Hornet The Normalizer

Discussion in 'Software Reviews and Tutorials' started by pnutbuttrjarz, Aug 31, 2021.

  1. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Hey guys.
    Going to be doing some livestreaming with a few tracks using OBS.
    Some of the tracks are slightly different in volumes to each other. So was hoping to use a simple plugin I can use through OBS that will adjust the master volume of each backing track so they are at the same level when streaming
    Was looking at purchasing Hornet The Normalizer to achieve this.
    Has anyone here used it?? If so, what are your thoughts?
    Or has someone got a recommendations of a similar plugin that will do the same thing??
    Thanks in advance guys
     
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  3. BEAT16

    BEAT16 Audiosexual

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  4. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Thanks for the reply mate.
    I thought I read somewhere that AutoGain Pro only does RMS whereas TheNormalizer does LUFS. Did I read that wrong?
     
  5. BEAT16

    BEAT16 Audiosexual

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    To match (with LUFS):
    HoRNet ELM 128 MK2 is a metering plugin that complies with the EBU R128 standard.
    https://www.hornetplugins.com/plugins/hornet-elm128-mk2/
     
  6. odod

    odod Rock Star

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    this one might be handy too for noise removal during online stream

    https://krisp.ai/
     
  7. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Thanks for that mate. I will check it out. But I will be running all the sound straight from the mixing desk in to OBS. Probably wouldn't need this then Right??
     
  8. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Ok, I've zero experience with livestreaming but I know one or two things about loudness normalization. Basically, there are two ways to do this:
    1. Offline. There're a bunch of tools which can batch process and adjust the LUFSi of all your tracks. This you have to do beforehand and print these adjusted tracks.
    2. Online/realtime. This is where things start to get tricky. Hornet's The Normalizer needs to analyze the input and can adjust the level by clicking on Normalize. Firstly, this is not realtime anymore and secondly, it can produce a sudden jump in level.
      For realtime normalization you can't use LUFSi (whole track) and neither LUFSs (3 seconds). A realtime adjustment of LUFSm (0,4secs) on the other hand can severely affect a track's perception. This is for instance what makes a solo synth (with no other instruments) in a break as loud as the whole track before and after the break and can only be achieved with levelers or maximizers (which are on principle something like upleveling limiters).
      Additionally, if you want your voice plus the backing track stay at a given LUFS, the leveling tool needs a sidechain input of your voice. Otherwise your voice would change in level depending on the background track and this would for sure sound weird.
    Sadly, since I haven't any experience with livestreaming I can't show you any solution, only the problems you have to be aware of.
     
  9. Kwissbeats

    Kwissbeats Audiosexual

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    Thimeo stereo tool?

    But seems like overkill to me. Slap a decent limiter on top and mix slightly below. so any sudden peaks will be limited
     
  10. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    If you want to buy something on a low budget I think that you will get a better result with a limiter, since you need it to be in realtime. Otherwise you can check out something like Flux Jünger Audio Level Magic, but it isn't cheap!

    WTautomixer is another option that is a bit more budget friendly.

    Both of them have free trials though, so if it's only for a short time you need it you can use Jünger for 30-days or WTautomixer for 7-days. Both of them have 100% functionality during the trial period.
     
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  11. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Tanks for the reply mate. I will check these out.
    This is something I hope to do continuously. Like once or twice a week.
    So I'm happy to purchase something if it does what I want it to do :like:
     
  12. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Thanks mate. I will probably try this first as I have a heap of limiters.
     
  13. pnutbuttrjarz

    pnutbuttrjarz Ultrasonic

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    Hey mate.
    Thanks for your insight.
    These are actually things that I have been thinking about, but didn't really know the answers to them.
    This helps a lot.
    At the moment I have been adjusting all these sessions in Reaper so that they are all around the same level. I have all the sessions in reaper as sometimes I will play a track to all the backing tracks (Drums Bass keys etc). But other times I play more laid back acoustically and play to just pads and strings and Mute the drums and other tracks I don't want. Depends on how I want to approach it at the time. Hence the reason for not really wanting to render stuff offline prior to streaming.
    I think my best option is to just stream a few tracks to youtube privately. Then go back and listen to the audio and adjust from there.
    This is all super new to me as well. I'm expecting the first dozen attempts to sound with muffled horseshit!!! :rofl:
     
  14. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    If you are using Reaper you could check out this JS, if you haven't already: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=173289

    I'm not sure if it is offline only, though. Haven't tested it myself, just noticed the Reaper forum post about it a few days ago and it came to mind when I saw your post.

    Leafac also has a version of it that can cut between different video windows based on who's speaking.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2021
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