I usually listen to symphonic metal when I go to bed, and the first song that plays is Memory, by Epica. I'm using VLC as a player, since half or more of the music files are videos. When Memory starts, as soon as Simone Simons (prn See Mon eh See Mon) starts singing, the volume leaps up from 45 to between 70--85. I set it back to 45, and for the rest of the night, that's where it stays (and if it was some kind of volume leveling, the next song, Consign to Oblivion, would certainly drive it down (besides, I have that option turned off).

Does anyone have any idea why this could be happening? I've already been told in the Slackware (15) forums that pulseaudio does NOT interfere with volume levels like it used to do, at least not on Slackware, so that's not it. Could there be as setting in VLC that does that?

I'm running VLC 3.0.18 Vetinari (not sure if that last bit is part of the version ... never paid much attention to VLC versions before) on Slackware 15, on a Lenovo IdeaPad l340 Gaming (and thus, gamedev, too). Need more? Just ask.

Thanks.

I use the same version — in fact it's currently playing Tuba Skinny — and I have no problems, so it looks like a rogue track. This page has some advice that might be useful as does the forum.

I don't want to normalize the volume levels, I just want the levels I set to be left alone. And just this morning, as I was taking it back to the same song, I noticed that apparently, it only does that on the first time. Strange. Maybe it's the ghost...or whatever makes lots of noise sometimes. I assume it's one of my two cats until I see that they're both in here with me. :-)

Edit: anyone?

I'm re-opening this topic. Last night, as I was going to bed, I started some music (Epica - Samadhi (Preude)). I had the volume set at 50 on VLC. About the time I was going to get into my bed, the volume level, all by itself, chose to jump to about 190 out of 200. Normally, when music starts at night, it'll jump immediately to a higher level, but I'm expecting it, and it doesn't go that high. This time it was delayed, and it probably woke up all of the neighbors in the two closest duplexes (bad right knee...took me a bit to get here to use the mouse to slam it back down.

Needless to say, I was royally pissed off. First of all, I never game ANYTHING permission to mess with the volume levels I set. Second, there is no excuse for ANYTHING to be doing so.

I've already been told that pulseaudio, which DOES do crap like that on other Linux distros that I've used, doesn't do that on Slackware, because Slackware doesn't work that way, or something to that effect. So what could be causing that massive leap in volume WITHOUT my permission to do so, and how do I kill it so it won't ever do it again?

Thanks

I'm re-opening this topic. Last night, as I was going to bed, I started some music (Epica - Samadhi (Preude)). I had the volume set at 50 on VLC. About the time I was going to get into my bed, the volume level, all by itself, chose to jump to about 190 out of 200. Normally, when music starts at night, it'll jump immediately to a higher level, but I'm expecting it, and it doesn't go that high. This time it was delayed, and it probably woke up all of the neighbors in the two closest duplexes (bad right knee...took me a bit to get here to use the mouse to slam it back down).

Needless to say, I was royally pissed off. First of all, I never game ANYTHING permission to mess with the volume levels I set. Second, there is no excuse for ANYTHING to be doing so.

I've already been told that pulseaudio, which DOES do crap like that on other Linux distros that I've used, doesn't do that on Slackware, because Slackware doesn't work that way, or something to that effect. So what could be causing that massive leap in volume WITHOUT my permission to do so, and how do I kill it so it won't ever do it again?

Thanks

I too play and been listening on vlc since I first heard that style of music.
This is the one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Good memories there.

Btw, no issues there with vlc 3.0.18 and raising the sound level to the max.

I think you may be referring to the wrong style of music (going off topic for a short bit). This is Epica, Sensorium, Live at Retrospect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMIVlG6K2qM

From day 1, Epica chose to take the "symphonic" side of symphonic metal to extremes. Just FYI, they're Dutch, and the vocalist is Simone Simons {pronounced like See Moan Eh See Moan). And one of my other favorites, Consign To Oblivion, live at ProgPower USA VII (2006)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30xdo4VX2xA

But I can go from Symphonic metal (Epica, Amberian Dawn Frozen Crown, Xandria, etc., to Bach's harpsichord concertos or Brandenburg concertos without blinking an eye. :-)

What I DON'T like is when I'm going to bed, and whatever I'm going to be listening to has its volume jacked up sky high all by itself without my permission or any form of action on my part (except to slam it back down to "50").

ROFL!!!

Something funny?

So what could be causing VLC to make the volume level skyrocket on starting music? Until last night, I thought it was only for symphonic metal, but last night, for the first time, it did it on Bach harpsichord concertos, so it's not related to the music genre. This topic is definitely not solved.

So is it, like on Mint, pulseaudio, despite what others have said? If so, how do I tell it to LEAVE MY VOLUME SETTINGS ALONE?

It WAS only doing this when I was choosing some symphonic metal before going to bed. Then it did that with Bach Harpsichord Concertos. And just now, it did it at dinnertime. So the pattern I was seeing is now dead. But, it does not do this on TV, Movies, Documentaries (at least, not yet). I usually have to jack those up to be able to hear them.

My volume levels need to be tamed. Can someone please help?

Thanks

Ok, this thread is apparently dead. I'm starting a new one for pulseaudio.