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Audio Normalize Effect

Discussion in 'Documentation' started by gravelvoice, May 2, 2018.

  1. gravelvoice

    gravelvoice

    Joined:
    May 2, 2018
    Posts:
    1
    The documentation for this effect isn't detailed enough to make sense of what this plug in is doing.

    https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-AudioNormalizeEffect.html

    I understand the fade in time is the time it takes for the normalization effect to take effect.

    Lowest Volume is a bit cryptic. Is this the lowest volume that would be normalized? what unit is this in?

    Max Amp - is this the maximum volume amplification that would be applied? Again, what unit? Does this also take into account 0dBFS to prevent distortion?

    Normalization usually just multiplies each sample by the amount of dB needed to take the highest amplitude to the target level. Commonly this is 0dBFS, so if you wanted to take the peak to 0 and that required a 2x multiplier, then all samples will be multiplied by that same amount. This usually takes place off line because if the whole file isn't there, it doesn't know what the peak sample is.

    This plugin seems to do it real time so there is no way of knowing what multiple to apply.

    I really could use some more detailed information on what these parameters are and how they are supposed to be used.
     
    Sluggy likes this.
  2. Vynist

    Vynist

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2017
    Posts:
    1
    I have the same problem
     
  3. Simpowitch

    Simpowitch

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2018
    Posts:
    14
    I agree. It is very unclear what this so called "normalizer" does. I understand the basics of normalising an audio-clip from my time as a music producer and sound designer, but this effect seems to be on a channel and not on an actual audio file. But! There is a setting on the import-settings to normalize the audio file, but only if we mix it down to mono. (UNITY WTF!?) XD
     
  4. rodperi

    rodperi

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2020
    Posts:
    1
    when you convert a stereo signal to mono you lose volume (that might be the reason)
     
  5. ArtyIF

    ArtyIF

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2014
    Posts:
    36
    Pretty much the same thing as normalizing the audio clip, but to dynamic sound and over time. Pretty much, as far as I understand, the group's peak loudness is -15 dB, and the Normalize effect tries to bring the peak to 0 dB within a certain amount of time. If then the peak loudness changes to, say, -5 dB, it instantly "snaps" to that to avoid clipping.