Getting rid of audio "hum" in Vegas

[Herm Stork]

Is there an easy way to eliminate a low hum/buzz sound using Vegas. It's only obvious during quiet sections but it's driving me nuts. I have v6 and v9.

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Herm Stork

Is there an easy way to eliminate a low hum/buzz sound using Vegas. It's only obvious during quiet sections but it's driving me nuts. I have v6 and v9.

You may want to check your computer. None of my 3 Vegas machines have anything like that.

[Don Bloom]

it sounds like the preamp problem I have had for years starting with my PD150, PD170, DSR250 and a few other cameras over the last years.
It's not Vegas BUT I can tell you how I have gotten rid of the hum.

First I find the noise on the tracl, then open the track header where the presets are on the header (noise gate, track EQ, track compressor). I open the track eq use the #1 button, set the numbers to: FREQ 150, GAIN minus12, Bandwidth 1.0.

Play it and make sure it eliminates the hum but doesn't change the sound of the voice- you might need to adjust the FREQ a bit (up or down) to get rid of the noise. Once you are happy with what you have save those settings as a preset and you're good to go.

I have a preset for my shotgun and my hypercaroid, as well as my wireless and none of it is Vegas or the equipment except for the preamp on my cameras.

HTHs

[Mike Calla]

Originally Posted by Herm Stork

Is there an easy way to eliminate a low hum/buzz sound using Vegas. It's only obvious during quiet sections but it's driving me nuts. I have v6 and v9.

Hmmm… He never states why he has the problem, or what king of hum or what kind of audio he’s trying to fix – It might be: electrical hum/buzz over voice, it might be sound from a location source; ie. Fridge, air/con etc.

This is VERY similar to Don’s advice but as we know there’s many ways to do one thing in vegas. This way is more surgical. I’m not at my workstation so bear with me (and tell me) if I’ve made a misstep:

First we try to find the offending frequency, so use the parametric EQ plugin :
1. Find, solo and loop a small portion of hum
2. Open the parametric EQ plug-in
3. Set bandwidth to 2 (I use 1 but for a first try use 2)
4. Set the filter style to band notch/boost
5. Set the Amount all the way down
6. Slide your center frequency to 20
7. Making sure your center frequency is selected; use the arrow keys move up the frequency, listening carefully to find the offending frequency range
8. When the offending frequency starts to get lower in volume, play around with it to find the lowest volume point of the offending frequency range

After we find the offending frequency/range we need to pinpoint it a little bit better, so:
1. Set bandwidth to .5 now (depending on what type of sound you are trying to take out this value could be more or less)
2. Now repeat #7/8 from above

After you’ve pinpointed your offending frequency/range;
1. Unsolo your audio and listen to whole mix
2. Bring the amount up to 0dB, your offending frequency/range should be back
3. Making sure your Amount slider is selected; again use the arrow keys to bring down the level of the offending frequency/range
4. Don’t bring it down too much, or you’ll make your whole track sound funny (called “comb filtering’), a few dB is probably enough, when its starts to sound unnatural, bring up the slider till it seems more transparent. A little goes a long way.

Just like colour correcting your entire video with one setting never works, remember, you DON’T need to use the same audio settings for the whole track/clip, you can (and should) use them selectively.

Let us know more about the problem!

[Ben Longden]

Is the hum from an earth loop during recording? Just a thought.

You can use the track equaliser and create a notch filter... Click on the FX icon in the audio line, then track EQ.. There should be a system option of a 60Hz hum notch (I'm in PAL land).

Ben

[Herm Stork]

Thanks to all - I should have stated in my original post that the "hum" was recorded on location (it's not a problem with Vegas). I'm not really sure what caused it. I tried your suggestions and was able to reduce it greatly. You really have to be listening closely to hear it now.

[Don Bloom]

First, glad you got pretty much gone.
Second, you might want to record say 5 or 10 seconds of room noise on each camera before the room gets peopled up that way you've got the ambient noise so you've got some to work with. I know lots of things happen during a shoot like they turn the AC on in the middle of the event and it sounds like a jet engine, or my favorite, great big oscillating fans, especially when one is placed right next to the podium in a church. So not only does the lectern mic pick it up but so does my mic. Oh well, that's what makes things exciting (I guess)
Anyway glad you got it taken care of.

[Ben Longden]

I learnt the hard way to make sure the mains power for the camera comes from the same power point as the sound desk.... BUZZZZZZZZZZ

Ben