Topic by asphaltradler

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  • asphaltradler
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  • Registered: 08-02-2012
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Topic: Feature Request: Max. Peak display when exporting

Hello,

When exporting a Midi File as WAV, I like to use the whole bit range (16 oder 24 bit) for the recording. Normally I choose -3db to -7db for the volume level and give it a try. Afterwards I open the created WAV e.g. in Samplitude and check for highest level; if it's below -2db or so make a 2nd try in PianoTeq 2db louder and so on.

I think this feature would be of great benefit if PianoTeq would just give a message about the highest produced peak after the export (before it is not possible, I think) to spare the extra-opening business. Or offer an option "export with maximum volume" to automate this.

I know I could maximize the exported WAV anyway when it's to quiet but I think that's not the same because I would not use all bits and introduce rounding errors in the material.

If I'm already with wishing, I'm wondering why exporting uses only 25% of my 4 processor cores although I checked "multicore rendering". I'm using Windows 7/64 bit with an i2500K. Opening 4 instances of PianoTeq to render 4 MIDIs simultaneously is possible and uses almost 100% alright.

Have some good time!
asphaltradler

Reply by paterpeter

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  • paterpeter
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  • Registered: 30-10-2012
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Re: Feature Request: Max. Peak display when exporting

Hi,

I wouldn't worry about this too much: 24 bit wave files give you 144 dB of dynamic range. That's way beyond our hearing capabilities, and even the best digital-audio converters have a noise floor of maybe -120dB or so. So you can happily export to 24bit files peaking at -5, -10 or -20dBFS (or even lower) and raise the signal accordingly afterwards. You won't lose anything (audible). That's the great benefit of 24bit recording - not having to worry about peaking close to 0dBFS. Raising the level of a 24bit file once won't introduce any audible rounding errors. If you process the file inside a DAW, the internal processing precision is 32bit or 64bit nowadays to reduce cumulative rounding errors.

You could choose to record to 32bit (floating point), but that's very, very likely just overkill and wasting space.

Regards,
Andre

Reply by varpa

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  • varpa
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  • From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  • Registered: 26-02-2011
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Re: Feature Request: Max. Peak display when exporting

I think a practical problem with your request is that it requires 2 passes through the output file because you cannot a priori know the highest level before the song is rendered.   Well, perhaps you can force a level near 0 by cranking the Pianoteq volume and letting the built-in limiter keep the output volume below 0, but that may distort the sound.

Isn't there some simple normalize program you could just run in a automated mode to normalize your Pianoteq wave files?  In linux (my OS) there are several ways to normalize a wave file automatically without having to open the file in an editor.

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