Increasing gain in Soundtrack Pro

Cameron Poole · September 21st, 2011, 05:30 AM

I have an edit to finish in a few hours and there is an interview clip which is too low in volume, even with the bar raised to the top. I have opened the clip in STP and I know how to reduce the background noise but now I want to do the simplest of things - increase the volume/gain.

I feel stupid asking a question here which must be so obvious to most of you but I tried everything else and have done a dozen YouTube searches but surprisingly few tutorials on STP.

please help.

Andy Wilkinson · September 21st, 2011, 05:52 AM

Cameron,

You've put the audio clip back in FCP, double clicked on it and you've dragged the volume (gain) line up to 12dB, right????

Also, a very quick fix I use is to make a copy of your nicely cleaned up audio track, then put a duplicate directly under the 1st audio clip in the FCP timeline (and by that I mean exactly of course - to keep it in sync/avoid any phase effects - make sure the Snap To tool, or whatever its called, is on). This duplicate audio track has the effect of increasing the output volume (i.e. a cumulative effect). If needed try it in triplicate...

Apologies if this is all obvious/you've tried this already! Hope this helps!

BTW, we all feel/do stupid things sometimes but if you don't ask you don't always learn!

Cameron Poole · September 21st, 2011, 06:26 AM

Thanks Andy, I'd already done the duplication but it didn't make a lot of difference. There's 17 audio tracks to this project and no available space for a third duplicate, but I think i'd need about six!

Is there an easy way to raise the level in Soundtrack Pro? It's really easy in Audacity but to get that involved would be one hell of a hassle.

Matt Lawrence · September 23rd, 2011, 08:11 AM

I realize it's a bit late for your project, but the easiest solution would have been to use the Gain filter in FCP, or in STP which does pretty much the same thing.

For voice tracks you might also want to do some EQ and so any frequencies that you lift above 0db will also be an increase in gain. Once you have your EQ set, if you still need more gain you can usually lift the gain evenly across all frequencies. The Channel EQ filter in STP can do this, for example.

September 21st, 2011, 05:30 AM	#1
Cameron Poole Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: London Posts: 212	Increasing gain in Soundtrack Pro - Please help! I have an edit to finish in a few hours and there is an interview clip which is too low in volume, even with the bar raised to the top. I have opened the clip in STP and I know how to reduce the background noise but now I want to do the simplest of things - increase the volume/gain. I feel stupid asking a question here which must be so obvious to most of you but I tried everything else and have done a dozen YouTube searches but surprisingly few tutorials on STP. please help.

September 21st, 2011, 05:52 AM	#2
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Re: Increasing gain in Soundtrack Pro - Please help! Cameron, You've put the audio clip back in FCP, double clicked on it and you've dragged the volume (gain) line up to 12dB, right???? Also, a very quick fix I use is to make a copy of your nicely cleaned up audio track, then put a duplicate directly under the 1st audio clip in the FCP timeline (and by that I mean exactly of course - to keep it in sync/avoid any phase effects - make sure the Snap To tool, or whatever its called, is on). This duplicate audio track has the effect of increasing the output volume (i.e. a cumulative effect). If needed try it in triplicate... Apologies if this is all obvious/you've tried this already! Hope this helps! BTW, we all feel/do stupid things sometimes but if you don't ask you don't always learn! __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

September 21st, 2011, 06:26 AM	#3
Cameron Poole Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: London Posts: 212	Re: Increasing gain in Soundtrack Pro - Please help! Thanks Andy, I'd already done the duplication but it didn't make a lot of difference. There's 17 audio tracks to this project and no available space for a third duplicate, but I think i'd need about six! Is there an easy way to raise the level in Soundtrack Pro? It's really easy in Audacity but to get that involved would be one hell of a hassle.

September 23rd, 2011, 08:11 AM	#4
Matt Lawrence Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 69	Re: Increasing gain in Soundtrack Pro - Please help! I realize it's a bit late for your project, but the easiest solution would have been to use the Gain filter in FCP, or in STP which does pretty much the same thing. For voice tracks you might also want to do some EQ and so any frequencies that you lift above 0db will also be an increase in gain. Once you have your EQ set, if you still need more gain you can usually lift the gain evenly across all frequencies. The Channel EQ filter in STP can do this, for example.