Non-destructive Audio Level Equalization Using Keyframes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio editing applications face inefficiencies in achieving homogeneous loudness across audio clips within a track, as current methods are either destructive or require significant user knowledge and interaction, often resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes.
Innovation Solution
An audio editing system that automatically equalizes intra-track audio levels by using keyframes to adjust track-specific controls, allowing for non-destructive modification of audio attributes like loudness, without altering the underlying clip content, and provides a user interface for manual editing and visualization of these adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If destructive methods are used to equalize audio levels, then audio attribute homogeneity is improved, but the original audio content is permanently altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the audio clip with adjusted audio attributes while preserving the original. The adjusted copy contains the equalized audio level, allowing the system to achieve audio attribute homogeneity without permanently altering the source material. This is implemented through creating a duplicate audio object and applying modifications only to the copy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs audio attribute adjustment in advance by creating a pre-adjusted copy of the audio clip. This preliminary action allows the system to equalize audio levels before final output or rendering, enabling homogeneous audio attributes across multiple clips while keeping original files intact for potential reprocessing.
2Ease of operation
If manual leveling devices such as compressors are inserted to adjust audio levels, then audio attribute control is improved, but user knowledge requirements and interaction complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the audio editing system to automatically equalize audio levels across multiple clips without requiring user intervention. The system independently analyzes audio attributes of selected clips and applies appropriate level adjustments, eliminating the need for users to manually configure compressors or other leveling devices. This self-service approach simplifies operation while maintaining effective audio control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies audio level adjustment selectively to only the audio clips that require equalization within a selection, rather than requiring complex global configuration. The system identifies which clips need adjustment and applies the necessary changes to those specific clips, reducing user interaction complexity while achieving the desired audio homogeneity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If existing non-destructive techniques are used to adjust audio levels, then original content preservation is improved, but the techniques require significant user knowledge and interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines automatic audio analysis with non-destructive processing by having the system autonomously determine which clips require level adjustment and applying changes only to copies of those clips. This self-service mechanism preserves original content while eliminating the need for users to possess specialized audio engineering knowledge or manually configure complex processing parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent automatically adjusts audio level parameters of selected clips based on analysis of their current attributes. The system modifies parameters such as gain or volume in copies of the audio clips, achieving non-destructive equalization without requiring users to understand or manually set these technical parameters. This parameter-based approach simplifies operation while maintaining content preservation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed to adjust the loudness or another audio attribute for one or more audio clips. Intra-track audio levels can automatically be equalized, for example, to achieve a homogeneous audio level for all clips within an audio track. Information about such audio adjustments may be identified and stored as information without destructively altering the underlying clip content. For example, keyframes may define changes to a fader that will be applied at different points along a track's timeline to achieve the audio adjustments when the track is played. An audio editing application can provide a feature for automatically determining appropriate keyframes, allow manual editing of keyframes, and use keyframes to display control curves that represent graphically the time-based adjustments made to track-specific faders, play test audio output, and output combined audio, among other things.