Audio Cleaning for Dummies

Xenofex2 schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 15:12 Uhr

My approach to any audio cleaning is really hit and miss. An area I really know nothing about.

Shortly though I hope to revisit old family camcorder tapes, originally saved to VHS and since converted to MP4 and so guess at least some basic knowledge of this area would help.

I have been looking on youtube, specifically using MEP (I have 18.0.2.235) and whilst have found some useful tutorials on actually making more use of MEP, so far none specifically on the audio cleaning area. (Although I cannot say I have actually used the program, I do also have Video Sound Cleaning Lab.)

Can anyone then suggest any recommended youtube tutorials - Audio Cleaning for Dummies - that will help me within MEP and so vastly improve my understanding of this area.

George

Kommentare

browj2 schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 20:01 Uhr

Hi George,

See this post, currently being commented upon.

I don't know of anything that can simply describe it all, since audio is a vast subject and the recordings and problems with them are varied.

If you have some video clips with sound that you find have problems, put them into a project for testing. Determine and list what it is you don't like about the audio. When you start reading, keep these problems in mind. When you find potential solutions to these problems, try them out. Learn by reading and doing. Take notes.

I suggest that you start with the Audio Editing Chapter of the MEP manual, and read about Adjusting Loudness of selected objects, Editing with the Volume Curve, and Audio Effects, right through to and including Magix Mastering Effects.

This will give you a good overview of what can be done.

Now open up VSCL and the Manual (pdf) and read the first 100 or so pages. Use your actual clips to try out as you read.

Here is a partial listing of problems that I have had:

Volume variations from one clip to another
Overall volume not equal
Clipping - sound too loud and distorted
Voice goes from too soft to loud
Background noise
Hissing
Wind noise
Noise that I want to remove (dog barked, door slammed in the background, clicks, crackles)
Volume ducking (reduce music when someone talks)
Sibilants (s's too pronounced) and popping (p's too pronounced)
Breathing during narration too loud
Sound on one channel instead of both (sound coming out of one speaker only)
Song is 2 seconds too short or too long for what I want
I want to cut video or images to a beat
Some notes in a song by a singer off-key
Etc.

The main things that you are missing from VSCL that are in Audio & Music Lab Premium and the new Sound Forge Audio Cleaning Lab (they share the same interface as VSCL) are being able to use VST's (third party effects), Magix eFX Effects, and, most importantly, the Spectral Cleaner.

If you find things that require more explanation, come back and we'll try to help.

John CB

Xenofex2 schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 20:29 Uhr

John

Yes I was actually watching that other posting and have already noted some useful pointers.

You mention a couple of other Magix programs in your last but one paragraph. I do have Audio & Music Lab Premium and as a result of a recent Magix marketing email realise that at some stage I had obtained Sound Forge, albeit Version 10 although with this program I have never used so far and so unaware of any benefits. Thankyou for your guidance, problems experienced. and some pointers as to where to look. I feel better already.

No doubt a stupid question, sorry, but when attempting to do any type of audio cleaning, do I assume that I must be wearing headphones?

George

CubeAce schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 21:01 Uhr

@Xenofex2

Hi George.

Headphones or speakers?

A lot will depend on your listening environment. But if the quality of your speakers and headphones are roughly equivalent then personally I would choose speakers but I have a fairly acoustically balanced listening room for the task and studio monitors. The problem with headphones is you can get too picky and pick up on things you won't notice with most room acoustics. Also, there is no natural crossover between left and right sound sources, which when played back later elsewhere can sound worse than you remember.

Therein lies the problem.

Wherever we do the mixdown sounds terrific, only to be let down once transposed to another location or setup for playback. If you have any doubts or distracting background noises, I personally would stick to headphones.

If you have ever seen pictures of recording studios you will have noticed most broadcast studios have more than one set of speakers as well as a single speaker placed somewhere random about midway of the mixing desk. This is for evaluation on several output systems as well as to check phase variants on single speaker portable radio sets when producing a mono soundstage.

Ray.

Xenofex2 schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 21:58 Uhr

Thankyou for all the advice.

Obviously not such a silly question, but at my stage of learning, not an area to worry about.

George

CubeAce schrieb am 03.03.2019 um 23:03 Uhr

@Xenofex2

There are no silly questions when you are serious about learning. We all want to get better at what we do when interested in a subject. MEP software is a good starting point capable of growing with most people to quite high-quality results. As with everything though, the learning curves can be quite steep. Keep at it and you will do fine I'm sure.