Subject:How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Posted by: Shaun

Date:8/12/2001 5:49:14 PM

I have a recording that sounds like it was recorded from across a medium-sized theater. I want to make it sound closer - less reverb, in other words. Would Acoustic Mirror help with this? For example, just using the wet output, applying envelope and limiting decay?

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:8/12/2001 7:21:19 PM

It sounds like you recorded the ambience of the room, so using Acoustic mirror would not help this because the reverb is in your source recording. The only suggestion I have would be to try a little EQ and see if that helps. Try boosting the frequencies between 3.5khz and 7Khz, this is the "presence" range and boosting these frequencies will increase the presence (ie make them more present. You also might want to lower the frequences around 100-400hz, this will decrease the boominess of the reverb and make it less noticeable.

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: RickZ

Date:8/13/2001 10:08:41 AM

I've used mild compression to achieve a 'closer' sound, on choral concerts I've recorded. But I do have my mics pretty close. If your recording was done from back in the audience, compression is likely to make the audience noise worse.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
Rick Z

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: jgalt

Date:8/13/2001 5:02:07 PM

Rednroll's suggestion sounds like a good one although I'd try a little lower frequency for the boost. Try 2300 KHz, about 1.5 octaves wide. You may want to reducde your level first. Make a pass with boost set at +2 to +3dB, reverse the file and make another pass with the same dB boost. Dividing the total equalization by 2, making a pass, reversing the file and them making another pass cancels much of the phase distortion caused by equalization.

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: CharlesGarrett

Date:8/13/2001 8:06:36 PM

Running your audio through a noise-reduction program might lessen the natural reverb a bit (I'm told) and in combination with a noise gate and some gentle compression, just might bring the sound more "up front". Might be worth a try.

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Shaun

Date:8/14/2001 12:49:49 PM

>>Try 2300 KHz, about 1.5 octaves wide.

I assume you mean 23kHz or 2300Hz, or we'd be in DOG hearing range.

>>Make a pass with boost set at +2 to +3dB, reverse >>the file and make another pass with the same dB >>boost.

By 'reverse' do you mean "Invert/Flip" (change the phase of the wave) or "Reverse" as in play backwards?

Let me know and I'll give it a try!

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Shaun

Date:8/14/2001 12:51:26 PM

I tried something like this and the results were somewhat better than the original, but there were a bunch of drunks near the taper's mics. Thanks!

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Shaun

Date:8/14/2001 12:53:19 PM

Thanks! I sent it through Noise Reduction 2.0 and it helped some. Whoever made the recording was too close to the drunk and delirous section, though, so I don't think I'll ever get it to sound really good.

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:8/14/2001 6:44:59 PM

Well you could always use the popular "Vocal Remover" plugin that everyone keeps asking about, I believe there's a preset in that plugin called "Sober Up", It totally removes any unwanted buligerant drunks from your recorded tracks when properly used in conjuction with a 96Khz 128bit DAW system.

Subject:RE: How do I make a recording sound 'closer?'

Reply by: Shaun

Date:8/15/2001 11:33:48 AM

Excellent!

I also heard of a plug-in called "Shut the F*** Up and Listen" that does pretty much the same thing.