notes on sound

Final cut measures sound in Decibels

** NEVER allow sound to range a level above 0Db in the audio mixer or you will create distortion

-24 bit sound is the industry standard

-Normalization and audio gain: amplify soft audio such as dialogue: PERMANENTLY ALTER clip

Over all mix: between -3-6
dialogue: -6-12
sound effects: -12
music: -18

Useful filters:

Compressor:
Effects Loud part of signal!

Threshold: This parameter defines how loud the signal must be before the
compressor is applied. This is the most important setting you need to adjust.

Ratio: This slider determines how much compression is applied. Don’t overdo the
compression; a little goes a long way. Too much compression can reduce the
dynamic range to a flat, unvarying signal.

Attack Time: This setting determines how quickly the filter reacts to changes in audio
level (the default is usually acceptable, but you may want to experiment).

Release Time: This setting defines how slowly the filter lets go of the change in audio
level that it made (again, the default should work well, but feel free to experiment).

Preserve Volume: Compensates for the attenuation of the clip caused by compression
by raising the level of the entire clip by a uniform amount.

Expander/Noise Gate Filter
Effect soft part of signal!



Ratio: This slider affects how much expansion is applied to boost the signal.

Attack Time: This slider defines how quickly the filter reacts to changes in audio level
(the default is usually fine, but you may want to experiment).

Release Time: This slider defines how slowly the filter lets go of the change in audio
level it made (the default is usually fine, but you may want to experiment).

Hum Remover:

Frequency: This slider lets you select the frequency of hum that this filter will attempt
to remove.

Q: This slider adjusts the filter resonance around the value of the Frequency slider.
Higher Q values result in a narrower but stronger resonance, which limits the
frequencies affected by the filter.

Gain: This slider lets you set how much of the signal you’re attenuating. By default,
it’s set to the maximum value of –60 dB.

Harmonics: These options allow you to attenuate additional frequencies that may be
introduced into your signal as a result of the primary cycle hum.