• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  sweetening interview audio

  Posted by Eric Nelson on January 21, 2010 at 12:35 am

  I’m looking for guidance on “sweetening” the audio from an interview. It’s a woman’s voice recorded from a few feet away. I’d like to bring up the level a bit and smooth out the peaks. I moved it to STP, tried +3dB gain and compressor with default settings. It’s “okay” but sounds a little brittle.

  Thanks for help,
  Eric

  C. Kauffman replied 16 years, 3 months ago 5 Members · 9 Replies
• 9 Replies

• 

  David Roth weiss

  January 21, 2010 at 12:55 am

  Try Levelator for Mac, a free download. You might hear a professional post mixer diss it here and there, but then I’d be doing the same if somebody created a decent free software app that replaced me too.

  David Roth Weiss
  Director/Editor/Colorist
  David Weiss Productions, Inc.
  Los Angeles

  POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

  A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
• 

  Bj Ahlen

  January 21, 2010 at 3:03 am

  What microphone did you use?

  If it was a Senn ME66 or similar ENG mike, you will get an almost excessively clear sound with some harshness.

  A tape emulator plug-in (there are some free ones) can help with getting rid of the “grit” in a way you can’t get with just EQ.
• 

  Eric Nelson

  January 21, 2010 at 3:55 am

  Hi David, thanks for the tip. I will try levelator.

  Reading about it reminds me of the Really Nice Compressor. Just press the Super Nice button and voilà.

  Thanks
  Eric
• 

  Eric Nelson

  January 21, 2010 at 3:56 am

  Hi BJ,

  I had two mics… one was the PD-170’s on-camera, the other was a dynamic mic placed closer to the subject but still a few feet away.

  Thanks
  Eric
• 

  Eric Nelson

  January 21, 2010 at 4:14 am

  Hi David,

  double thanks… tried Levelator and it sounds great. It did a nice job of pulling up the audio without also bringing up the background noise. Super!

  Thanks!
  Eric
• 

  Hamp Lund

  January 21, 2010 at 1:00 pm

  Smooth out the peaks with volume automation or som kind of software (have not tried Levelator). Traditional compression can make the sound even more harsh. Use an eq and try to identify what frequencies are causing the “brittleness” and try lowering them a bit. You mostly have to compromise in situations like these.
• 

  David Roth weiss

  January 21, 2010 at 8:12 pm

  [Eric Nelson] “double thanks… tried Levelator and it sounds great. It did a nice job of pulling up the audio without also bringing up the background noise”

  Yep, despite what some audio pros have said about it, it works pretty well for most users who have tried it. Glad it worked for you Erik.

  David

  David Roth Weiss
  Director/Editor/Colorist
  David Weiss Productions, Inc.
  Los Angeles

  POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

  A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
• 

  David Roth weiss

  January 21, 2010 at 8:13 pm

  [hamp lund] “Traditional compression can make the sound even more harsh. Use an eq and try to identify what frequencies are causing the “brittleness” and try lowering them a bit. You mostly have to compromise in situations like these.”

  Give Levelator a try, it’s a very easy and forgiving app, and the price is great too.

  David Roth Weiss
  Director/Editor/Colorist
  David Weiss Productions, Inc.
  Los Angeles

  POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

  A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
• 

  C. Kauffman

  January 21, 2010 at 10:29 pm

  Just downloaded it, can it function as a plug in for FCP or is it standalone? In which case, what’s the best way to export audio from a timeline and re import without messing up synch?
  Thanks

  Sony EX1
  Canon 5d mark 2
  FCP 6.06

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