How to remove harshness?

[Siraj Hassoun]

Hello guys!

I recorded a meditation technique using Boya lavaliere mic, Audacity 2.3.3, window 10. I applied:

Noise Reduction
Amplify
Compression
Bass and treble
Normalize
Limiter

And all in defult setting. The result was good but there's some kind of sharp harshness. I re-edit the recording using premiere pro using different method and effects but also the result was not satisfactory. Please help me to find the right setting for my voice because my job depends on good quality recordings. Here are the links:

The recording without editing:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NvgzoX ... p=drivesdk

The recording after editing:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TmuRb7 ... p=drivesdk

The quality that I want (this youtuber uses the same lavaliere I'm using):
https://youtu.be/slCWH9oV1no

Thank you very much!

[kozikowski]

That's sibilance. Your SS sounds are boosted, harsh, and gritty. We have tools for that, but we may need to hear your raw voice without the music and all the processing.

DeSibilator needs an accurate measurement of the SS sound boost range.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Don't double post. A forum elf has to read your message before it becomes visible. Too many people trying to sell us stuff.

This is a post about how to prepare a short sound sample.

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=72887

Koz

[Trebor]

The result was good but there's some kind of sharp harshness...
Please help me to find the right setting ...

IMO the harshness is excessive sibilance,
The cure is de-essing, e.g. using the desibilator plugin.

كامل التأملات الصباحية before-after.flac

"after" is EQ'd, de-essed, compressed, & expanded.

(1.25 MiB) Downloaded 13 times

There is also a deep reveb(eration) from the space you are recording in, which is not fixable in Audacity.

[Siraj Hassoun]

Don't double post. A forum elf has to read your message before it becomes visible. Too many people trying to sell us stuff.

This is a post about how to prepare a short sound sample.

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=72887

Koz

Thank you so much for your kind reply,
I attached a sample as per instructions that you provided.
Your help is really appreciated.

[Siraj Hassoun]

Don't double post. A forum elf has to read your message before it becomes visible. Too many people trying to sell us stuff.

This is a post about how to prepare a short sound sample.

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=72887

Koz

Thank you so much for your kind reply,
I have attached unedited sample as per the instructions you provided,
I really appreciate your help.

[Siraj Hassoun]

The result was good but there's some kind of sharp harshness...
Please help me to find the right setting ...

IMO the harshness is excessive sibilance,
The cure is de-essing, e.g. using the desibilator plugin.


كامل التأملات الصباحية before-after.flac


There is also a deep reveb(eration) from the space you are recording in, which is not fixable in Audacity.

Thank you for your reply,

I watched videos talking about ERA De-Esser which seems to be effective, but the thing is that I live in Syria, we can't make online purchases due to economic sanctions, so I need to fix things using the built in tools.

I appreciate your help thank you.

[kozikowski]

Desibilator is a free plugin.

desibilator.ny

(56.03 KiB) Downloaded 20 times

I applied it to your sample voice (thank you for that) and all the harsh SS sounds vanished.

Unedited-Sample-Desibilated.wav

(1.75 MiB) Downloaded 16 times

These are the settings I used.

DeSibSettings.png (80.76 KiB) Viewed 278 times

Enjoy,

Koz

[kozikowski]

DeSibilator is a modification to an existing DeEsser tool. DeEsser and DeClicker were offered as free plugins, but DeEsser could have odd tonal problems and didn't always sound right. Once the design problems were identified, they were cured with DeSibilator.

viewtopic.php?p=404021#p404021

Koz

[Siraj Hassoun]

Desibilator is a free plugin.


desibilator.ny


I applied it to your sample voice (thank you for that) and all the harsh SS sounds vanished.


Unedited-Sample-Desibilated.wav


These are the settings I used.


DeSibSettings.png


Enjoy,

Koz

I REALLY can't thank you enough, for helping, for quick replies, and for kindness above all.

I will adopt the settings for my prospective audios, and once we can pay online in Syria again, this website will be the first to donate to.

One last enquiry please, can I reach the quality of the voice in this video:

https://youtu.be/slCWH9oV1no

As this man uses the same mic I'm using and he's shooting outside (there must be some noises), I also saw many youtubers with lavaliere mics and their voice-over is of the same amazing quality.

Many thanks.