Sound problem - Can I fix it with FCP

[golasa]

LO,

I'm reviewing images I recorded with Sony EX1 couple of months ago. It appears that certain sequences have the volume at -60db...obviously I cannot here them properly...I try to use the Gain Filter but I need to put it on +35 to hear something...obviously very huge background noise...Is there a way to increase the volume of the sequence without too much background noise.

NB - when I edit the other sequences, recorded on -30db and put the gain filter the result it's fine. There is of course very slight background noise, but the nothing too disturbing to assume the sequence is corrupted.

Thanks for any help!

[Alex H.]

The first question is: how did your audio get recorded at such a low level without you noticing until now? Always, always, always wear headphones when you're recording audio. Not wearing headphones while you record is the same as shooting without a viewfinder.

Moving forward, your sound levels for dialog should be averaging much higher, around -12dB, with occasional peaks (for sudden, loud sounds) as high as -6dB. If you record too low, you cannot bring the level of the production sound up without also amplifying any noise that was recorded. Once it's recorded, it's all one signal and there are no pieces and parts that can be separated. And if you're as low as -60dB (where are you reading that... FCP's meter?), you've barely used any of the bits in the audio stream and there's just not much to work with. Even if you can bring it up to a workable level, it will sound blocky (like a bad Internet download). Putting that signal through noise removal will make it worse. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to fix it. Your options are to re-shoot, or to try and ADR/replace all your audio in post.

[golasa]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the kind advice and sorry for the belated reply...I guess I did not like my responsibility there;))

Cheers,
G.