Enhance skype recordings

[charliek_98]

Hi all,
Any suggestions on how to edit Skype recordings. Specifically, to create a more "robust" sound instead of the telephone recording sound. I can attach a clip if needed but I'm guessing you know what I mean. I can clean up background noise very easily. So, maybe there is an equalizer effect that someone might suggest.

Thanks,
Charlie

[steve]

Which side of the recording are you trying to get in good quality? Your side of the conversation, or the other person?
How are you recording it?

[charliek_98]

I'm recording thru a mixer and mic and Call Recorder. No problem with this at all and, in fact, it is as good a phone recording as I expect. I'm just wondering if there are suggestions for editing the call to make it sound more like a studio recording and less like a phone interview. I am only concerned with the other person. My part is entirely good. This may not be possible and I hear phone recordings on radio all the time that sound like mine. Just an attempt to make it better.

Thanks,
Charlie

[steve]

Skype is low bandwidth, so the quality is never going to be great. If it sounds like a good phone interview then that's probably as good as it gets.
You could try a bit of noise removal, but it's not likely to make much improvement and could make it sound worse. Your Skype recording set-up sounds like it is pretty well optimised for the job. Your time will probably be best spent on getting the content and the "flow" right. cut out a few "um's and er's" (but not so perfect that it sounds unnatural)

[charliek_98]

Thanks, Steve. I think I've come to the same conclusion.

[kozikowski]

You may be able to get some mileage out of the equalizer tool. Telephone voices intentionally punch the area around 3000 because that's where you ears work best for intelligibility. It's what is widely called "telephone voice." You can apply an inverse curve and get rid of a lot of that high, scratchy sound. We have one series of telephone instrument that does that automatically and it's much more pleasant to listen to. But under distress conditions, I can well imagine that it would be harder to understand.

Adjust as needed.

Koz