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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: Brian E. on July 24, 2011, 05:10:12 PM

Title: Any way to fix mic overload in Audacity?
Post by: Brian E. on July 24, 2011, 05:10:12 PM
I taped a show at a street fest yesterday and had to set the level on my amp and then toss it in my backpack.  I didn't really clip much the whole show, but the bass was just too much.  I was right next to the speaker because I was up front shooting photos as well.  A lot of the time there is clipped bass crackle because of the sheer force of it.  Is there a filter that works well for this in Audacity or am I just screwed?  Thanks.
Title: Re: Any way to fix mic overload in Audacity?
Post by: Brian E. on July 24, 2011, 05:29:23 PM
the problem recording is Mike Doughty, who came on before Soul Asylum.  I could tell I overloaded MD, so I cut the amp a bit for SA.  Even so, their recording sounds much cleaner in general.  I think MD's sound guy just distorted the bass too much initially anyway, seemed like it to me live.  :sigh:
Title: Re: Any way to fix mic overload in Audacity?
Post by: acidjack on July 24, 2011, 06:19:07 PM
I taped a show at a street fest yesterday and had to set the level on my amp and then toss it in my backpack.  I didn't really clip much the whole show, but the bass was just too much.  I was right next to the speaker because I was up front shooting photos as well.  A lot of the time there is clipped bass crackle because of the sheer force of it.  Is there a filter that works well for this in Audacity or am I just screwed?  Thanks.

You can try just EQing down the low frequencies, but for actual clipping, I don't find that usually does much.  The other thing you can try and do is play around with compression that emphasizes the non-distorted frequencies.  I'm not sure that would work, but it seems like it plausibly could.
Title: Re: Any way to fix mic overload in Audacity?
Post by: page on July 24, 2011, 08:59:49 PM
I taped a show at a street fest yesterday and had to set the level on my amp and then toss it in my backpack.  I didn't really clip much the whole show, but the bass was just too much.  I was right next to the speaker because I was up front shooting photos as well.  A lot of the time there is clipped bass crackle because of the sheer force of it.  Is there a filter that works well for this in Audacity or am I just screwed?  Thanks.

You can try just EQing down the low frequencies, but for actual clipping, I don't find that usually does much.  The other thing you can try and do is play around with compression that emphasizes the non-distorted frequencies.  I'm not sure that would work, but it seems like it plausibly could.

Thats what I'd do. Clip restoring functions are hit and miss and depend on the plugin and the clip in question.