The Logic Off Topic list

> ** Original Message follows... 

>    From: Hendrik Jan Veenstra <h@...>
> Subject: Re: Normalize Vs Gain
> 
> On a fine day, 12-03-2004, drummerboy5142 wrote:
> 
> >Like to end this argument once and for all. Is using the gain function
> >in the audio window better than normalizing your individual audio
> >tracks to bring the levels up to get the best quality recording to mix
> >with?
> 
> The best way (except for recording at decent levels :) is to use the 
> Gainer plug-in.  Since it's a plug-in, it operates in Logic's native 
> 32-bit space.  All destructive edits, such as normalizing, work on a 
> 24-bit level and introduce quantization errors (noise).
> 
> amgshaffer quoted John Pitcairn and wrote:
> >  >In Logic, it is far preferable to increase level by boosting the fader
> >>level and/or inserting Gainer plugins, which ensures that the increase
> >>in level is done both non-destructively and at a much more accurate
> >>32-bit floating point resolution. The result when added up across many
> >  > tracks is _clearly_ superior to normalizing all the audio.
> >
> >Given the above comment, I would assume the best way to maximize your
> >signal-to-noise ratio is get the levels set correctly when you record
> >the sound.  Otherwise, gain, normalization, or using the Gainer plugin
> >will raise both signal and noise.
> 
> I don't think you get the gist of John's argument.  John explicitely 
> says that using a Gainer plug-in is preferable to normalizing in the 
> sample editor.  Saying that "they all raise signal and noise" misses 
> the point, which is that anything done at 24 bits introduces more 
> noise than when done at 32 bit.
> 
> Another but somewhat related argument against normalization: 
> normalizing is imo as pointless as the digital zoom on digital 
> cameras is.  If sufficient data is absent, the camera (Logic) can't 
> invent it out of the blue.  With a 200 x 300 array, you can't make a 
> _real_ 400 x 600 photo.  Likewise, if you have a recording that uses 
> 21 bits of dynamics, increasing that to 24 bits (normalizing by 
> multiplying everything by 8) won't _really_ increase the resolution 
> of your recording by a factor of 8.  If you then realise that it's 
> not only pointless, but adds noise to boot, well... you get the 
> picture.
> 

Good topic. Despite knowing this, I sometimes use the gain function to bring up a word or phrase or reduce a sharp peak that's preventing me from raising my average level. I really wish the Gainer plug-in had a finer resolution - at least .5dB steps. Also, the automation is still very fiddly - sometimes the display will not show you your level and you have to look at the info bar and compare numbers with earlier automation points. BTW, why is this OT?

Mars