Subject:"processed" results

Posted by: edited

Date:3/4/1999 7:57:21 AM

When I modify a .wav file in sound forge xp, I find that it becomes very processed and digital sounding. I'm just
talking about eq and compression here, not anything real extreme like time compression, etc. I'm sampling at
16bits and 44k, so I don't know what the problem is.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
-ed

Subject:Re:

Reply by: O_G_Killa

Date:6/17/1999 4:43:00 PM

Hi edward,

This is just a guess, but it may be that you are using too much processing. Usually, when
things start to sound funny it means you are over-dueing it. I could be wrong...I use SF and not
SF XP so I don't know if they use any different algorithms. But, in my experience that is usually
a sign of tweaking just a little too much.

If this is the case, here are a few tips...

-Make sure the recording you are using is clean and is of good quality. Sometimes if there are
deficiencies in the recording itself, any post-processing you do like EQ and (especially)
compression will magnify and/or compound the problem.

-Depending on what the .wav file is, this could be expected...If you made a .wav file from a CD,
and then try to compress and EQ it, it is going to sound very over-processed. The reason being
is that all Professionally Mastered CDs are EQ'd and Compressed to some degree. So you are
in a sense EQ'ing and Compressing an already EQ'd and Compressed recording. Sometimes
this can be a cool effect if you want to use the sample in the background of a song with other
music on top of it...but by itself it may not have the nicest sound.

-When using EQ it is always a better idea to attenuate (or cut) frequencies than boost them.
So, depending on which EQ you are using, you should always look for frequencies and tones you
don't like and cut them out, instead of looking for Frequency you do like and try to boost them.
When you cut annoying Freq.'s it will make the recording sound cleaner and clearer and less
cluttered most of the time. Granted after you cut some freq.'s out, you may have to adjust the
gain to make the overall level louder(using the Compressor or Normalize) ...so in the end you
will wind up boosting the Freq.'s you like, but in a round-about way.

-Order of operation is key!!!!! If you compress then EQ the file will sound totally different as a
opposed to EQ then compressing. find the Order of operation that works best for you. What I
have found for the music I do, any type of tonal effects usually go first (EQ, Flange, Chorus,
etc...) then Reverb and Delay...then the last thing I do is play with volume (Compress/Expand,
Normalize, Amplitude Modulation, Etc...). That usually seems to work best for me, this way I
never wind up with any clipping, and it sounds very natural.

-Do not use too much of any effect!!! I cannot stress this enough. Effects are like condiments,
good in moderation. No one likes a cup of salt on a hamburger, or quart or mustard on a
hotdog. Sound is the same way. Be subtle and you'll usually be much happier with the end
result.

again, these are just my opinions and I am sure there are tons of people on the forum that will
both agree and disagree with what I just wrote. but, take it for what it is worth and I hope it
comes in handy someday.

Also, if you already know all this stuff and this isn't what is causing the problem, then there may
be other forces at work here...check you hardware and stuff to make sure it isn't causing any
problems and stuff like that.

Hope this helps!

See ya...



edward holm wrote:
>>When I modify a .wav file in sound forge xp, I find that it becomes very processed and digital
sounding. I'm just
>>talking about eq and compression here, not anything real extreme like time compression,
etc. I'm sampling at
>>16bits and 44k, so I don't know what the problem is.
>>Any ideas?
>>Thanks in advance.
>>-ed

Subject:Re:

Reply by: Jazar

Date:4/6/2000 10:54:00 PM

Oh yes this may be easy but the people with SF.XP dont have the
gift .... the preview option
its either keep the results or undo and hell that sucks :)
SF.XP users .. save up and buy 4.5
you 'll love it

O.G. Killa wrote:
>>Hi edward,
>>
>>This is just a guess, but it may be that you are using too much
processing. Usually, when
>>things start to sound funny it means you are over-dueing it. I
could be wrong...I use SF and not
>>SF XP so I don't know if they use any different algorithms. But,
in my experience that is usually
>>a sign of tweaking just a little too much.
>>
>>If this is the case, here are a few tips...
>>
>>-Make sure the recording you are using is clean and is of good
quality. Sometimes if there are
>>deficiencies in the recording itself, any post-processing you do
like EQ and (especially)
>>compression will magnify and/or compound the problem.
>>
>>-Depending on what the .wav file is, this could be expected...If
you made a .wav file from a CD,
>>and then try to compress and EQ it, it is going to sound very over-
processed. The reason being
>>is that all Professionally Mastered CDs are EQ'd and Compressed to
some degree. So you are
>>in a sense EQ'ing and Compressing an already EQ'd and Compressed
recording. Sometimes
>>this can be a cool effect if you want to use the sample in the
background of a song with other
>>music on top of it...but by itself it may not have the nicest sound.
>>
>>-When using EQ it is always a better idea to attenuate (or cut)
frequencies than boost them.
>>So, depending on which EQ you are using, you should always look for
frequencies and tones you
>>don't like and cut them out, instead of looking for Frequency you
do like and try to boost them.
>> When you cut annoying Freq.'s it will make the recording sound
cleaner and clearer and less
>>cluttered most of the time. Granted after you cut some freq.'s
out, you may have to adjust the
>>gain to make the overall level louder(using the Compressor or
Normalize) ...so in the end you
>>will wind up boosting the Freq.'s you like, but in a round-about
way.
>>
>>-Order of operation is key!!!!! If you compress then EQ the file
will sound totally different as a
>>opposed to EQ then compressing. find the Order of operation that
works best for you. What I
>>have found for the music I do, any type of tonal effects usually go
first (EQ, Flange, Chorus,
>>etc...) then Reverb and Delay...then the last thing I do is play
with volume (Compress/Expand,
>>Normalize, Amplitude Modulation, Etc...). That usually seems to
work best for me, this way I
>>never wind up with any clipping, and it sounds very natural.
>>
>>-Do not use too much of any effect!!! I cannot stress this enough.
Effects are like condiments,
>>good in moderation. No one likes a cup of salt on a hamburger, or
quart or mustard on a
>>hotdog. Sound is the same way. Be subtle and you'll usually be
much happier with the end
>>result.
>>
>>again, these are just my opinions and I am sure there are tons of
people on the forum that will
>>both agree and disagree with what I just wrote. but, take it for
what it is worth and I hope it
>>comes in handy someday.
>>
>>Also, if you already know all this stuff and this isn't what is
causing the problem, then there may
>>be other forces at work here...check you hardware and stuff to make
sure it isn't causing any
>>problems and stuff like that.
>>
>>Hope this helps!
>>
>>See ya...
>>
>>
>>
>>edward holm wrote:
>>>>When I modify a .wav file in sound forge xp, I find that it
becomes very processed and digital
>>sounding. I'm just
>>>>talking about eq and compression here, not anything real extreme
like time compression,
>>etc. I'm sampling at
>>>>16bits and 44k, so I don't know what the problem is.
>>>>Any ideas?
>>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>>-ed