How to remove very low mouth sounds from podcast

[frankturley]

Hi there, I am creating training podcasts and sometimes there are mouth sounds (very low sounds) in the podcasts and I would like to remove these.

More information
* I cut most of the noise out using the noise removal (Select noise and then remove noise)
* I am left with my podcast vocal and what appears to be silence in between but there are some mouth noise in there.

My Question
* Is is possible to tell Audacity and all parts of the recording that appears as silence should be silence?
eg: remove all noise under a certain level?

Thanks
Frank

[kozikowski]

Noise Removal isn't for that. Noise Removal is to get rid of a single, constant, irritating sound through the whole show, like air conditioning, refrigerator, or fan noise. It won't deal with noises that change during the show like a metrobus starting up or a truck going by -- or odd speech problems.

Steve wrote a Noise Gate that may be right down your alley. Suppress anything below a certain volume.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/download/file.php?id=1272

Take it easy on applying the correction. It's easy to overdo it and make the show sound odd.
Koz

[kozikowski]

I'm just now waking up. Are you complaining about popping your plosives, like "P" and "B?" People usually complain about that in terms like scaring the cat and souring milk, not "very low sounds."

Those are very different and the Noise Gate will not remove them.

Are these vocal presentations posted on-line anywhere we can listen? I'm getting the feeling we should listen before we send you off to use tools that may not be appropriate.

Do you use a headset microphone? Those can work really well, but you do have to be careful it doesn't pick up too much.

Koz

[frankturley]

Hi Koz
I better send you an example, see attachments.
I use a good SAMSON USB microphone with VISTA, they seem to work OK together but sometimes the recording volume changes by itself from day to day. I use the noise removal feature to remove all background noise and this works great as the microphone picks up a constant background noise even thought my room is very very quite (room in cellar)

Let me trying to explain the noise
* As you talk, you mouth can have more saliva
* The sound is from the saliva as your mouth changes shape getting ready for the next words
* This can give a lip smacking sound or saliva sound
* So it this sound that I want to remove

Do these sounds show on the graph?
* No, the line stays flat but when you play it, it is audible
* This is why I think the gate idea would be good, so let me know if I should use it .

Many thanks for taking the time to reply to me.
Regards
Frank

[kozikowski]

Like this?

This is Steve's noise gate, version 2.1 or 3.0 depending on how you count.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/download/file.php?id=1272

Level Reduction is the amount of correction. I think I used -20dB.
Gate Threshold is the level below which correct is applied. I think I used -30dB.
Attack/Decay is adjusted so the filter doesn't cut off beginnings and endings of words. I think I used 200.

You actually produced noise in your sample that was quite loud compared to the show. I had trouble setting the threshold.

Experiment with a real clip.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Let me give you a little more on those adjustments. All the dB values are based on the dancing lights sound meter. The amount of correction is defined as that many dB lower than it is now.

The threshold setting is absolute dB, zero being maximum.

You should very badly adjust the settings just once to get an idea what they do.

Koz

[frankturley]

Many thanks for answering the question for me, this tool is super
Again thanks.
Is there a way to donate to this forum?
Frank

[waxcylinder]

Is there a way to donate to this forum?

Hi Frank,

the elves on the forum appreciate all the help we can get (there aren't that many of us!). What we really like is someone who develops some experience and skills with Audacity coming back here and helping out other less-skilled users with answers to queries.

But if you really want to donate cash - see this page on the Audacity site: http://audacityteam.org/community/donate

WC