Techniques for Regulating Audio Loudness in Video-Based Streaming with VLC

How To Normalize Volume in VLC

How to normalize volume, why should we do it, and what is it after all? – these are the questions when it comes to editing our audio files, as well as the video clips we tend to change the sound of. So, first of all, the volume normalization is pretty much explained as follows: The process when a constant amount of gain is applied to the audio recording, bringing the amplitude to a desirable level, which is “the norm” for the project. If it is a little bit difficult to understand, we have to highlight that when this tool is applied to our volume, the whole recording has the same amount of gain across it, every piece affected the same way. Accordingly, when we normalize volume, the relative dynamics are not changed.

But, why bother at all and why not leave it the way it is? Well, the answer to this is almost the same as on why editing exists in general, right? Things are not perfect! This is the fact that prompts us to make our video clips and audio better, improve it at least on the level which can get us the right amount of viewers and listeners. Everyone have had some pain listening to several podcasts, when the volume was too high or too low, or there were so much background noise that the whole recording was hurting the ears of a person! People will not convert to being loyal subscribers, viewers and listeners if their user experience is not favored. So, it is in our best interest to serve their best interest, with a little bit of editing.

When it comes to normalizing audio, there are two reasons we refer to this tool. First is when we feel we need to get the maximum volume, and the second is when we need to match different volumes.

In the first case, you might have somewhat quite voice recording, and would like to make it better without changing its dynamic range, while making it as loud as possible. And when it comes to matching volumes, it is logical that you need to manipulate your editing this way in case you have a group of audio files, each or some of them are at different volumes, so, understandably, if not necessarily, you would like to make them come closer to the same volume.

So, until we give you the step-by step guide on how to normalize your volume in VLC player, we also need to inform you about audio normalization types. Here, generally, we come across three of them: a so-called peak normalization, helping adjust the recording based on the highest signal level present in the recording; another is called loudness normalization and it adjusts the recording based on perceived loudness. Last but not least, RMS (Root-Mean-Square), changes the value of all the samples, where their average electrical volume overall is a specified level.

Using any of this, making it better to listen to your voice, without people being annoyed and their ears becoming exhausting with what you have to offer, you will be making it enjoyable for them and easy to come back to your content, as they will not be obliged to change the volume on their own audio players. Instead, their experience with you will be calm and effortless, which you are aiming to achieve.

So, not, what about VLC? – this is a very popular media player, favorite for a lot of people all around the world, so you should already be quite familiar with what it is, at least by having streamed videos and movies there. Speaking more of what it represents, it is a free-to-use, robust, and feature-packed software that plays a wide range of audio, image, and video files. It is worth noting that it can also play multimedia files directly from extractable devices or the PC and additionally, the program can stream from popular websites such as Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.

As if it was not enough, you can do simple video and audio editing in VLC Media Player, which a lot of people are unaware of! For example, you can easily trim and cut videos. So, as it happens, we can also normalize volume in VLC Media Player. It is a very handy feature and it works on Windows as well as on Mac. Sooo… How to do that? Because, actually, it is so simple that you might be surprised you didn’t know about this earlier. To learn how to normalize volume in VLC, follow this simple guideline:

First, of course, as every time working with any software, you need to have VLC Media Player installed on your device. Once you have it installed, open VLC. Go to the Tools and Preferences and there, you will need to check the single box which is next to Normalize volume in Effects. Now, set the level to the one that works best for you. Then, when you are happy with the result, you can Save.

This is not something perfect, because it’s so simple to do and actually what it does is just help adjust the general volume, so it leaves the specifics alone.

But, it might be the case that you are not so satisfied with the simple editing and want a little more to get from the editing process on VLC. So, you can do more with the Audio Effects menu there. And the steps are as follows:

First, on your VLC player, find Tools and then, in the menu, go to Preferences. The window will open, and there you need to select All in Show settings – actually it is a little bit hard to find because this is in the bottom left corner of the window. From there, you will need to navigate to Audio, and then, a little below, click on Filters and highlight it. The checkbox next to the Dynamic range compressor will probably be unchecked – so, check in it.

Next, see where Compressor is in the left panel? Select it. And now, you are free to make the changes to the levels as you see fit.

Here, if you are a little bit overwhelmed with the wide range of options to work on, you can just concentrate the most on Makeup gain, Threshold, and Ratio. The first one is by which you adjust in quiet sequences to raise the volume, the second will help you reduce louder sequences to even things out, and ratio is the maximum level of all audio within a movie, let’s say.

Don’t underestimate Attack time and release time, either. They graduate the changes to ramp them up at first, then down again, rather than initiating them immediately. So, if you set them to your liking as well, this will ensure that you have a more fluid transition in and out of the scene and there are less sudden, sometimes scary volume changes.

Therefore, you are now equipped with the most information you will need to normalize volume in VLC Player – so free to give it a go, play around with the different settings and carry out the best result imaginable for you!

How to normalize audio in Wondershare Filmora?

Now, even though we already know how to normalize audio in VLC in the simplest, as well as in the more advanced way, it might be even better if we know some more about normalizing audios in different programs. Something worth discussing is a software called Wondershare Filmora , which carries out the same task wonderfully. Although, unlike VLC Media Player, it is a real video editor , but don’t panic if you have never laid your hand on editing – it is one of the easiest to use ini the word, operating also both on Mac and Windows, and its interface is utterly understandable for beginners right away. And, actually, it is a qhile that Wondershare Filmora X introduced the feature to normalize the audio for the first time. What to say more - you might want to stop now and download the latest version of Filmora because now we are about to learn how to normalize audio from the video there – so, tune in!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

When it is done installing, open the software. Now, click and drag the video of which the audio you want to normalize. Now you can select the clip you have chosen – if there are multiple, select all of them, then right-click and choose Detach Audio.

Now if you have this kind of graphic before your eyes, you can be pretty sure without even listening, that the noises are really, really different from each other, which highlights once again how useful audio normalization can be:

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Soon, all audio will be normalized, and you will already be able to see on the graphics that the volumes are almost on the same level and when you listen to it, you will make sure that there is no longer apparent difference between how they sound. And from there on, you can save the file you just normalized!

So, in this article, we learned a lot about normalizing volumes, why and how it is done, and, more specifically, how to get this task completed in VLC Media Player as well as in Wondershare Filmora X. you can proceed to putting this new information into a good use and come back to learn more about video and audio editing here!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

“The Ultimate Guide to Spectacular Sound Art: Ranking the Top 5 Visualizers “

Best Music Visualizers in 2024

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Music is one of the most viewed video categories on YouTube, as millions of people worldwide use this platform to find or discover music they like. Making music videos that really stand out in the sea of similar content is far from easy, but if you are not a professional filmmaker, and you would just like to make a video quickly you can try creating music videos you share on social networks with a music visualizer. Most of the music visualizers you can find online enable you to select an audio spectrum template , pick the style of the visualization or even add logos or links to your social media accounts. So, in this article we are going to take you through the five best music visualizers you can use to create music videos that are going to get a lot of likes and shares on social media in 2024. You will learn:

Part 1: What Is Music Visualization?
Part 2: How Does Music Visualization Work?
Part 3: Best Music Visualizers in 2024
Part 4: Easier Ways to Create Music Visualization Videos

Part 1: What Is Music Visualization?

The conversion of sounds into imagery is often referred to as music visualization, and since the mid-1970 a number of different electronic and media player software visualizers have been used to generate animated images from a musical composition.

Part 2: How Does Music Visualization Work?

The techniques used to visualize sound can vary from very simple ones like a simulation of an oscilloscope display, to highly complex ones that involve a number of composite effects. Media players like Winamp or VLC have built-in sound visualization features that are based on the song’s frequency spectrum and loudness. Nearly all music visualizations take place in real-time, which is the reason why VJ artists often use music visualization software to create their artwork. However, over the course of the last couple of decades, music visualization has gotten so popular that in 2019 you can even visualize your favorite songs online, without the use of any additional software.

Part 3: Best Music Visualizers in 2024

If you already have the music you would like to visualize, then it is time for you to start browsing through some of the best music visualizers that are currently available on the markets. Nearly all of the music visualizers we featured in this article offer free trial versions that have a limited scope of visualization and exporting options, but enable you to see if the music visualizer meets all of your demands. Let’s have a look at the five best music visualizers of 2024.

Best 5 Music Visualizers	Pricing	Compatiblity	Features
Renderforest Music Visualizer	$9.99 per month	Online	Visualization templates
Videobolt Music Visualizer	$7.99 per month	Online	Template customization
Magic Music Visuals	$44,95 for a full version license	Windows/macOS	Generate 2D and 3D graphics
VSDC Free Video Editor	Free	Windows	Audio Spectrum Visualizer
After Effects	$20,99 per month	Windows/macOS	Audio Spectrum Effect
Media	Free	Online	Audio Spectrum Visualizer

1. Renderforest Music Visualizer

Price: Free version available, subscription plans start at $9.99

Compatibility: Online

Renderforest is a platform that helps its users create visual content online, or even design an entire website. However, in order to start visualizing your music with Renderforest, you must first register and create your own account. Afterward, you just have to choose between visualization templates with text or photo holders, add the artist’s name and the title of the song and add the background photo or video. You can then proceed to pick the style of the visualization that matches the music perfectly, select its color and finally upload a song you would like to use in your video. When done, you should simply click on the Preview icon and the Renderforest will send you the email that contains the music visualization video. Keep in mind that all videos created with the free version of the platform are going to be watermarked and that their duration can’t exceed a one-minute limit.

2. Videobolt Music Visualizer

Price: Free trial available, Subscription plans start from $7.99 per month

Compatibility: Online

The collection of music visualization templates this website offers is truly impressive, as you can choose from a wide variety of templates during the process of creating a video. However, you must purchase one of the available subscription plans in order to be able to customize the template you’ve selected and export a watermark-free video. After you’ve selected a music visualization template you just have to click on the Edit button below it to start working on your project. You can either upload a song from your computer or use SoundCloud to import a song you would like to visualize into the project. Adding cover art or using a variation of the template you originally selected can improve the quality of your video. The only downside is that you won’t be able to customize videos produced by Videobolt Music Visualizer during the free trial period.

3. Magic Music Visuals

Price: Free demo available, $44,95 for a full version license

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

VJs and all other artists who like to mix sound and images during live sessions can use the Performer edition of this cross-platform music visualization software. The Studio edition offers all features that are necessary for the creation of real-time music visualizations or music videos. You can use both editions of Magic to generate 2D and 3D graphics that react to the music or mix together photos, 3D files or videos. Moreover, you can easily enter the full-screen mode and project your videos using LED displays or projectors. The Magic Music Visuals also enables its users to combine an unlimited number of audio inputs simultaneously, which means that you can mix two or more songs effortlessly. This music visualization software lets you export videos in mp4 and mov files, but the length of the rendering process depends on how long the video is and on the processing power of the computer you’re using.

4. VSDC Video Editor Free - Audio Spectrum Visualizer

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

Visualizing music is just one out of countless video editing options VDSC Video Editor Free offers. Besides the creation of videos based on music, you can also use this video editing software product to stabilize videos recorded with action cameras, enhance the colors in the footage captured with a wide array of cameras and drones, create 3D charts or export videos in high resolution to your accounts on social media directly from the software. The editor’s audio visualizer contains five hundred presets you can use to create a captivating music video for your latest song. Besides the Spectrum feature that displays the sounds within a set color range, the VDSC Video Editor also offers the Audio Abstraction option that generates colorful abstract shapes based on the music you select. Even though visualizing sound with VDSC’s audio visualizer is a fun and simple process, video creators with no previous video editing experience may need a little time to get used to the software’s interface.

5. After Effects - The Audio Spectrum Effect

Price: $20,99 per month as a single app or $52,99 as a part of the All Apps subscription model

Compatibility: macOS, Windows

There isn’t virtually anything related to digital visual effects, motion graphics or compositing you can’t do in Adobe After Effects. That is why it is hardly surprising that you can also use the After Effects to visualize the music, but you must have at least basic knowledge of the software in order to be able to that. Before you can apply the Audio Spectrum effect you must first create a new composition, add the sound file to that composition and set its duration. If these tasks sound too complicated, you should take your time and slowly learn how to use the basic functionalities of Adobe After Effects. More experienced video editors can use The Audio Spectrum effect’s settings to try out different styles of music visualization and explore creative ways of making their videos more dynamic.

Part 4: Create Audio Spectrum Visualizer Video in Filmora Video Editor [Step by Step]

There is much software to add audio spectrum visualizer to video. But one of the best software we recommend is Filmora video editor because you can adjust all the audio effects in this platform with only one key. Filmora has an audio keyframing and built-in equalizer that can create unique audio effects and make audio recording more appealing when hearing it.

This section will give a guide on how to use Filmora to create an audio spectrum visualizer and create your first animation sound. Before getting started, we should get a music spectrum visualizer first. Previously, we have shared some of the best online audio waveform video generators , here I will show you a new online music visualizer tool called https://musicvid.org/ .

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Secure Download

Step 1: Import audio to Musicvid.org to Get Visualizer Video

Go to the website musicvid.org, and then you will find there are 3 popular music visualizer templates, circle spectrum, Polartone, and Monstercat Bar Visualizer. Here let’s take the last one for example, and then import audio from your computer.

Step 2: Editing the spectrum and exporting

Musicvid provides several options to customize the spectrum effect. You can edit the spectrum, particle, image, song text, artist text, and extra text to your desire and make it look cool.

After editing, go to Export and click on startEncoding option to export the audio to your media library. From the library, you can import to Filmora video editor.

Steps for Filmora Video Editor

Step 3: Import Video to Filmora video editor

Launch Filmora video editor and then go to a new project. Import the spectrum visualizer video made with musicvid.org to the Filmora timeline.

Step 4: Adding Images to music visualizer file

You can add a new picture or video as the music background cover to Filmora, and then composite the pictures and the visualizer video. Double-click on the picture, go to Compositing and click on the Screen. You can click the Render Preview button to improve playback speed.

Filmora also provides other editing features, you can do all necessary edits like text effects transitions, etc., to have a nice look and feel.

Step 5: Preview and Export

Click the Playback button in the Preview window, and when you feel good about the results, click on Export to download the video and your library, and successfully share it on different social media platforms.

We hope you found the above information is helpful in learning how to create an Audio Spectrum visualizer with Filmora video editor. An audio spectrum visualizer allows you to add cool effects to your music and help you create and animate the beat of your sound. Making an audio spectrum might not seem time-consuming, but the results may take your breath away. Filmora video editor also provides some elements for music visualizer, you can search music visualizer on the Elements tab and have a try.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Secure Download

Conclusion

Social media content creators, musicians, and VJs can produce stunning videos, with any of the music visualizers we featured in this article. Which music visualizer do you like to use the most to create videos based on music? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango