BIAB sings to CD problem

Joe Delaronde · Post by **Joe Delaronde** » 14 May 2001 10:49 am

The topic should read "songs" not "sings".

I have a problem with output volume going to CD.
When I copy my Biab tracks to tape, I can control the volume going to the tape with the SB live Mixer. When played back they are all at the same volume.
When I change the Biab files to wave and burn them to cd, each song played back has variable volumes. Some blar out and others are too low. No happy medium.
How can I store, in Biab, the songs with equal loudness. If I can get them to play with equal volume, then I should be able to burn them to cd with good results.
Joe[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 14 May 2001 at 11:53 AM.]

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 14 May 2001 10:59 am

Try this.

Instead of controlling volume with the Master volume control, do it with the "Synth" or "MIDI" volume control, leaving the Master volume set at a fixed level.

If you don't see a Synth or MIDI control, do this:

double-click on the Volume Icon in your system tray.

click options, properties

select adjust volume for PLAYBACK

check the box for Synth or MIDI

click OK

Now the Synth or MIDI volume control should show up.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 14 May 2001 11:35 am

After you "record" to a wav, you could run them through GoldWave or something similar and set the levels so all songs are the same level. It's an extra step but it ensures each song is the same level.

When you "rip" from various CD's to make one compilation CD you can get the same thing, as not all CD's have the same volume level. I use Audiograbber for ripping and it has an option to "normalize" (set the level) of all songs ripped to a preset volume level.

Joe Delaronde · Post by **Joe Delaronde** » 14 May 2001 6:37 pm

David
Will the volume settings be set or retained with each song when I save it????
Joe[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 14 May 2001 at 07:37 PM.]

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 14 May 2001 7:28 pm

Will the volume settings be set or retained with each song when I save it????

I'm not familiar with BIAB, so I'm not sure. There may be volume sliders within BIAB, too -- THOSE settings would be saved with the file.

Reading your post again, I'm not exactly clear on the problem anymore.

You say you recorded from BIAB through your sound-card audio out to a cassette tape? And that the levels were OK on the cassette tape?

And then you recorded from the cassette tape via the sound-card audio in onto the computer (as .wav files) ? And that THEN the levels weren't OK?

That really makes no sense to me at all. If the levels were OK on the tape, and you recorded back to the computer with fixed Line-In volume settings, then things should be OK.

Perhaps the Line-In was set WAY too low. So that all of the songs were recorded at low settings, and some just dropped below the minimum and got lost in the noise?

How did you set your line-in volume slider on the PC when you recorded back to .wav files? What program did you record with?

As Jack (I think it was Jack) suggested, you can use something like CoolEdit to "normalize" the songs once they've been recorded. But you really want to record them originally at least close to optimal value (without clipping, though).

It's also unclear why you went to cassette tape first. I'm assuming you made the tapes, and then thought it easier to record form them instead of the BIAB files?

You need to explain more explicitly what you did, and why. I'm a little lost here.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Joe Delaronde · Post by **Joe Delaronde** » 14 May 2001 8:14 pm

Dave
First: I recorded the files to cassette because I never had a burner at the time. I had to control the volume manually, from the SB live Mixer, so the cassette playback output volume would all be the same. Now forget this part. It has nothing to do with the next part, except to say I had to set the volume manually for best results.

OK! Now I buy this burner and want to burn the same files FROM BIAB to cd, using Biab's wave file conversion prog. & then used the Adaptac cd maker to transfer the files.

The CD PLAYBACK RESULTS were that all the files had different volumes. Some real loud and some too low.

THE MAIN QUESTION IS: How to make or force Biab to save MY volume settings for each particular song, WITH the song.

The reason for this is that some styles are a lot louder than others. Using the same song, and two different styles, will most of the time result in 2 different volume settings. So they have to be adjusted.

I have used "Save song with patches & harmony". I have checked the appropriate settings (Fill/with patches, volume, Reverb, Panning, etc)to no avail. Next time I load the song the volumes are back to the default settings.
I hope I have got this clear. I can't find this in the manual V10. I might have overlooked it[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 14 May 2001 at 09:23 PM.][This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 14 May 2001 at 09:33 PM.][This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 14 May 2001 at 09:34 PM.]

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 14 May 2001 8:54 pm

OK. I understand now.

It would seem likely there's a way to store volume settings (overall and track) with BIAB.

But I don't know anything about it, so I'll have to defer to those who've used it.

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 May 2001 2:58 am

I've "recorded to wav" serveral songs - both self generated songs and demo songs provided with BIAB. I don't get the varying levels. It would appear something is set different in your machine or in the BIAB software. I did see one function in the "Opt" to "return to factory settings". I'm not sure if that will help you or not.

I have BIAB version 10, with a SoundBlaster AWE64 sound card.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 15 May 2001 8:52 pm

THE MAIN QUESTION IS: How to make or force Biab to save MY volume settings for each particular song, WITH the song.

Joe, when saving songs, rather than using the 'SAVE' icon that is between the 'OPEN' and 'MID.' icons, go to 'File' and on its drop-down menu click 'Save song As...' then proceed to save it that way.
~Russ

Sidney Malone · Post by **Sidney Malone** » 20 May 2001 4:33 am

Joe, here's something you may try if your still having volume problems. At the top of your BIAB screen go to User/Edit Current Style and click on the first box in the row then click on Pattern/Volume Adjust (this row). I usually set my "a" styles at 115 and the "b" styles at 120 and the "fills" & "End" at 120. Once you've done this, "save" the style before exiting and it will stay with those settings or you can "save as" another name if you choose.

If you have 2 or more different styles in a song, go to the bar where the style changes and repeat the above process.

I have set all the styles I use regularly like this and it's worked for me. You should only have to do this once to each style. I don't know why they have so many different volume settings on the different styles. Also these can be changed as many times as you like as well as you can change the individual patterns.

One more note, When you go in to adjust these volumes, it's only adjusting the patterns of the instrument thats selected. You will need to go to each instrument you use and do the same. I normally set drums to 115 and bass to 90 or so. I very seldom use any other instruments. You'll just have to play with it and see what you like.

Joe Delaronde · Post by **Joe Delaronde** » 20 May 2001 11:07 am

Thanks folks. Sidney, now we're getting to the nitty gritty.
Joe[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 20 May 2001 at 12:08 PM.]