MuseScore and Audacity
Hello everybody!
I'm experimenting with some studies in both Softwares,
I have the following question:
When I export the instruments in MP3 separately from a grid, even attenuating the volumes a lot, when I open it in Audacity, I notice that the volume is very high, almost "bursting".
Is there any configuration in Musescore to attenuate the volume of the file when exporting to MP3?
Any guidance, teaching or tip will be very welcome!
Thank you and hugs to all!
Comments
In MuseScore 3 you can use Edit > Preferences > Export and, in the Audio section, uncheck the box labelled 'Normalize'.
Normalization is used to keep audio exports of different scores at an overall comparable volume level. It mitigates the need for constant volume adjustments each time a different mp3 is played.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_normalization
Audacity can perform its own normalization of audio.
In reply to In MuseScore 3 you can use… by Jm6stringer
> In MuseScore 3 you can use Edit > Preferences > Export and, in the Audio section, uncheck the box labelled 'Normalize'.
It should work that way, but it doesn't!
I just tested with different levels in the mixer and with and without the 'Normalize' hook - MS 3.6.2 always delivers the same level during MP3 generation!
If Musescore already overdrives during export, a level adjustment in Audacity is unfortunately of no use anymore. It is then already distorted.
In reply to > In MuseScore 3 you can use… by HildeK
Hello
jm6stringer and Hilde K!
Thanks for the teachings, I also just tested with different levels on the mixer with 20 , including the master gain with -70 dB, with and without the 'Normalize' hook. Even still with some hope, I attenuated the intensity of the notes to -50. Even so unfortunately it doesn't solve it, it always offers the same level (saturated) during MP3 generation!
Is there still some research on the part of the developers for a solution to this inconvenience?
Could it be that before me, other users already had knowledge of this, or already had some discussion in the forum about this subject?
Strong hug to all!
In reply to Hello jm6stringer and Hilde… by mjbartemusica1
Are you using MS4.x?
When I open the mscx from a MS 4 file in MS 3.6.2, I have noticed several times that it is very loud or overdriven, even if you only playback the score. But here you can however reduce the volume with the master level fader in the mixer.
Since the export doesn't seem to react to the master level, the overdrive probably remains.
I hope that this point for MS4 will still be fixed by the developers. In my opinion it is a bug, much better would be a fader for the export level or at least the level should depend on the master gain of the mixer.
With 3.6.2 there is still about 2dB reserve in the MP3 export, which is fine.
Sometimes I use an external tool to record the Windows sound when playing a score (e.g. if I want to have the "play-count in" additionally). Then the level depends on the sound volume fader.
@mjbartemusica1... you wrote:
...even attenuating the volumes a lot...
Are you attenuating the volume of the score via the mixer, or by using dynamic markings such as ppp in the score notation itself?
N.B.: The 'Normalize' box is gone in MS4.
.
@HildeK... you wrote:
I just tested with different levels in the mixer...
Try using dynamic markings in the score itself, not changing mixer levels (used for score playback), to obtain volume changes when exporting a score as audio.
In reply to @mjbartemusica1... you wrote… by Jm6stringer
@ Jm6stringer ... you wrote:
Try using dynamic markings in the score itself, not changing mixer levels (used for score playback), to obtain volume changes when exporting a score as audio.
This is not a viable way. A score can have many different dynamic markings and then you have to change them all? Never! I'm glad they're in there correctly. They should be preserved for the PDF export for the parts.
The level of exported audio files should be adjustable - that is my opinion.
As I stated above: I have a way to get my audio files correctly and an export from 3.6.2 works fine.
In reply to Try using dynamic markings… by HildeK
Hello!
I'm using MS3.6.2 as I also inserted dynamics indication in the score itself, as I didn't change the mixer levels (used for playing the score).
Even inserting the dynamic tag, for example ppp, at the beginning of the score, when exported to MP3 it is still "saturated" and does not obey the dynamic indication.
I also agree that the level of exported audio files must have an adjustment.
At the moment I understand it as an unsolved case!
In reply to Hello! I'm using MS3.6.2 as… by mjbartemusica1
If the exported audio is not actually clipping then re-normalising to around -6 dB in Audacity may be worth a try. It's on the Effects menu.
In reply to Hello! I'm using MS3.6.2 as… by mjbartemusica1
I'm using MS3.6.2 too.
When exporting audio, all dynamics settings are probably checked by MS beforehand. If you have a score that starts with 'ppp' at the beginning and has no other dynamic settings, it will be exported with about -2dBFS (2 dB below full scale or about 80% to 90% of full scale). Using only a single dynamics setting makes IMHO no sense since there is no reference how loud or quiet that single dynamics setting is. It makes only sense if you have other settings as well.
If you need the exported audio much quieter, you can lower the volume in a DAW or simply reduce the volume setting of the amplifier.
However, if there is another section in the score with "fff", then that part determines the maximum volume of the entire piece. Again with about -2dBFS maximum level. And parts that have 'ppp' will be much quieter accordingly.
This is all independent of the 'master gain' position in the mixer.
In my opinion this behavior is correct, there is never any saturation!
I cannot verify if this is similar in MS4. If not then the master gain should have an effect on the exported file.
In reply to I'm using MS3.6.2 too. When… by HildeK
As I practically teach the genre of popular and non-classical music, for didactic purposes, the insertion of various dynamics in the score would be a little difficult for students.
Finishing the solution (in my case), I will follow the guidelines of yonah_ag which would renormalize to about -6 dB in Audacity.
Even so, I performed a test with the same file in Musescore 3 and Musescore 4. I concluded that in Musescore 4 the file, after exporting to MP3, the audio is much more attenuated (low volume). See attached image.
Even so for now I will continue using Musescore 3 until I learn to safely use Musescore 4.
Thank you very much for your support and a big hug to all!
Marcos J. Bichara (Brazil)
In reply to As I practically teach the… by mjbartemusica1
I'm sure that you know already but, just in case, it would probably be best to export as WAV format for use in Audacity and only move to MP3 after all processing is complete.
The difference between the levels in MS3 and MS4 are striking. Maybe someone can shed some light on this. MS4 certainly looks more reasonable.