Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible

Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Olivier Farmachi on Mar 27, 2009 at 11:17:10 am

Hello everyone.

I recorded a live interview with XLR Inputs from a mixing panel. I set my audio level on Canon XL-H1 camera and also Canon XH G1 on -12db.

I made tests before shooting to set my levels and everythings was ok.

But I got finally an horrible saturated sounds, I think I did a huge mistake but now I have to find a solution to understand the problem and ask your help please to try to fix it.

I know it seems impossible but if you can help me in anything I will greatly appreciate because I don t know what to do.

I m working on final cut pro for editing and also I have soundtrack pro and Adobe soundbooth.

Thanks in advance

Here a link where you can download a sample to have an idea :

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UmNMYURJYXlLVlh2Wmc9PQ

Nice day to you

O.

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Randy Wheeler on Mar 27, 2009 at 3:39:55 pm

Here's my stab at it...

Before:

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/TEST_ARNAUD.aif

After:

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/TEST_ARNAUD_restored2.aif

Randy

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Olivier Farmachi on Mar 28, 2009 at 1:12:19 pm

Hello Randy,

Wow you fixed it so well !
I thought it was totally impossible.

Yes I know, I made a big mistake concerning the audio checking during the shooting...

Next time, no error from my part...

I wanted to ask you if it will be possible to send you the complete file to fix it ?
The lenght is about 5 minutes, send in .wav or .aiff as you want via Yousendit.

I need to return the job editing for monday morning...

I hope you could help me, but I don't want to disturb you...

If it s possible, here is the entire link to fix :

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UmNMTGs5WkI1UjZ4dnc9PQ

My mail adress is olivier.farmachi@gmail.com

I greatly appreciate your help if you can do it...

Have a nice week end and thanks for the reply !

Regards,

Olivier

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Min Shen on Mar 28, 2009 at 2:57:28 pm

Dear Randy,

do you mind sharing with us how you did the restoration?

Thanks in advance

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Jim Dodds on Dec 19, 2013 at 7:46:25 pm

Been desperately searching the net for some help in desaturating an audio file and found Randy Wheeler's help Re: Mar 27, 2009 at 10:39:55 am

Here's my stab at it...

Before:

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/TEST_ARNAUD.aif

After:

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/TEST_ARNAUD_restored2.aif

If Randy's till around I'd sure like to know how he did this. I use Audacity, Sound Forge and Corel VideoStudio X4. Need to fix a 1/2 hour video file with really saturated audio. Thank you!

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Jordan Wolf on Mar 27, 2009 at 4:58:04 pm

There's not going to be any real way to remove that distortion without altering the quality of the original audio. What Randy did (or similar) is more or less going to be the end result no matter who you have try to fix it.

Fix it at the source. Here's how to keep this from happening next time:

1. Bring headphones and always monitor the audio coming into the camera. I can tell that you didn't check the audio until after the shoot because you never mentioned anything about trying to fix the problem during the show.

2. Learn the difference between Line Level and Mic Level and what they mean to your camera.

3. Confirm the type of output you are getting from the mixing board and know what it means.

Wolf
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Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Randy Wheeler on Mar 28, 2009 at 6:29:56 pm

Actually, I didn't spend that much time tweaking that initial test, just wanted to show that you could get rid of the distortion to a certain level.

Here's a new version from the first 60-seconds where I corrected several major level-change problems along with taking out the high background noise and distortion.

Original version (1st 60 seconds)

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/Soundforfixing_60sec_original.aif

Fixed version (1st 60 seconds)

http://www.randywheeler.com/audio/Soundforfixing_60sec_fixed.aif

If you like what you hear, I can do the rest and give you a download link in exchange for you treating me to a nice Cajun lunch via PayPal. It's crawfish season now down here in Louisiana and a 5 pounds of those mud bugs with some corn on the cob and potatoes would certainly hit the spot right now.

Randy

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Randy Wheeler on Mar 29, 2009 at 2:18:15 am

Olivier,

Here's my lunch bill and the link to pay for it if you're still interested. That's about $125 cheaper than I would normally charge to correct that amount of audio in that kind of shape:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=431028...

Randy

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Randy Wheeler on Mar 29, 2009 at 2:36:18 am

Here's a screenshot of the the "before and after" results from the 4 minute 7 second audio waveform. The top is the original and the bottom is after I fixed it.

Randy

Re: Audio saturation who need to be fixed if possible
by Randy Wheeler on Mar 31, 2009 at 1:40:50 am

So much for trying to help a brother out, he never got back in touch to pay for the excellent lunch I had the other day. Hope he got what he wanted out of it.

Must have been a student, they always want something for nothing even though they usually have newer/better equipment than I do but just don't know how to use it.

Where's that "Grinder" rule book when I need it?

Randy

Audio tape enhancement
by erika adkins on Jul 31, 2009 at 5:26:03 pm

I have a mini audio tape( the kind you use in a microcasette recorder) of a message we taped from our answering machine. This message is of a relative who we believe burglarized our home the day before. The message was accidently left on our answering machine from his cell phone. The police were no help in this matter and never even listened to the tape and said it would only be considered heresay. We think it is because it was a family member and maybe they thought we could all resolve it on our own. We want it for our own piece of mind so that one day maybe it will be resolved. We are pretty certain of what the entire message is saying, but there is some distortion. We would like to have it enhanced as proof to play back to him. That way he can't weazle out of it by saying he's saying something else. Can you PLEASE help with this. It would greatly be appreciated. Thank you.

Re: Audio tape enhancement
by Randy Wheeler on Aug 1, 2009 at 8:38:43 pm

Erika,

I assume your post was directed to me. Click on my profile and you can contact me by clicking on my website link.

Randy