Export--WAV--Distortion ?

[brox]

Hello friends !

I have two sound files, I´ve imported into AE. I used two layers, very simply.
And I wanted to mix both sound files and export this file as one .wav.

Both files are clear to hear, but after exporting, the sound has a terrible distortion.

Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong ?

Here are the Sound Files for download:
1. Sound (http://www.bernhardrieder.com/ask/1.wav)
2. Sound (http://www.bernhardrieder.com/ask/2.wav)
3. The composition with the distortion mixed from AE (http://www.bernhardrieder.com/ask/comp.wav)

http://www.bernhardrieder.com/ask/ae1.jpg

Thx for every little help,
bernhard

[beenyweenies]

You need to properly normalize them/ adjust the gain. You can't simply mix two audio files with 0 dB gain as it effectively will push them beyond allowed audio volume levels. You need to at least lower the gain of each file by -3dB which equals 50% of the original volume.

Mylenium

Sorry to contradict but this isn't true. Audio doesn't "stack" up, if you have 500 audio files playing at once, the total volume won't be any louder than that of the loudest clip. They may accoustically conflict with each other and sound bad, but they shouldn't distort per se.

I don't speak much German so I'm not sure, but doesn't the compression "Kleine" that you're using literally mean small? When exporting audio you should use the most uncompressed WAV format available to you.

Also, use 48khz instead of 44.1khz, although this probably won't solve your current issue.

[Mylenium]

Sorry to contradict but this isn't true. Audio doesn't "stack" up, if you have 500 audio files playing at once, the total volume won't be any louder than that of the loudest clip. They may accoustically conflict with each other and sound bad, but they shouldn't distort per se.

I don't speak much German so I'm not sure, but doesn't the compression "Kleine" that you're using literally mean small? When exporting audio you should use the most uncompressed WAV format available to you.

Also, use 48khz instead of 44.1khz, although this probably won't solve your current issue.

"Keine" means none. ;O) You are right in that of course audio levels won't go beyond a certain volume for simple physical reasons. Nonetheless it is crucial to adjust them when mixing to avoid aliasing and distortion, especially in AE which will simply linearly average audio from two files.

Mylenium

[brox]

well, I´ve testes it to make lower settings in the db options.
But it doens´t work... no chance, I always get the same dirstortions...

hmm, I mean... that can´t be.... AE is great, but it seems to be that it is not possible to mix 2 simply audio files together ?

Puuuhhh, I think there must be something worng, please let me know what !

thx for every little help,
bernhard

[artisanfx]

well, I´ve testes it to make lower settings in the db options.
But it doens´t work... no chance, I always get the same dirstortions...

hmm, I mean... that can´t be.... AE is great, but it seems to be that it is not possible to mix 2 simply audio files together ?

Puuuhhh, I think there must be something worng, please let me know what !

thx for every little help,
bernhard

No Brox you can mixed as many wav files you want to mix.
I did a example of a comp with about 17 wav files mixed together without any problem and export works also fine. But somethime I got also the same problem like you have and i am sure that depends on the hardware and or the system you used.
some Mashien where u get this problem was loaded with XP and there was the problem what you have
And also i think but not sure about that was maybe also a bug on the new version from After effect 7 on the old version i never get this problem


here the example >

[artisanfx]

well i would also upped the mp3 file as example but the attach file system just accept jpg png.gif txt but no mp3 :/

[twistercash]

brox:

Fellow AFX user I understand your problem and you may have figured out a solution by now, but let me offer two options.

Instead of exporting your wave file : add your composition to the render que and render an audio only file:

[ leave Render Settings as "Best Settings" change your output module to "Audio Only"
preview your audio levels by playing them back in AFX, check your levels in the audio window to make sure they stay out of the red zone, this will keep them from overmodulating. Then by using the render que you make sure what you hear in AFX is what you get in the final .wav ]


My other suggestion : I love the adobe family of products (except for premier, always though it was the bastard child of adobe, but thats personal).
but...Affter effects is no good for mixing audio!

It has just always felt a little to cumbersome, if you have the option I would use any other audio mixing program and bring your files into After Effects.

I found a great little freeware program called Audacity, pretty intuitive and works great.

download it here http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Hope this helps

[dwigfor]

Never tried rendering audio thru the render queue.... It says format options:Video For Windows and the extension to add in the filename is .avi...

[twistercash]

In the render Queue select Output module settings
then under format you can select WAV or MP3

I am pretty sure this is not a Pro version only option.
I can send some screen grabs if it doesn't quite make sense.

Hope it give you another option

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