The all-new "HELP! I have an Audacity problem" thread

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 20th, 2016, 10:04 am

Thank you all for your help with my jump drive problem--it being too slow for recording. I am doing better with the hard drive, but I notice a great many little spikes making snaps. What's to be done?
Pam

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » January 20th, 2016, 12:42 pm

It depends what they are. Could you upload a short sample, please?

Ruth

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 20th, 2016, 6:05 pm

Will do when I have some more unedited material.
Thanks,
Pam

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 21st, 2016, 8:46 am

Ruth,

I made a short recording as if it were a Librivox project (which it isn't). I didn't get a really loud example of the problem, but at about 39.5 seconds inside the word "scandet" you can hear a faint one of these clicks. There is another little one at about 51.3 seconds after "agrestium".

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/odebook3_30_horace_128kb.mp3

So even though these examples aren't severe, they may tell you the type of click I am referring to. I edited out the obvious vocal clicks.

Thank you,

Pam

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » January 21st, 2016, 9:00 am

I can barely hear the first one, but the one after 'agrestium' is, I am sure, mouth noise - just a tiny bubble of saliva bursting as you take a breath. Intensely annoying, I agree. No-one else probably notices, but you do. There is a very useful additional plug-in for Audacity which is very effective at eliminating these. See viewtopic.php?f=23&t=52753

I would not recommend using this on an entire file. It is not suitable for that, as it may also affect consonant sounds that you do want. But I use it a lot on single words.

Ruth

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 21st, 2016, 9:36 am

Thank you, Ruth, for your help!
Pam

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 21st, 2016, 10:59 am

Ruth,

I am beginning to understand from your comments that many more clicks are vocal than I thought, but I have uploaded a file I am working on now with what seems like a computer click. If you could please listen just before 17:17 to the phrase "worked out under the influence of the central government" to the spike in the word "the", I think, and give me your opinion of it, I would be most grateful:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/sample_10_haskins_128kb.mp3

Thanks,

Pam

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » January 21st, 2016, 11:21 am

I get those too, and often on 'the'. I just tried saying it and listened carefully to my mouth and I am pretty certain there was a click originating between my lower teeth and lower lip. I have made a keyboard shortcut (Edit | Preferences | Keyboard) F8 for the DeClicker and then just highlight the offending word, or part of a word (making sure I don't include the 'd' sound in the highlighted part, which seems particularly affected by DeClicker). Then all I have to do is press F8 and hey presto, that nasty click disappears.

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/underthe.mp3

Ruth

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 21st, 2016, 11:23 am

Whoa, thanks Ruth. That will be very helpful!!
Pam

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 22nd, 2016, 2:58 pm

Ruth,

You are right about these ubiquitous vocal clicks, but what is this just before 24 seconds. I was nowhere near the mic?

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/fourgeorgesvol3_test_128kb.mp3

Pam

RuthieG · Post by **RuthieG** » January 22nd, 2016, 3:09 pm

Ah, you have me beaten there. I have no idea what that one is, but at least it is easy to cut out

.

I produce some remarkable clicks with my dodgy shoulder joints!

Ruth

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 22nd, 2016, 3:58 pm

Haha! Thanks, Ruth.
Pam

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 23rd, 2016, 7:34 pm

Hi Ruth,

With a little help, I was able to download the de-clicker plug-in and, there it is in the Effects menu!
How would you recommend applying it:
1. to the whole recording at the end?
2. or selectively to clicks inside of a vocal section that would otherwise have to be re-recorded?
(clicks in "silent" sections, I can just delete, I think.)

Thanks!

Pam

Post by **TriciaG** » January 23rd, 2016, 7:42 pm

pnagami wrote:Hi Ruth,

With a little help, I was able to download the de-clicker plug-in and, there it is in the Effects menu!
How would you recommend applying it:
1. to the whole recording at the end?
2. or selectively to clicks inside of a vocal section that would otherwise have to be re-recorded?
(clicks in "silent" sections, I can just delete, I think.)

Thanks!

Pam

She's hopefully asleep, so I'll answer:
Don not apply it to the whole recording. It would take FOREVER, and it would also affect legitimate clicks (the ones that belong in words, like K and T). Just use it on short parts (a word or part of a word) that needs de-clicking. You'll use it multiple times, but it'll be quicker, and the end result will be better.

pnagami · Post by **pnagami** » January 23rd, 2016, 8:13 pm

Thanks, TriciaG. I am off and running!
Pam