What is audio cleanup?
Audio cleanup is the process of cleaning up the audio quality of recordings by removing unwanted background noise, balancing sound levels, and making sure the dialogue and music sound crystal clear.
In podcast production, editors do one or more of the following to clean up speech:
- Removing reverb or echoes when a speaker is in a large room or in a non-soundproofed environment.
- Adjusting frequencies to make speech clearer. This is often achieved by boosting mid-range frequencies and reducing low-end noises or high-pitched hisses.
- Balancing the dynamic range so that if a speaker’s audio is too low in some parts and too loud in others, the audio levels out.
- De-essing to eliminate sharp “s” sounds that can sound quite harsh.
How do you clean up speech?
Editors use features like noise reduction, compression, and equalization in audio editing software. But even if you don’t have the technical prowess, you can use AI-powered tools like Riverside’s Magic Audio tool to clean up audio.
Is there a way to make audio clearer?
To begin with, use a good mic and record in a quiet environment. If you hear any wanted background noise on the recording, use audio editing features to eliminate it and level out the sound.
How do you clean up muffled audio?
If the mic placement is off, your voice can sound muffled. Use equalization to boost higher frequencies and filter out low frequencies. Once you apply that treatment, use compression to clean up the speech.
How do I restore bad quality audio?
Sometimes, basic audio editing features may not be enough to save bad quality audio. You may need advanced features like spectral editing that help you isolate and remove sounds or frequencies.
How to perform audio cleanup on Riverside
You have a couple of options that can help you clean up your audio on Riverside:
- Riverside removes background noise in real-time if you record natively. This means you don’t have to worry about removing any unwanted sounds in post.
- If you already have a recording that needs cleanup, you can use our AI audio enhancer the Magic Audio feature to reduce noise, normalize the volume, and add clarity to make it sound like it was professionally recorded in a studio.
