Click/Breathing/Noise not sure what to call it removal help

[mgeno216]

So for a school project I put together a rap and recorded it, but I have a sound that is distracting and annoying through out the whole thing. I think it is just my breathing, but i am not sure. I have already run the noise removal, but can't get rid of the sound. Rercording isn't an option so i need to get rid of this with Audacity.

For anyone who is curious the song is Like I am Tobit to the beat of Like a G6. I am aware that it is a god awful song, but it will do for this pupose. Tobit is a Bible book (it is a denominational thing).

I uploaded the files to MegaUpload. I recorded it into two halves so if someone could take a look at these for me and help me that would be much appreciated

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K5XIPZXJ FIRST HALF
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y79NRUSB SECOND HALF

I can upload them somewhere else if you guys think i might be trying to spread viruses because i am new, just let me know.

Mike

[kozikowski]

You're too close to the microphone and you're popping your Ps. That's a little rough to get rid of in post production, but I'd start with a High Pass Filter.

[time passes]

That's not going to work. There's too much damage during the pop and the common tricks don't work.

We'll see what others think, but I think you have no show.

This is how commercial recording studios get around this problem. That's what the round black screen does. It's a pop and blast filter.

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/wynonna2.jpg

Koz

[kozikowski]

@steve

Did you ever produce a reverse noise gate? If the sound is too loud, it dips. That might be valuable here.

Koz

[steve]

I know you said it isn't an option, but I agree with Koz that the "re-shoot" filter is the best option.
Here's a short sample from your recording after:
Massively reducing the pops with a "limiter",
High pass filter,
Amplification,
Manually reducing a couple of the worst pops.

2nd Half post edit.wav

(415.06 KiB) Downloaded 115 times

<<Did you ever produce a reverse noise gate? >>
That's essentially what the "Limiter" is doing.

Some Tips: (things to avoid on the next take)
Avoid blowing on the microphone.
Avoid saving as MP3 if possible (the metallic bubbly sound that you can hear in this sample is due to the MP3 encoding).
If you must use MP3, use a higher quality setting, or make the track mono before exporting.

[mgeno216]

I still have all the original recordings, I don't have to export it as an mp3, what is the best format to use?

When I manually reduce the pops, (pardon my little knowledge) do I lower the high sharp line (like a mountain) or the low sharp line (like a trench).

What level did you do the high pass filter at?

And how much did you amplify it?

Sorry for the questions, but I am in a rush to finish this. It is due tommorow and I still need to add a video backround with subtitles so I still have alot to do.

Thanks so much guys,
Mike

[kozikowski]

Yes, it will take forever, but select each peak and Control-L to reduce it to zero, or Amplify to some negative number like -30 or so.

You can follow Steve's recipe and that will be faster than doing them one by one. I don't know a good automated way to get rid of those. Pops are one thing, but your noises are more complicated than pops and there's no voice underneath the noise. Delete the pop and there's a hole.

@Steve

That's essentially what the "Limiter" is doing.

I want the Pop Gate to be able to reduce to zero. Then you wouldn't have had to reduce the really bad pops by hand. They would just all go away -- or to some much lower value, and not limited by the volume of the show.

Koz

[steve]

Short samples (up to about 5 seconds) can be uploaded to the forum in WAV or FLAC format. These formats do not cause the "damage" that occurs with MP3 encoding.
(we only need a few seconds of audio to asses the problem).

The sample I posted was done in the following way:

Audacity 1.3.12 http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
Install "90 LADSPA plug-in set" http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/plugins

Start (or restart) Audacity for the plug-ins to be recognised.

Import the file ("File menu > Import > Audio")
Apply the effect "Fast Lookahead Limiter" with the settings: Input gain = 20, Limit = -8, Release Time = 0.5
Apply the effect "High Pass Filter" with the settings: Roll-off = 12 dB, Cut-off Frequency = 250 Hz
Apply the effect "Amplify": "New Peak Amplitude = -2.5 (that's "minus two point five")

I wouldn't bother tweaking individual pops, it'll take too long and won't make it sound much better.

[steve]

I want the Pop Gate to be able to reduce to zero. Then you wouldn't have had to reduce the really bad pops by hand. They would just all go away -- or to some much lower value, and not limited by the volume of the show

That's true, but in this case it does not improve the sound much.
Reducing the pops to zero will leave a hole.
The pops are already being reduced by over 24 dB.
An "inverse gate", or whatever it may be called could perhaps be useful if the damage was a lot less. Are there other uses for such an effect?

[kozikowski]

Reducing the pops to zero will leave a hole.

But only if you programmed it that way. The advantage of a pop gate is the ability to reduce or eliminate pops without affecting the rest of the show at all. This particular show, for example, might have been passable if you recognized all the much, much higher pop peaks and make them quieter than the rest of the show. Not even to zero. If you play this raw show with a really good sound system, it will scare the cat and spill the tea. There is enormous energy down there. That's why initially I thought I'd be able to help with high pass filters.

It's the same controls you have with the Noise Gate. Threshold, rise and fall times, and limit level. They trigger on high instead of low. Or leave everything else alone and reverse Keep and Trash. Something like that. If you need to start over, you're probably working too hard. 80% of the tool already exists.

I expect one of the phonograph cat hair processors might be useful....

Koz

[Trebor]

This is how commercial recording studios get around this problem. That's what the round black screen does. It's a pop and blast filter.

…It is due tommorow

I suggest you make a pop screen from household items, e.g. a thin shirt on a coathanger, and re-record.

In addition to a pop screen I’d try put something over the mic, if you don’t have a foam cover for the mic use cotton sock(s).