Removing Echo at DVinfo.net

Patrick Bienvenu · March 31st, 2008, 07:25 PM

Recently recorded a seminar with the main audio recorded on our xl2 via xlr from a Shure SM58 and the back up on a Panasonic GS70D via wireless.

The main xl2 audio (dialog) has some bad interference in several locations, so we are forced to use the backup to patch the bad spots with the interference. The backup has a bad echo and its like night and day when spliced in the track with the main audio. Cant find a transition or filter that works. I've tried Match EQ in Soundtrack Pro and it was terrible, better results from FPC filters- but still not very good. Does anyone have any suggestions, or processes that have worked the best for them in this situation? Thanks.

Roshdi Alkadri · March 31st, 2008, 08:02 PM

oh boy, problem is there aint a remove echo filter. Best you can do is to tighten the sound through eq and bring it forward (pretty tough) or shoot the audio wildlines on the same set, ADR it or i hate to say it....reshoot.

Nick Weeks · March 31st, 2008, 08:21 PM

Have you tried the space designer in soundtrack? I've never actually used this, but it has a ton of presets... maybe one of them will be close enough to make it a little better.

You could possibly even apply a very slight echo effect to the good audio just to even it out?

Allan Black · April 1st, 2008, 06:20 AM

Try this, work on both tracks and keep everything open to make adjustments as you go.

Severely gate the baddie to remove as much echo as you can, then gate the good track but not so much. Compress and eq both to get the closest match then apply the same medium hall/room delay to both.

Run some hall hubub through it all and eq that as well. Run a sharpish peak boost and move it up and down till you hear it becoming simpatico with the voices. Even find someone with a bad cough to lay across the first breaks, only the first few to establish it.

It'll never come up as a pristine job but if you keep sync you might get by.

For really bad cuts a thing I use is, in the client presentation I cough right on the cut.... works for me.

Cheers.

March 31st, 2008, 07:25 PM	#1
Patrick Bienvenu New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 23	Removing Echo Recently recorded a seminar with the main audio recorded on our xl2 via xlr from a Shure SM58 and the back up on a Panasonic GS70D via wireless. The main xl2 audio (dialog) has some bad interference in several locations, so we are forced to use the backup to patch the bad spots with the interference. The backup has a bad echo and its like night and day when spliced in the track with the main audio. Cant find a transition or filter that works. I've tried Match EQ in Soundtrack Pro and it was terrible, better results from FPC filters- but still not very good. Does anyone have any suggestions, or processes that have worked the best for them in this situation? Thanks.

March 31st, 2008, 08:02 PM	#2
Roshdi Alkadri Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 265	oh boy, problem is there aint a remove echo filter. Best you can do is to tighten the sound through eq and bring it forward (pretty tough) or shoot the audio wildlines on the same set, ADR it or i hate to say it....reshoot.

March 31st, 2008, 08:21 PM	#3
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	Have you tried the space designer in soundtrack? I've never actually used this, but it has a ton of presets... maybe one of them will be close enough to make it a little better. You could possibly even apply a very slight echo effect to the good audio just to even it out?

April 1st, 2008, 06:20 AM	#4
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,887	Try this, work on both tracks and keep everything open to make adjustments as you go. Severely gate the baddie to remove as much echo as you can, then gate the good track but not so much. Compress and eq both to get the closest match then apply the same medium hall/room delay to both. Run some hall hubub through it all and eq that as well. Run a sharpish peak boost and move it up and down till you hear it becoming simpatico with the voices. Even find someone with a bad cough to lay across the first breaks, only the first few to establish it. It'll never come up as a pristine job but if you keep sync you might get by. For really bad cuts a thing I use is, in the client presentation I cough right on the cut.... works for me. Cheers.