Need help making voices louder

[sher]

Hi, I am a newbie to Audicity and am wondering if a WAV voice recording that I have (a conversation that took place outside a car) can be improved so that I can hear the voices clearly and loudly. As it is, the voices are too quiet (even at full volume) to make out clearly. Any help at all would be appreciated! I'll upload the file below. I hope it is not too big - I couldn't figure out how to only choose a few seconds. I actually need about 10 minutes of voices improved. Is there anyone here who could do that? I would be happy to pay you. Show me a sample of your work with the file below.

Thank you!

Version 2.0.5
Windows 8

REC004.aup

(133.99 KiB) Downloaded 38 times

[kozikowski]

AUP is a list of Audacity instructions and words. It's not a sound file.

But I think I can work with this anyway.

No.

If you can't make out the voices by just listening to the performance, then we're not going to be able to help you. Audacity can't do forensics like those people on TV.

There are some base-level tools that may help.

Effect > Amplify: OK.
That should make the whole show louder.

Effect > Equalization > Select Curve: Telephone: OK.
The telephone effect can sometimes make voices a little easier to hear.

That's it.

Koz

[sher]

Thank you Koz. I tried what you suggested but it didn't make the voices much clearer. I noticed there was a lot of background noise in the way, too - it's a job site so you can hear the loud hum of machinery and outside noise in the background. Can you suggest anything else for me to try? Alternately, I can send you the original WAV file and maybe you could work your magic on it? Let me know - thanks so much.

[kozikowski]

I have no spells for this. The only people who can pull a clear voice out of trash are the writers of TV shows such as CSI.

It's a theatrical gag they use when they can't get the story to work any other way. There's actually an internet joke about this. CSI does impossible tricks with sound and picture. X-Files used to just admit they couldn't do it.

You need this voice for a legal action?

Koz

[sher]

Koz - you asked the right question - yes, I need it for legal (and moral) reasons (fraud - nothing too CSI-y). Any suggestions for cleaning it?

[steve]

The tips that Koz gave are pretty well the best available in Audacity. An audio forensic expert may be able to pull a bit more out using specialist equipment, but that is not a service that we offer.