Is there an option to auto-normalize the audio output from Dorico? This would be a very useful feature for me for when I am rendering the output of a very soft piece, for example. Yes, I know I can raise the levels in the mixer, etc. But a blanket option to simply normalize to peak -0.3 dB or something like that would be very useful.
I find myself often needing to import Dorico’s audio output into a DAW to normalize before I can send a quick demo to a client, who might (for example) be listening in a non-ideal enviroment.
I’ve looked around the software and the closest thing to this I could find was Edit>Preferences>Play>Mixer>Default output level. This is of course not really a normalization, as it would still output different peak levels for different pieces. So I second this request, a normalization checkbox would be quite welcome in the audio export prompt.
There are Normalizer VST plug-ins, which you might be able to use as an Insert to the Output channel. (Not my area of expertise, I’ll admit.)
Yes, not quite the solution I was looking for. Easier to just do this in a DAW at that point.
Would be a useful feature for many users, I think.
It’s more a job for an app like Wavelab (mastering app). You shouldn’t normalize a mix (neither in Dorico or Cubase). Of course, YMMV and you are free!
From a general music production perspective this is probably true, but I take it that in this case we’re talking about primarily educational material that is created with a particular didactic situation in mind. Such material usually doesn’t require any mastering shenanigans aside from normalization, thus having to utilize an additional tool feels like aiming for sparrows with cannons (a common german proverb, of course I don’t know if it exists literally in other languages).
I think Dorico comes with cimpressors and limiter plug-ins that should allow to approach this goal then
I have to check this, but a simple normalization that could be toggled via a checkbox in the export prompt just for the rendering would be the most elegant solution anyway.
I try not to over-normalize or squash orchestral music because it can kill all your dynamics, but in order to bring the overall apparent loudness up, I will usually stick a limiter on the output channel as the last plugin. Using stock plugins, a setting such as:
that would set your peaks at -0.3db on the output, and then by increasing the input stage, you’ll get an overall more “normalized” final program as it will drive the apparent loudness upwards in a general sense. 12 db as in my example might seem like a lot but with quiet orchestral music that you want to show to a client (especially if they’re used to listening to Spotify and YouTube all day), that would at least make your quiet music more on a similar level as they might expect to hear. Of course, you’ll have to dial to taste with your music but a limiter would be a good starting point. Naturally listen to your loudest and softest moments to find the right balance. I usually find I have to increase the input around 6-9 db.
Otherwise check out the stock Maximizer plugin. A few more bells and whistles but can be a good tool for general master loudness.
If you were to use the compressor which usually comes pre-loaded with most templates, you could turn off “auto” under the makeup knob, turn the knob up, and then lower the threshold so it’s hitting your peaks more:
Then as your music hits that threshold (set lower because the music is quieter), the makeup knob will raise everything upwards. But I would start with the first two options personally, less to fiddle with and best for general normalization.
Finally, you can save any settings you like as a preset making it easier to add at the end before you export.
The suggestions to use various limiters / compressors, while nice, is not what I am talking about in my original post. I would prefer to do this type of thing in a DAW anyway. A simple normalization checkbox in the export prompt as @klavierpunk suggests is exactly what I wish Dorico had.
You cannot expect Dorico to “know” before it’s played which levels are going to be hit by third party instruments (all the VSTi instruments are not Dorico) so that it normalizes the output. I understand why you’d want that, but I don’t think it’s reasonalble. DAWs do analyze the audio file to perform this kind of normalization (not on the fly, after the fact).
That’s exactly right. Normalization is a two step process. First step, identify the peak. Step 2, raise the level by the difference between the peak and the target level.
Given that some VSTs introduce an element of randomness into their output, causing the peak to vary each time the music is played back, normalization is normally done on rendered audio files.
The best option if you want to get close to it is use a limiter. As it happens, this is use more often in professional mixing than normalization anyway.
Yes, I understand this. But Reaper, for example, has such an option and it is quite useful in certain circumstances. Of course one would probably not want this when making a “real” mix.
The way Reaper does it is by first rendering the mix to a temp file and then applying the normalization, so you get a normalized output file. All in one step.
Well, no DAW that I know of applies a normalization on the fly and it has already been mentioned that the function in question refers to the audio export, so that should be no problem: render-normalize-encode, in that order, just as a DAW usually does it.
Ok, I now understand. Your request is a normalization of the audio export. Nice idea! I second this.
I was not aware you were making a feature request, so in order to provide a solution, I provided the only current fast solutions you will be able to achieve what you are after directly within Dorico at this time. For the record, it takes me 5 seconds to throw on a limiter and load my preset, and it’s what I always do to bring things to viable levels to show a client. Do whatever you want with that information, or not. You can, of course, make a separate feature request for normalization at export.
Thanks for all the replies. I have submitted a feature request.