Need to remove reverb/slight echo from source audio

Question

Need to remove reverb/slight echo from source audio

Hello all:

And yes, yes, before I get the sanctimonious wiseguy quips about "should have recorded it right in the first place/can't get there from here" and other generally unhelpful remarks and platitudes.... "I KNOW ALREADY!"

So down to the subject at hand. I have to edit source video that was recorded in a very live room. The sound guy did his best to kill the reverb with baffles and sound blankets. etc. but some reverb/slight echo remain. Does anyone know of a software application that can at least smooth it out or advise on how to EQ it so the ring is not so noticeable?

Many thanks

AS

Message was edited by: Adrian Smith4

Message was edited by: Adrian Smith4

Desktop G5

Posted on Jul 28, 2009 7:01 PM

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Answer 1

Editmojo

Level 2

250 points

Jul 28, 2009 7:49 PM in response to Adrian Smith4

There is a high end box called Cedar. Call around and see if anyone near you has it. It can do some amazing things but your case, send them them a file and see what they can do. Echo is "time" and most audio forensics is "frequency". Good luck because luck is all you have now.

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Answer 2

foxboy1

Level 1

5 points

Jul 28, 2009 9:57 PM in response to Editmojo

I know of nothing software wise to help a problem dealing with your problem. As you are aware, video without good audio creates bad video.

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Answer 3

Jul 28, 2009 10:04 PM in response to foxboy1

Wow, such insight! Thanks that's really super helpful.

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Answer 4

Jul 28, 2009 10:20 PM in response to Adrian Smith4

can you post a small sample of it so we can tell how bad it is

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Answer 5

Jul 28, 2009 10:49 PM in response to David Slater

Thanks for all the responses. I've actually fixed it using a combination of eq and a super sensitive noisegate filter. It was pain to do but got the job done. Phew.

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Answer 6

Jul 29, 2009 12:15 AM in response to Adrian Smith4

cool

like I said if you can post a before and after that would be cool as well (good little how too opportunity)

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Answer 7

Jul 29, 2009 8:24 AM in response to Adrian Smith4

Thanks for all the responses. I've actually fixed it using a combination of eq and a super sensitive noisegate filter. It was pain to do but got the job done. Phew. < </div>

I'm trying to figure out a response to this that would equal your original's presupposition but the best I can do is say thanks for offering up a helpful contribution to the "remove reverb" discussions. Future searches will find your thread and maybe you have given them some hope.

Numerous threads on the same topic often end in frustration because, literally, nothing can be done to reduce echoic reverberation because the overlapping sounds are picked up by a single microphone.

bogiesan

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Answer 8

Jul 29, 2009 8:40 AM in response to Adrian Smith4

You can make things a little better by using an expander,
since the reverb is (hopefully) not as loud as the main sound.
That can work well if the sounds don't overlap too much.

Another trick is to find the main resonant frequency of the
room sound and filter that out with a notch filter. That can
help because reverb is not flat (not equally loud at all frequencies).

Finally, if the recording was made in stereo, you can mix
left and right together to make a single mono track.
That can work quite well, since it really does reduce the
reverberant sound.

Good luck!

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