I have a DVD, the footage of which has been competently transferred from a VHS tape (not by me). It features a friend's marriage and, done a few years ago, sounds as though the only audio input was from the camera's own microphone. You can hear the words, but not distinctly. I'd like to do something to bring the voices out and make them more distinct and, if possible, calm the background noises and perhaps make them sound less sharp (it being a city-based church that they were married in). Though I have had experience tweaking XviD audio and video, this is all new to me. I assume that I would be working with channels, to do that sort of thing (correct?), but does anyone have any software ideas? If you could link me to a guide also, that would be very handy. Also, if you are into your video, I have some a colour, an interlacing and other questions, here: EDIT wedding video: 4 questions Thank you.
I think your best option is going to be to transfer these tapes to digital - if you have not already done so - using something like Premiere or Vegas. Save out the soundtrack - make certain you recorded it as a 24-bit 48KHz stream - and import it into something like Adobe's Audition (If you have this, you have some of the finest noise reduction & restoration tools I have ever used) or whatever stereo editor you have that can use any Noise Reduction tools you have. Some great stuff can be done these days. It's not going to be free though. However, even on a budget there are some great tools to be had.
That is good info, and I will have a look at the software that you mentioned. Noise reduction is one thing, but only half of it. I can operate on the sound as a whole, but I would like to operate on the various channels (if that is possible) and bring out the voices - while also reducing the noise. If I cannot operate on the sound in separate channels, then to reduce noise would also be to reduce something else. Strengthening and clearing the voices are my main goals. Clearing noise is a bonus. Can those tools, that you mentioned, also pick out and operate on the voices? If you could also have a look at my link, and see if you could suggest anything for the visual questions, I would be grateful. Thanks!
Sounds as if you will need to get to grips with a multitrack type editor. This will allow you to import the stereo Audio as 2 mono files and there is a very good one called Reaper (some learning curve involved, but very worthwhile) or else if you have Audition, you can simply use this - it also has a multitrack view as well as a stereo editor. To do what you want to do - without introducing nasty artefacts - is not easy, but it is quite possible to get excellent results with care & practise. Post Production is lots of fun, and you should certainly be able to improve on the original with careful EQ and possibly multiband compression as well. There is a 30 day trial version of Audition - I recommend it, as it will also allow you to work with the video at the same time.
Your responses are much appreciated. Audition has been mentioned twice, so I guess I will take a look at that. Any other tips would be most welcome. As you may or may not have guessed, this is becoming a hobby project also. I am interested more in general video editing, as I have had on-set experience of a film but feel more suited to post-production. I have to see if there is any qualification or course that I could take, in the UK, that would be recognised in North America.
For truly international use, you'll probably be better off taking a course using Apple's Final Cut Pro - it seems to be getting everywhere these days. Why, I have no idea - it's nothing special. You could do these jobs equally well using Sony's Vegas, or Adobe's Premiere Pro. Both have fairly extensive audio capabilities these days, but for VFM the nod has to go to Sony. There are trial versions of Vegas & Premiere/Audition available.
I was thinking more along the lines of avid, but I can see this getting a bit off topic. If you could send me a direct message, that would be great. In the meantime, Audition it is - and then Vegas.
