How to remove echo from audio

[Jeff Harper]

Anyone know of a technique to flatten audio? I have a minister's sermon that is hollow, has lots of echo..

Suggestions?

[Mike Kujbida]

Here's a technique (courtesy of Bob Grant) that may help. Good luck with it.


Duplicate the audio track and invert. You should now here nothing.
Apply serious compression to the duplicated track. Adjust threshold, attack and release times and the level of the track. The aim is so that the compressor is leaving the lower level echo untouched and compressing the wanted part. The net result (hopefully) will be that the lower level echo cancels out, leaving the wanted portion intack.

You can also knock some of the bottom end out. Apply a low shelf on the buss master.

Once you have everything as good as you can render it all out to a new audio track, delete the originals and reset all the FXs, just makes it easier to edit in my opinion.

Do not expect a perfect result but if it's just speech you can get a big improvement.

[Jeff Harper]

Thank you, Mike (Doug) for the technique. I have not used the compression tool much, or bus masters...but I will play with it...as well as the other settings...thank you!