Welp, I did it. All thanks to you.
I got a clip to finally pass ACX-Check on my own.
Here is the recording, proof and levels after RMS Noise, Limiter and Noise Reduction 9, 6, 6.
Though, at max volume I still hear moving air at about -54 dB.
Sound proofing still to come!
And it would get even better with Effect > Equalizer in front of the whole thing. It’s a tool collection. Shouldn’t leave any out.
Equalization
RMS Normalize
Limiter
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/audiobook-mastering-version-4/45908/1
Then add Noise Reduction.
Koz
Sorry, yes I did follow the Equalization step, just didn’t put it in my last post.
Now…I had a few questions about Audacity with the use of a mixer.
Do I need to mess with the Mic Recording Volume within Audacity or should I keep it at 1.00? The mixer can adjust the Gain, Level and Main Mix as well so I was wondering if moving my RV down I would prevent the mic from hitting the proper noise floor of -60dB?
Now that I have my settings regarding Level, Main Mix and Gain, should I ever mess with them or leave them be?
We only know about what you tell us.
61.5dB is not a lot of elbow room. You fall off at 60 and 1.5dB is really tiny. That’s probably why you can still hear some noise if you listen carefully.
But yes, that’s the idea.
And you’ll get another noise assist when you get rid of the room echoes. Your computer noises are bouncing off the walls and coming back more than once.
Koz
Mic Recording Volume within Audacity
With a USB source, you usually can’t move it. It goes all the way up and that’s that.
should I ever mess with them or leave them be?
As long as you don’t change anything major, there’s no reason to move the settings. I predict you’re going to need a little boost when you get your soundproofing. Echoes sound loud. Get rid of that bathroom sound and only the slightly quieter main voice is left.
Where did the three knobs end up?
Koz
Gain 3 o’clock
Level 1 10 o’clock
Main Mix a hair over 9 o’clock.
Image provided, but for some reason it’s sideways.
for some reason it’s sideways.
I see them fine.
Post another picture where we can see all the knobs. Make sure the shot is bright enough to make out the settings. If that your phone? Does it have an auto flash?
The mixer is doing something a little unusual. Level and Master settings are lower than I expected. They work at those settings, but I wonder if I’m missing something. Remember where they are now.
Reduce the Gain (up left) to noon. See where the other two need to be boosted to give you about the same voice volume. As way up the thread, neither of us has used this mixer before, so we’re all feeling our way. Each manufacturer has little tricks that make their mixer Much Better than everybody else’s. Behringer stuff has a good reputation, so we just have to figure out what’s going on.
Koz
With that said, I was wondering if I lower the gain to -60dB for a decent noise floor and play with my Main Mix or Level and use an isolation shield would I get better audio quality?
Here are some options
https://www.amazon.com/Primacoustic-VoxGuard-Recording-Ambient-Attenuator/dp/B003XKGOWW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=as_li_tl&linkCode=sl1&tag=reflectionfilters-20&linkId=ed0f48dc209458bd14c528bfdb72d43b
Either way, I have to treat my room somehow with a sound proofing method and from what I’ve seen the panels are pretty expensive, but I could also DIY an isolation box as well.
Thoughts?
I re-read this post you made back on the 28th.
I have this type of foam. You’re saying these won’t work?
Reading back to chapter 6.
Let’s get the basic mixer working.
Plug the mic into channel 1.
Gain at around 3:00 o’clock
Compressor off
The next 5 knobs at zero or in the middle.
The compressor knob should be off, but the EQ knobs should be in the middle. All the way to the left on those isn’t “off.”
Then FX should be full left. That’s effects send. That’s if you wanted to send your voice to a processor you bought as a separate box.
apparently had a better mic.
I didn’t know they hosted a race or contest. Or is that something the writer does? I really doubt the microphone had anything to do with it. What was your exact message? They usually send along a review or short message.
Once you pass ACX Check legally, you are then judged by Human Quality Control, or perhaps the producer. That’s when a person listens to your work for reading style, rhythm, expression and theatrical quality. That’s between you and the listener. Audacity has nothing to do with it. That’s why it’s super important you know exactly why you failed. Not everybody can read for production.
They got the real Chris Pratt to read for Emmet in Lego Movie. It’s a cartoon. Anybody could read for it. He’s an actor.
You can try whatever soundproofing you like, and everything you do will help, but the idea is get the most bang for the buck and effort.
Those half-round shields are in the exact wrong place to do the most good. The microphone is sensitive on its front and a little sideways. Face the microphone and spread your arms out. That’s what you have to soundproof for the best effect. Then work further around the sides.
Top view. You are standing at 0 and the microphone is in the middle. This particular microphone has two dead places on the lower left and right sides. Most of the activity is straight up to you and some left and right, 90 and 270. That’s where the most soundproofing should go.
I have this type of foam.
How heavy is it? Real acoustic foam is heavy and like throwing a folded blanket across the room. Packing foam is designed to be light so it doesn’t cost a lot when you ship something. Anything you use will do something. I shot some voice work in a storage closet. Boxes of paper contracts make terrific soundproofing.
There is a poster who has different techniques and tools for audiobooks and he posted a video. I watched most of it and noted he also found good use for shipping and moving blankets.
This isn’t necessarily a recommendation. I just thought he had a different approach. But he did start with a quiet, echo-free room.
With a quiet, echo-free room I can hit ACX with a personal recorder and roll of paper towels.
Koz
And before you lose it in the mists of time, we were going to experiment with Gain at noon and re-adjust the other two for the same or similar results. Also, your volume is going to increase now that you readjusted the EQ knobs.
This still doesn’t feel right. Are you sure you couldn’t find a Microphone Boost setting in Windows?
I found this.
http://noobguides.blogspot.com/2009/12/microphone-too-quiet-adjust-microphone.html
A lot of sound enhancements came in with Win10. That’s the one with the really fancy-pants services and tools.
Koz
The three EQ knobs are tone controls. The top one is treble (crispness), the middle one is, well, midrange (roughly telephone) sounds and the bottom one is bass notes and rumble. You can add those sounds or take them away, which is why “off” is in the middle.
Koz
I didn’t know they hosted a race or contest. Or is that something the writer does? I really doubt the microphone had anything to do with it. What was your exact message? They usually send along a review or short message.
Hello bh2win, we actually liked your audition. But an old dude with a better microphone beat you out. You have the voice but not the microphone. And that’s just constructive analysis for you. But we’d love to work with you on something down the line. Go to Amazon and look up Xavier James books and read something else. Keep moving forward with your voice work. Best Wishes, NAME
Let’s get the basic mixer working.
Plug the mic into channel 1.
Gain at around 3:00 o’clock
Compressor off
The next 5 knobs at zero or in the middle.
The compressor knob should be off, but the EQ knobs should be in the middle. All the way to the left on those isn’t “off.”Then FX should be full left. That’s effects send. That’s if you wanted to send your voice to a processor you bought as a separate box.
From compressor, there are 3 knobs until FX and they are now set to 0. Then FX is all LEFT and PAN is in the middle.
apparently had a better mic.
I misread your original recommendation, thinking all the way left was OFF. This has been fixed.
I found this.
Noob Guides: 12/01/2009 - 01/01/2010 > … phone.html
A lot of sound enhancements came in with Win10. That’s the one with the really fancy-pants services and tools.
I am certain that my microphone does not have a boost option, I am also on Windows 8.1.
How heavy is it? Real acoustic foam is heavy and like throwing a folded blanket across the room. Packing foam is designed to be light so it doesn’t cost a lot when you ship something. Anything you use will do something. I shot some voice work in a storage closet. Boxes of paper contracts make terrific soundproofing.
It’s less than a pound for a sheet that is about 14 inches wide, 24 inches long. So some weight, but a bit lighter than a blanket I would say.
Sound test!
This is on my desktop, not my laptop so not as quiet as usual but I got the clip to pass ACX-Test.
Gain at Noon, EQ knobs at 0.
I notice the fuller sound in my voice so that is cool. With that said, I still need to soundproof. I had to put moving blankets in the windows to dampen sound so I’m down to two moving blankets. Will need to order more.
But an old dude with a better microphone beat you out. You have the voice but not the microphone.
That still makes my teeth hurt. People blame all sorts of things on a bad microphone. If you submitted a voice test with your room echo, I can believe they think a better microphone will get rid of that bare, stainless-steel kitchen sound.
Your voice will be fuller and with better tones if you put the mixer EQ controls back where they’re supposed to be. It’s their job to move your voice tones around.
Gain_at_noon_…
Nothing wrong with that. I easily got it to pass ACX with a little noise reduction. It even sounds like you. I suspect it will be even better without the machine whine.
Time for a dip into the bag-o’tricks. Can you build a wall between the desktop computer and you? Doesn’t have to be much. Put a broom between two chairs and hang a double-over moving pad over it so the machine is on one side and you’re on the other. You get the idea. The machine whine noise has to make it through two layers of heavy cotton batting to get to you.
Do not, ever restrict the ventilation and cooling of the computer.
[time passes]
That last test seems to be missing most of the room echoes. Whatever you did there works. Now make the computer fans go away.
Koz
That last test seems to be missing most of the room echoes. Whatever you did there works. Now make the computer fans go away.
Working on it.
Will stick w/ the laptop for now, it works.
So I have a skeleton of a studio, but I ran out of blankets.
My dimensions are:
Length 77"
Width 61.5"
Height was 72"
The PVC is 1" thick, and the height pieces have couplers that can shorten the studio to 59 1/4" if I don’t need all that space. Sitting, it’s perfectly comfortable but if I needed to stand I have the option to.
Blankets are in the mail, will test again then once I have my own little Unibomber studio to practice.
So far, the PVC cost me about $50. I had to purchase some clamps at $3/pc. Overall you can build a pretty inexpensive studio in the house if you know what you’re doing.
The Home Store plastic pipes work amazingly well. They have one odd problem. Don’t leave any of the pipe ends open. They resonate with your voice and can change the tone. If you do have any open ends, stick a towel or sock in there.
I did it with complicated wooden sticks. They don’t have any problems changing voice tone.
That’s one wall.
The wooden sticks probably knock down to a smaller pile in the garage than the pipes. All these designs work well.
If you didn’t have carpeting, put one pad on the floor.
After you get into this, you can walk into your studio and hear the sudden drop in liveness and reverberation. It’s like putting pillows over your ears.
~~
There is a seriously magic way to do this. The company in an old building had a “music room” with no obvious sound proofing. No pads except thin industrial carpeting. And yet…I send many sound shoots through there.
Most home users can’t do it this way. The walls and ceiling weren’t square. If you really paid attention; the ceiling wasn’t level with the floor and none of the walls were flat to each other. There’s a bunch of arithmetic you need to do to pull this off, but you can’t have echoes if there are few if any right angles.
The opposite of that was an office I had. Perfect walls. I could clap and go to lunch and when I got back the clap would still be bouncing back and forth.
Koz
