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Subject:How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Posted by: Incuboy
Date:7/31/2001 4:33:55 PM

Im trying to take one of my favorite 80's songs and put a techno beat to the background, but it sounds bad with the background music and the techno beat. Anyone know how to rectify this...?

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: beetlefan
Date:7/31/2001 7:45:23 PM

Here we go again! You basically CANNOT DO THIS!!!!

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: Incuboy
Date:7/31/2001 7:58:55 PM

Ok then. Are there any programs out there that I can do this with....?

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: Dave2
Date:7/31/2001 9:23:50 PM

Incuboy

For more information on this subject you Need to go back two pages and read 'Congradulation Sonic Foundry'

It is made very clear in that thread that completly removing vocals is not possable with Sound Forge. There is other useful information there for new posters & new users as well.

I am still in the S.F. learning/experimenting stage and I did notice a feature that Might help you get close to your goal. Go to Process/channel convertor/preset/stereo to stereo-vocal cut. I don't have a clue if this will help or not. Actually, I am not even going to fool with it. If the forum experts say it can't be done, Then it can't be done. For me it's time saving advice.

Dave M.


Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: edna6284
Date:8/10/2001 11:41:42 AM


It can't be done AT ALL. Can you mix two barrels of paint and then separate them again?

When audio is mixed you are no longer dealing with independent sources. You're dealing with a complex waveform that is irrevocably intertwined. Sure, you can try and EQ stuff out, but the human voice in most recordings runs a wide gamut from low to high end. How would you EQ something out without affecting the vocals?

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: beetlefan
Date:8/11/2001 4:41:00 AM

I keep telling them that but they refuse to accept it.

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: 12StringDreams
Date:8/11/2001 7:25:43 AM

Depends on the song. Sometimes the music and vocals are so
far apart frequency wise, you can use a combination of EQ and
multi-band compression to get rid of "most" of the vocals or music.
Once you add your own music or vocals back in, it's "almost"
un-noticable.
I just finished doing a CD for a friend using this processes. Some of
the songs sounded great and some were just unusable.
I use Cool Edit Pro to do most of this, but looking at SF, it appears
it would work to.
It takes a lot of knob twisting and listening.
Tracy

1500+ Country, rock, and folk drum loops.
www.12StringDreams.com

Subject:RE: How Do I seperate the vocals from the background music?
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:8/12/2001 12:42:54 PM

Oh Yes here it is again....BRILLIANT!!!! This one should be followed by the how do I remove the vocal from the music, so that I just have the music question? Maybe a little education in "Multi-track" recording and "2 Track" mixes will help you understand why these processes can't EFFECTIVELY be done. My analogy for this has always been for these questions is that you've just baked a chocolate cake and now you're asking me to remove all the sugar from the cake so that I can have a cup of sugar by itself. Try this with you're next birthday cake and get back to me and explain to me what happened and then I'll get back to you and explain to you why you couldn't remove a vocal from a "2 Track" Mix.

Regards,
Brian Franz

Subject:IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: digitalDjBUM
Date:8/12/2001 7:36:02 PM

IT IS POSSIBLE TO 100% seperate the VOICE and/or MUSIC from an orginal and/or an already mixed track wave file!!!

Some people act like they are so smart and still give the wrong answers!!!

A person should have some knowledge about a subject before even attempting to answer someone else questions!

I have been using SoundForge since 1997 and I am considered an expert in Digital Music.

I will not give you the answer just because it is a secret on to musicians and I am making money on this. I will however give you a hint and you can look for the answer hopefully in the right place.

When a song is made, there are usually certain guidelines that a musician follows. There is a process to seperate this information from the song and you can do it will all most any sound editor program such as SoundForge.

This process will only work if the musican follows these guide lines and usually all musican do, but some amatures DO NOT.

Tye to learn more about how a song is made and you will find your answer.

And Please, don't act like you know something and then be totally wrong!!!

Digital DJ BUM


Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: MacMoney
Date:8/13/2001 8:02:04 AM

I think you are thinking about those cassette tapes that have the lead vocals on the left track and the music on the right.

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: Ted_H
Date:8/13/2001 8:59:56 AM

Once music has been mixed down to CD, it can be difficult or impossible to isolate specific elements of the audio mix, and remove them without drastically changing the overall sound. The various instruments, vocals, etc, are combined into two channels, left and right in the stereo field. After this it is only possible to adjust volumes for certain frequencies using EQ or create various mixes of the left and right stereo channels using the Channel Converter in Sound Forge or similar applications.

These approaches can sometimes be effective in reducing the relative volume of the vocals, depending on how the material was originally mixed down. However, they will probably also alter the rest of the audio as well. Instrumental versions of songs which are commercially produced are made by removing the vocal tracks from the mix before mixdown.

I'm sorry, but it is simply impossible to remove vocals from a pre-recorded audio without effecting the other elements of the mix. To quote edna6284 - "Can you mix two barrels of paint and then separate them again?"

Ted

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: digitalDjBUM
Date:8/13/2001 10:19:44 AM

It is possible and I have done it many times. It does not work pefectly for all music depending on the recording, but most, I can 99.99% remove the vocal from a CD that you can go out and buy anywhere. Trust me, I done it many times!!!

I use this method to make KAROKE CD's without using any EQ effects. The EQ effects in very inefficient but will work for some music depending on where and how much the mid frequencies of the instruments are. I do not use the EQ method. I do it another way and it is extreamly clear!!!

Digital DJ BUM



Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:8/14/2001 7:10:39 PM

Hey digitaldjbum, It's Me!!! the guy that doesn't know what he's talking about. Now, if it is possible why didn't you explain your method to everyone???? Let me explain how it CAN be done and Explain to you Why most of the time it CAN'T be done. You CAN remove vocals from a music mix if the VOCAL was panned direct center with NO reverb applied to the Vocal part and no other music is panned direct dead center. If you reverse Phase one Channel of the 2 track mix (ie 180 degress out of phase), then everything that was panned dead center will phase cancel. So if the music is panned to the left and right in a stereo mix, then the music will be left behind and the vocal will virtually disappear. The problem with this is that, other instruments are usually also panned dead center like BASS lines and Kick drums, so they also disappear and your mix will sound very thin. To compensate for this you could boast the lower frequencies where the bass and kick are more prevalent than the vocal and thus get your low end of your music back. The other problem is that Vocals usually have a Stereo Reverb mixed with them, so you usually run into the problem, that you removed the direct sound of the Vocal, but you can still here the lyrics. The lyrics just now sound like they're being sung in the Grand Canyon, because you are hearing nothing but the echos of the Reverb. I hope I didn't use too many techincal terms for you like (Phase, Stereo, Direct,and Panned), but I'm sure a Pro that's been using Sound Forge since 1997 should have No problem understanding these things, a lot more than me who's got 10 years of recording experience, has been an instructor in the field, and a degree in Electrical Engineering to boot. Maybe I didn't go into this kind of detail in my last post because a simple question, deserves a simple NO answer.

No secrets, just physics,
Brian Franz

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: TheMiracle
Date:8/16/2001 11:23:18 PM

and you can make that too with a win amp plug in, i agree with that mix paint stuff JAJAJA ;]

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: aggroman
Date:8/18/2001 10:47:32 PM

A collective ignorance...such a site to behold.(J/K) Maybe there is a way, maybe not. But for the soaking-wet newbies, look for an FX plug-in called Vocal Remover. This is as close as you are going to get for a one-step solution. Pray for a miracle. You're WELCOME.......

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: Me
Date:8/25/2001 4:20:25 PM

In reply to [digital DJ Bum]

I’ve just read your posts in the SF forum and you come across as a total twat.

You don’t give the answer to the question because you don’t know, you prick.

The poor guy was asking not how to remove the vocals, an idiot can do this; but how to combine or find the differences between the separated (vocals removed) and the original wave to give the vocals only. Why bother posting just to boast how much of an expert you are (who thinks you’re an expert..your kids or your mum.) and then not give the answer. People who post in this forum are asking for solutions to problems, not to hear you going on about how you can do it but they can’t. Do you get a kick out of making people feel small ? if you have no information to share then fuck off and get a support for your head; because I’m sure your neck can’t hold the weight much longer.

Love U
Steve

Subject:RE: IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEPERATE VOICE FROM WAVE FILE
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:8/26/2001 1:17:08 AM

Couldn't have said it much better myself. Djbum, thinks he is using some kind of black majic that no one knows about. Simply put, the guys a dumb ass.

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