Advice using Normalizer

1

Hello all,

I’m writing to ask for advice using the Normalizer. Especially the dur parameter (The buffer delay time). What value works for you to manage the ‘amplitude modulation artifacts’ that the Help file says?
Or what UGen do you use too boost/normalize the sound in SC.

Best,
Hernani

2

I wouldn’t use Normalizer.

It will change envelope characteristics. It is not a transparent way to just make things louder.

Compare the sound of these two snippets:

// Simple amplifier (+14 dB)
(
var r = { |out|
	var sig = In.ar(out, 2);
	sig = FreeVerb2.ar(sig[0], sig[1], room: 0.9, damp: 0.2);
	// sig = Normalizer.ar(sig, 0.2);
	sig = sig * 5;
	ReplaceOut.ar(out, sig);
}.play(target: s.defaultGroup, addAction: \addAfter);

().play;  // a source synth, for 0.8 sec

SystemClock.sched(3.0, { r.free });
)


// with Normalizer
(
var r = { |out|
	var sig = In.ar(out, 2);
	sig = FreeVerb2.ar(sig[0], sig[1], room: 0.9, damp: 0.2);
	sig = Normalizer.ar(sig, 0.2);
	ReplaceOut.ar(out, sig);
}.play(target: s.defaultGroup, addAction: \addAfter);

().play;  // a source synth, for 0.8 sec

SystemClock.sched(3.0, { r.free });
)

Typically, I work at a low signal level within SC, record to an audio file, and then normalize in Audacity.

hjh

3

Hello Jamshark,

Thank you for your answer and your example. I’m agree with you regarding recording and then normalize in Audacity. The situation in which I’m trying to use the Normalizer is in a ‘real-time’ recording context. I mean, record and play sounds during a performance, some sounds are quite than others and I just start to push the sound by multiply by numbers sometimes until 80! That works but at the end I have many sounds with arbitrary values of amplitude, that’s why I am looking for an UGen that can do this automatically. I tried Normalizer but modifies the envelope sound as you have mentioned and demonstrated.

Best,
Hernani