Peak Level - Audio Normalization
After opening your recording in Pure Vinyl, a good first step is to establish a loudness normalization level. This level will be applied during audio playback, and when rendering the finished tracks. The normalization setting procedure is nondestructive to the original audio files, as are all Pure Vinyl editing operations.
If you haven't already, drag the new recording to the Pure Vinyl application icon, or the Pure Vinyl window. The initial vinyl rendering will commence:
Please wait until the vinyl image has finished rendering (text will be drawn on the label area). If Pure Vinyl Recorder added track markers, they also will be listed on the label. (Don't be concerned about the track names and markers at this point.)
Note: In the example below, track markers and track names already have been added to the file. If you like, that step may be performed before peak level normalization. |
1. Click the PEAK button on the "turntable plinth."
A list of peaks detected in the file is presented, with the signal levels established during a preliminary normalization. Note that many of the peaks in the example are above 0.0 dB. This may or may not occur, based on guesses (concerning pops and clicks) made by Pure Vinyl during the sampling of the input file. However, the goal is to determine an appropriate normalization level for musical program material, after considering any pops and clicks that may be present.
2. Click on one of the peaks at or near the top of the list, as shown below.
Note that the cartridge / stylus indicator jumps to the location on the vinyl surface corresponding to the peak.
Now, "grab" the vinyl image (the cursor will change to a hand) and give it a nudge. The waveform viewer will appear.
Three waveforms are shown. Red is the right channel, blue the left, and aqua the combined (mono) signal. The peak levels (in dB) at this location for the right and left channels also are shown.
Shown below is an example of a waveform of a nonmusical signal: a transient from a pop on the LP.
Note: in the example shown here, the advanced Pop Edit and RPM Calibration options were previously enabled in the Editor tab of Pure Vinyl's Preferences panel. |
The pop can be verified audibly by clicking the tonearm cueing button (with the icon of a stylus point poised above the record surface). Be prepared to adjust the Monitor Level if too loud.
Since we ultimately plan to edit the major pops, it doesn't matter if we renormalize at a level that causes this pop to clip. So we need to find the highest level musical peak:
3. Continue inspecting the peaks, moving down the list, until finding a waveform without the transient appearance of a pop. Below, we have selected the peak at 05:14.489.
Note that the cartridge / stylus indicator has repositioned to the corresponding spot on the disc.
One indication of a musical waveform is the close agreement of the right (red) and left (blue) channels (although this isn't necessarily always the case).
Since this is the "loudest" musical waveform in the file, we will use it as the basis for the normalization.
4. Click NORM (the button won't be enabled unless you've clicked a peak and "spun" the record a bit).
The peak list is updated to reflect the new normalization factor, and the waveform is rescaled. Also note that the Make-Up Gain control has been reset to a value of 20.4 dB. Note that this can be changed at any time, because all edits are nondestructive.
Click CLOSE or PEAK to dismiss the peak list window.
This concludes the peak level - audio normalization part of the workflow tutorial.