Hi,

Just for educational purpose, I want to learn how to remove the noise from the recordings. I've been using RX and tried everything I know but failed miserably. I don't know how to categorized the type of noise and what is the most suitable spectral editing technique or module should be used. Or maybe any other program or software that is more suitable for it. It's too deep for Deessing even when selection is used.

Any WaveLab master that knows how to do it ? I haven't learn the repair, fixing tool in WaveLab just yet. SpectraLayers too. So any type of solution welcomed.

FYI: I've already asked the client to fix this in the multitrack mix so it's not really a serious problem. The main problem is I'm starting to doubt my own ability and I feel bad to had to ask him to do that, I think I should've been able to fix it myself. So I want to learn how to do it from a stereo mix file (premaster) just in case, for the future.

Thanks.

To not waste anyone's time, I just uploaded a small clip of the audio. You'll know what noise I'm talking about. I have no idea what that is.

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM

All I hear is a big pile of noisy synth pads with drums in the background. You want to extract the drums or what?

 

Cleaning and Enhancing Your Recordings | WaveLab Cast Tutorials from 4:30

How To Clean Unwanted Noise in Audio: Waves WNS + NS1 Tutorial

You might want to look at ACON Digital’s Restoration Suite. Here is their website.
Restoration Suite | Noise Reduction Plug-ins

Spoiler: Waves

Waves

X-Noise
Focused, noiseprint-based noise reduction

X-Hum
Remove 50/60 Hz hum, DC offset, and low rumble

W43 Noise Reduction Plugin
Reduce ambient noise in audio-for-video productions

Z-Noise
Noiseprint-based noise reduction for music

X-Crackle
Minimize low-level crackles and surface noise

 

Not extract, there's a spike of hiss somewhere in there. It's loud and should be easily noticed. Mind you it's a shoegaze band with raw 90s inspired sound. Not sure "noise" is the main term here, but more like unwanted spike of noise not noisy background.

 

Oxford denoiser has an adaptive noise profiling that learns the sound for when it changes say an air conditioner, environmental noise, unusual random frequencies etcetera but it's not cheap. Cutting to the nitty gritty - I think you are closer to it with manual spectral removal say Spectral layers, but it's not fast and you have to be incredibly patient and careful not to remove audio you want to keep, mistaking it for noise. Wavelab is great for many things. Spectral layers pro will likely be more comprehensive.

Seems to be attached to the E...weird... I imagine each time you've attempted to quieten it or remove it, the notes start to disappear too.

 

I had a closer listen - Was this a transfer from cassette tape by any chance? There is an even possibility it might be tape hiss if it this is the original source.

 

I hear a little phasey swish, sounds like a cassette transfer for sure, but it doesn't sound like anything you're going to be able to fix with noise reduction tools. That clip is too short and out of context to get any handle on what things actually sound like. It just sounds like a low quality crap MP3 of a cassette to me.

 

If it was actually a spike of noise that just comes out of nowhere quickly and it's repetitive music I'd just edit a section without the noise into where the noise was.

 

He's lucky the oxide wasn't so worn that it speeds up and slows down. I think you may be right unfortunately.

 

no, 100% digital live recordings, I didn't do the recording but can tell from the sound. The hiss is louder than the cymbal crash in the mix.

It's not repetitive and considering it's live recording, it seems like hard to find similar part so I decided to not try that.I have seen a tutorial video somewhere using SpectraLayers to do it. Will give it a try now and see if it works.

 

Just be patient and don't kick yourself if you do not get it first time. If it is only a few places as you suggest, you'll get it. SL is accurate but not fast.

 

Here's a longer clip for context

 

OK - yes, weird.
Be very careful with the eraser tool, think about the old fable fable of the hare and the tortoise. Be the tortoise. Hint - make a copy and put it somewhere else before you start and be really careful with the eraser tool and the cloning tool. It seems almost pointless the way Steinberg has written it because there's not a lot of info with the cloning tool. This is why I suggested a copy. The cloning tool is more useful than it seems because if you end up cloning the noise you've found it. It's also useful for bring non-noise up too...I was going to make some suggestions and instead decided to put the link which will give you the controls info you need on what each setting does rather than paragraphs.
https://download.steinberg.net/down...yers_Pro_6/help/_modifying_spectral_data.html

 

I've listened to it 30 times and it sounds a bit strange to me, something doesn't belong there,
I have to guess it's the guitar and maybe the chorus effect device? But it could also be the reverb!

 

I figure you will likely use version 11 which is better and the ability to solo tiny sections and drill down into the spectral array is much more accurate than its predecessors.

 

@Somnambulist

Low effort test with SpectraLayers 11 got me close, it's not perfect but I think I can do better with more effort. Now will watch everything that has to do with SL11 cloning tool and learn how to get it better.

@Smeghead for the rough idea as well.

Everyone else that helped too.

Cheers.

For note :

1. Eraser tool with low hardness, just erasing the upper frequency to remove the hiss only without any tonal information removed. Transient on the upper frequency erased too.

2. I find the similar part and clone it without transient information for the upper frequency only and slightly include the midrange to make it not obvious. It sounds weird without transient, so I randomly pick snare transient here and there and tuck it in so it didn't become total silence at the beat hit. I think adding some midrange EQ on the affected area would've make the transient brighter but didnt do it because it's low effort test. Lol.

3. A lot of artifacts I know, but now I'm moving on to learn about the fine tuning part on Youtube.

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2024 at 6:13 PM

Lol. you're right apparently. I asked the guy what is that sound, he just replied, it's the reverb 100%.

There's sibilance on the vocal track that only come out few miliseconds later on the reverb because of the predelay. It sounds super obvious because the vocals (double tracked) are sent to multiple reverbs that are gated. The sibilance somehow trigger open the gate, the weird hiss pop up then gone.

 

Last edited: Dec 21, 2024 at 6:15 PM

Yikes... it sounds like a filter triggering on the overheads, or... something... it's in time... I don't think they can reasonably expect you to fix this mess. I think you're a thousand percent justified in telling them it's their problem. I suspect that things were just very badly recorded and there's nothing anybody can do.

 

That's one area the denoiser works well in but as I said it is not cheap. It is designed to work on the frequencies, vocal sibilants and ugly stuff..
They let you do a trial so if it does not work you can uninstall it
https://sonnox.com/products/oxford-denoiser

 

Re REVERB , there are many reverb removal tools and the iZotope de-room in the Transient plugin and the RX deverb have too much limiting for my taste with not enough fine tuning for me. The Accentize Deverb Pro 2 has more control over how hard it attacks the reverb- there used to be one on sister site