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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: Unitmonster on July 11, 2005, 10:22:55 AM

Title: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: Unitmonster on July 11, 2005, 10:22:55 AM

Hi, I taped a show the other night and used the bass roll-off on my mics. I don't know if it was that, the venue (outdoor) or just my placement, but I find the highs a lot more brittle than they usually are.  Even a bit dirty.  Any suggestions on how I could smooth that out using a wave editing program?  I was thinking of running some sort of eq, but maybe there's something better.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: Nick Graham on July 11, 2005, 10:24:28 AM

MP3 the shit out of it. Create a 32k MP3 of the wav file, then another 32k MP3 of that file...

;)

Did those AT caps arrive yet?

Title: Re: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: Unitmonster on July 11, 2005, 10:33:14 AM

nice  ::)

Not yet.  Mail's painfully slow in Canada though. I'll pm ya as soon as they get here.

I was thinking of running a de-esser (compression) on the high-hat frequencies if only I knew what those were...

edit:  a consultation of my guide to home recording tells me high hats are at 7-10k (sibilants), 5k, and 500hz.  Cool!

Title: Re: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: rodeen on July 11, 2005, 01:36:48 PM

Quote from: Unitmonster on July 11, 2005, 10:33:14 AM

nice  ::)
I was thinking of running a de-esser (compression) on the high-hat frequencies if only I knew what those were...

Yep, Hihats are in the 8khz range.

Title: Re: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: Brian on July 11, 2005, 02:59:44 PM

Quote from: rodeen on July 11, 2005, 01:36:48 PM

edit: a consultation of my guide to home recording tells me high hats are at 7-10k (sibilants), 5k, and 500hz. Cool!

that's about right.  I've always thought a hi-hat's core frequency was in the 1-2k range and then it's upper harmonics in the 5-10k range with it's sub harmonics around 500Hz.

If it's the highs that are driving you nuts i would agree with rodeen and start around the 8k range and attenuate

Title: Re: Smoothing harsh highs in post-editing?
Post by: Unitmonster on July 11, 2005, 05:19:27 PM

I compressed the 7-10k range at 2:1 and it took a bit of the edge off. I guess I'll stop there.  I wonder what accounted for the harshness though.  Perhaps swapping A/D's would help? I've been thinking about trying something else out to see how it sounds.  Any suggestions for a mellow A/D that matches well with the AT853's?