Quote I was requested to use a compressor on the audio to remove the highs and lows of an audio clip to then place in the track and render a video.

Is this something that is possible? If so, then please let me know what I should do!

Thanks for any help you can give an amateur but enthusiastic!

Hi,

Under Tools you will have the included Audio Editor and also AudioDirector if it is installed.

Audio Editor
Audio Editor has both a Dynamic Range Compressor and an Equaliser both of which might be useful. Once you have finished applying adjustments, the adjusted audio will be sent back to PDR and replace the original in the timeline.

AudioDirector
AudioDirector has many more adjustment options but the compressor and the EQ work much the same, and the audio will be sent back to PDR in the same way.

I presume that the highs and lows you refer to are the peaks and troughs of the waveform and not the high and low frequencies within it? So, I think it will be a matter of playing around with the different parameters to get the exact adjustment you require.

Others might chime in with more specific suggestions?

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator.

I see there is a way to record audio from a mic into an audio track. Is there a compression option for recording live, or is it just after the audio has been recorded and placed on the track?

I found the post production option as you let me know about but was hoping for cimpressing as I recorded.

There's no option for compression while recording from PD, and honestly you should be able to set the input level so that you have clear audio without any clipping. If you're narrating, try speaking normally and then as loud as you're likely to get and set the volume level so the sound level bars just hit the top.

If you're recording other kinds of audio with a wider dynamic range, like from whispers to jet planes flying over, you're better off with a phone or dedicated recorder with automatic gain control (AGC) built in and turned on to always keep the recorded level in range.

Quote ... but was hoping for cimpressing as I recorded. :D

Just a quick note from a very experienced audio engineer... You do not want to get in the habit of compressing audio live. It is painful to edit later, and compression will bring up the noise floor. And I mean in all situations, not just what you are talking about. It's like shooting in JPG vs RAW. Shoot in RAW-always.

The only think you would want to do live-and I'm not going against the moderator here at all-is a limiter. But the situation would be extreme to warrant this, and certainly not be your standard. Your instinct should always be to pull the microphone(s) back is a loud event is being recorded intentionally. If it's an unintentional loud event (horns honking, coughing, cell phone, ...) it can be easily removed.

You can always bring up the quiet.
You can always get rid of hum.
You can never get rid of overmodulation.

So shoot for -12 to -6db live, and you will enjoy a life of comfort and leisure.

pat
:-)

P.S. I should mention that we do compress live, but that is at live events. The board feed is recorded, though, so the above still stands.