Equalizing recorded lectures

I’m a novice to audio recording and I’m not sure there is an answer to my question. I do audio lectures using Audacity and focusrite with a unidirectional mic. Sometimes my recordings of the lecture vary even if completed at the same time (they are often done in sets and then merged together). Sometimes the lecture sounds like its in a tunnel, other times not. I can’t always rerecord for time and cost reasons.

First, is there a way to always record without the tunnel sound.

Second, can I equalize the sound (base/background sound and voice?) so they are similar enough - they don’t have to be exactly equalized, but reasonably close. If so, how? Also, I really new at this so go slow with the answers.

Thanks so much.

Zeda :bulb:

Which Windows? If you’re on Win7 or Vista, you should look in the audio control panels for corporate conferencing and sound processing tools. Modern laptops are not entertainment recorders. They’re designed to connect to the corporate main office and have a remote board meeting.

Scroll down to Conferencing.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/windowsRecording.html

Second, can I equalize the sound (base/background sound and voice?) so they are similar enough

Now you need to describe the show. Most people want the background to vanish – air conditioners, conversations, TVs running, Metrobus noise.

Koz

I am using Windows 7. I may not be using the correct terminology so I have attached a short sample test.aup file The first 3 seconds is tunnel like and the second clip (at about 4 seconds) is not, there is no tunnel sound. I want to make these sound similar so the differences are not so obvious. Is thee a way to do this?

Thanks for the documentation, I’ll be reading that over.

Zeda
test.aup (1.16 KB)

I think you were perfectly clear. The Windows Conferencing Services are famous for producing tunnel and barrel-speaking effects. Follow the links to turn it off.

AUP isn’t a sound file. It’s an Audacity Project manager and it’s plain text. That’s why it’s so small.

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1

Koz

Thanks, I’m sorry, I do know it isn’t a sound file, sorry, I’m distracted. I’ll turn off that conferencing, I didn’t realize it did that. is there any way to fix what I have currently or at least adjust so its not so obvious? I have ten minutes of audio to fix. Now I have hopefully added a .wav file, not ten minutes just a few seconds. Its not the worse of the lot, but it should illustrate what I working with. I’ve tried adjusting the amplify and bassboost.

Zeda

Actually, it may be a lot more straightforward than I thought. It sounds like you recorded the first track with your laptop built-in microphone and not your high quality performance microphone. Obviously, the second track is normal. The laptop microphone would pick up the room echoes and sound pretty awful. Barrelly and echoey.

Koz

Echoes and compression-sounding distortion is permanent. It’s two of the four horsemen for destroying a show.
Koz

Alternately, if you have a recording system that can change “modes” like a Zoom recorder. You may accidentally have chosen one of the matrix or special purpose modes or configurations instead of just simple record my voice and go home.

If you do fix it, you need to tell us what it was. We use that to help others.

Koz

Thanks Koz. I’ve been playing with a combination of bassboost and amplify. It’s not a good fix but I think I can fake this one enough not to raise too much ruckus. Or I am just being optimistic and I am firmly in denial. It helps to know about the laptop built in microphone. I do have a high quality performance microphone. I think it defaults to the laptop microphone and that is not being checked before the recording. It appears I learn a lot by making mistakes. And this has become another learning opportunity.

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks.

Zeda

Force a short recording to the laptop and see if it sounds like your problem.
Koz