Apple Soundtrack audio/noise question at DVinfo.net

Heath McKnight · November 7th, 2006, 11:45 PM

I've been messing around in Soundtrack, which is something I rarely do. To all the sound post-philes out there, my hat's off to you.

Anyway, I'm having no luck on a driving scene (interior of the car) with reducing a general "hum/buzz" of the car driving. I tried the noise reducer with no luck. A friend of mine is helping, but I want to know about a technique.

It's when you copy the hum/buzz and somehow invert it, cancelling it out. I understand helicopters somehow can cancel their sound doing something similar with speakers. How would I do this in Soundtrack Pro? Is it possible? I've seen it done in PC apps, but I wouldn't know where to begin, in general.

Thanks,

heath

Dave Perry · November 8th, 2006, 06:17 AM

Are you using Soundtrack or Soundtrack Pro? There's a big difference between the two.

Heath,

If you can find a good 2-3 second length of the noise you want to remove with no other dialogue or ambient sound you want removed, drag a selection across its waveform. Next, go to Process>Set Noise Print., then click in the timeline to deselect. Go to Process>Reduce Noise. In that dialoge box, check Noise Only and click the play button. Now, slide the Reduce Noise slider at the top to the right until you hear the noise you want removed get louder. Slide to the point that you just start to hear dialogue in the background. It'll sound like tuning an AM radio where yo can hear talking in the background. Then back off just a tad. Stop the play and then hit Apply. That will take the noise out of the entire clip. If you don't deselct what you originally selected for your Noise Print, it'll just remove noise from your selection.

You have to go kind of easy with this or your overall track will sound unatural.

The included DVD tutorials do a great job of explaining and demonstrating this if you have Soundtrack Pro. I don't even think this function is included in the original version of Soundtrack though.

Heath McKnight · November 8th, 2006, 07:48 AM

Yeah, it's Pro (part of FC Studio). I'll give it a shot.

Thanks,

heath

Greg Boston · November 8th, 2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Perry

I don't even think this function is included in the original version of Soundtrack though.

Quite right, Dave. The original Soundtrack app didn't even have a waveform editor. That's why they included a lite version of Bias Peak.

-gb-

November 7th, 2006, 11:45 PM	#1
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Apple Soundtrack audio/noise question I've been messing around in Soundtrack, which is something I rarely do. To all the sound post-philes out there, my hat's off to you. Anyway, I'm having no luck on a driving scene (interior of the car) with reducing a general "hum/buzz" of the car driving. I tried the noise reducer with no luck. A friend of mine is helping, but I want to know about a technique. It's when you copy the hum/buzz and somehow invert it, cancelling it out. I understand helicopters somehow can cancel their sound doing something similar with speakers. How would I do this in Soundtrack Pro? Is it possible? I've seen it done in PC apps, but I wouldn't know where to begin, in general. Thanks, heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

November 8th, 2006, 06:17 AM	#2
Dave Perry Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 796	Are you using Soundtrack or Soundtrack Pro? There's a big difference between the two. Heath, If you can find a good 2-3 second length of the noise you want to remove with no other dialogue or ambient sound you want removed, drag a selection across its waveform. Next, go to Process>Set Noise Print., then click in the timeline to deselect. Go to Process>Reduce Noise. In that dialoge box, check Noise Only and click the play button. Now, slide the Reduce Noise slider at the top to the right until you hear the noise you want removed get louder. Slide to the point that you just start to hear dialogue in the background. It'll sound like tuning an AM radio where yo can hear talking in the background. Then back off just a tad. Stop the play and then hit Apply. That will take the noise out of the entire clip. If you don't deselct what you originally selected for your Noise Print, it'll just remove noise from your selection. You have to go kind of easy with this or your overall track will sound unatural. The included DVD tutorials do a great job of explaining and demonstrating this if you have Soundtrack Pro. I don't even think this function is included in the original version of Soundtrack though. __________________ Dave Perry Cinematographer LLC Director of Photography • Editor • Digital Film Production • 540.915.2752 • daveperry.net

November 8th, 2006, 07:48 AM	#3
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Yeah, it's Pro (part of FC Studio). I'll give it a shot. Thanks, heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog