Normalizing Tracks for an Internets Radio Station.

[DrunkenScoundrl]

Hi Everyone,
I was directed here by the good folks at Shout Automation. They tell me you have the best product to solve my problem-and from what I have seen, you know your stuff.....
I have looked through the forums and can't seem to find an answer for my particular problem:
I have a (completely legal, licensed, and royalty-paying) Internets radio station. The problem I am having is that my track volumes playing from my automated server are all over the place. This is more than just annoying-it is a deal-breaker for listeners.
I am trying to figure out the best way to normalize all of the tracks and then re-upload them to my remote server. I m talking about 9gigs of music from many genres. My previous service providers have had built-in normalization so this hasn't been an issue but they are not available to me anymore.
As I understand the instructions, I should place all of the music in one folder and then go through the conversion process using the DSP effects add-on to normalize the tracks at a set volume.
My key questions are:
1.) What is the best way to place all of the tracks in one folder? I have multiple download-sources so they tend to be spread into different folders. I have thought I had all my Mp3s in one place before only to find out I was wrong. Playing 'Whack-A-Mole' with several hundred songs isn't fun.
2.) I understand that the normalization process will only increase the gain of quieter tracks, not decrease the volume of louder ones, so how do I determine the volume setting?
3.) Is it better to (via FTP) pull the tracks from my remote server into a folder, normalize them, and then re-upload them or should I delete them, normalize what is on my drive and upload new versions?
Thanks in advance.
Any help will help me sleep better at night.

[garym]

Re: Normalizing Tracks for an Internets Radio Station.

You don't need to have them all in the same folder. If these are mp3 files, you simply want to volume normalize all these tracks. (NOTE: you will be permanently modifying the audio of the files. You should keep a backup of the NON-modified files).

1. open batch converter and point it to the parent directory of all your files (that is, I'm assuming you have something like: d:\musicfiles\artist\album\tracks. But even that doesn't matter, you simply want to select all the files and they can be in separate subdirectories, but easier if all these subdirectories are under a parent directory).

2. Once files are selected click "CONVERT" in upper left of screen.

3. Then in the conversion popup, choose convert to ID TAG UPDATE (this is the only part I'm not 100% sure of, Spoon can chime in, or just test this on some sample files, the key is that you are NOT converting to mp3 or flac, etc. you are simply modifying the audio of files that already exist)

4. Then in popup, toward bottom under options, select "add dsp effect", in drop down menu choose "volume normalize". tick either REPLAY GAIN track gain or EBU R128 track gain. If I'm starting from scratch on this, I'd use EBU R128 track gain.

5. then select CONVERT and let it run.

[DrunkenScoundrl]

Re: Normalizing Tracks for an Internets Radio Station.

I copied some tracks to a desktop folder but the program won't recognize them. In fact, it only recognizes some tracks in my library but not any that I need to alter. I can click directly on the directory OR the sub directory and all I get is an error message: "No audio files selected for conversion" I am on Windows 7 Home Premium if that matters.

[DrunkenScoundrl]

Re: Normalizing Tracks for an Internets Radio Station.

I can select tracks that are listed under "Hard Drive c:\" but anything listed under c:\Users\Chris...etc won't register on Poweramp-even if I move files to hard drive:\c the program won't recognize them.
I have been trying to move ALL of my mp3s to one file but it doesn't seem to be working. Any recommendations on a program that can help place them all in the same place? I am completely lost. I must be missing something simple but can't figure it out. HELP! Thanks.