Hello
I am doing research and need to hear the (adult female) voice clearly on a set of wav audio files I'm listening to ... unfortunately, there's an annoying buzzing noise in the background on these files interfering with clarity of the words. I've tried using various filters and such using various downloaded programs designed to clean audio files (e.g. audacity) - but I'm having no luck.

I am wondering if someone can point me in the right direction (actually, if you could please be fairly specific that would be great - as I've already been working on this for hours but with nil success...)

Please find attached an mp3 fragment of the sound file with the buzzing.

If you have any suggestions for software that would be most welcomed - free or trial available would be best till I know its going to work...

Many thanks in advance

Attached Files

SampleAudio.mp3 (799.5 KB, 21 views)

I had a listen and found that it was to bad for me to even reduce the buzz without loosing the voice. It's a pretty bad buzz and only very specialised software in the hands of a skilled technician could handle a job like this.

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Every thing said by me should be taken with a pinch of salt. Unless you have high blood pressure, then I would recommend a salt substitute.

There are tools available to do this...

The Waves restoration bundle contains a very good buzz removal tool Audio Restoration & Noise Reduction Plugins - Restoration | Bundles | WAVES

I think the native plug-in version should run under audacity - you might need to get another host though - like Reaper. It is of course mega-bucks, but the demo is completely functional for 30 days so it might do what you want

I've also used MR Hum Wave Arts | Plugins | MR Hum which can provide amazing results. A bit cheaper than the waves tool, but very good.

If you were on a Mac I'd suggest soundsoap BIAS SoundSoap 2 as a cost-effective restoration tool.

Hey, soundsoap is now windows too.. cool!

Mark did you listen to the buzz ? I would be very impressed if a bit of software could deal with it.

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Every thing said by me should be taken with a pinch of salt. Unless you have high blood pressure, then I would recommend a salt substitute.

Here you go. A very quick fix. Took about 30 seconds.

Opened in Adobe Soundbooth CS4.
Had a quick listen.
Found a small section that contains just the noise to be removed. namely from about 0.2 to 0.6 seconds.
Captured that as a noise profile.
Then simply removed those frequencies from the rest of the clip.
Simples!

Didn't play with it for long so some of the first voices sounds a bit tinny.

See what you think.

As i Say, didn't take long. If you want the entire thing done then PM me and we can arrange it.

Alan

Attached Files

SampleAudioFixed.mp3 (802.5 KB, 11 views)

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I'm not young enough to know everything!

just read the entire thread. Does this make me a skilled technician??? lol

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I'm not young enough to know everything!

I guess It does. When I had a go with it I couldn't get the voice at all legible. Well done Alan.

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Every thing said by me should be taken with a pinch of salt. Unless you have high blood pressure, then I would recommend a salt substitute.

Since it seems the file has been cleaned I didn't bother trying ... but, to reiterate one post in the thread, i would have immediately gone to soundsoap .. though the buzz is clearly insanely severe .. soundsoap could get most of it out by looping the first second and applying a noise filter to that buzz

Same principal I used in Soundbooth Adam. Take a snapshot of the just the noise and use that as a filter for the rest.

Did it quickly and the quieter voice does come out a but tinny though.

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I'm not young enough to know everything!