How far should I amplify volume?

**Goldenwind** · 07-25-2009, 12:13 PM

Many of the professionally-mixed songs I've downloaded, such as Tricky Disco, and those in the ITG Rebirth pack, have a volume that can be clearly heard when playing them on ITG2.

Many of the songs I bring in on my own, like Gradeus, or mainstream songs, you can't hear them that clearly.

When looking at songs like Tricky Disco in an mp3 editor, I noticed that much of the sound looks like a block from afar, meaning the sound reaches the peak it can go before it gets cut off. I've tried doing this for my songs (Often having to raise the volume by 240%), and while it helps, it still doesn't bring it on the same level of clarity as the aforementioned songs.

How far should I, or could I, go before I start destroying the song? How can I solve this issue?

**sleeplessdragn** · 07-25-2009, 12:36 PM

It's probably more an issue with your mix than the actual levels. Decibels can be used as a measure of power, and speakers only output so much. Frequencies all use a certain amount of power, so put in tons of frequencies, and well you get the picture. The song you looked is probably maxing out its decibels with fewer frequencies, and thus sounds more clear.

wickedawesomeful · 07-25-2009, 12:43 PM

dynamics are dead

stargroup · 07-25-2009, 12:47 PM

I'd say that if you can see the waveforms, never let the peaks go out of your sight. other than that, you really just want to play it safe and not possibly cause clipping (that's what it's called)

if you can't hear the song well just turn up the volume

**iPatcH** · 07-25-2009, 01:37 PM

Just turn up your speakers, god damn.

**Goldenwind** · 07-25-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPatcH

Just turn up your speakers, god damn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldenwind

have a volume that can be clearly heard when playing them on ITG2.

I don't really have access to an arcade machine's operator's panel.

**iPatcH** · 07-25-2009, 06:22 PM

Open it up in something like Goldwave and use the "match volume" (or "normalize") option, then set the setting on either Default or Modern. It does a great deal of upping it without making it sounding trashed and retarded.

Another option is to use a limiter. Just lay it over the whole track and crank that bitch up until it starts to distort.

Enjoy your no dynamics.

**Pyroshock** · 07-26-2009, 07:36 PM

Yeah, if you really wanted to that much you can limit/compress

Read though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression

07-25-2009, 12:13 PM	#1
Goldenwind FFR Simfile Author Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Canada Age: 36 Posts: 762	How far should I amplify volume? Many of the professionally-mixed songs I've downloaded, such as Tricky Disco, and those in the ITG Rebirth pack, have a volume that can be clearly heard when playing them on ITG2. Many of the songs I bring in on my own, like Gradeus, or mainstream songs, you can't hear them that clearly. When looking at songs like Tricky Disco in an mp3 editor, I noticed that much of the sound looks like a block from afar, meaning the sound reaches the peak it can go before it gets cut off. I've tried doing this for my songs (Often having to raise the volume by 240%), and while it helps, it still doesn't bring it on the same level of clarity as the aforementioned songs. How far should I, or could I, go before I start destroying the song? How can I solve this issue? __________________ They say there's a sun in the sky...

07-25-2009, 12:36 PM	#2
sleeplessdragn ~Bang that beat Harder~ Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2,321	Re: How far should I amplify volume? It's probably more an issue with your mix than the actual levels. Decibels can be used as a measure of power, and speakers only output so much. Frequencies all use a certain amount of power, so put in tons of frequencies, and well you get the picture. The song you looked is probably maxing out its decibels with fewer frequencies, and thus sounds more clear. __________________

07-25-2009, 12:43 PM	#3
wickedawesomeful Carls, Girls, & Drugs Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tosh's noose. Age: 31 Posts: 3,888	Re: How far should I amplify volume? dynamics are dead __________________ http://dozemusic.com/

07-25-2009, 12:47 PM	#4
stargroup FFR Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 974	Re: How far should I amplify volume? I'd say that if you can see the waveforms, never let the peaks go out of your sight. other than that, you really just want to play it safe and not possibly cause clipping (that's what it's called) if you can't hear the song well just turn up the volume __________________ (´･ω･`)

07-25-2009, 01:37 PM	#5
iPatcH Swamp Lemons Rule Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: not detroit you idiots Age: 35 Posts: 3,370	Re: How far should I amplify volume? Just turn up your speakers, god damn. __________________ put on a donk on it

07-25-2009, 06:22 PM	#7
iPatcH Swamp Lemons Rule Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: not detroit you idiots Age: 35 Posts: 3,370	Re: How far should I amplify volume? Open it up in something like Goldwave and use the "match volume" (or "normalize") option, then set the setting on either Default or Modern. It does a great deal of upping it without making it sounding trashed and retarded. Another option is to use a limiter. Just lay it over the whole track and crank that bitch up until it starts to distort. Enjoy your no dynamics. __________________ put on a donk on it Last edited by iPatcH; 07-25-2009 at 06:25 PM..

07-26-2009, 07:36 PM	#8
Pyroshock ε=-dΦ/dt Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: College Station, TX Age: 31 Posts: 1,170	Re: How far should I amplify volume? Yeah, if you really wanted to that much you can limit/compress Read though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression __________________ http://pyroshock.bandcamp.com http://soundcloud.com/pyroshock

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