maxed out audio level fix

G

grmasnow

Member
hey all,

so i filmed a wedding a few weeks ago and recorded audio out of the soundboard onto my laptop. i've done this a few times before without incident but this time i suppose it set my recording levels too low. now when i go to edit i've found that in almost all of the clips, the track is maxed out and has the upper level rumble to it. sorry for my noob language but that's the best way that i can describe it. i've been messing around in soundbooth trying to figure out a way to fix it but to no avail. in your guys' experience are there any surefire ways to get rid of this rumble or am i pretty much beached and just have to suck it up?
hopefully that makes sense. i can post an example if that would help. thanks in advance.
 
too much extreme low end frequencies are usually called "rumble" is that what you're experiencing?
If so, use an EQ to cut those freq's out. (low cut)

If you're actually CLIPPING those tracks, since you mention they are "maxed out"
you cant get that information back. If they are just very very quick moments of clipping
you can edit them out using different tools, if they are longer moments..that info is lost.

Put a clip up for the forum to hear.
 
sounds like clipping to me. Since you were taking a feed from the sound board, it's difficult to tell if the signal was clipped at the console, or your camera input was cranked too high.

What did it sound like coming out of the p.a. and thru your camera headphones?
 
it was definitely fine coming out of the PA. it was just that i had my recording levels on my computer too high because by the end of the reception i had it dialed and the audio sounded fine. it was just the first few clips that were iffy and i would adjust my levels as best as i could between each speech until i got it right. hopefully that makes sense.
 
As you have discovered, it is always better to have levels too low than too high. I have seen others post that there are tools that can clean up signals clipped a little, but I don't think the audio you posted is fixable. Sorry.
 
That isn't digital clipping where you are hitting the max level on your laptop meters.

That is more than likely a result of a very loud signal from the board (line level)
distorting the INPUTS of your laptop.
If you plugged into a "mic" input on the computer that would be your problem.
Even if you plugged into a "line" input on the computer that particular input
might not handle a +4 line level a board might be sending you and rather
be looking for a -10line level.

Were you using any external interfaces with the laptop or just straight in?

If you were plugging directly into the computer next time you need to
lower the volume of the feed you were getting from the PA system either by turning it
down at the board or using attenuators right before it goes into the computer.
 
To go to the "fix" part of the question.

The only thing I have found that decently "recovered" clipped audio (and cost less than a new car) is Rx by iZotope. I think it has a two week demo and it works in just about everything (not sure of Windows compatibility though). Nothing else I have tried came close.

When I say "recovered" I just mean less bad. Any sound that got clipped is gone. What these plugins can do is "attempt" to rebuild the clipped part by comparing what is around it. Light clipping can often be made inaudible, moderate clipping might get into the acceptable range and heavy clipping might be made bearable. I say "might" because your millage will vary a LOT depending on what the recording is.
 
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