Very Basic MCompare usage question, thanks ...

[alexis1]

Hi - I know I should be able to figure this out ...

I have two project files, each is composed of the identical piano backing track (so they are at exactly the same volume), and the files differ only by the volume of a second track which is a violin patch. Additionally, there is a 5 second part at the beginning where there is only piano. After that, then the violin patch enters. I would like to use MCompare to instantaneously switch between the files to see which violin volume sounds better.

I loaded up one of the projects, and then navigated to the audio of the second project and loaded it into the "FILE" box.

I tried ALC, but that was not the ticket, as it made the two tracks sound the same volume throughout (as I believe is intended).

I then tried the SET button, but to be honest I'm confused about how to use it properly. I'm not sure when I should be clicking that SET button - during playback when there are only pianos playing (i.e., before the entrance of the variable volume violin that I want to compare)?

That is what I did, but depending on when in those first few 5 seconds (of piano only) I clicked the SET button, a different value appeared in the volume field - and the fact that a different number appears depending on when in the first 5 seconds (piano only) I click SET makes me wonder if that is really the right thing to do.

Does that matter where I click it, or is anywhere that there is no violin playing an OK time to click it (remembering that the piano tracks are at identical volume)?

Thanks much!

[MeldaProduction]

Hi,

well, there's no perfect solution. Basically the volume is changing all the time, so there's no real "volume". But the difference is what matters - if you cycle the first 5 seconds and have both instances synced (!!!), I mean perfectly synced (!!! ), then the loudness difference shouldn't be changing much (if at all, at least I think). So just click Set and it should do the trick, but ALC must be disabled.

If that won't be it you may try MLoudnessAnalyzer on each track and use the integrated loudness meter (manually check the difference, painful, I know ).

But I'd actually say you do NOT want what you think you want . It's the overall loudness you want to match, not one instrument, because that fools your ears again! At the end you are actually trying to defeat the loudness compensation and my guess would be that the version with violin louder would sound better then.

[alexis1]

Hi,

well, there's no perfect solution. Basically the volume is changing all the time, so there's no real "volume". But the difference is what matters - if you cycle the first 5 seconds and have both instances synced (!!!), I mean perfectly synced (!!! ), then the loudness difference shouldn't be changing much (if at all, at least I think). So just click Set and it should do the trick, but ALC must be disabled.

Perfect, that is what I was doing. I have to assume they are perfectly sync'd, after all it *is* a Melda plug-in , and also I don't hear any differences in timing when I go from file to file.

But I'd actually say you do NOT want what you think you want . It's the overall loudness you want to match, not one instrument, because that fools your ears again! At the end you are actually trying to defeat the loudness compensation and my guess would be that the version with violin louder would sound better then.

Actually, it is great - it's not one instrument, it is the introduction to the song which starts out with solo piano, then *adds* the violin on top of it. So it's all great - thank you!

[MeldaProduction]

My pleasure, I hope it helped .