Mastering Audio Editing: Techniques for Removing Unwanted Sounds

Audio editing is a crucial skill for anyone working in multimedia, podcasting, or music production. One of the most common challenges faced by producers is dealing with unwanted sounds that creep into recordings. In this article, we will explore various techniques for editing audio files to remove these unwanted noises.

Understanding the Importance of Planning and Testing

Before making the recording: It is essential to create a sound-proof environment and test for any equipment-related buzzing before starting the actual recording. Using an audio interface instead of plugging microphones directly into computer ports can significantly improve audio quality. If you find that the recording is already completed, you can still work to remove unwanted sounds using various tools and techniques.

Removing Unwanted Sounds in VEED

If you prefer an online solution, services like VEED can simplify the process. Here’s how you can use it:

Upload Audio

Upload your audio files directly to VEED. The platform works entirely online, and you can upload and edit your files directly from your browser.

Remove Background Noise

To remove background noise, click on the audio track and then open Settings. From there, click the Clean Audio option. This process will automatically eliminate the background noise in seconds, making your audio cleaner and more professional.

Download Your Edited Audio

Once you’re satisfied with the editing, simply download your audio file. The process is straightforward and can be done in just a few clicks.

Reducing Sound Without Recapturing the Track

It’s not always possible to re-record every track, but you can still reduce the volume of unwanted sounds. This approach will result in a slight reduction in sound quality, but it’s better than leaving the noise in the track. For live sets with prerecorded music, reducing the gain at the corresponding frequency can fudge the audience into believing the sound is better than it is.

Advanced Techniques for Noise Removal and Isolation

For more advanced noise removal and isolation, you might need specialized software like iZotope RX7. With this tool, you can delete embedded noises that aren’t occurring at the same time as the program sound. Using a gate or an expander can help catch noise but avoid overlapping program content. You can automate the threshold to catch noise without interfering with the music.

For isolated sounds like vocals or instruments, a karaoke plugin can help. The RX7 noise reduction tool is particularly effective. You can also use it to fine-tune specific parts of the recording, such as restoring tuning mistakes or fixing timing errors.

Editing Musical Notes

For musical transients, you can group channels together, create regions, and move them to a grid. Melodyne Editor is a powerful tool for tuning and editing individual notes. If a string on a guitar was out of tune, you can tune just the relevant notes from that string.

Fixing Timing Mistakes

Timing mistakes can be corrected by treating every transient as a separate region. You can then move these regions to a grid if the song is aligned with one. Using a tempo map from something with good timing, you can line up the separated regions to the tempo map if the song is not already on a grid.

Summary and Tips

Whether you’re using online tools like VEED or more advanced software, the key to effective audio editing lies in proper planning and testing. Once you have your track, various techniques can help remove unwanted sounds and improve your final product. Whether it’s automatically cleaning up background noise or using specialized tools like iZotope RX7, the right approach can make a significant difference in the quality of your audio.