Topic: Need Noise removal help - Rainforest Binaural recording

[Scuba Jeremy]

I just returned from Honduras and Guatemala and got some very good binaural recordings with my SP-BNC-2 and Edirol R09. The trouble is that these microphones are somewhat basic, and did pick up some interference from the proximity of my camera, which was around my neck. There is a noticeable hum when I pick my camera up to take a shot. I couldn't not take the pictures, and I didn't want to stop rolling tape, so I figured I would try to clean it up in post. (pictures are on my website - http://www.scubajeremy.net)

I'm having a hard time distinguishing the noise of the insects and the noise of the camera hum. I've included a 10 second 24bit wav form that includes the noise at the 5 second mark. Take a listen, and if anyone can identify which frequencies I should nip to fix the problem without killing the sound, please feel free to help! I'll kickdown many more of these binaural tracks if I can get them relatively cleaned up. Thanks!

http://www.scubajeremy.net/Noise.wav (2.54MB)

[digifish_music]

I just returned from Honduras and Guatemala and got some very good binaural recordings with my SP-BNC-2 and Edirol R09. The trouble is that these microphones are somewhat basic, and did pick up some interference from the proximity of my camera, which was around my neck. There is a noticeable hum when I pick my camera up to take a shot. I couldn't not take the pictures, and I didn't want to stop rolling tape, so I figured I would try to clean it up in post. (pictures are on my website - http://www.scubajeremy.net)

I'm having a hard time distinguishing the noise of the insects and the noise of the camera hum. I've included a 10 second 24bit wav form that includes the noise at the 5 second mark. Take a listen, and if anyone can identify which frequencies I should nip to fix the problem without killing the sound, please feel free to help! I'll kickdown many more of these binaural tracks if I can get them relatively cleaned up. Thanks!

http://www.scubajeremy.net/Noise.wav (2.54MB)

Hi Jeremy, I have a very similar field recording setup (SP-TFB-2), great field recording BTW, nice soundcsape. I have heard the same interference on my system from cameras and the R09 itself. The mics are not well shielded (not that they really can be I think)...so...

With Audacity you should be able to remove most of that buzz...

1. Select spectrum mode
2. Select the section with the most noise (around 5.5-6.5 seconds).
3. Select Effect, noise-removal, get noise profile.
4. Apply the filter to the whole sample (with variations until you get it right)

e.g.

www.digifishmusic.com/public/sounds/Noise_2.wav

However this is slightly cheating as I used Edison in FL Studio and EQ'd the noisy part to only reveal the frequency bands where the buzz sound was audible before taking a noise profile.

That is

Frequencies below ~ 4900 Hz cut.
Noise spectrum taken on remaining frequencies (in the 5.5 to 6.5 second range)
Then that applied to the original sample.

Here's how the noise looks...



digifish

[George2]

Is that a crowd of people talking in the back round the whole time..... ?

[Scuba Jeremy]

Is that a crowd of people talking in the back round the whole time..... ?

Well, it was recorded at just before dusk on the grounds of a Mayan temple complex where presumably hundreds of souls met their fate on the sacrificial altars. Voices from beyond the grave? That, or a nearby highway, but I'll let it to your imagination.

I was travelling in a group of 12, and there were also about five guards at the gate of the complex who had the duty of locking up after we left. In the longer clip that I'm sending to Quiet American (1 minute), you can hear more of the guards, and a little of our group.

http://www.scubajeremy.net/Copan_Macaws

I did create a filter on a spot of tape that was mostly noise, and filtered out the majority of the noise without sacrificing too much of the ambient insects. WARNING - The Macaws can be VERY loud in these copies.

Thanks for the help! +T to you both.

[digifish_music]

Is that a crowd of people talking in the back round the whole time..... ?

Well, it was recorded at just before dusk on the grounds of a Mayan temple complex where presumably hundreds of souls met their fate on the sacrificial altars. Voices from beyond the grave? That, or a nearby highway, but I'll let it to your imagination.

I was travelling in a group of 12, and there were also about five guards at the gate of the complex who had the duty of locking up after we left. In the longer clip that I'm sending to Quiet American (1 minute), you can hear more of the guards, and a little of our group.

http://www.scubajeremy.net/Copan_Macaws

I did create a filter on a spot of tape that was mostly noise, and filtered out the majority of the noise without sacrificing too much of the ambient insects. WARNING - The Macaws can be VERY loud in these copies.

Thanks for the help! +T to you both.

What did you think of my NR'd example above?

BTW: While you are in a sharing mood, don't forget Freesound 

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/

e.g...latest uploads,

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/latestUploads.php

digifish