Still Think Reaper is just a passing Fad?

[;ivlunsdystf]

Okay, I have a very basic question that I cannot answer by reading the manual (which I have been actually doing, to no avail): How can I normalize an entire project right before I render it? I have moved up to Reaper from Tracktion, wherein I can highlight the master 2-track fader and then select 'find normalized level' right before normalizing; also in Tracktion one can choose a 'normalize' option right in the dialog box as one sets up a rendering path and chooses sample rate and so forth.

I know how to normalize individual audio clips in Reaper but how can I normalize the entire project for rendering? There has to be an easy way to do this, right?

This has otherwise been a very educational thread. Thanks to the patient cats out there who keep tirelessly explaining grouping and so forth to the rest of us n00bs.

[roygbiv]

Okay, I have a very basic question that I cannot answer by reading the manual (which I have been actually doing, to no avail): How can I normalize an entire project right before I render it? I have moved up to Reaper from Tracktion, wherein I can highlight the master 2-track fader and then select 'find normalized level' right before normalizing; also in Tracktion one can choose a 'normalize' option right in the dialog box as one sets up a rendering path and chooses sample rate and so forth.

I know how to normalize individual audio clips in Reaper but how can I normalize the entire project for rendering? There has to be an easy way to do this, right?

This has otherwise been a very educational thread. Thanks to the patient cats out there who keep tirelessly explaining grouping and so forth to the rest of us n00bs.

Hi Tatertot
Not sure if this is what you mean, but couldn't you just 1. select all tracks, 2. right-click, 3. click on "Item Processing", 4. select "normalize selected items"

Would this do what you want?

[;ivlunsdystf]

I already found that trick, but that only normalizes each individual track relative to its own highest level. If I do that and then mix a bunch of tracks, they will (or they might) still combine in the summing process to make a two-track mix that peaks higher than the output can handle. So, I want to normalize the post-summing 2-track mix right before (or during) the rendering process. Am I imagining that this is necessary but it is not? Thanks mucho

P.S. That quote in your signature, roygbiv, is some freaky stuff. Talk about a blank check.

[roygbiv]

Aha, good point. Makes sense, so later on you don't have to worry about your stems being too hot.

As you probably know, there is another option to "normalize to common gain". However, I don't know what that common gain is.

(to those who may not know what we are talking about - that quote is taken DIRECTLY from the original three-page proposal by the Bush administration for bailing out Wall Street. With taxpayer money. Sounds worse to me than "Spreading the Wealth Around").

Remember - Country First!

[evengangstersreadtapeop]

The biggest thing holding me back from using Reaper now is that every time I decide to start it up for a project I get the ol "There is an update!" screen, and then I have to download the file and close the program and install it myself. I don't want to turn off "check for updates" because I want the latest version.. I just wish it required absolutely no work from me (like Firefox).

[JGriffin]

I already found that trick, but that only normalizes each individual track relative to its own highest level. If I do that and then mix a bunch of tracks, they will (or they might) still combine in the summing process to make a two-track mix that peaks higher than the output can handle. So, I want to normalize the post-summing 2-track mix right before (or during) the rendering process. Am I imagining that this is necessary but it is not? Thanks mucho

If you're gonna normalize your 2-track mix, render the mix, open it into a new session and normalize the file.

[;ivlunsdystf]

That's what I've been doing. Was I spoiled by Tracktion all those years, since it did this for me? It seems like such an obvious feature that any DAW, even GarageBand, should have. I think Ableton Live has it too. Otherwise, I am a jackass for even wanting it. That could be, too.