Refresh concert recording

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pinkf
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:18 am
Operating System: Windows 8 or 8.1

Refresh concert recording

Post by pinkf » Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:41 am

I'm using Audacity 2.4.2 and have Windows 8.1

I have an old concert recording in mono. This one sounds rather dull.
I want to refresh the sound so that the recording will sound fresh and sparkling.

How do I that in Audacity, what should I do?
Which filters are useful?


pinkf

steve
Site Admin
Posts: 80677
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:43 am
Operating System: Linux *buntu

Re: Refresh concert recording

Post by steve » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:25 pm

pinkf wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:41 am
I have an old concert recording in mono.
On cassette tape?
What sort of concert?
Is it a low quality "bootleg" recording, or a professional recording?
pinkf wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:41 am
This one sounds rather dull.
You can make a recording less "dull" by boosting high frequencies with the "Graphic EQ" effect (See: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/graphic_eq.html). The downside is that any hiss in the recording will also be boosted.
9/10 questions are answered in the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

pinkf
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:18 am
Operating System: Windows 8 or 8.1

Re: Refresh concert recording

Post by pinkf » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:41 pm

It is a more than 40 years old concert recording (made with a Philips mono casette recorder) within the audiance.

steve
Site Admin
Posts: 80677
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:43 am
Operating System: Linux *buntu

Re: Refresh concert recording

Post by steve » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:06 pm

After recording the tape, Export a backup copy as a WAV file (so that if you mess up you won't have to re-record).

If there's noticeable tape hiss, use "Noise Reduction" to reduce it (note that too much noise reduction will damage the remaining sound)
See: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/noi ... ction.html

If the audience applause is too loud, the "Envelope tool" to reduce the audience noise between songs.
See: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/envelope_tool.html

Use the Graphic EQ to tweak the sound as necessary.
See: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/graphic_eq.html
9/10 questions are answered in the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Trebor
Posts: 9847
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:22 pm
Operating System: Windows 8 or 8.1

Re: Refresh concert recording

Post by Trebor » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:35 pm

pinkf wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:41 am
I have an old concert recording in mono. This one sounds rather dull.
I want to refresh the sound so that the recording will sound fresh and sparkling.
A hint of pseudo-stereo ?.

[* Other pseudo-stereo plug-ins are available].

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