jimswinder Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) I use Superstar as a Sub-Sequence to a few of my songs...and I am just noticing that the same audio file used in Superstar is distorted (clipping) compared to how it it sounds and is played in the Sequence Editor...Anyone else noticing this? Edited December 18, 2012 by jimswinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Are you saying that the Audio file sounds good in the Sequence Editor, but the same audio file when played within SuperStar is louder in volume and distorts?Or are you saying that after adding a subsequence, the Sequence Editor plays the audio file at a louder volume and distorts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Are you saying that the Audio file sounds good in the Sequence Editor, but the same audio file when played within SuperStar is louder in volume and distorts?Or are you saying that after adding a subsequence, the Sequence Editor plays the audio file at a louder volume and distorts?Yes...to both questions...but I have only noticed the latter question in one of my Sequences/Sub-Sequences...I was doing a song in the Sequence Editor and it sounded fine...went to Superstar to do the same song and it is distorted...I use a .sup.lms as a sub-sequence...and both it and the .lms use the same audio file as it is attached to both...are they BOTH trying to play that same file, or is it only playing one as opposed to one on top of another and therefore making it sound distorted and louder? Edited December 18, 2012 by jimswinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 The Sequence Editor is supposed to ignore the audio file in the sub-sequence. But I haven't tested a sub-sequence in a long time, let me test it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) but that wouldn't answer the question of just playing the audio via Superstar...I thought it might have been hat I still had the Sequence Editor open and the audio file loaded in that...but I shut it down and Superstar and reopened Superstar, but it still distorts...I bet it is one of those "Geek Tricks" again!!! LOL Edited December 18, 2012 by jimswinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I tested a main sequence with a different audio file than its subsequence and the Sequence Editor ignored the audio file in the subsequence and only played the audio file in the main sequence.I tested a main sequence with the same audio file as its subsequence and the Sequence Editor played audio file at the same volume as usual.Then I played the same audio file in SuperStar and it is indeed a bit louder, I would estimate 20-30% louder. I played the same audio file in Windows Media Player and it played louder alos, same as in SuperStar.So it looks like the Sequence Editor reduces the volume of an audio file about 20%. In my testing, It does so regardless of there being a subsequence or not. Is that what you are seeing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) I don't know if I have the same sophisticated equipment as you have (as I have NONE!! LOL) but this is what I hear:iTunes plays it the clearest...Sequence Editor is not as clear as iTunes, but about the same volume..Superstar is quit louder and distorted and even more muffled...Windows Player does not seem as loud as Superstar..but definitely distorted...I forget to mention that I also use MP3 Gain to level all my audios... Edited December 19, 2012 by jimswinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Is this an mp3 file or an mp4 file? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 SuperStar uses standard calls into the windows operating system to play the audio files. The Light-O-Rama sequence editor uses the operating system to play the audio files as well. I would expect that iTunes uses the same standard calls into the operating system also. I would be very surprised if there is a difference in the actual quality of the music between the three.On my computer SuperStar and windows media palyer played the audio file louder and if I had the volume turned up it would distort. But if I turned the volume down a bit, so that the volume was the same as the Sequence Editor was playing, then the quality was equal.What I can definitely say is there is nothing I can do to "improve" the quality of the audio in SuperStar. As I say, I make standard calls into the windows operating system and there is no parameters that I can set that effect the quality. The operating system plays exactly what is in the audio file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Is this an mp3 file or an mp4 file?mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 (edited) SuperStar uses standard calls into the windows operating system to play the audio files. The Light-O-Rama sequence editor uses the operating system to play the audio files as well.**Then why would they play at different levels?**I would expect that iTunes uses the same standard calls into the operating system also. I would be very surprised if there is a difference in the actual quality of the music between the three.**definitely a difference...at least on my computer..**On my computer SuperStar and windows media palyer played the audio file louder and if I had the volume turned up it would distort. But if I turned the volume down a bit, so that the volume was the same as the Sequence Editor was playing, then the quality was equal.**Don't have that option when they are playing in a show...and when I tried lowering the volume on my computer speakers, Superstar was still distorted**What I can definitely say is there is nothing I can do to "improve" the quality of the audio in SuperStar. As I say, I make standard calls into the windows operating system and there is no parameters that I can set that effect the quality. The operating system plays exactly what is in the audio file.**But yet, you yourself said that Superstar plays it 20- 30-% louder than the Sequence Editor?? Something must not be the same...and I didn't notice it until after I upgraded to 3.8.2...knowing that that might be just coincidental... Edited December 19, 2012 by jimswinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I am running Windows 7 and in the lower right there is a "speaker" icon I can click on that launches the "Volume Mixer"I launched "SuperStar," and the Sequence EditorI then clicked on the speaker to launch the Volume Mixer dialog box.In the dialog box I see volume level for "speakers," "System Sounds," "SuperStar Sequencer," and "Light-O-Rama Sequence Editor". I set them all to maximum.Interestingly, if I play from the Sequence Editor, I see a bar in the Volume Mixer dialog box that indicates the volume is maxed out in the Sequence Editor. At the same time, there is a bar going up and down in the "speakers" section that is about half the level that is being shown in the Sequence Editor section. I don't know why it is doing that. I would have to ask the programmer for the Sequence Editor if he knows why that is happening.To play the audio from SuperStar, I have to shut down the Sequence Editor. Then I play from SuperStar, and the bar under SuperStar in the volume mixer is maxed out, and the bar under the Speakers section is maxed out also. This is the behavior I would expect. Again, I don't know why the Sequence Editor is behaving differently.For now, the workaround is to turn adjust the volume in the volume mixer. On my computer, I would have to increase the volume when playing from the Sequence Editor and decrease the volume when playing from SuperStar. I will contact the Sequence Editor programmer about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Interestingly, if I play from the Sequence Editor, I see a bar in the Volume Mixer dialog box that indicates the volume is maxed out in the Sequence Editor. At the same time, there is a bar going up and down in the "speakers" section that is about half the level that is being shown in the Sequence Editor section. I don't know why it is doing that. I would have to ask the programmer for the Sequence Editor if he knows why that is happening.**I also am running Windows 7...I always knew there was an LOR Sequence Editor Volume control there...never knew Superstar would show up separately...always figured Superstar was a part of the LOR setup and would be under that "umbrella"..To play the audio from SuperStar, I have to shut down the Sequence Editor. Then I play from SuperStar, and the bar under SuperStar in the volume mixer is maxed out, and the bar under the Speakers section is maxed out also. This is the behavior I would expect. Again, I don't know why the Sequence Editor is behaving differently.**Hmmm...I was able to play both Superstar and the Sequence Editor at the same time and this is what I saw. With ALL the sliders to the max the Superstar level was always MAX'd out (green all the way to the top) while the LOR one only occasionally fell below being MAX'd out and the Device Speakers were half way. When I ran Superstar by itself, it was maxed out as was the Device Speakers (on the few occasions it did fall below Max, so did the Device Speakers). Where as when I ran just the Sequence Editor it was nearly MAX'd out but the Device Speakers were at approximately half...For now, the workaround is to turn adjust the volume in the volume mixer. On my computer, I would have to increase the volume when playing from the Sequence Editor and decrease the volume when playing from SuperStar. I will contact the Sequence Editor programmer about this.I agree this is a ok workaround, but with my system I can still hear a little amount of distortion...Thanks for looking into it Brian!!! **This does not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilrock Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Along the lines of this topic. I've noticed that if I open a sequence in the Sequence Editor and then open up SuperStar with a sequence that uses the same audio I get an error message and the audio is not loaded. But I can open up SuperStar first and then open up the Sequence Editor and be able to play both of them no problem. I don't try to play them simultaneously but I need to be able to view what I have in the Sequence Editor to see how it will fit in with what I'm doing in SuperStar since I'm having to edit my ribbons seperately from everything else. Seems like something could be changed so that the order I open those programs doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianBruderer Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 When SuperStar loads an audio file he keeps his own copy and leaves the audio file available for other programs to use. Once the Sequence Editor plays an audio file he "grabs a hold" of the audio file and other programs cannot use the file. Even if you stop playing the audio file, the Sequence Editor keeps its lock on the audio file. So it is not just superstar, if you tried to play the audio file from any other program you would get an error also.Next year I know Light-O-Rama plans to change how the Sequence Editor handles audio files. After those changes are done it will allow the following in the Sequence Editor:1) It will no longer "grab a hold" of audio files and will allow other programs to use the audio file.2) The Sequence Editor will support mp4 files (iTunes now uses mp4 files. The Sequence Editor currently will not play mp4 files)3) It will fix the problem with "variable bit rate" mp3 files that causes sequences to play a little out of synch if the mp3 file is variable bit rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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