as a newbie i'm unsure if this is the right thread so i am prepared for reprimands... but also help
the problem is the audio quality of the video on https://youtu.be/8y5D35iKeYg , obviously i do not expect whoever can help to do a complete remaster of the audio track - just a hint/trick/tip to get me in the right direction with something like audacity will be more than welcome and will also benefit my understanding.
thanking you in advance
God bless
gabriel smit
Yes; not brilliant, but I'd need to hear the source audio before passing comment and, particularly, in offering solutions. That said, the audio can be heard and understood so for what it is I wouldn't get too anxious.
It seems a "from the audience" recording, rather than captured directly from the presenter's mic, and that's always a compromise.
I suspect somebody has already tried to "improve" it, but possibly made it worse than it started out.
As Mike says, the best way to deal with this is try and find the original recording to bypass the very rough sound we hear here. Possibly a recording was also made from the mixing desk which is normally a lot better than recorded from the audience.
If I was asked to improve this and this was the best source available, I'd use only the right audio channel. The presenter's voice is generally clearer with less audience noise.
Tim
Last edited by Tim Gillett on Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:14 am, edited 4 times in total.
thanks tim!
i'll try and get nearer the 'source' of the original, failing which i'll try and make it mono with the right channel only!
keep well& God bless
gabriel smit
Tim's clearly listened more closely than I have, but his comments reinforce the point about the probability of the audio being picked-up from an on-camera mic - either internal or external.
Added to that compromise you may have less than stellar audio performance in the camera itself. Many cameras can now give decent/acceptable video recordings, but are woefully inadequate on the audio aspect. Microphone manufacturers such as Rode have come up with various 'helps' to ameliorate this and there are gizmos available which will tame the wilder - and noisier - excesses of the camera's automatic volume level control (Automatic Gain Control - AGC).
If you're serious about decent audio quality on video recordings Tim has highlighted the most important point: you need a feed direct from the speaker's mic. There are various options:
* If you can gain access to the audio system - and you can't always in the type of scenario shown in the video - then an audio feed from the amplifier/mixer's output, (NB NOT the speaker outputs) is a good start even though you'll have sound that's been adjusted for the live-sound system.
* Again, assuming access to the audio set-up, a feed from a prefade/preEQ output of the mixer is even better... you get a clean signal which you can then tweak in post yourself.
* Put a mic splitter on the feed from the podium and take a feed from the mic directly into the camera.
* Put your own mic on the podium/presenter and feed that direct to your camera. In that situation I'd go wireless and use the relatively new Rode Wireless GO system - budget-friendly, inconspicuous and decent quality for this type of application.
* Use your own mics and/or record the audio separately to a small digital recorder and then sync it in post. A Zoom H1 would be perfectly adequate for the task at this level.
Of course, all but one of the above assume that you're using a camera with an external mic input... If not your options are limited to:
* Record the audio separately.
* Use a different camera - one with an external mic input.
Hope that helps. Come back if you need any more info on any/all of these.
Last edited by Mike Stranks on Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
It appears the OP is not responsible for the production, and is more an interested follower of the subject matter of the lecture and would just like to be able to improve the sound for his own listening and perhaps a few others. That was the impression I gained at least from reading viewer comments on the YT upload.
