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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: daveydave on July 21, 2006, 06:26:57 PM

Title: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: daveydave on July 21, 2006, 06:26:57 PM

It seems I can't find in my Sound Forge Books a way to easily do what I want to do.  It doesn't seem like this would be hard.
Here's what I want to do.
 
I've got a recording where the resulting wave file where the music stays primarily between -6db though - 6db on the other
side of the wave.  This is where 99% of the music is.  Occasionally, there is some music above -6db (usually a loud cymbal crash or something), but the majority of the spikes above -6db through -2.5db are hand clapps that I would like to perform a
volume reduction on. 

If I highlight an area or the entire wave, is there anyway to cut all noise louder than -6db by a
variable such as - 3db, or cut it to - 6db so that I have some consistency before normalizing the audio?
 
Sure, I can cut the claps manually, but that's time consuming when I know that all of the spikes above -6db in a 2 minute section
are all clapping.  What's the easy way to drop these down in the mix?  I would assume this would help the recording out so that I can get the most out of normalization / compression. 

I also have access to Cool Edit, Audacity, and some other stuff and i'm not tied to any single tool, or to just one. 

Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated and I would be glad to start an FAQ or document for those that want to learn how best to master their live recordings.

Dave
 

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: BayTaynt3d on July 21, 2006, 07:13:51 PM

It's called COMPRESSION. Read up on it...

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: Brian Skalinder on July 21, 2006, 11:01:05 PM

Quote from: BayTaper on July 21, 2006, 07:13:51 PM

It's called COMPRESSION. Read up on it...

Audition / CEP has an excellent Help file.  Start there and come back with questions if you have 'em.  And don't bother at all with Audacity for compression - it's a broken feature at the moment.

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: momule on July 21, 2006, 11:35:48 PM

Can’t speak for Audicity as I really have not seen it in action. But you may find That using Eq's, Compression and other effects In certain order's Will result in different outcomes. 

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: RebelRebel on July 22, 2006, 10:48:55 AM

Here are some excellent posts on compression..

http://www.lintrophx.com/southside/compression_uncompressed.zip  (VERY GOOD)

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/11-7-2005-80793.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Audio_level_compression

http://www.dancemusicshop.com/learn/compression.html

http://www.digifreq.com/digifreq/article.asp?ID=20

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: tapeheadtoo on July 23, 2006, 12:10:00 AM

Quote from: Teddy on July 22, 2006, 10:48:55 AM

Here are some excellent posts on compression..

http://www.lintrophx.com/southside/compression_uncompressed.zip  (VERY GOOD)

Wow, I am just starting to learn how to remaster my recordings -- I've been struggling the past two days with these very issues -- using Sound Studio trying everything to get the overall volume up -- and I just happen to come across your post with this link.  I'm going to spend tomorrow reading up on this.         I would +T you if I could....

Title: Re: How can i reduce noise levels above certain db level across wave or section?
Post by: Bart.VL71 on July 26, 2006, 02:54:26 PM

Use a limiter.