes.


- Loren

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