A very common problem in post-production is editing together sound tracks with different volumes or 'levels'. Sound recorded on different shoots or with different equipment may be louder or quieter than they should be. You could adjust the levels on each clip until they match -- but there is a better way.
The Normalisation Gain tool will analyse the sound volume and automatically adjust the levels so that the volume is constant through-out your edit. Here is how to use it:
In the timeline select all the clips you want to fix
You can see from the waveforms that the volume of the sound in each clip don't match. Next go to Modify > Audio > Apply Normalization Gain
A small window will open which allows you to set the target volume in decibels (dB). Your dialog track should usually be set to around -12dB. Move the slider to -12bB and click OK.
If you play back the edit the sound levels should now match with no really loud or really quite dialog. The waveforms in the timeline haven't changed though. That's because the Normalize Gain tool doesn't alter the sound directly, instead it adds a Gain Filter to the sound. This means the changes aren't permanent and each clip can be easily adjusted if you want. Double click a clip to open it in the Viewer and click the Filters tab to see the Gain Filter settings:
Remember, negative dB values make the sound quieter, and every 3dB doubles the effect.
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