Guiding Steps for Harmonizing Sound Amplitude in VLC Playback

How To Normalize Volume in VLC

How to normalize volume, why should we do it, and what is it after all? – these are the questions when it comes to editing our audio files, as well as the video clips we tend to change the sound of. So, first of all, the volume normalization is pretty much explained as follows: The process when a constant amount of gain is applied to the audio recording, bringing the amplitude to a desirable level, which is “the norm” for the project. If it is a little bit difficult to understand, we have to highlight that when this tool is applied to our volume, the whole recording has the same amount of gain across it, every piece affected the same way. Accordingly, when we normalize volume, the relative dynamics are not changed.

But, why bother at all and why not leave it the way it is? Well, the answer to this is almost the same as on why editing exists in general, right? Things are not perfect! This is the fact that prompts us to make our video clips and audio better, improve it at least on the level which can get us the right amount of viewers and listeners. Everyone have had some pain listening to several podcasts, when the volume was too high or too low, or there were so much background noise that the whole recording was hurting the ears of a person! People will not convert to being loyal subscribers, viewers and listeners if their user experience is not favored. So, it is in our best interest to serve their best interest, with a little bit of editing.

When it comes to normalizing audio, there are two reasons we refer to this tool. First is when we feel we need to get the maximum volume, and the second is when we need to match different volumes.

In the first case, you might have somewhat quite voice recording, and would like to make it better without changing its dynamic range, while making it as loud as possible. And when it comes to matching volumes, it is logical that you need to manipulate your editing this way in case you have a group of audio files, each or some of them are at different volumes, so, understandably, if not necessarily, you would like to make them come closer to the same volume.

So, until we give you the step-by step guide on how to normalize your volume in VLC player, we also need to inform you about audio normalization types. Here, generally, we come across three of them: a so-called peak normalization, helping adjust the recording based on the highest signal level present in the recording; another is called loudness normalization and it adjusts the recording based on perceived loudness. Last but not least, RMS (Root-Mean-Square), changes the value of all the samples, where their average electrical volume overall is a specified level.

Using any of this, making it better to listen to your voice, without people being annoyed and their ears becoming exhausting with what you have to offer, you will be making it enjoyable for them and easy to come back to your content, as they will not be obliged to change the volume on their own audio players. Instead, their experience with you will be calm and effortless, which you are aiming to achieve.

So, not, what about VLC? – this is a very popular media player, favorite for a lot of people all around the world, so you should already be quite familiar with what it is, at least by having streamed videos and movies there. Speaking more of what it represents, it is a free-to-use, robust, and feature-packed software that plays a wide range of audio, image, and video files. It is worth noting that it can also play multimedia files directly from extractable devices or the PC and additionally, the program can stream from popular websites such as Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.

As if it was not enough, you can do simple video and audio editing in VLC Media Player, which a lot of people are unaware of! For example, you can easily trim and cut videos. So, as it happens, we can also normalize volume in VLC Media Player. It is a very handy feature and it works on Windows as well as on Mac. Sooo… How to do that? Because, actually, it is so simple that you might be surprised you didn’t know about this earlier. To learn how to normalize volume in VLC, follow this simple guideline:

First, of course, as every time working with any software, you need to have VLC Media Player installed on your device. Once you have it installed, open VLC. Go to the Tools and Preferences and there, you will need to check the single box which is next to Normalize volume in Effects. Now, set the level to the one that works best for you. Then, when you are happy with the result, you can Save.

This is not something perfect, because it’s so simple to do and actually what it does is just help adjust the general volume, so it leaves the specifics alone.

But, it might be the case that you are not so satisfied with the simple editing and want a little more to get from the editing process on VLC. So, you can do more with the Audio Effects menu there. And the steps are as follows:

First, on your VLC player, find Tools and then, in the menu, go to Preferences. The window will open, and there you need to select All in Show settings – actually it is a little bit hard to find because this is in the bottom left corner of the window. From there, you will need to navigate to Audio, and then, a little below, click on Filters and highlight it. The checkbox next to the Dynamic range compressor will probably be unchecked – so, check in it.

Next, see where Compressor is in the left panel? Select it. And now, you are free to make the changes to the levels as you see fit.

Here, if you are a little bit overwhelmed with the wide range of options to work on, you can just concentrate the most on Makeup gain, Threshold, and Ratio. The first one is by which you adjust in quiet sequences to raise the volume, the second will help you reduce louder sequences to even things out, and ratio is the maximum level of all audio within a movie, let’s say.

Don’t underestimate Attack time and release time, either. They graduate the changes to ramp them up at first, then down again, rather than initiating them immediately. So, if you set them to your liking as well, this will ensure that you have a more fluid transition in and out of the scene and there are less sudden, sometimes scary volume changes.

Therefore, you are now equipped with the most information you will need to normalize volume in VLC Player – so free to give it a go, play around with the different settings and carry out the best result imaginable for you!

How to normalize audio in Wondershare Filmora?

Now, even though we already know how to normalize audio in VLC in the simplest, as well as in the more advanced way, it might be even better if we know some more about normalizing audios in different programs. Something worth discussing is a software called Wondershare Filmora , which carries out the same task wonderfully. Although, unlike VLC Media Player, it is a real video editor , but don’t panic if you have never laid your hand on editing – it is one of the easiest to use ini the word, operating also both on Mac and Windows, and its interface is utterly understandable for beginners right away. And, actually, it is a qhile that Wondershare Filmora X introduced the feature to normalize the audio for the first time. What to say more - you might want to stop now and download the latest version of Filmora because now we are about to learn how to normalize audio from the video there – so, tune in!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

When it is done installing, open the software. Now, click and drag the video of which the audio you want to normalize. Now you can select the clip you have chosen – if there are multiple, select all of them, then right-click and choose Detach Audio.

Now if you have this kind of graphic before your eyes, you can be pretty sure without even listening, that the noises are really, really different from each other, which highlights once again how useful audio normalization can be:

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Soon, all audio will be normalized, and you will already be able to see on the graphics that the volumes are almost on the same level and when you listen to it, you will make sure that there is no longer apparent difference between how they sound. And from there on, you can save the file you just normalized!

So, in this article, we learned a lot about normalizing volumes, why and how it is done, and, more specifically, how to get this task completed in VLC Media Player as well as in Wondershare Filmora X. you can proceed to putting this new information into a good use and come back to learn more about video and audio editing here!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Silent Symphony: Streamlining Sound Scales for Enhanced Viewing Experiences

Best Volume Normalizers: How to Normalize Audio in Videos?

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Audio recordings are not always perfect since they can often be too loud or nearly inaudible. In case you are dealing with an audio or video file that has an unbalanced volume you can try to fix this issue by using the audio normalization features which video and audio editing apps for Mac and PC computers offer.

Part 1: What is Audio Normalization?
Part 2: How to Normalize Audio [Tutorial]
Part 3: Top Sound Normalizers
Part 4: Audio Normalization Tips

What is Audio Normalization?

There are two different types of audio normalization, peak normalization, and loudness normalization. The peak normalization changes the gain that is being applied in order to reduce the highest PCM sample value down to 0 dB, while the loudness normalization reduces the average amplitude to the chosen level. However, the majority of video and audio editing apps combine these two types of audio normalization into a single feature. So, in this article, we are going to show you how you can quickly normalize audio with different video and audio editing apps.

How to Normalize Audio?

The most common reason for using audio normalization features is to bring the audio level of several different audio clips to the same level. In addition, audio normalization can help you make inaudible narration or dialogue a bit louder. If you want to make your vocals pop over the background music, all you have to do is download a versatile software - Filmora from Wondershare . The latest version of Filmora has released a new function - audio ducking, which helps you increase your vocals while lower the background music with ease. Download it for free!

After installing Wondershare Filmora, just read this complete guide of using audio ducking in Filmora .

Step 1: Drag and drop multiple video or audio files into the timeline and select one clip you want to hear more clearly.

Step 2: After right-clicking the clip, you can select “Adjust Audio”.

Step 3: Click “Lower the volume of other clips” and adjust the percentage according to your need.

Best 3 Audio Normalizers

Except for Wondershare Filmora, there are other audio normalizers that you can use when you are edit videos. Moreover, we will know the steps of normalizing audios with these sound normalizers.

1. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS

Mac users don’t need a special introduction to this iconic video editing app that has been featured on all versions of macOS that were released since 2003. The process of normalizing audio with iMovie is rather simple as you just have to import an audio or video file that contains sound into the Project Browser and double-click on it. Once the Inspector pops up on the screen you should select the Audio option and click on the Normalize Clip Volume setting. iMovie will then normalize the audio in the selected file, so you should just wait for the process to be over and click Done afterward.

2. Movavi

Price: $79.95 for a lifetime license

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

Movavi video editor offers all the tools you are going to need to finish the video editing process quickly. This video editing software for Mac and PC computers is best suited for video content creators who don’t have a lot of experience, although skilled video editing professionals can also use it to edit their footage. The audio normalization process in Movavi can be completed in just a few easy steps. After creating the project in the Full Feature Mode, you should click on the Add Media Files icon and import the files you’d like to use in that project. Place the files to the appropriate track on the timeline and then double-click on the file that is located on the audio track. Once the Tools panel appears on the screen, you just have to make sure that the Normalize tickbox is checked and Movavi will normalize the audio automatically.

3. Audacity

Price: Free

Compatibility: Linux, Windows, macOS

Audacity is a professional audio editing app that lets you record and edit sound for your videos. You can use this app to create sound effects, merge multiple audio files together, or record narration for each new video you create. Normalizing audio with Audacity is easy because you just have to add the audio clips to the timeline and make sure that the track to which you added a file is selected. The app also lets you select more than just one track, so you can place audio files to two or more tracks and files from each track are going to be adjusted to the same audio level. Once you’ve selected a track or tracks that contain audio clips you’d like to normalize, head over to the Effects menu, choose the Normalize option, and hit OK.

Tips on Audio Normalization

A single scene can contain a lot of different sounds. The sound of someone’s footsteps, ambient sounds, or the dialogue are just a few examples of sounds that are frequently used in videos and movies. The audio volume of each of these sounds shouldn’t be the same, because if the ambient sounds are as loud as the dialogue the audience may find it hard to understand what the characters in that scene are saying. That’s why you should use audio normalization only when you are absolutely sure that using the same audio volume level for two or more audio clips won’t disrupt the flow of your video.

Conclusion

Even though normalizing audio with each of the video editing software products we featured in this article is a straightforward process, this option should only be used if you have no other way to balance the audio volume of a video or an audio file. Which video editing app for Mac and PC computers do you like to use the most to normalize audio in your videos? Leave a comment and share your experiences with us.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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