djchad72
I have had this issue in both Numark Cue 5.2 and now VDJ 6.0.1. It has also followed me between two laptops, deleting all my \documents files, rebuilding my database, etc...
When I go to the AutoGain option in Config, I set it to Disable. It will bring everything up as 0.0 gain upon load. And then I will start up for gig or practive and it will start trying to auto level the tracks... even though in config it is still "disabled." I then change it to "auto" and it goes back to loading tracks as 0.0.
For some reason this option is bi polar for me. I do not know why. This is one of those I reported to Numark and they had no clue. They just told me to just keep flipping it back and forth as I need.
Has anyone had much success with the auto gain? I tend to prefer to level it on my mixer as the auto gain does not tent to work well for me. Any guidence would be most helpful, and I can post details of configuration if needed.
When I go to the AutoGain option in Config, I set it to Disable. It will bring everything up as 0.0 gain upon load. And then I will start up for gig or practive and it will start trying to auto level the tracks... even though in config it is still "disabled." I then change it to "auto" and it goes back to loading tracks as 0.0.
For some reason this option is bi polar for me. I do not know why. This is one of those I reported to Numark and they had no clue. They just told me to just keep flipping it back and forth as I need.
Has anyone had much success with the auto gain? I tend to prefer to level it on my mixer as the auto gain does not tent to work well for me. Any guidence would be most helpful, and I can post details of configuration if needed.
Posted Sun 07 Jun 09 @ 10:52 pm
cstoll
From what you first describe with it Disabled and always showing 0.0 it tells me your tracks are already normalized to 0.0db. But, when you say it then tries to auto level the tracks - how do you know this? If they are already 0.0 then what visually indicates they are trying to be normalized by VDJ? VDJ Auto Gain in Auto or Auto+Remember normalizes a track to 0.0 . So, if they are showing 0.0 disabled, then showing 0.0 using Auto - what gives you the indication that it's not working or not paying attention to your settings?
Posted Mon 08 Jun 09 @ 7:16 am
djchad72
Maybe someone needs to describe the function for me.
In the manual it states that disabling autogain will load every track as 0.0. You must use your sound device/mixer/VDJ Controller to adjust the gain. When it is set to auto, VDJ tries to take the track you load and adjust the gain to match the track already in play.
What I notice is I will have AG=Disabled and all tracks will load 0.0. It will be perfect for several sessions. Then one session, all tracks will load with 1.2, 2.2, or even negative gain. I will look in config and the setting is still AG=Disabled. I change it to AG=Auto and it will go back to loaded as 0.0. To have it disabled I have to have it on Auto. It will at some point the AG=Auto setting will begin working with trying to match gain between tracks. I then switch it to AG=Disabled and all is back to who I want it. But eventually the circle completes itself and I make the switch back.
I just dont want VDJ changing the volume. I want to do it on the mixer myself. It allows me smoother transitions if I am able to have full control over the gain and less automation. However if someone has had a good experience with this automation, please enlighten me.
In the manual it states that disabling autogain will load every track as 0.0. You must use your sound device/mixer/VDJ Controller to adjust the gain. When it is set to auto, VDJ tries to take the track you load and adjust the gain to match the track already in play.
What I notice is I will have AG=Disabled and all tracks will load 0.0. It will be perfect for several sessions. Then one session, all tracks will load with 1.2, 2.2, or even negative gain. I will look in config and the setting is still AG=Disabled. I change it to AG=Auto and it will go back to loaded as 0.0. To have it disabled I have to have it on Auto. It will at some point the AG=Auto setting will begin working with trying to match gain between tracks. I then switch it to AG=Disabled and all is back to who I want it. But eventually the circle completes itself and I make the switch back.
I just dont want VDJ changing the volume. I want to do it on the mixer myself. It allows me smoother transitions if I am able to have full control over the gain and less automation. However if someone has had a good experience with this automation, please enlighten me.
Posted Mon 08 Jun 09 @ 8:43 am
cstoll
I wrote the manual ... this is what is in it, not what you posted ...
Auto Gain – This is the auto gain adjustment setting for VirtualDJ. The values are :
As for what you described ... are the tracks that display something other than 0.0 tracks you had seen at zero before? Because if you are seeing them anything other than zero it is because they are not 0.0 and since AutoGain = Disabled is using the RAW value that is what you are seeing.
But to answer your comment about "you making changes at the mixer" ... leave the AutoGain disabled and do what you want which is change it at the mixer. With AutoGain Disabled - VirtualDJ will still report what the RAW gain structure is of the track ... if anything the ones that don't load 0.0 then simply look at VDJ as an indicator for you that you might have to turn up or turn down the gain/volume for that track at your mixer.
Auto Gain – This is the auto gain adjustment setting for VirtualDJ. The values are :
- Disabled – Use the raw db level of the track as it was recorded, ripped, or normalized
- Auto – normalize the track to a 0db level for play
- Auto+Remember – normalize the track to a 0db level for play if loaded for first time, then remember the last db gain adjust for next loading of the track.
- Remember – loads the track the first time using the Disabled setting, then remember the last db gain adjust for next loading of the track
As for what you described ... are the tracks that display something other than 0.0 tracks you had seen at zero before? Because if you are seeing them anything other than zero it is because they are not 0.0 and since AutoGain = Disabled is using the RAW value that is what you are seeing.
But to answer your comment about "you making changes at the mixer" ... leave the AutoGain disabled and do what you want which is change it at the mixer. With AutoGain Disabled - VirtualDJ will still report what the RAW gain structure is of the track ... if anything the ones that don't load 0.0 then simply look at VDJ as an indicator for you that you might have to turn up or turn down the gain/volume for that track at your mixer.
Posted Mon 08 Jun 09 @ 8:56 am
djchad72
See, told you. I just needed some guidence. :)
2 more follow up questions, and perhaps I can close this one out on my end.
1) What is the source of the RAW db level on the mp3 file? Let me frame up where I am coming from. I rip all CD via iTunes @ 320kps MP3. My other record pool is online and has the same bit rate. I then load everything into iTunes centrally and tag the files into "groupings" as needed. iTunes has a function called "Sound Check" so that the volume stays even when listening on your ipod. Does that "data" stay only with in iTunes, or does it carry over to where VDJ will see it and use it? If it carries over, then I may want to disable that with in iTunes.
2) I can probably answer this myself if I just do some testing with it and see for myself. There is a db reading inside the information wheel of the visual interface. There is also the db reading on the gain knob. So does this mean what is inside the wheel the RAW db reading from the file... and the db on the gain virtual knob two different functions/values?
I think my issue was I was thinking almost everything would show up 0.0db. But now it makes sense that since every song has its own querks with EQ and volume... it would read a either loud, soft, or at unity upon load. So now I think I catch on to the function better.
2 more follow up questions, and perhaps I can close this one out on my end.
1) What is the source of the RAW db level on the mp3 file? Let me frame up where I am coming from. I rip all CD via iTunes @ 320kps MP3. My other record pool is online and has the same bit rate. I then load everything into iTunes centrally and tag the files into "groupings" as needed. iTunes has a function called "Sound Check" so that the volume stays even when listening on your ipod. Does that "data" stay only with in iTunes, or does it carry over to where VDJ will see it and use it? If it carries over, then I may want to disable that with in iTunes.
2) I can probably answer this myself if I just do some testing with it and see for myself. There is a db reading inside the information wheel of the visual interface. There is also the db reading on the gain knob. So does this mean what is inside the wheel the RAW db reading from the file... and the db on the gain virtual knob two different functions/values?
I think my issue was I was thinking almost everything would show up 0.0db. But now it makes sense that since every song has its own querks with EQ and volume... it would read a either loud, soft, or at unity upon load. So now I think I catch on to the function better.
Posted Mon 08 Jun 09 @ 6:30 pm
DJmga
Version 1 & 2 of iTunes stored the Sound Check data within the iTunes database. After that, I believe it stored the values within ID3 tags (not sure where though!). While I can't answer on behalf of the vdj experts in here, I suspect that vdj doesn't use this iTunes data, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing the variations in volume in tracks fixed by iTunes...
I had a similiar issue at first with some variations in track volume within vdj. I also didn't want to be fiddling with gain pots or mixer faders from track to track, so resorted to using a tool to set track volume to a known value. I used mp3gain, but there's plenty of other tools out there too that will do this for you. (Just make you you pick one that doesn't screw with the quality of your audio!).
Mp3gain doesn't alter the track or interfere with the audio quality, but adds new ID3 tags (MP3GAIN_MINMAX, MP3GAIN_UNDO, REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_GAIN, REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_PEAK) to store any values altered. You can also undo the changes in mp3gain if you don't like the result! (It's also pretty good at highlighting potential clipping in your mp3's, which is something we all like to avoid!).
Anyways, with the track volume normalised, I disabled the Auto Gain setting in vdj and now have fairly consistent volume levels with my tracks within vdj. Some adjustment needed from time to time obviously, but nothing like I used to do...
I had a similiar issue at first with some variations in track volume within vdj. I also didn't want to be fiddling with gain pots or mixer faders from track to track, so resorted to using a tool to set track volume to a known value. I used mp3gain, but there's plenty of other tools out there too that will do this for you. (Just make you you pick one that doesn't screw with the quality of your audio!).
Mp3gain doesn't alter the track or interfere with the audio quality, but adds new ID3 tags (MP3GAIN_MINMAX, MP3GAIN_UNDO, REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_GAIN, REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_PEAK) to store any values altered. You can also undo the changes in mp3gain if you don't like the result! (It's also pretty good at highlighting potential clipping in your mp3's, which is something we all like to avoid!).
Anyways, with the track volume normalised, I disabled the Auto Gain setting in vdj and now have fairly consistent volume levels with my tracks within vdj. Some adjustment needed from time to time obviously, but nothing like I used to do...
Posted Mon 08 Jun 09 @ 7:18 pm