I’m a complete beginner in sound editing. For a short time I became familiar with Audacity. Ok, my task is the following: “Remove all simulated noise in the audio file zadatak(task).wav. The goal is to use various software tools such as noise reduction, click and crackle removal tool,
wave line edit tool, equalization, etc., to eliminate the interference characteristic of vinyl reproduction
plate.
The final volume should be the quality that is closer to that found in the audio file resenje(solution).wav.”
The image above shows the appearance of the sound waves. The top one is task, and the bottom one is solution.
What I have done so far is a noise reduction using Noise Removal effect. What should be done next and what effects to use to handle the challange?!
Try viewing the sound in “spectrum” display rather than waveform, it will help you identify clicks : they produce a large spike which usually covers all of the audio spectrum, (clicks are not always obviously large on the waveform display) …
Playing the track slowly, say half speed, will help you spot defects which need to be repaired.
I used to do what was suggested by Trebor and manually removing my clicks, orginally with the Draw tool and later with the Repair effect when that was introduced - but that was tedious and time consuming - and I always missed some!
My workflow now is
capture (audacity set at 44.1kHz 32-bit float
export a 32-bit WAV file of the capture
pass though ClickRepair (32-bit in => 32 bit out)
import the repaired file into Audacity
all other processing: intertrak clean-up, track labelling etc
Export a set of WAVs
backup the Wavs two two external USB disks
A few points:
a) I never bother to Save an Audacity project for LP/tape cature - no need
b) I prefer to work one side on an LP at a time - I like the smaller working set
c) step 2 above also gives me a raw capture backup should I need it
d) point 7 above is the most important part of the workflow
Using a software package for sound editing (Audacity, SoundForge, WaveLab) to remove all simulated noise in the audio file zadatak.wav.
The goal is to use various software tools such as noise reduction, click and crackle removal tool, wave line edit tool, equalization, etc., to eliminate the interference characteristic of vinyl reproduction plate.
The final volume should be the quality that is closer to that found in the audio file resenje.wav. Estimated time to work: 30 minutes
The task of graphics: Adobe Photoshop CS4
The task of the animation: Adobe Flash CS4
The task of the video: Adobe Premiere CS4
The task of audio: Audacity 2
From here I am restricted to Audacity 2(I think I can forget about Brian Davies or Goldwave!)
I’m pretty good in the first three, but sound editing don’t go well. Maybe I just have no talent for music!
From here you can hear how much the audio in zadatak(task).wav is damaged. And the audio in resenje(solution).wav looks me unbeatable. So can you suggest me some techniques which use standalone Audacity?!
The tracks are stereo, some of the noises only occur on one channel (e.g. left only), it may be possible to remove the defect on one channel and patch the gap with a copy of the other channel at that point.
Is the time limit to repair this really 30 minutes !, it should be more like 30 hours.
None of Audacity’s native effects (i.e. the ones it is shipped with) can deal with vinyl surface noise (aka “crackle”).
There may be a de-crackle (VST) plugin which can be used with Audacity, would that be breaking the rules ?
I split stereo tracks and did exactly that, but there is a lot of others frustrating crackles and clicks which i can’t tackle. Can you hear in resenje(solution).wav that the sound is little bit smoother and softer. Is this equalization effect?
The “solution” is something to aim for, IMO from “zadatak.wav” it is not possible to create something indistinguishable from resenje.wav , no matter how much time and money you had.
rolling-off the higher frequencies, above 5KHz, using the equalizer will reduce the crackle, but the music will sound dull as a result.
I suggest trying to find a de-crackle VST plugin which you can use in Audacity, I’ve had a quick look on the net but all the “free” stuff I can find is “cracked”, and I suspect comes with a bonus malware payload.
I don’t think there’s anything in the standard Audacity that will really touch the crackle - it’s too heavy for the “Click Removal” effect and far too extensive for manual repair.
It’s a good exercise, but I agree with Trebor “from “zadatak.wav” it is not possible to create something indistinguishable from resenje.wav”, though with additional tools and more time it is possible to get closer than my attempt.
Well if we’re going to allow other programs , here’s the same as previously after running it through Gnome Wave Cleaner (Linux only) http://www.sendspace.com/file/4rmxny
(Not as good as it should have been as it should have been cleaned much earlier in the process - certainly before I encoded it to Ogg).
So as to avoid compressing twice, this one is in WAV format (27.84MB)
To do the job properly I’d really want a couple of hours and GWC in addition to Audacity.
What about the 30 minute limit? I was under the impression that this was “in exam conditions”.
Another “unscrupulous” approach would be to mix in 10% of the bad track with 90% of the good track and submit that
Yet another would be for a competitor to pay me my hourly rate to spend an hour on the job (kidding )
A nicer way of cheating would be for someone to pay Jeff Welty to convert GWC into a module or plug-in for Audacity (then we would all benefit)
…
It is some kind of high school competition in my country:
, here’s the same as previously after running it through Gnome Wave Cleaner (Linux only)
)