Audio Levels

Robbie Comeau

Robbie Comeau

Como's back. back again
I edit in final cut, and for the past 3 years have been editing a show that airs on Television.

People are complaining that the audio is to low, and the network is actually turning everything down.

I edit in Final Cut, and we have pop ups with sound effects (which are low, -12 db's), background music (-33 DB) and then the guy speaking in the show, which is -12 DB's, and it's a Lav mic using it's automatic settings with the Sony Z1U..

Everything is ok in Final Cut, I move the audio to where it's suppose to be (the numbers I said up there) and when the host watches the shows to review, everything is cool.

But the first two shows this year have been low and people are complaining NOT the network..I think the network is turning it down.

So I guess I have to find out why...BUT, what should my levels be for going to TV?

I'm printing all shows to Mini DV Tape.

Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks,

Robbie
 
I think your setting is alright man.
Normally if they play out in digi beta, I think they are looking for -20 or -18 for the main audio level.
but generally, if you give them as FCP standard which personally, I level my audio around -12 NO more than -6 as the main audio level.

No complains! take a complain to them, tell them level it properly ...haha just kidding.

Hiro
 
Listeners have been trained (and basically had their hearing ruined, but I digress) to expect heavy compression--in other words, apparent loudness. So you can run a compressor, use manual compression (more work, better sound), parallel compression (requires multitracking) or a freqeuncy splitter/compressor. If you want good, easy results I recommend the built in dynamic range expander that come with both Samplitude and Sequoia. But it really depends on the source material. Start of with -3 three dB for your peaks, with another 2-3 dB of compression. That's quite a bit of gain. And if they want more, well, just crank it up. Or yell really loud.
 
When I do ProTools mixes for cable networks, the specs are usually -10dB peak (brick wall). And they do expect a compressed dynamic range, usually dipping no lower than -22dB. Waves L1 with Ultramaximizer is my best friend.

Though, if the TV station or cable network does something strange to the material, it's beyond your control. I did a mix for a local program a few months ago and everything was great. Then they went to make the SD down-conversion with closed captioning, for which they ended up running the signal from a digital deck, through the production control room (analog audio console), and back into a DVCAM deck (this was the only way they could add CC, apparently). Don't know what happened, but I watched the SD broadcast and the sound would disappear during quieter moments... like it was gated. It was fine on the HD feed. I have a feeling that they didn't calibrate audio levels all the way through and ended up dropping the mix by a few dB. Great day for having my name in the credits.
 
You might try this on the Digi Users Conference, post section. Even though you are not using Pro Tools you can probably get some answers, there are a lot of post mixers there that do broadcast.

Networks all use big massive brickwall limiters on the signal, you could be triggering it, or if your out putting tone from FCP and not adjusting the level (FCP outputs at 0db and everyone expects -20 so if the tone is at 0 then they could be turning down the gain when they transfer off your tape. You should probably have specs from them.
 
Robbie Comeau said:
The first two shows this year have been low and people are complaining NOT the network..I think the network is turning it down.
Click to expand...

How many adv spots or station promos do they run in your shows. It could well be they are *apparently* louder than your program audio and the listeners turn it down at the first spot and they leave it down, to cope with the intrusive listening level at home.

If your show has average or even quietly spoken dialogue levels and the spots or promos have a person who shouts his ti*S off, eg: a preloved car spot .. then even though the station meters read consistent levels the listeners never hear it that way.

And try and find out who's complaining, see if it's your competition or the outfit who lost the gig. It's still dog eat dog in the TV biz.

But do you get to see your program go to air, what does it sound like to you? Try taping a show off air and see what the levels look compared to sounding like. If it looks and sounds nuts, get your act together and go see the network audio guys.

Be careful I've seen a very upset audio captain after somone went over his head to the manager, play it cool. HTH

Cheers.
 
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You left out a important piece of info, and that is whether you're delivering for SD analog, HD/digital broadcast, or both. Required program levels for broadcast vary depending on the format. Major broadcasters and networks publish their technical specification requirements for the deliverables and they should be available from them on request. Many, like Discovery, PBS, and CTV publish their deliverables tech spec documents on the Web and a google will turn them up for you. For example http://www.ctvdigital.com/discovery/producersguide/CGM_Tech_Specs_05.4.3.doc and these are likely to be pretty typical and acceptable to most broadcasters.
 
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I haven't done a lot of post lately but do work on a number of shows for cable. The digital standard for dialog is -9 with a line up tone of -20. The default settings for Final Cut metering isn't the same. This could be the reason your work is too quiet. As stated its important to find out the delivery specs for the particular end user. Checking in at the Pro Tools forum is a great idea too because they are usually delivering to the vast variety of end users. Its important to get the levels right so any processing done in the broadcast chain isn't adversely affected by either too hot or too low levels.
Good luck,
Bernie
 
Most of the time when broadcasting a show there is a separate control for the audio that will determine the levels after the fact.

I would approach the network and found out. If everything sounds great before its broadcast, then yeah, talk to one of the guys at the network.

KC
Studio Sound Design
http://studiosoundesign.com
 
Like C2V said. If you compress the dynamic range of the final mix with some form of maximiser like the Waves L1 Ultramaximizer, your TV people will not have to turn down your overall mix because of a few errant peaks, and the show will sound louder. Yes you can take this too far like on some commercials, but if you maximize the final file to an apparent volume of -13db or -14db, they will put the level where they need it and it will sound loud enough. You have to "Master" your audio bu exporting a final file and then doing this maximizing process in some audio editor or DAW. It can be done in STP which you have.
 
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