How do I reduce bass?

ngr · Post by **ngr** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 4:45 pm

I have an interview with an old man with a very deep voice.
Can someone tell me how to reduce the bass?
I attach a sample from the interview, and other suggestions for improvement are appreciated.
Thanks a lot.

sample.mp3: (20.16 KiB) Downloaded 291 times

Post by **kozikowski** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 4:54 pm

I get a gargling, rumbly, thumpy sound, not a voice.

If you recorded the voice too hot or high a volume, it will overload or clip and the harsh, buzzy damage is permanent. Do you have View > Show Clipping selected and do you get red streaks in the blue waves? Recording voices is a lot harder than everybody thinks.

You can try Clip Fix on the damages parts.

Effect > Clip Fix

Koz

ngr · Post by **ngr** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:08 pm

Yes, I just found out.
When I listen to the interview in Audacity, it's ok, but when I export it, it sounds like the file, you heard. That's never happened for me before..................
What did I do wrong?
And something embarassing: I cannot find where I regulate the recording level

((((

ngr · Post by **ngr** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:16 pm

00a.mp3: (160.41 KiB) Downloaded 135 times

Here we go - new file.
But I still cannot find where I set the recording level

ngr · Post by **ngr** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:27 pm

Oh, is it this one:

: 00000 toneleje.jpg (130.53 KiB) Viewed 4607 times

Trebor · Post by **Trebor** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:33 pm

: equalization to reduce bass.gif (25.09 KiB) Viewed 4605 times

"Equalization" is in Audacity "Effect" drop down menu.

camtechman · Post by **camtechman** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:39 pm

Another way is to go to "Effects" and click on "High Pass Filter" then change the cut-off frequency in the box to: 50 or 100, or 150 etc, this will change the low frequency that the recording will start at. If it's too much or not enough then play around with it.

Don't forget before you do the above to make sure you highlight the passage you want to change.

After achieving the correct bass cut you may need to amplify any loss in audio level.

Post by **kozikowski** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:37 pm

<<<Recording Level.>>>

If I was doing it, I'd turn down the volume control on the mixer. You didn't tell us what kind of equipment you were using.

http://www.kozco.com/pictures/boothFinished/mixer.jpg

Oh, and you can get serious bass boost if the performer is too close to a directional microphone. It's called proximity or Rock Band effect. You know how you're standing outside a club and all you can hear is the bass whump, whump, whump of the MC?

Nobody around here records voices without a 100Hz high pass filter on the microphone. You can usually get one of those inside your mixer. It saves you from all sorts of rumble and thumping problems like this. That mixer in the picture has a selection of three: 80Hz, 100Hz and 180Hz. I think I was using 80Hz on that job.

Koz

Post by **steve** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:09 am

Hopefully in the next release of Audacity (2.0.3, due for release mid January) there will be a simple "Bass and Treble" effect to replace "Bass Boost".
Reducing the bass will then as simple as:

: bassandtrble.png (17.61 KiB) Viewed 4588 times

ngr · Post by **ngr** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:25 pm

Thanks for all the answers, but I also asked where I can find the record level control.

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