Subject:removing reverberation
Posted by: takanohana
Date:2/7/2002 9:43:53 AM
I made voice (speaking) recording using a minidisc recorder and a good stereo mic. (Recorded in stereo mode). However, there is a significant degree of reverberation effect when the speaker speaks. Two questions: Anybody know how to eliminate the reverb effect during recording (don't have access to sound studio)? Anybody know how to eliminate the reverb effect in Sound Forge? |
Subject:RE: removing reverberation
Reply by: Chienworks
Date:2/7/2002 12:37:20 PM
When recording, the simplest thing to do is to keep the mic close to the speaker's mouth. This allows you to turn down the volume and thereby reduce the amount of room reverberation picked up in relation to the direct voice. Generally a good distance for a vocal mic is 1 to 6 inches (3 to 15cm) from the mouth. If your recorder's mic doesn't have a good pop screen you may have to go a little farther away. You can also place mic below the speaker's mouth (so they're talking over it instead of directly into it) to help eliminate breath noise. If you have some time before hand, you can also try covering the walls with some sound absorent material. We do a new year's eve party at the YMCA every year and we have a big presentation time in the main gym (high-gloss painted cinder block walls) at midnight. We use a wireless mic and a pair of column speakers for a PA. The reverb in the gym is horrendous. I started having all the adult volunteers bring in a blanket or two, and we duct-tape these up on the walls beforehand. We probably cover less than 5% of the walls, but even this helps enormously because any sound waves that hit the blankets get absorbed rather than continuing to bounce. Even something as minor as hanging your jacket over a flat space on the wall would help a lot. To remove it after the fact in Sound Forge? Hmmmm. There's not much you can do. If the reverb is a lot quieter than the speaking, you can use a gate effect to cut out the signal between words, but this won't remove it during the speaking. Also having the sudden silences between speaking may sound very unnatural. It's far better to deal with it during the recording stage. |
Subject:RE: removing reverberation
Reply by: takanohana
Date:2/7/2002 12:42:53 PM
Thank you for the kind feedback. I'll try the mic proximity suggestion, as this is the only way I can realistically deal with this. |
Subject:RE: removing reverberation
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:2/7/2002 12:53:39 PM
Also, if you are trying to record just the speaker then why are you using a stereo mic and using the "Stereo" setting? A voice is a MONO sound source, and by placing the mic in Stereo, you are picking up a wider pickup area and therefore getting things outside of the intended sound you are trying to record. Therefore the mic is picking up the ambience of the room and therefore the mic is doing exactly what you have it setup to do. Are you using a stereo mic, just because stereo is suppose to be better than mono? Close mic the voice and record with the mic in mono, otherwise you are picking up things on the sides of the voice...ie the reverb. |
Subject:RE: removing reverberation
Reply by: rraud
Date:2/10/2002 8:47:20 AM
I agree with all. I do a lot seminar recordings in hotels, conference rooms ect. 99% of the time I take a split (mic splitter) off the podimum mic and take a "Sum" (line-level) mix off the house PA. This is a simple and fast set-up, and you will get everything.. But if this is not an option... get the mic as close to the person talking as possible. Wireless lav's are good for this. Just remember to retreive them, as people forget they have them on and go "walk about". PS... did you ever see Leslie Nielson in see "Naked Gun 1".. This has happened.... LOL |