Removing Echo at DVinfo.net

Rob Wilson · November 13th, 2003, 12:10 PM

Anyone have any suggestions on how to REMOVE echo using either Primeire Pro or Adobe Audition? I've got some editing to do on tape provided by a client that was made in a small room and has lots of echo. I'm looking for a way to cacel it out a bit.

Thanks

Rob Lohman · November 24th, 2003, 06:48 AM

Have you looked through the filter lists? I don't have those
programs here so can't check it out myself.

Rob Wilson · November 24th, 2003, 07:44 AM

Rob,

Yep, sure did. Lot's of ways to add echo but didn't see any to cancel it. Thanks though.

J. Clayton Stansberry · November 24th, 2003, 03:03 PM

I was wondering the same thing, just with FCP??? Anyone know how to Remove echo instead of add it with FCP4?

Joe Sacher · November 24th, 2003, 03:27 PM

I doubt there is any specific plugin that will remove echo. It is a very complex problem. I don't know if there are any tricks such as inverting the phase, reducing the inverted volume to the same as the first echo and sliding the audio down to the first echo. No idea if that works, but it might cancel out the following echos.

Martin Garrison · November 24th, 2003, 11:15 PM

An expander might lessen the effect, but I don't think you'll be able to get rid of an echo.

Ken Tanaka · November 24th, 2003, 11:42 PM

I recently ran through the echo-removal gauntlet...painful, but at least partially possible. (I am currently running through the same gauntlet for a re-cut of the same material.)

Bias' Sound Soap did a pretty good job for me. I do, however, have two caveats.

1. My footage was close-miked with a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun. This is an excellent mic that rejects a great deal of off-axis noise. So the raw sound track was relatively clean. I don't think results would have been nearly as good if I had used my ME-66.

2. Even with Sound Soap the process was hardly push-button. It took hours of experimentation to determine the settings that scrubbed most of the echo without flattening the resonance of the voices.

Good luck with your project.

Mike Butler · November 25th, 2003, 03:24 PM

Yep, that's the story in a nutshell...lots of ways to add echo but not to take it out. How much of a problem would it be to do a retake? ...or to "foley" in some new audio in post?

Rob Wilson · November 25th, 2003, 04:09 PM

In this case, no chance for a retake or foley. It's an interview conducted by detectives of an individual accused of agrevated assult. Done in a small interview room, hard walls, ceiling and floor. I'm going to talk to them about improving the quality of recordings with better mic placement and hopefully some sound deadening.

Martin Garrison · November 25th, 2003, 05:07 PM

This sounds like a great story.

Ken Tanaka · November 25th, 2003, 05:17 PM

It does, doesn't it? Like, "How do I keep the sound of a suspect's head hitting the mic from distorting?".

Rob Wilson · November 25th, 2003, 05:42 PM

Well, there is some good stuff, but nothing compared to the latest Lady X (whew)

Ken Tanaka · November 25th, 2003, 05:52 PM

Yuh, that one's a little strong, eh? Gee, let's hope you didn't shoot anything like that in a U.S. police station!

November 13th, 2003, 12:10 PM	#1
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Removing Echo Anyone have any suggestions on how to REMOVE echo using either Primeire Pro or Adobe Audition? I've got some editing to do on tape provided by a client that was made in a small room and has lots of echo. I'm looking for a way to cacel it out a bit. Thanks

November 24th, 2003, 06:48 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Have you looked through the filter lists? I don't have those programs here so can't check it out myself. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 24th, 2003, 03:03 PM	#4
J. Clayton Stansberry Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 316	I was wondering the same thing, just with FCP??? Anyone know how to Remove echo instead of add it with FCP4? __________________ I understand everything about nothing.

November 24th, 2003, 11:42 PM	#7
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	I recently ran through the echo-removal gauntlet...painful, but at least partially possible. (I am currently running through the same gauntlet for a re-cut of the same material.) Bias' Sound Soap did a pretty good job for me. I do, however, have two caveats. 1. My footage was close-miked with a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun. This is an excellent mic that rejects a great deal of off-axis noise. So the raw sound track was relatively clean. I don't think results would have been nearly as good if I had used my ME-66. 2. Even with Sound Soap the process was hardly push-button. It took hours of experimentation to determine the settings that scrubbed most of the echo without flattening the resonance of the voices. Good luck with your project. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

November 25th, 2003, 03:24 PM	#8
Mike Butler Machinist Mate Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Southern Connecticut Posts: 644	Yep, that's the story in a nutshell...lots of ways to add echo but not to take it out. How much of a problem would it be to do a retake? ...or to "foley" in some new audio in post? __________________ I ain't straight outta Compton, I'm straight out the trailer. Cuss like a sailor, drink like a Mc. My only words of wisdom are just, "Radio Edit."

November 24th, 2003, 07:44 AM	#3
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Rob, Yep, sure did. Lot's of ways to add echo but didn't see any to cancel it. Thanks though.

November 24th, 2003, 03:27 PM	#5
Joe Sacher Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 177	I doubt there is any specific plugin that will remove echo. It is a very complex problem. I don't know if there are any tricks such as inverting the phase, reducing the inverted volume to the same as the first echo and sliding the audio down to the first echo. No idea if that works, but it might cancel out the following echos.

November 24th, 2003, 11:15 PM	#6
Martin Garrison Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 173	An expander might lessen the effect, but I don't think you'll be able to get rid of an echo.

November 25th, 2003, 04:09 PM	#9
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	In this case, no chance for a retake or foley. It's an interview conducted by detectives of an individual accused of agrevated assult. Done in a small interview room, hard walls, ceiling and floor. I'm going to talk to them about improving the quality of recordings with better mic placement and hopefully some sound deadening.

November 25th, 2003, 05:07 PM	#10
Martin Garrison Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 173	This sounds like a great story.

November 25th, 2003, 05:17 PM	#11
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	It does, doesn't it? Like, "How do I keep the sound of a suspect's head hitting the mic from distorting?". __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

November 25th, 2003, 05:42 PM	#12
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Well, there is some good stuff, but nothing compared to the latest Lady X (whew)

November 25th, 2003, 05:52 PM	#13
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Yuh, that one's a little strong, eh? Gee, let's hope you didn't shoot anything like that in a U.S. police station! __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com