i need help on my new album how can i make evry track the same volume?
with audacity or logic express 8?

Do you have a limiter plugin and metering that display a RMS signal? If so, for the very quick and dirty way... you can just engage the limiter, and turn the input up until you get a RMS level you are cool with. Then just match all the tracks to that RMS level. Each track will then have roughly the same average level.

i have no clue what you just said....im only 17 i have no musical knowledge what so ever the only big word i know is quantize.

Trying to think of a way to explain it... imagine a volume meter that moves a lot slower than normal meter. A RMS meter probably exists somewhere in Logic, but since I don't use logic I dunno where to look. Basically it will show you the average volume for whatever is playing. So if you want multiple tracks to be roughly the same volume, they should have similar RMS levels.

have you heard of compressors? a limiter is a special kinda of compressor that can basically stop all audio from going over a certain level. Although you are really not s'posed to use them in this way, you can use them to kinda get the RMS level where you want. Or you can use a compressor followed by a limiter to stop any clipping.

that acctually help alot. that is on logic so i can get a feel for volumes

Hi xdrewx

There is a software app that is especially made for mastering.
It is named T-racks 24. It is okay, but can't be compared with real mastering by professional mastering engineer.
If you can't find it online (try it before buy it) let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Another way to add some sparkle and levelize your tracks is to record everything to a quality analogue tape deck and than back to computer.
I have a feeling that my Technics tape deck (from 1982) have some kind of simple compressor and limiter on input stage, at least it sounds like it.
I had some good resoults whit this method, though I've never tryed to master whole album.

One way to get your tracks mastered for free is to ask on gearslutz forum
and explain that you are student and 17 y/o and if someone would be so kind to master your album for free. There are some good people there,
that don't care about cash anymore or engineer in learning process that needs to get experiences. Im sure someone will help you if you present your problem honestly and polite.

Crumb

anything free?

There's no magic trick or plugin to get your songs at the same level. You simply use your ears. This is exactly what professional mastering engineers do. They use compression to make all the tracks exist in the same general dynamic range. They use their volume knobs to get those tracks at the same relative volume.

The numbers used in metering will lie to you. A solo acoustic guitar track with the same RMS level as a metal song will absolutely blow the metal song out of the water regarding loudness. This is because of the dynamic range of the music.

Perception of volume is relative. There are so many factors that there's no way a plug-in could cover all the bases.

For instance, if you want a song to sound really loud, simply lower the volume of the song before it by about 3 db. The difference is only mildly perceived by the average listener, but because of the way our brain works, they'll think the new song is loud, not that the last one was quiet.

If you want a chorus to sound louder than the verse, but don't want the verse to sound wimpy: lower the volume of the verse by 3 db over it's course; it takes the human ear about 4 seconds to adjust to a change in dynamics, rhythm, or timbre, so if you combine that info with the knowledge that a 3db change in volume is only mildly noticeable, you can lower the volume by 2db over the course of more than 4 seconds and the listener won't be able to perceive it.

Lowering the volume 2.5db over 10 seconds is practically unnoticeable even when you were the one who did it and know that it's there.

Just some things to think about regarding volume. Don't reach for a plug-in, reach for a book.

if you have cool edit,

there is a thing called Hard Limiting.

you boost the input its like turning up the volume but you can limit it so it doesnt clip .

it basicly works like that.

boost the input starting with 2 db . limit to -.5 db.

if its still quiet boost it again another 2 db. always keep the limiter to -.5

then just go by eye for each track and make the waves phat.

oh yea, i would'nt recomend audacity for mastering,

its just a pain.

word i acctually just picked up a program for my mac today MacMP3Gain. its pretty tight.

http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.php

http://www.stillwellaudio.com/

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sweet thanks those are sick

http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php

Check the "Classic Master Limiter" it and a little critical listening will do the trick without getting complicated.

word thats dope ...