Apple Logic Pro /LogicExpress Discussion

>> Normalizing is non-destructive (as far as I know). 
> 
> I think it is destructive.... or at least irreversible. 

From that perspective, yes. At least if you run out of undo memory. However,
what I was trying to convey is that you end up with an exact replica of the
waveform with the only change being volume. The values of each word of data
for each sample is simply increased by the same integer amount for each
sample. The result is a truly exact replica. No degradation of the original
sample. At least that is my understanding of how normalization is done. Am I
wrong about that?

> 	In addition, an increase
> 	of a multiple of 3db is also non-destructive as long as you are 
> increasing
> 	volume. That's because a 3db increase is exactly twice the power as
0 
> db so
> 	you are multiplying by a whole integer rather than by a fraction. 
> Decreasing
> 	by a multiple of 3db will only affect what you normally could not 
> hear
> 	anyway and is still an integer math operation.
> 	
> Hmmmm. Interesting. I'm not sure about that. For a sound to be twice 
> as loud, it doesn't mean that the wave form is twice as high. There is 
> a log scale for hearing and the 3db is a perception thing - and in 
> fact there are disputes about 3db and 6 db and so forth. Anyway, the 
> waves you see in the sample editor... what is the vertical scale? It 
> seems like it might be 16 bit levels and its certainly not 2^16 
> resolution when you draw.

Oops! Yes, you are right. I was on the right track, but I think it is
actually 6db rather than 3db that will result in a non-destructive change.
3db is a doubling of *power* and 6db is a doubling of *amplitude*. So, in
the digital world, an increase of 6db is a matter of doubling the value of
each sample or halving it if it is a 6db decrease.

Kamm