Why Do YouTube Videos Have Uneven Volume and How to Normalize It?
Users often upload videos to YouTube without normalizing the audio beforehand, resulting in poor sound quality. When videos are recorded on a phone, sound waves can bounce off obstacles like tables or walls, causing speech and percussion sounds to become less distinct due to partial cancellation of the sound wave and redistribution of energy from the original sound event to echoes. Additionally, some users may only upload audio on one channel, leading to a situation where one speaker is completely silent, akin to having one of two speakers malfunctioning.
Conversely, professional musicians typically aim to maximize their sound quality to make their music stand out against competitors. This discrepancy in sound levels can be quite pronounced.
To address the issue of varying volume levels, users can utilize the Chrome extension Channel groups and rating. However, the problem extends beyond mere normalization. Normalization can alter the sound, which may not be acceptable for all audio types; thus, it is preferable to adjust audio levels only for non-musical videos on YouTube. Music should ideally be enjoyed without distortion.
This extension allows users to create a group specifically for music videos, applying different volume settings than those used for other videos. It can adjust normalization and various other effects, effectively solving multiple audio-related issues.
Once configured, users can easily restore these settings if they have synchronized them, ensuring a consistent listening experience tailored to their preferences.
Related questions
YouTube provides an opportunity for many specialists to earn money, but not all of them are skilled in producing quality sound. Some creators may not even intend to create content for a broader audience. While some users record videos as personal keepsakes, others use YouTube to broadcast to a select few rather than seeking views from the general public.
Many users are unaware of what the video access settings mean, which can lead to their videos being visible to anyone searching on YouTube. To enhance audio levels, Chrome extensions like Channel groups and rating can be utilized.
With these tools, users can either automatically normalize sound to 60 decibels (which is a 1000 times increase) by checking the "Normalize" box or manually boost the volume using the volume level feature. It's possible to add up to 40 decibels (a 100 times increase) using a sound preamplifier, and even more through equalizer filters, exceeding 40 decibels.
Normalization is beneficial even when sound fluctuates rapidly, as it allows for clearer conversations with distant speakers, and videos featuring cats become particularly enjoyable with distinct purring after normalization.
These settings can be applied globally to all videos on YouTube by selecting the "Apply Globally" checkbox and clicking apply. If different audio settings are needed for specific channels, users can create a group within the extension and assign the desired audio settings to that group.
Using Chrome Extension to Normalize Audio Volume
I use the Chrome extension "Channel groups and rating" to normalize audio volume when the sound is too quiet. Here's why:
I once came across a YouTube channel where the audio would switch between quiet and loud, forcing me to constantly adjust the volume to hear the conversation. This led me to create a feature in the extension to address this issue. Now I can clearly hear these conversations, as well as previously unnoticed sounds like cats and foxes purring. I also no longer worry about the audio suddenly increasing in volume on any video, as it is now almost always at a consistent level.
I also noticed that short YouTube videos change quickly, and it's inconvenient to adjust the volume for each one. This feature is even more useful for short videos.
Some videos are so quiet that without this function, you can't hear anything at all.
I even sometimes upload videos recorded on my phone just to hear the normalized sound that I can't normalize in other ways.
Benefits of Using the Extension
- Consistently hear quiet audio without constantly adjusting volume
- Discover new sounds like animal noises that were previously drowned out
- Avoid sudden loud audio spikes that can startle you
- Convenient for quickly changing short videos
- Enables you to hear audio that would otherwise be inaudible
So in summary, this Chrome extension Channel groups and rating has been a game-changer for me in terms of making audio more accessible and enjoyable across various YouTube videos. Highly recommend trying it out if you struggle with inconsistent or quiet audio!