Helpful ReplyHow to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD?

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mazatlan1981
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2018/01/05 20:15:54 (permalink)

How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD?

When I burn a CD the sound its lower than a regular CD, how can I raise the Volume?
Thanks.
 
#1
fireberd
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/05 20:39:22 (permalink)
I have an extra step I used to do after a mixdown and exporting a song file (before I started using Ozone 5).  
I load each song file into Goldwave and then set the maximize level to the program default (96%).  This ensures all songs on the CD are at the same volume level as most commercial audio CD's.
 
You could maximize in Sonar and probably do the same thing.  I did it in Goldwave as I also trim the start of each song to 2 seconds and also set the end of each song.  I could probably do this in Sonar but its easier, for me, in Goldwave. 
 
With Ozone 5 (I also have 6 but 5 does what I need to do) when I "master" the output is set to "0" db. 

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#2
orangesporanges
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/05 20:43:15 (permalink)
For me, I watch the meters on the master bus. Get the signal close to zeroing out. Add a brickwall limiter and gradually lower the threshold on it until it starts sounding louder. You can't actually raise the level past zero, but you can make it so more of your program material is captured by the limiter and raised to the brick wall(zero ,or close to it). I don't know how else to explain it, or the proper jargon for what is going on, just know it works. 

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fireberd
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/05 22:51:43 (permalink)
That is more "compression" than limiting.  Limiting is when you set a maximum "upper limit" and the signal will not go over the "limit".  Compression, increases low passages volume level so they sound louder.  However compressing the H..l out of a song file is bad, too.
 
In Ozone 5, I use the Country Master-Basic preset for a majority of what I do.  It has a "gentle" compression but still has the loudness.  I use others as needed but the Country Master Basic is my "go to".

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#4
sharke
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/05 23:35:08 (permalink)
It sounds like the OP's problem may be related to average loudness rather than peak volume? If so then it's a mixing and mastering question and nothing to do CD burning.

James
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Cactus Music
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/06 04:48:14 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby hockeyjx 2018/01/06 15:48:16
What Sharke just said. 
There are a few standards used in pro audio for measuing average loudness, LUFS is one I use good old fashion RMS. 
Average RMS level is way more important than peak level. 
Wave Lab has a Global analyzer
that determines your Average RMS level. 
This is what the professionals are aiming for. Peak level is totally missleading. 
Example. 
I can have 3 songs. All peak at -.4 db which is what I have my Brickwall limiter set at. 
Song 1 is -14 db RMS  
song 2 is -22 RMS
song  3 is - 18 RMS. 
 
Song 1 will be fine and be pretty close to the standard which can be around -10 to -12 db average RMS - heavy metal might be at - 9 and classical could be as low as -22 but a pop song will average around say -12db. So song # 2 even though it peaked the same will be way quieter than song #1. 
 
I find this is even more important for my backing tracks. A live band is not going to have a 5db differance between each song. SO for a long time now I've use this tool to determine each song or backing tracks loudness and the result is they stand up to all commercial recordings and each song be it a folk ballad or punk rock is the same level on all systems. 
 
Normalizing is not needed if you use a peak limiter like the Brick wall on your master buss. 
Looking a meters also tells you very little unless the song has no dynamics at all. 
 
http://www.tcelectronic.com/loudness/loudness-explained/
 
 
 
 

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#6
garry
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/06 13:49:15 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby hockeyjx 2018/01/06 16:00:41
Short answer: Add a mastering limiter type plug-in to your master effects bin in SONAR to pump up the volume. Or use another application like Ozone, or WaveLab, or Sound Forge to master your mix using the same type plug-in.
 
A look ahead mastering compressor/limiter will trim the brief peaks down and give the plug-in room to up the overall volume. Don't be too heavy handed with it or your mixes will start to sound bad as you are killing the dynamics and air in the music.
 
Many mastering engineers measure the overall loudness of song using meters that measure LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale). The "integrated" value is the loudness of the whole song. This is important because streaming services use that value to adjust your volume relative to other songs so that they all play at the same loudness. AFAIK, most streaming services such as Spotify target -14 LUFS. So if you song is mastered louder than that, Spotify (or iTunes or whoever) will LOWER your song volume when it gets played. And that may make highly compressed, ultra-loud mixes sound smaller and less interesting than a more dynamic mix that targets -14 LUFS.
 
From what I can tell by measuring commercially released songs from CD, a lot of guitar-based rock is mastered at about -9 LUFS for CD. Some a little quieter and some a little hotter (usually heavier bands). Measure the loudness of songs you like to see what pro mastering engineers are doing in that genre. Ideally, you would have one master for CD and a separate master for streaming.
 
I play/record in a couple local rock bands with little chance of getting national streaming, so I just master for CD. We're guitar-based rock and I target -9 LUFS for most of our stuff. Quieter more dynamic tunes will be more like -10 or 12. I figure people are just going to rip the songs from CD and add them to their phone or MP3 player or whatever. Some players adjust the volumes to be equal, so there's that to consider as well.
 
As CD sales continue to drop and streaming increases, perhaps the trend will be to master for streaming (-14 LUFS). Do a Google search for "loudness wars" to read about the 20 year history of trying to make everything as loud as it can be, why that isn't good, and how the mastering engineers are trying to reverse the trend.
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Cactus Music
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/07 17:17:26 (permalink)
Very good info Garry.
This issue is simply one of newbies  not educating them selves about what is really involved in releasing commercially viable music. You want to play with the big boys, either go to college or start reading. It takes years of study to become a REAL audio engineer. A hobbyist doesn't need to take it that far, but it makes the hobby more enjoyable when you do know what your doing and can take pride in your home made creations standing up to the rest. 
90% of what I know about sound is from reading audio related magazines, books and paying attention on audio forums. There are some very talented people around on forums and it's wise to follow links when presented. I have a whole folder full of bookmarks of audio related topics. 
 
This is required reading- The Yamaha Bible- 
  https://soundsfxedit.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/sound-reinforcement-handbook.pdf

Johnny V  
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#8
konradh
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/08 20:31:42 (permalink)
Compression and Limiting are essentially the same thing.  To compress, you set a limit and keep raising the input.
 
A compressor usually has variable ratios that a limiter may or may not have.

Konrad
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#9
Cactus Music
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/08 21:10:34 (permalink)
Just put Boost 11 on the master and turn it to full! That's will be loud!! 
Sorry, just kidding. It is the right idea sort of... Oh no he's going to do it! 

Johnny V  
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#10
BJN
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/10 00:14:27 (permalink)
yeah things have changed with digital lookahead detection; peak limiting, maximizers, clippers, limiters, compressors, sustainers, saturators.

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msmcleod
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Re: How to raise the volume on a track when burning a CD? 2018/01/10 01:03:53 (permalink)
Before you use Boost, Compression, or any mastering tool plugins to increase volume it's worth revisiting EQ on all your tracks and removing any unwanted frequencies.
 
In particular you want to remove any sub-bass frequencies, so go through each track, solo it, and roll off the as much of the bass frequencies you can without a noticable difference in the sound.
 
You can also do the same for the high frequencies but to a lesser extent.
 
You can't normally hear these extra frequencies, but they'll be present in the track. The accumulation of them on all of the tracks won't be audible, but will make the mix will peak with the extra energy there - even though you perceive the volume to be lower.
 
Once you've removed these unwanted frequencies this you'll likely find you can increase the volume of the whole mix without it peaking, and it should also sound clearer.
 
You can then apply mastering EQ / compression afterwards to add a bit of glue.
#12
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