Subject:Best process to remove vocal pops?

Posted by: CClub

Date:11/25/2008 12:53:54 PM

I have a person speaking to an audience, and 98% of the audio is fine, but occasionally he moves in closer and the "P" sounds give a loud pop. In Sound Forge, the huge spike in the audio track can be seen. I've tried the standard noise plugins here without success. Is there a way to just bring down that Pop spike?

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: jumbuk

Date:11/25/2008 10:14:32 PM

Obvious way is with a compressor, possibly with a frequency-tuned sidechain. Like a de-esser, but tuned to the pop frequency.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: Steven Myers

Date:11/26/2008 5:36:33 AM

I've had good results with the Multi-Band Dynamics in Sound Forge. There's a plosives preset.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: drbam

Date:11/26/2008 7:17:50 AM

If there are not too many of them, I typically will zoom in close to the plosive, select it and reduce the volume and/or apply some reductive eq. For me, the presets on the compressors or compressors in general do a kind of half-ass job because each plosive instance will have its own unique characteristics. I haven't yet found an automated process that gives me what I'm wanting so its an often tedious one-at-a-time process, but the results are professional and ultimately satisfying.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: rraud

Date:11/26/2008 8:07:35 AM

I agree with drbam. The "surgical" method is sometimes time-consuming but can perfect a good track. I find a steep hi-pass (low-cut) filter usually works well.
On severe plosives, (distorted beyond repair) I've copied and "overwritten" the "p, b or t" from another word, however this is usually not necessary.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: CClub

Date:11/26/2008 7:45:10 PM

Excellent suggestions. Printing now, and I'll be working on this over the next few days. I'll give the quick/easy method a shot, and if it's not successful, I don't have a problem with the surgical methods, as the audio is pretty important. Thanks to everyone.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: Steven Myers

Date:11/27/2008 9:23:13 AM

I've copied and "overwritten" the "p, b or t"

Heh. I have a collection of those consonants for voices I routinely record. It might seem kind of anal, but it's easier and quicker than teaching mic technique to the dense, doing multiple re-takes, etc.

Subject:RE: Best process to remove vocal pops?

Reply by: drbam

Date:11/27/2008 11:34:28 AM

<<I've copied and "overwritten" the "p, b or t"

Heh. I have a collection of those consonants for voices I routinely record. It might seem kind of anal, but it's easier and quicker than teaching mic technique to the dense, doing multiple re-takes, etc.>>

A colleague/friend who has a VO studio does this as well. He has collected a huge file of this stuff from his regular artists and he swears that it saves him a ton of time now.