Any way to restore precious windy audio? at DVinfo.net

Gerald Lee · August 21st, 2003, 06:09 PM

I forgot to enable the windscreen for this one shot and while you can hear what people are saying, there's too much wind. I tried using Cool Edit's noise reduction but that doesn't really help.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Ken Tanaka · August 22nd, 2003, 02:14 PM

Your dialog track is probably not restorable. You can try a low-pass fllter to take out some of the rumble but if you have very severe wind noise the only solution will probably be to either re-shoot the scene or dub a new dialog track under the footage.

Dave Largent · August 22nd, 2003, 06:18 PM

Hi Gerald,
I have had very good luck at reducing, but not totally eliminating, wind rumble.
Here's how. Use a graphic equalizer. Cut out all the base below 225Hz. Then give a slight boost in the 2kHz to 7kHz range
to increase voice intelligability.
I, too, have tried using noise reduction plug-ins that sample
the noise but without much success. You may acheive the best results by using the equalizer and then using just a touch of
noise reduction.
Let us know if this helps.
Dave

Gints Klimanis · August 22nd, 2003, 06:50 PM

Gerald,

Good suggestions. A slightly better tool to do the same job would be a high pass (reduces all frequencies below filter's center frequency) or a low shelf filter (reduces all frequencies below filter's center frequency by specified amount). If you
can chain two or more to provide a steeper filter slope, it's possible to remove even more of the low frequency components without cutting into the desirable band. Usually, one filter is a 2nd order (2 pole) section with a -12 dB/octave slope. Usually, about four sections (8th order or 8 poles) are needed for
jobs like this.

Gints

Patricia Kim · August 22nd, 2003, 09:05 PM

There is a product on the market called SoundSoap which is supposed to help reduce audio noise while preserving dialog, etc. The manual cites wind noise as one example of rumble it can reduce. I just bought the software today and haven't used it yet, but it has a testimonial on its site from someone using FCP. Go to www.bias-inc.com for a look. P.S. For $99, if it works, it's a bargain.

Ken Tanaka · August 22nd, 2003, 09:56 PM

Patricia,
Indeed, I have Bias' SoundSoap and it's a pretty darn good product (and value). It operates as both a stand-alone product as well as a VST plug-in with Bias' Peak products. It can, and will, make some headway to cut wind noise. Basically, it "learns" where the noise is with your guidance. I tried it on some very windy vacation footage from my wife's ZR20 camera early this year. It did a good job of reducing the noise, to be sure. But it could not audibly eliminate it and it did attenuate voice portions of the track.

So if you have SoundSoap and want a somewhat simplified tool to accomplish much of Dave's and Gints' excellent recommendations it's certainly worth a whirl. It couldn't hoit!

Dave Largent · August 22nd, 2003, 10:57 PM

Hi Gerald,
Regarding Soundsoap. I think it would depend on whether or not there is dialog simultaneously to the wind. If so, I don't think
Soundsoap is worth getting. See, I've never tried this program
but I have one that works along the same lines and is considered
*better* than Soundsoap. The problem is: as you start cutting
out the wind what also happens is that the voices develop a
noticable robotic quality to them. On a scale of 1-10, so far as
effectiveness in doing what you're trying to do -- of course based
upon my own experience doing the same thing -- I would give
noise reduction a "2" and graphic equlization an "8". The equalization I described, alone, will take out about 80-90% of the wind with no speach artifacting.
Hope this helps.
Dave

P.S. For noise reduction, I use Waves Restoration Bundle.

August 21st, 2003, 06:09 PM	#1
Gerald Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 64	Any way to restore precious windy audio? I forgot to enable the windscreen for this one shot and while you can hear what people are saying, there's too much wind. I tried using Cool Edit's noise reduction but that doesn't really help. Any suggestions? Thanks

August 22nd, 2003, 02:14 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Your dialog track is probably not restorable. You can try a low-pass fllter to take out some of the rumble but if you have very severe wind noise the only solution will probably be to either re-shoot the scene or dub a new dialog track under the footage. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

August 22nd, 2003, 09:56 PM	#6
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Patricia, Indeed, I have Bias' SoundSoap and it's a pretty darn good product (and value). It operates as both a stand-alone product as well as a VST plug-in with Bias' Peak products. It can, and will, make some headway to cut wind noise. Basically, it "learns" where the noise is with your guidance. I tried it on some very windy vacation footage from my wife's ZR20 camera early this year. It did a good job of reducing the noise, to be sure. But it could not audibly eliminate it and it did attenuate voice portions of the track. So if you have SoundSoap and want a somewhat simplified tool to accomplish much of Dave's and Gints' excellent recommendations it's certainly worth a whirl. It couldn't hoit! __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

August 22nd, 2003, 06:18 PM	#3
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Hi Gerald, I have had very good luck at reducing, but not totally eliminating, wind rumble. Here's how. Use a graphic equalizer. Cut out all the base below 225Hz. Then give a slight boost in the 2kHz to 7kHz range to increase voice intelligability. I, too, have tried using noise reduction plug-ins that sample the noise but without much success. You may acheive the best results by using the equalizer and then using just a touch of noise reduction. Let us know if this helps. Dave

August 22nd, 2003, 06:50 PM	#4
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Gerald, Good suggestions. A slightly better tool to do the same job would be a high pass (reduces all frequencies below filter's center frequency) or a low shelf filter (reduces all frequencies below filter's center frequency by specified amount). If you can chain two or more to provide a steeper filter slope, it's possible to remove even more of the low frequency components without cutting into the desirable band. Usually, one filter is a 2nd order (2 pole) section with a -12 dB/octave slope. Usually, about four sections (8th order or 8 poles) are needed for jobs like this. Gints

August 22nd, 2003, 09:05 PM	#5
Patricia Kim Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 453	There is a product on the market called SoundSoap which is supposed to help reduce audio noise while preserving dialog, etc. The manual cites wind noise as one example of rumble it can reduce. I just bought the software today and haven't used it yet, but it has a testimonial on its site from someone using FCP. Go to www.bias-inc.com for a look. P.S. For $99, if it works, it's a bargain.

August 22nd, 2003, 10:57 PM	#7
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Hi Gerald, Regarding Soundsoap. I think it would depend on whether or not there is dialog simultaneously to the wind. If so, I don't think Soundsoap is worth getting. See, I've never tried this program but I have one that works along the same lines and is considered better than Soundsoap. The problem is: as you start cutting out the wind what also happens is that the voices develop a noticable robotic quality to them. On a scale of 1-10, so far as effectiveness in doing what you're trying to do -- of course based upon my own experience doing the same thing -- I would give noise reduction a "2" and graphic equlization an "8". The equalization I described, alone, will take out about 80-90% of the wind with no speach artifacting. Hope this helps. Dave P.S. For noise reduction, I use Waves Restoration Bundle.