Grazie,
I'm rereading your post to find out what's wrong with the audio event you mention, but I only find your abridged life story. What was it you wanted to do?
Tor

Mobilising my other brain cell I realize you must mean distortion removal. Great advance. Still, could you describe in more detail?
Tor

1 - Recorded interview in the open. There is a type of clipping "rustling" going on.

2 - Sound now has a "mid-high range floor distortion"

3 - If you want a wav file, I can "dump" it somewhere - then you'll know

4 - How can I use V4 Fxs to remove unwanted frequencies - tried EQ - not doing it?

Any more I can't describe. If someone could tell me how to describe in writing/words THAT which a sound distortion sounds like, I'm all ears. So Torsie I wasn't aware I was giving my life story - just my hamfisted, longwinded way in attempting to describe for me that which I find difficult - maybe Torsie you would oblige me with some pointers on how I would go about it.

Grazie

How ya doing Grazie?

If you want to try to get rid of it on the cheap and use the tools build into Vegas try a notch filter IF you know the frequency. That of course can get to be a problem without tools that tell you the frequency.

Hint: Download and try one of the noise reduction tools and its much easier.

If you want to do it the hard way try looping the section that has the rustling noise by itself. Then try the various filters. Click on that little FX icon on any sound track, then again on the same looking icon that pops up in the FX window.

For example try Graphic Dryanimics. See that chart? While looping just as you hear the sound you don't like click on the line and pull down to effect the dB. You can add as many control points as you wish. Works similar to adding points in a volume envelope. You'll need to try various places, in time you'll find it. In effect you made a custom noise reduction filter from scratch. Of course you can boost the other frequencies. A combination should do the job.

If not...

Try Paragraphic EQ and sample some of the presets before you mess with the controls. Works similar to EQ, but more knobs to twist.

If you can upload a sample I'll play with it when I get a chance.

" How ya doing Grazie?" - Not bad at all, actually .. . I've been doing some 2nd cameraman work for a Wedding Company - very valuable event training work. AND I get paid too! - I've also been ask to complete/edit a community festival I shot on spec! - Hey, yer never know where this stuff lands up - yeah? - It was oin this shoot that I must have over attenuated the interview I was doing - Some nice things the bloke was saying, and I just wanna get it a wee bit better - I'm being fussy I know . . . but it really grates when you hear this - not good.

" . . . get rid of it on the cheap and use the tools build into Vegas try a notch filter IF you know the frequency. That of course can get to be a problem without tools that tell you the frequency." Sounds - haha - good!

"Hint: Download and try one of the noise reduction tools and its much easier." - Noise reduction tool? - Does that mean I need to stop talking? - Seriously, do I just do a Search on Web for this? Or do have a Website of choice BB?

" . . .. . . try looping the section that has the rustling noise by itself. Then try the various filters. Click on that little FX icon on any sound track, then again on the same looking icon that pops up in the FX window. " Yeah, THAT'S exactly what I've been doing in a very non-scientific approach . . . .

"For example try Graphic Dryanimics. See that chart? . . .. . . " Yup, been playing about with this. - However, it's your comment, " . . . . You can add as many control points as you wish. Works similar to adding points in a volume envelope. You'll need to try various places, in time you'll find it. In effect you made a custom noise reduction filter from scratch. Of course you can boost the other frequencies. A combination should do the job. " - PRICELESS! Didn't know one could do this with the Graphic - I'll get on it tomorrow . . .. .

"Try Paragraphic EQ and sample some of the presets before you mess with the controls. Works similar to EQ, but more knobs to twist." - Yup been doing that - I just seem to be etting in more of a mess! - I need to bone up on my Audio knowledge - pretty weak . . .

"If you can upload a sample I'll play with it when I get a chance." WHAT an offer! - Thanks BB. I can't upload to anything. I could email you the file though.

Last thought on this: Do the V4 Audio FXs have some more than average Tutes/How To's for the FXS?

BB - How are YOU? How's the Bells? Going away? - Hope so :-)

Take care friend,

Grazie

Grazie,

Go to Tripod, click on Host > Free and set yourself up a website to post files such as this. Actually I think there is a UK server that limits you to 50 MB instead of the US 20 MB limit.

Distortion, if it's clipped distortion especially will not be repairable if there is much of it.

Audio is MUCH less forgiving than video if the source is garbage, hence the term "garbage in, garbage out" in the audio realm which necessitates assuring a quality recording from the start.

There are many ways to manipulate a reasonable recording after the fact but "fixing" is extremely limited.

That said, upload a sample and we can go from there.

Noise reduction works acceptably (many times awesomely) on constant, narrow banded steady (such as hiss, hum or drone) noise. A noiseprint can then be captured and removed without affecting the wanted material too drastically.

Removing spontaneous, wide banded, random noise such as distortion, clipping or noises such as chairs squeaking, coughing, sneezing, door slamming, wind noise etc. is almost impossible to remove and leave an acceptable audio track unless you can mute, draw or trim it out because it doesn't occur during wanted material.

The key is spend as much effort on the audio recording as you do the video, otherwise it's like having a date with a beautiful girl that hasn't washed her cloths, showered, brushed her hair or teeth in over a month.

MJ

Thanks for asking. Slowly getting better. Funny how you relish things you once took for granted. For example I can now drink a glass of water or a cup of coffee without it dribbling all over the place and no straw! Whoopee! The glare thing which was bad is a good deal better. I can drive again without fear of banging into someone or something. The main things now is my speech if anything is worse and eyesight got a long way to go yet for any detail work, mostly because of the excessive tearing.

Try this demo. http://www.enhancedaudio.com/

If you want to send me a sample: wvg@wideopenwest.com

If it bounces back let me know, they're in the process of changing domain names and stuff. That was the reason I couldn't get into my FTP account and they could. They changed domain names and didn't tell half their customers. LOL! Instead of Wide Open West, just WOW Internet and Cable.

Arggg. That stinks. Sorry to hear that BillyBoy. They really *ought* to keep the old domain name working in parallel with the new one for at least a couple of years. We have an ISP in the area named digital-marketplace.com, which is arguably horrible for people to use as an email address. After a few thousand customer complaints they changed to dmcom.net, but you can still use the old name if you wish even though the new name took effect 5 years ago.

Grazie,
You're in good hands. I was fast asleep while this thread developed further. From the description of it, it sounds bad. Was it the wind? Clipping is hard to repair.
I use Sonic Foundry's Noise Reduction. It's like magic. I removed a dishwasher that was operating two metres from a softspoken talent in a small kitchen. It can do my old vinal as well, but I have not gotten around to that yet. Or rather, I've done the most important items manually in Sound Forge.

[OT tip: When I burn CDs to use in the car I always compress the music (using one of the presets in Graphic Dynamics). It flattens the dynamics just a little and boosts the result afterwards. Listening to music in the car is not ideal to begin with, at least not in our car. But this way we get to hear the soft parts without blasting the speakers when it gets loud.]

BillyBoy can save your track if it's saveable. I'll have a go if you want, but you'll have to wait a week or so, until I've built the new PC.

Tor

mjhig - thanks. And yes, GIGO is definately a personal slogan with me. I do have Mic ATT for my Canon - didn't engage it! Idiot! - And yes I am finding it a tad difficult to improve "after" the event - a salutory lesson me - AGAIN! - When will I learn - eh?

But yes, mjhig, all your support has been noted.

I need to get this Festival video out of the door by the end of September, so I've got time to experiement and learn some new skills.

Grazie

Thanks Torsie! - I'm getting to the opinion it is not salvageable - but I'll persist.

Tried Noise Red. - ehmmm . .not quite there . . BB's suggestions are working on a piece to camera - not to much wide band distort, so it is passable. BUT, I've got a smashing on stage Rap by about 20 youngsters. This is ruined by my incompetance with the MIC ATT not being on! - IDIOT!!! - I think I'm gonna seat over this . . .

Hey ho . .off we go . . .

Grazie

Grazie I realized from the start that you probably were aware or the limitations concerning "fixing" audio. I posted the GIGO points because over at the Vegas Audio Topics we get many posts from video guys only after the audio is too trashed to do anything with asking for a miracle fix.

Point being in your scenario, are you going to upload to a free server such as I posted for you so I or others can work with the file and possible give you a solution or a confirmed "no go"?

MJ

mjhig - Presently I'm scripting a reply to your message. I appreciate your concern and will respond accordingly.

G

mjhig - I didn't want to waste people's time, and now having had the "space" to experiment with yours and others suggestions here, I am more than 80% convinced that it is not repairable. It has been a very, very valuable experience for me - mjhig, thank you for your candour.

I also respect your wishes for me to respond and update you on my decision as to upload. Taking into account my thoughts on the existing "quality" of the piece in question, and not having permission to "broadcast" the event, I've decided to desist from posting it onto a third party server. I'm sure you appreciate and understand my concerns with these matters.

However, all is not totally lost. I'm presently investigating whether the sound/PA engineer might have made a DAT or other recording of the event. The other option to me is to make an exciting slide show section from the piece and use some of the more retrievable audio as background to accompanying it.

Again, my thanks go to you and the others here for bearing with me.

What have I gained out of this?

1 - Record with a more than decent set of audio cans - Sennis' or Sony's. This is a must!

2 - Do a destructive sound check ALWAYS!

3 - Make sure my MIC ATT is set correctly

4 - Obtain a runtime order from the organiser and make written notes as to the most appropriate audio setting levels for each event.

My best regards,

Grazie

Grazie,
Read this article written for DV Magazine by Jay Rose entitled "Shh-The Science and Art of Audio Noise Reduction" :

http://www.dv.com/features/features_item.jhtml?category=Archive&LookupId=/xml/feature/2003/rose0903_feature&_requestid=63286

You will have to sign up to read it. Jay Rose also has an "Audio Solutions" forum on that site if you aren't already familiar with it.

He mentions a free utility called "Audacity" which you may want to try:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

You may also want to try "Wave Corrector" which is shareware:

http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/Wave_Corrector/

craftech - Thanks! - Have just tried "Wave Corrector". A wee bit of correction. Off to try the "Audacity" next. Will read Jay Rose's thing next too.

Thanks again,

Grazie

Grazie, you can download the SF Noise Reduction plugin and try it free for 7 days. I downloaded it last night and am EXTREAMILY happy with it. I added it to my trackFX to get rid of florescent light hum. Works good. Hopefully I'll be able to afford it next year (or a nice mic rig!)

TheHappyFriar - Downloaded. Registered. Playing with it now - phaawww more stuff to learn!!!!

Thanks anyway. There appears to be agraphic section where one can "adjust" the waveform. Have you played with this yet?

Thanks for the tip HF!

Grazie

You mean the noisepring? That's pretty cool. :) I haven't played with it though. I've been messing with the other window's settings. Plan to use the noiceprint tomorrow if i can't get rid of my noise. :)

Oh yes please! - Tell me how you get on. I'm hoping for the best. But my physics tell me otherwise . . . . :-(

Grazie

I have used SF noise reduction extensively. If you have any questions, let me know.

Audio distortion is usually very difficult to reomve or improve. However, the SF noise reduction has two or three modules (at least I think they are in the plug-in -- they may be in SF itself) that you might not think to use.

The first is Vinyl Restoration. This is for old LP records, but sometimes you can remove/mask a surprising amount of intermodulation distortions (from an overdriven mic). Start with the General Restoration setting (in the Preset area). Then set Click Removal all the way up to 20 (I know you're not trying to remove clicks, but trust me ... ). Set "Reduce Noise" to 20 dB, and then move the noise floor up to -50 dB (this may be too aggressive -- if so, back down to -60 dB). See if this helps.

The other is Clipped Peak Restoration. This will only help if your problem was due to a completely overdrive mic or some other problem that clipped the peaks.

If you want to send me an MP3 version of the audio, I can try some of the other things available in Sound Forge. These include the Smooth/Enhance funtion and various noise gates.

This month's "DV" magazine (September 2003) has an excellent article on noise reduction called "Shh -- The Science and Art of Audio Noise Reduction" that describes various products available and ways to use them.

Bottom line: Distortion is impossible to remove, but sometimes, using the tricks noted above, you can smooth or enhance it.

Oh, and i just remembered, I just recently salvaged the audio from a lousy wireless mic. I did this by using audio from a second camera that was running at the back of the church. By blending the two together, I was able to mask some of the distortion and lousy fidelity from the wireless mic (clipped to the minister who was, not surprisingly, at the front of the church), without losing the sense of being closely miked. I don't know whether you had anything else rolling at the same time or not, but this trick can sometimes save the day.

You guys are TOOoooo good! Thanks a million!

I've now got to the help file within Noise Rduction for the "Introduction to Clipped Peak Restoration" - BUT WHERE IS IT! - Hey guys I'm almost there and I can't find it within the plugin? - It talks about rebuilding a "falttened off" wave . . this is me . . haha! - Having this option to play with would be excellent. I'm not looking for perfection .. . but just something better than what I've got - yeah? So where is it???

JM thanks for the offer - I have a problem with releasing something I don't have permission to . . . well . . . , put into a third parties hands - yeah?

Grazie