If you are interested in improving your audio, Final Cut Pro X made several huge steps forward by incorporating all the Logic/Soundtrack Pro audio filters with the application. Because I principally create programs which are driven by audio – what is being said – rather than action, it is essential to me that viewers are able to clearly hear the dialog.
This means that a filter that before FCP X was only available in Soundtrack Pro, is now part of the audio effects suite in FCP X. It’s called the Limiter filter and I want to show you how to use it. The purpose of the Limiter filter is to make soft audio louder while preventing the louder passages from distorting (which happens when audio levels exceed 0 dB). In fact, when used properly, the Limiter Filter virtually guarantees that your audio won’t distort.
What the Limiter filter does – on an instant-by-instant basis – is raise the level of that instant of the clip by an amount you specify, provided the audio level doesn’t go over a maximum limit that you also specify. Audio gain that attempts to go over your limit is thrown-away.
The three key settings in the Limiter filter are: Gain, Gain Reduction, and Output Level.
DISCLAIMERS
The last time I wrote about setting levels I got severely taken to task by an audio engineer complaining that my numbers were all wrong. So there are five things you need to understand:
WHERE TO APPLY THE FILTER
The Limiter filter works best when it is applied to dialog and narration, not sound effects or music. This means that you need to be selective about where you apply the filter. (I strongly discourage using the Limiter filter for music.)
In general, audio effects in FCP X are applied to the clip. However, in the case of the Limiter filter, it may be a better idea to make a compound clip of all your dialog clips. This allows you to apply one filter to a group of clips, which makes adjustments a lot easier. All clips in a compound clip do not need to be next to each other. Here’s an article that explains this more.)
NOTE: For really complex mixes, you are always better moving your audio out of FCP X into ProTools or Adobe Audition or Soundtrack Pro because they can deal with applying filters to multiple layers of audio clips better than FCP X can.
Here is a set of of four Soundtrack Pro tutorials that can help you improve your audio.
APPLYING THE FILTER
Whether you apply this to a compound clip, a collection of individual clips, or just one clip, the process and adjustment is the same.
1. Select the clip(s) to which you want to apply the filter. In this case, I’m applying the filter to a compound clip.
2. Open the Effects Browser (type Command+5) and select the Audio > Levels category. Scroll down the list of filters on the right side until you find the Limiter filter. (While there are a number of settings files in that category, most are simply presets derived from the Limiter filter.)
3. Drag and drop the Limiter filter on top of the clips to which you want to apply it. (Or, if all the clips are selected, simply double-click the Limiter filter to apply it to all selected clips.)
NOTE: To remove the filter, select all the clips that contain the filter you want to remove, go to the Inspector, select the name of the filter, and press Delete.
ADJUSTING THE FILTER
1. Select the clip(s) that contain the filter.
2. Open the Inspector (type Command+4) and click the Audio tab at the top. The Limiter filter is displayed at the top of the Inspector.
3. Click the small icon to the right (its under the cursor in this screen shot) to open the Limiter interface.
4. For all dialog and narration, I recommend setting the Limiter to the following settings:
As audio levels are additive, setting the Limiter to -4.5 dB means that you have room in your mix to add sound effects and music, while still able to hear dialog. On tracks which are narration-only with no other audio in the mix, I will increase the Output Level to -3 dB. However, currently, I tend to set everything at -4.5 dB.
5. Here’s the one setting you need to adjust: Gain. This setting varies each time you apply the filter. Start by playing your clip. Slowly increase the Gain slider until you start to see small blue bars at the right edge of the Gain Reduction display at the top. Continue increasing the slider until you are throwing away 1 – 3 dB of gain during the loudest portions of the audio. Levels displayed in the Gain Reduction slider is audio level that would normally exceed the Output Level, but is caught by the Limiter.
This filter has the effect of increasing the softer passages of your audio while making sure neither the louder passages, nor the amplified passages of your clip are louder than the Output Level. This prevents distortion (audio levels that exceed 0 dB) while making your entire clip MUCH easier to hear by leveling out audio levels.
In this example, I am raising the audio of the entire clip by 16.5 dB, however, the Output Level guarantees that at NO TIME do any of the audio peaks in the audio exceed -4.5 dB. (Every clip’s settings will be different, this specific number applies only to this example.)
NOTE: This filter is especially good at leveling out audio with lots of pops, clicks, or extreme level changes.
I find this filter indispensable in my mixes. And, once you start using the Limiter filter, I suspect you’ll wonder how you lived without it.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you assign multiple audio filters to a clip which has the Limiter filter applied, make sure that the Limiter filter is applied LAST. It should always be at the bottom of the list of audio filters in the Inspector. Otherwise, you lose its ability to prevent audio distortion.
To change the stacking order of audio filters, drag their names up or down in the Inspector.
40 Responses to FCP X: The Limiter Filter
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okmontreal says:
February 3, 2013 at 7:50 pm
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Oxband says:
September 26, 2015 at 11:42 am
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Larry says:
September 26, 2015 at 12:55 pm
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David Hogg says:
May 12, 2016 at 6:40 am
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Bill says:
October 2, 2016 at 9:48 am
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Joseph Linaschke says:
October 18, 2016 at 7:56 pm
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Larry says:
October 18, 2016 at 8:48 pm
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Joseph Linaschke says:
October 20, 2016 at 7:47 am
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Larry Jordan says:
October 20, 2016 at 7:59 am
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Ana Conlon wedding videographer says:
February 16, 2017 at 5:27 am
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Larry says:
February 16, 2017 at 6:35 am
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Ana Conlon wedding videographer says:
February 16, 2017 at 6:44 am
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Larry says:
February 16, 2017 at 7:01 am
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Daniel Russel says:
October 20, 2017 at 9:18 am
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Daniel Russel says:
October 20, 2017 at 9:20 am
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Larry says:
October 20, 2017 at 9:21 am
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Kelly says:
September 26, 2019 at 8:39 am
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Larry says:
September 26, 2019 at 10:56 am
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Kate says:
November 24, 2021 at 6:56 pm
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Larry says:
November 24, 2021 at 7:11 pm
← Older CommentsThank you for putting this page up, super helpful for an amateur editor and just new to FC10.
What does release do exactly? Moreover, is there a way to change it so that i don’t need to increase the release every time but the filter automatically has the release raised?
Oxband:
Release determines how long the effect remains active after the input audio goes quiet. Too short and the filter creates a pumping sound. Too long and the background noise becomes objectionable.
And, no, you can’t change the default settings.
Larry
Thanks for this great explanation of the Limiter tool! As you say, now I know about it, I don’t know how I managed without it! 🙂
I made a film for a business-centric film festival. I was surprised by the quality of the submissions. The presentation was in a big loud room, and the films were from some of the best outdoor brands in Colorado. When (my client’s) film came up I waited…waited…and the audio was perfect, thanks to your limiter advice. It was clean and rich, and consistent. So basic…and such a reminder that you can over think all of the tech (for a non-feature) film, because usually it’s about paying attention to the basics—proper exposures, a good mic and apparently some limiter settings. Thanks—
Hi Larry, I’m trying this Limiter out and while I’m seeing/hearing changes to the dialog, I’m not seeing the limiter actually limiting to the levels its set to. For example, set the output level to –4.5 as suggested, watching the FCP meters I’m seeing dialog peak over 0, to maybe 1 or 2. If I drag the output level all the way down to –10, I’ll see peaks at around –5 in the meters.
This version of FCPX (10.2.3) also has a separate “amount” slider outside of the interface you show, but I’ve left that at its default of zero.
I don’t have any other effects on the timeline now as I’m experimenting with this, however my intention is to add EQ and a de-noiser. If I understand correctly, this Limiter should be a the BOTTOM of the stack, which would put it at the end of the chain, correct?
Thanks!
-Joseph
Joseph:
Remember the Limiter is applied to each clip. This means that if you have multiple clips playing – voice, music and effects – the sum of their volumes will exceed the limit set on the limiter.
The Limiter in FCP X is called a “brick wall” limiter, which means that when audio hits the limit, it does not go over. Make sure that the gain on your clip (the rubber band) is set to 0 dB, or that will throw output levels off.
Also, you are correct, all effects should be added before (above) the limiter.
Larry
Hi Larry, thanks for the reply.
I only have the one clip and thanks for confirmation on where to put the Limiter.
It’s the Gain that’s confusing me then. So the Gain slider in the Limiter is gain *post* the output level? I understood that you would use this gain to bring up the level of a quiet clip… then use the limiter to ensure it didn’t go over –3 or whatever you want. OH WAIT you’re referring to the gain on the clip itself (the Volume slider if you look at the Inspector), aren’t you. OK for some reason mine was set to +4, so I guess that’s it.
Alright… so my clip looks like this. Channel EQ first, to add bass and de-ess. iZotope RX5 dialog de-noiser next. Then, the Limiter. Now these clips always come in rather quiet (something I’ve yet to figure out why given my recording levels are always spot-on, and even in the library browser the clip sounds fine, but once on the timeline it goes quiet)… but then even boosting the gain in the Limiter all the way I’m not getting as loud as I’d like. Now I know how to keep the levels from peaking using the limiter; where else should I add gain? Add a gain effect before the limiter?
thanks again!!
-Joseph
Joseph:
In general, the volume slider for each clip should be left at 0 dB when using the Limiter.
If gain is low, check the gain settings in both the EQ filter and Izotope – both of these have internal gain controls.
Larry
“I strongly discourage using the Limiter filter for music”
What do you recommend for music? I can find any recommendations of filters for music tracks peeking.
Ana:
Finished music is already properly compressed (which is what the Limiter filter does), it is part of the music creation process. As such, it doesn’t need any further compression – just adjust the levels.
Larry
Thanks Larry, so I just pull down the overall level of each song/track to prevent peeking? Watching that each track doesn’t go over 0db.
What I am finding is that the music tracks seem to vary wildly in peeks and dips so if I pull down the over all auido level will it be very quite in parts?
Ana:
Correct – but that dynamic range, the change in volume, is an essential, integral part of the music. Not all music is designed to work well as an underscore for video.
Larry
Greetings Larry,
This is extremely helpful. Am creating content with yoga instructor so this is key for me. However, is there a way to get rid of pops on soundtrack besides manual work?
Also, I’d like to copy Audio Enhancement settings and apply to other projects. Can I save these as a preset?
Thank you again,
Daniel
.. just saw your page on saving audio presets, thank you.
David:
There are no automatic audio pop clean-up tools in FCP X. However, look into RX-5 from Izotope.
Larry
I have been manually adjusting my dialogue audio levels with keyframes for years. Ha whyyyyyy. Larry you are my hero once again
Kelly:
Smile… Happy to help.
Larry
Larry, I’ve gone through my timeline and adjusted the audio in all of the synced clips (which is almost all of the clips) and then I just realized, you could export in roles. And effect the audio in pro tools. Is there a way I can batch reset the audio inside the synced clips so they are re-zeroed, or do I have to go back in on each clip and re-zero all of the audio?
Thanks!
Kate:
I don’t know ProTools. However, most audio import software allows you to ignore volume settings on the clips you import. Or, in ProTools, you can reset all the audio levels on the clips in a track. So, you should be able to take advantage of this.
Also, you may need to convert the XML exported from FCP before moving it into ProTools. This can be done using an utility called “X2Pro.” Here’s a detailed tutorial on how this works:
https://2pop.calarts.edu/technicalsupport/fcpx-to-pro-tools/
Hope this helps.
Larry