What is the best way to clear voice samples?

[Entheogen]

Hi guys, I've been experimenting with voice samples from movies or other sources and I was wandering what is the best way to clear the sample? What effects do you recommend and what EQ parameters? I can EQ sample pretty well but I can still hear static (when I have lower quality sample), so what is the best way to mask this static noise?

[Ormion]

I cut as many low frequencies as I can and use a noise filter.

Still I can't do it as good as professional artists do, so I'm interested to know too.

[Djuna]

Hi guys, I've been experimenting with voice samples from movies or other sources and I was wandering what is the best way to clear the sample? What effects do you recommend and what EQ parameters? I can EQ sample pretty well but I can still hear static (when I have lower quality sample), so what is the best way to mask this static noise?

 

Buy the dvd! Really, I compared a sample I made out of a youtube clip and compared it with the same sampled quote from the dvd I bought, and it's quite a difference. High quality audio is pretty rare on the internet.

[Entheogen]

Yeah but there are some voice samples that are not available on DVD or in high quality. Right now I am working on Terrence McKenna samples that I stumbled upon recently. I can make sample usable but it is far far away from quality that, for example, Simon Posford has on Shpongle tracks. I doubt that he had a DVD of McKenna's interviews

[Veracohr]

Right now I am working on Terrence McKenna samples that I stumbled upon recently.

 

Is it one of those really bad quality ones? That's kind of hard - I suggest trying to low-pass filter it to get some of the low bitrate crud out and try playing around with a peaking boost at different frequencies to see if you can make something jump out that helps the intelligibility after filtering out the high end.

 

High-pass filter it too. There's probably nothing going on down there you need.

[Otto Matta]

Another recommendation is try to use the noise to your advantage. Be creative with it. Got lemons, make lemonade. That sort of thing.

[supergroover]

try some effects that are aiming to get the noise, hum etc out.

Otherwise find a better sample. It should be out there somewhere. Or another option is to mangle the f**k out of it with other fxs so you filter, delay, phase, chorus it until you get a freaky sound that you like and you can still figure out the text somewhat.

 

Gotta say though that McKenna in trance is kinda 2006

[LuisBSF]

If you can get hold of the original 5.1 ac3 file for the film, if available, the center channel often has the voices on their own.

[Entheogen]

Thank you for your answers, I discovered Sonnox restauration VSTs and I will try them, and afterwards I'll try to mask any noise that is left with something.. @BlackStarrFinale: I didn't know that center channel is usually for voice. thank you for the tip

[LuisBSF]

In all honesty neither did I until someone pointed it out to me recently; good hunt

[Veracohr]

Oops, I totally missed that you said it was static noise. I assumed you were talking about one of those really crappy sounding low-bitrate MP3s.

[Entheogen]

Oops, I totally missed that you said it was static noise. I assumed you were talking about one of those really crappy sounding low-bitrate MP3s.

 

I gave up on low bitrate mp3 samples long time ago

[LuisBSF]

This could also be of help:

 

http://www.psymusic.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=1233371&postcount=31