What is an echo?
An echo is an audio effect that makes a sound repeat with a delay. It simulates how voices echo in a canyon or other expansive areas where sound waves bounce off surfaces and return to your ears.
Editors often add this effect to dialogue, voiceovers, or background sounds to shine a focus on certain moments or create a dramatic effect in a scene. You’ll often find this effect used in movies or podcasts.
How to use an echo effect in a video
Import your file(s) into video editing software. Select the audio track and apply the echo effect from the audio effects library. Adjust settings like delay time and feedback to control how the echo sounds.
What is a reverb vs. echo?
Reverb creates a smooth, lingering sound, while echo creates a more pronounced, delayed repetition. While reverb gives the illusion of sound filling a space, echo simulates a sound bouncing back.
Can AI remove echo?
Yes, if the echo is unintentional, you can use tools like Riverside to remove the echo with its in-built echo cancellation.
How to turn on/off Riverside’s echo cancellation
Riverside’s echo cancellation feature can help reduce echoes while you’re recording. Here’s how:
- Join the Riverside Studio using your computer browser.
- Click the People icon on the right sidebar to open the participant list.
- Locate the participant’s name (including your own) in the list.
- Find the Echo Cancellation toggle next to the participant’s name.
- Turn Echo Cancellation on or off by clicking the toggle.
Note: You can only enable or disable Echo Cancellation before or after a recording session. If the toggle is greyed out, stop the recording first.
Use headphones for best results but if you still hear an echo on the recording, mute the speaker’s track when they're not speaking to remove it.
