ACX check is happy, can somebody listen?

[Galaxy Dog]

Hello,

I've been going through the great advice on this board, and recorded a page or so of my book based on all the hints and tips I've read here.

I got noise in my studio down to high -50s (between -57 and -59), which I figure should be okay.

Then I applied target RMS + limiter + noise reduction.

I was as gentle as I could be, I think, but I'm worried it'll sound processed.

I would really appreciate it, if somebody with an ear for such things could take a listen

[kozikowski]

Post the original, before any effects or filters.

Koz

[Galaxy Dog]

Oops, forgot to export a wav before I started messing with it. Grrr.

Never mind, important lesson learned, and it's only a page. I'll just record it again.

But does that mean it's over-processed?

[kozikowski]

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/Test ... _Clip.html

But does that mean it's over-processed?

It means I think it could sound better but I don't know why yet. I know you have sub-audible interference (thunder) that could be affecting the other tools.

Yes, continually stepping on original, live recordings with corrections is a very New User error. If the edit becomes damaged or the computer falls over without a safety backup, you get to go straight back to the beginning and read it all again.

Pretty much what you're doing now, although I would record a test clip rather than a whole page.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Do you have a Blue Yeti?

Koz

[Galaxy Dog]

I have a cheepo mic - made by a company called Trust.

I've recorded a new clip.
The noise floor passed ACX - Later in the day after rush hour means less noise -

Here it is.

clip-of-page-of-chapter-one-no-mastering.wav

(1.23 MiB) Downloaded 33 times

And thanks for your help.

[kozikowski]

As a very fuzzy rule, the microphone doesn't matter as much as the room. I have a terrific room and I can almost get away with presenting into my laptop microphone.

I can't listen until I get back home.

Noise Reduction doesn't work so well on traffic. It works on constant noises, and traffic is always changing.

I may be able to give you a Noise bump without Noise Reduction.

But the more serious problem is you sound like you're announcing into a bath towel.

Koz

[kozikowski]

I'm not ignoring you. You need a tool I had trouble finding.

As we go.

Koz

[kozikowski]

OK. Got it.

That's six different effects stacked.

-- MultiNotch
You have an effect called Yeti Curse. That's the frying mosquitoes whine in the background. You can't get rid of it with normal Noise Reduction. That just makes you sound honky and talking into a wine glass.

-- LFRolloff
That's basically turning the bass control down in a very controlled way. This helps you with ACX Noise and gets rid of DC offset. You can't actually hear most of this working, but it helps a lot with ACX.

-- SetRMS
You know about this one. That forces your loudness to meet ACX.

-- Limiter
gets rid of the peak problems caused by SetRMS.

-- VE4VoiceEq
This brightens you up and gets rid of that talking into a towel effect.

-- Noise Reduction
Those tools boost the noise a little, so this gets you under ACX noise compliance without sounding like it's working. If you just hate that quiet frying sound, you can bump that up a little without causing problems.


After I got done getting rid of the mud (bath towel) sound, you can actually hear the room in there now, but it's not very bad. and I think it's good to go.

Put something on the timeline > Effect > Equalization. Look for VE4VoiceEq preset. Do you have that? I can't tell if it's something I added or not. I don't think so.

Three of those are pre-baked effects. The other three are custom programs and will have to be installed or loaded as needed.

Every chapter.

And yes, I understand you said this was a quiet reading because of low traffic. These readings may not pass any more if the traffic picks up. That mud/towel effect covers up a lot of problems


Listen to the clip as you sent it to us, and then the one I corrected.

I'll post back with details and settings. I had to write them down. You got lucky. Sometimes corrections don't work.

Koz

[kozikowski]

It sounds like a theatrical presentation on FM radio. <g>

Koz