SoundSoap User`s Guide

Transcription

SoundSoap
™
Version 1.1
Software User’s Guide
Software Copyright and Warranty
This legal document is an agreement between you, the
end user, and BIAS, Inc. BY UTILIZING THE SOFTWARE ON
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Sound Soap User’s Guide
ii
Further, BIAS hereby limits the duration of any implied warranty (or warranties) on the disk to the respective periods
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Contractor/manufacturer is:
BIAS (Berkley Integrated Audio Software), Inc.
1370 Industrial Ave.
Suite A
Petaluma, CA 94952
USA
Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement,
or if you desire to contact BIAS for any reason, please contact in writing:
BIAS Customer Sales and Service,
1370 Industrial Ave.
Suite A
Petaluma CA 94952
USA
Copyright 1999–2002 BIAS, Inc.
Credits:
SoundSoap™ software: Dave Tremblay, Doug Wright,
Andrew Kimpton, Steve Berkley, Peter Murphy, and Dan
Walton.
VST™, Cubase SX ™, and Nuendo™ are licensed trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies, AG.
Windows™ XP is a licensed trademark of Microsoft, Inc.
Mac OS X™, Final Cut Pro™, and iMovie™ are licensed
trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Sound Forge™ is a licensed trademark of Sonic Foundry,
Inc.
Premiere ™is a licensed trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.
User’s Guide:
Zac Wheatcroft
Special Thanks to:
Christine Berkley, Jason Davies, Erik Dower, Ben Hester,
Dan Brennan, Dan Spirlock, Ben Ventura, Caitlin Lampert,
Lisa Stefan, Victor Cebreros, Natalie Nickel, Brent Hurtig,
Andrew Stone, all the SoundSoap beta testers, Craig Linsen,
Mark Altekruse, Dan Brown, Xander Soren, Roger Powell,
Joseph Linaschke, Bill Hanson, Jim Heiser, and all our
friends at Apple.
License Agreement
iii
BIAS Product Support:
Unlimited Complimentary Self Help Options
Fee-based Technical Support Options
If you have questions about installing or using your BIAS
products, please check the manual or user guide first, you
will find answers to most of your questions there. If you
need further assistance, please check:
Fee-based Support is available for those customers whose
support period has expired or for Type 3 (OEM version) customers. Please call:
+1-707-782-1865
http://www.bias-inc.com/support.html
9AM-5PM Monday-Friday PST – excluding BIAS holidays
for frequently asked questions, an extensive database of
related articles, troubleshooting tips, and more.
Limited Complimentary Technical Assistance
Ninety days of technical support assistance for up to three
incidents is available with the initial purchase of Type 1 BIAS
products (Peak, Peak TDM, and Deck). Ninety days of technical support assistance for a single incident is available with
the initial purchase of Type 2 BIAS products (Peak DV, Peak
LE, Deck LE, Vbox, SuperFreq, SoundSoap). Type 3 products
(OEM versions) are excluded. Thirty days of technical support assistance for a single incident is available with the purchase of paid upgrades to Type 1 and Type 2 BIAS products.
The support period begins when the product authorization
code (PAC) is initially issued following the product registration. To receive e-mail or telephone technical support, you
will need a valid serial number and must be registered for a
current BIAS product. Please keep your original product
serial number and PAC in a safe place as it will be required
for support. For customers preferring e-mail assistance,
please use the email form available on our web site at:
For customers living outside of North America, please contact your local BIAS distributor, or contact BIAS directly. A
list of BIAS distributors may be found at:
http://www.bias-inc.com/distributors.html
BIAS Support Policy and Hours
BIAS, Inc. support policy and hours are subject to change
without notice.
Sales and Non-Technical Customer Service
For product information, sales, and other non-technical customer service, please email or call:
[email protected]
US: 1-800-775-BIAS (2427)
International: +1-707-782-1866
http://www.bias-inc.com/support.html
Or, email:
No technical support is available at the numbers or email
address above.
[email protected]
For customers preferring telephone assistance, (connect
and toll charges apply), please have your computer running
and close by the phone and call us at:
+1-707-782-1865
BIAS Product Support Options
iv
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Introducing SoundSoap
Welcome!..............................................................................................................................................7
Who is SoundSoap designed for?..................................................................................................................7
Minimum System Requirements....................................................................................................................7
About Your User’s Guide..........................................................................................................................8
Chapter 2 – Installing & Configuring SoundSoap
Installing SoundSoap on Mac OS X...........................................................................................................10
Installing SoundSoap on Windows XP.......................................................................................................10
Authorization.......................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................12
Chapter 3 – SoundSoap User Interface & Controls
A Brief Explanation of Noise Types............................................................................................................14
Getting Started with SoundSoap...........................................................................................................14
Overview of SoundSoap Graphical User Interface..................................................................................15
SoundSoap Controls Explained................................................................................................................16
Chapter 4 – Using SoundSoap as a Plug-In
Tips for Noise Reduction...................................................................................................................................20
Using SoundSoap with Peak.............................................................................................................................22
Using SoundSoap with Final Cut Pro................................................................................................................23
Using SoundSoap with iMovie 2.........................................................................................................................24
Using SoundSoap with Sound Forge................................................................................................................25
Using SoundSoap with Cubase SX....................................................................................................................26
Using SoundSoap with Nuendo........................................................................................................................26
Using SoundSoap with Premiere........................................................................................................................27
Chapter 5 – Using SoundSoap as a Stand-Alone Application
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................30
Overview of SoundSoap Graphical User Interface.....................................................................................31
SoundSoap Menus..................................................................................................................................31
Processing a Media File.........................................................................................................................33
Using In & Out Point Markers............................................................................................................................33
Working with Apple iMovie 2..............................................................................................................................35
SoundSoap User’s Guide
v
Chapter 1
Introducing SoundSoap
Chapter 1:
Introducing SoundSoap
Welcome!
Who is SoundSoap designed for?
Thank you for purchasing BIAS SoundSoap! SoundSoap is a
professional-quality noise reduction solution that's very easy
to use. By adjusting just a few controls, anyone can remove
unwanted hiss, room noise, rumble, electrical hum, and
other background noise from almost any digital media file –
including digital video (DV ) soundtracks, PowerPoint and
other presentation software soundtracks, Flash and other
web-tool soundtracks, digital audio workstation tracks, cassette or other analog tape recordings that have been transferred to a computer, and other sources. SoundSoap was
designed by listening to the suggestions of audio and video
editors who all had one thing in common – noisy audio, and
the desire to clean it up quickly and easily.
SoundSoap is designed for a wide variety of users, ranging
from home movie makers to professional audio engineers
and video editors. SoundSoap’s advanced noise-reduction
algorithm and simple user interface shatter the myth that
noise-reduction software must be complicated, with dozens
of parameters to adjust, in order to achieve professionallevel noise reduction.
With only two knobs, and a few buttons, you can learn how
to use SoundSoap in just a few minutes – and you’ll quickly
see why SoundSoap is perfect for anyone with noisy digital
media!
Minimum System Requirements
SoundSoap Features:
To use SoundSoap on a Macintosh - you will need:
• Broadband noise reduction/removal
• 50 & 60 Hz hum reduction/removal
• G3 or G4 Apple Macintosh desktop, PowerBook, or
iBook (≥ 400 MHz processor recommended)
• Rumble reduction/removal
• Macintosh OS 10.2 minimum
• “Learn” function – allows automatic noise
reduction/removal
• Plug-in mode requires compatible OS X VST host
application – such as Peak 3.2 (contact BIAS for
compatibility information)
• “Preserve Voice” function – specialized pre-filtering for
voice-based audio files
To use SoundSoap on a Windows PC - you will need:
• Compatible with any Mac OS X carbonized VST host
application, or any Windows XP supporting VST or
DirectX host application
• Pentium III desktop or laptop
(≥ 600 MHz processor recommended)
• Windows XP Home or Professional
7
• Compatible VST or DirectX host application
The chapters in your SoundSoap User’s Guide are arranged
in the order in which you would typically perform tasks
when the need arises to remove unwanted noise from your
media.
Both:
• 128 MB RAM minimum
• Chapter 1 introduces you to SoundSoap and explains
some of the requirements for using it
• 20 MB available disk space
For most up-to-date info, see www.bias-inc.com/soundsoap
• Chapter 2 explains how to install, register, and authorize
SoundSoap
• Chapter 3 explains the various features in SoundSoap
and how they are used to reduce/remove noise
About Your User’s Guide
• Chapter 4 demonstrates how to use SoundSoap within
various VST host applications
SoundSoap is designed to be simple and intuitive. Your
User’s Guide is designed to help you set up and use
SoundSoap for noise reduction/removal as quickly as possible.
Look for important tips and notes whenever you see this
exclamation mark
This User’s Guide assumes that you are familiar with standard Macintosh and/or Windows operating techniques,
including:
• Setting up, starting, and using your computer
Conclusion
• Choosing commands from menus
• Double-clicking, selecting, shift-selecting, and dragging
with the mouse
Now that you know a little about SoundSoap, proceed to the
next chapter to learn how to install your software and get
started using it.
• Opening, copying, saving, and deleting files
• Opening, closing, scrolling, moving, re-sizing, and selecting windows
If you don’t know how to perform these tasks, please refer
to the documentation that was included with your computer, and spend a little time learning about your operating system before going any further. This will make using
SoundSoap much easier and much more enjoyable.
Chapter 1
8
Chapter 2
Installing & Configuring SoundSoap
Chapter 2:
Installing SoundSoap
Installing SoundSoap
SoundSoap’s auto-installer software makes installation very
easy.
3. When the installer dialog appears, read the Read Me for
late-breaking information concerning the Installer, then
click Continue to proceed.
4. Select where you would like to install SoundSoap, using
the Install Location pop-up menu.
Your complete SoundSoap system consists of:
• CD-ROM Installer
5. Click Install at the bottom right of this dialog.
• SoundSoap serial number and Product Authorization
Code (PAC)
6. After you have clicked Install, follow the on-screen
instructions.
Before you install SoundSoap, please check the
Minimum System Requirements on Page 7 of this
User’s Guide.
7. When the installation is complete, a message will appear
indicating that the installation was successful. Click Quit
to quit the Installer (don’t forget to turn back on any
virus-protection software that you may be using the next
time you restart the computer).
What SoundSoap Installs on Macintosh systems:
• SoundSoap automatically installs the SoundSoap
plug-in into the following directory:
/Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/
Check the documentation included with your host
application for more information on where it
expects VST plug-ins to reside, in order to function
properly.
The Installer dialog on Mac OS X
To install SoundSoap on a Macintosh:
1. If you are using any virus-protection software, turn it off
or temporarily remove it, and restart your Macintosh.
2. Insert the SoundSoap Install CD-ROM in your CD-ROM
drive, and double-click the Install icon.
To install SoundSoap on a Windows PC:
1. If you are using any virus-protection software, turn it off
or temporarily remove it, and restart your computer.
2. Insert the SoundSoap Install CD-ROM in your CD-ROM
drive. If the SoundSoap Setup program does not auto-
10
matically launch, double- click the Install SoundSoap
icon.
What SoundSoap Installs on Windows systems:
• The DirectX plug-in is automatically installed and
entered into the registry.
3. When the Welcome to the SoundSoap Setup program
window appears, click the Next button.
• The VST plug-in is installed into the VstPlugIns folder of
your VST host program.
4. Read the Software License Agreement, and then click Yes
to agree to the terms and continue with the SoundSoap
installation.
5. To install SoundSoap into the default directory (recommended), click the Next button.
6. In the Setup Type dialog, choose the “Typical” option,
and click the Next button.
7. In the Select Program Folder dialog, click the Next
button to continue with installation.
8. In the Ready to Install dialog, click the Next button to
continue with installation.
9. In the Choose Directory dialog, you will be prompted to
select the VstPlugIns folder for your VST host program.
If you have any Steinberg audio programs installed, the
directory will default to the Steinberg VstPlugIns folder.
It is recommended that you use this folder as a central
location for all of your VST plug-ins. If you do not have
any Steinberg audio programs installed, select the
VstPlugIns folder for your VST host program and then
click the OK button.
At the end of installation, the installer will
give you the option of registering via the BIAS website, which you may find more convenient than
mailing your registration card.
Authorization
SoundSoap must be authorized to work on your computer.
To authorize SoundSoap, you will need your Product
Authorization Code (PAC) in addition to the serial number
that appears on your SoundSoap Owner’s Certificate. BIAS
will provide you with your Product Authorization Code
when you register SoundSoap.
You must register
SoundSoap in order to obtain your Product Authorization
Code; SoundSoap will not launch after the 14 day registration period unless you authorize SoundSoap with your
Name, Organization, Serial Number, and Product
Authorization Code!
The SoundSoap Authorization dialog on Mac OS X
When you first launch SoundSoap, it will prompt you to
authorize it by entering your Name, Organization, Serial
number, and Product Authorization Code.
Chapter 2
11
Be sure to register! After you have installed
SoundSoap,
please
register
online
at:
http://www.bias-inc.com/support/register.html
or send in the registration card included with your
software to receive your Product Authorization Code,
technical support, software updates, and notification
of upgrades.
Conclusion
Now that you have installed SoundSoap, proceed to the next
chapter to learn several basic concepts and functions essential to using SoundSoap.
12
Chapter 3
SoundSoap User Interface & Controls
Chapter 3:
SoundSoap User Interface & Controls
Introduction
Hum
This chapter explains several key SoundSoap concepts and
functions.
The type of noise known as “hum” is typically composed of
a single frequency, such as 60 Hz, and is often associated
with audio equipment being used on faulty electrical circuits, equipment that is not properly grounded, or even
electrial power cables being in close proximity to audio signal cables.
A Brief Explanation of Noise Types
If you are using SoundSoap, chances are you have run into
some sort of undesirable noise in your media. You may have
encountered camera motor noise, picked up by the built-in
microphone in your DV camera – or perhaps you’ve had an
annoying hiss as you archive an old audio cassette collection
– maybe there’s a 60Hz hum due to a bad cable that was
used in a recording. In any case, such noise can be a big distraction from the desired audio signal. It is cases like this
that call for the advanced broadband noise, hum, and rumble reduction, such as that offered by BIAS SoundSoap.
Rumble
“Rumble” is a type of very low-frequency noise, usually
occuring at 40 Hz or below. Examples of rumble are wind
noise picked up by a microphone, or the sound of an idling
truck in the background of your DV footage.
Getting Started with SoundSoap
While SoundSoap can do a great deal to reduce noise from
a file, there may be situations in which the desired audio
signal is lower than the signal of noise, making it impossible
to fully remove the noise. In cases like this, SoundSoap may
not entirely remove the noise, but may be able to significantly reduce its presence.
The types of noise that SoundSoap is designed to reduce are
outlined below:
SoundSoap can be used as a plug-in within your favorite VST
or DirectX compatible host application, on Mac OS X or
Windows XP.
SoundSoap was designed to provide high-quality noise
reduction, but also to be very simple to use, with a minimum
number of controls. While there are not many controls
required to quickly clean up noisy media, it is important to
know what each one does, so as to achieve the best possible
results.
Broadband Noise
Is any noise that is composed of a broad frequency spectrum. Tape hiss, air-conditioner noise, white noise, and pink
noise are common examples of “broadband” noise.
The next section introduces the graphical user interface of
SoundSoap. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the
various knobs, buttons, and displays, and then move on to
the next section, which features more detailed descriptions
on how to use each.
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SoundSoap:
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Wash Window
Noise Tuner
Helps you “tune in” the hiss and
background noise you want to
remove. (The Learn Noise button
sets this control automatically – or
you can adjust it manually)
Sound Soap’s unique Wash Window
provides a graphical representation
of noise reduction. The left side of
the window shows the unprocessed
audio signal, and the right side
shows the “clean” signal.
Blue = Desired audio signal
Red = Noise
Noise Reduction
Controls the amount of noise
reduction being applied.
(The Learn Noise button sets this
control automatically – or you can
adjust it manually)
Preserve Voice
Remove Rumble
Removes frequencies outside of the range of the
human voice.
Takes out low-frequency
noise at 40 Hz & below –
often found as background
noise in many DV clips.
Mode Selection
Remove Hum
Learn Noise
Toggles between noise reduction being on & off, and also
offers a “noise only” mode,
which allows you to monitor
just the offending noise, providing useful feedback about
the frequencies being removed.
The Learn Noise button is really the
only control you need to know how
to use. When selected, this control
automatically picks up a “noise
profile” from the audio that is playing, sets the Noise Tuner and Noise
Reduction settings to their ideal
values, and does all this in a fraction of a second.
Chapter 3
Used for eliminating hum
introduced into digital audio &
video files from by electrical
interference. Use 60 Hz for
regions using 120 VAC electrical systems, and 50 Hz in
regions using 220 VAC systems.
15
SoundSoap Controls Explained
The SoundSoap GUI (Graphical User Interface) contains the
few knobs and buttons required to reduce most types of
broadband noise, hum, or rumble from just about any type
of digital media. These controls consist of the following:
Learn Noise Button
SoundSoap’s “Learn Noise” button is what makes it so powerful and easy to use. Learn Noise can automatically determine the noise contained in a file, and automatically set the
values for the Noise Tuner and Noise Reduction controls.
To use the Learn Noise feature, just click the Learn Noise
button with your mouse. SoundSoap will analyze the noise
present in the file, create an appropriate noise profile, and
determine the best settings for the Noise Tuner and Noise
Reduction knobs.
If your file has an area of just isolated noise, and none
of the music, voice, or other audio you wish to preserve, use this section for “Learning the Noise”. For
more detail on using the Learn Noise feature, please
refer to Chapter 4: Using SoundSoap.
Noise Tuner Knob
To make a setting with the Noise Tuner, click on the knob
with your mouse button, and rotate to the left or right.
The Noise Tuner can be used in a variety of ways – First, it
can be used to manually “dial-in” the frequencies responsible for the unwanted noise in a given media file. As your
noisy file plays, slowly turn the knob until you hear the
offending noise start to go away.
The second way to use the Noise Tuner is to fine-tune a setting created by using the Learn Noise button.
When using the Noise Tuner in this manner, you will need to
first “learn” a noise profile with the Learn Noise button, and
then you can fine-tune this setting with the Noise Tuner
knob. Often it is not necessary to fine-tune settings created
with the Learn Noise button.
Finally, you can use the Noise Tuner with the listening mode
set to “Noise Only” (see “Mode Buttons” later in this chapter). This method allows you to tune in and hear just the
noisy portion of audio that you are trying to reduce. When
using SoundSoap in this manner, just turn the Noise Tuner
knob until all you hear (or most of what you hear) is noise.
When you find the best setting for the Noise Tuner in Noise
Only mode, (the one that allows you to hear the most noise)
you should hear a dramatic difference when you toggle the
listening mode back to the “On” position.
Noise Reduction Knob
To make a setting with the Noise Reduction knob, click on
the knob with your mouse button, and rotate to the left or
right.
The Noise Reduction knob works in two ways – First, it
manually adjusts the amount of noise reduction being
applied. As the Noise Reduction knob simply adjusts the
amount of noise reduction being applied, it is very important to first “tune-in” the offending noise using the Noise
Tuner knob. Once you have found the right setting to
reduce the noise in a particular media file, then you can use
the Noise Reduction knob to adjust how much of that noise
is removed.
The second way to use the Noise Reduction knob is again
similar to the way the Noise Tuner can be used in conjunction with the Learn Noise button. To use the Noise
Reduction knob in this way, first use the Learn Noise button
to pick up a noise profile from the media file, and then,
based on this profile, use the Noise Reduction knob to finetune the amount of noise being reduced. When using the
Learn Noise feature to establish settings, it is often
16
unnecessary to make any further adjustments to the Noise
Reduction knob.
Wash Window
SoundSoap’s unique Wash Window provides a visual representation of the status of noise reduction. The Wash
Window display moves a series of red and blue lines from
left to right within the small oval window in the middle of
the SoundSoap GUI. A center line divides the oval window
into left and right halves, and indicates the point at which
noise is being reduced.
Blue lines represent the desired audio, and red lines represent noise. In addition to the two colors that represent the
desired audio and the noise to be removed, the Wash
Window also shows the strength of each type of signal by
using a darker or lighter shade of each color.
Ideally, the display will show strong blue and red lines on
the left half of the Wash Window, and only strong blue lines
on the right half of the window – indicating that only the
desired audio is being output, and that any noise has been
“cleaned”.
For an example of how the Wash Window works, think of a
digital video clip of person being interviewed. Imagine a
strong, clear voice – but in the background there is a distinct noise from the A/C system in the room where the interview is being conducted. With SoundSoap’s listening mode
set to “Off ”, the Wash Window would display mixed blue
and red lines moving from left to right across the entire display. With SoundSoap’s listening mode set to “On”, and an
ideal combination of noise tuning and noise reduction, the
display should still show mixed red and blue lines in the left
half of the Wash Window, but as the lines move to the right
half of the Wash Window (after having been processed), only
blue lines should appear.
Preserve Voice Button
To use the the Preserve Voice feature, simply click the button labelled “Preserve Voice” within the SoundSoap interface using your mouse. This button will light up in bright
green to indicate that it is on. To turn Preserve Voice off, just
click the button again.
The Preserve Voice feature applies a specific set of filters that
remove frequencies outside of the range of the human
voice. This helps in preserving the audio quality of vocal
recordings that may also contain noise.
Whether you choose to use the Learn Noise function to
automatically create a noise profile, or use the Noise Tuner
and Noise Reduction knobs to adjust the amount of noise
reduction manually, you should turn on Preserve Voice
before attempting to clean vocal files – such as narration,
singing, or dialogue.
Remove Rumble Button
To use the the Remove Rumble feature, simply click the button labelled “Remove Rumble” within the SoundSoap interface using your mouse. This button will light up in bright
green to indicate that it is on. To turn Remove Rumble off,
just click the button again.
The Remove Rumble feature applies a specific set of filters
that target the low frequencies responsible for rumble.
Typically, “rumbles” occur at 40 Hz or below. This function
helps to preserve the quality of media affected by rumble.
Whether you choose to use the Learn Noise function to
automatically create a noise profile, or use the Noise Tuner
and Noise Reduction knobs to adjust the amount of noise
reduction manually, you should turn on Remove Rumble
before attempting to clean media that contains this type of
low-frequency noise.
Chapter 3
17
Mode Buttons
The Mode buttons in the SoundSoap interface control
whether noise reduction is on, off, or in “Noise Only” mode.
To make settings to these controls, use your mouse to click
into the desired mode. The selected Mode is indicated by
an illuminated button.
When the “Off ” button is illuminated, SoundSoap is not processing, and it is normal to hear any noise that is present in
the original media.
When the “On” button is illuminated, SoundSoap is processing the media according to the current setings in any of
the other controls on the interface.
When the “Noise Only” button is illuminated, SoundSoap is
processing the media according to any settings made with
any of the other controls on the interface, and is only outputting the noise that is being reduced. This is a very useful
setting, as it allows you to isolate and hear just the noise, and
is helpful in determining the effectiveness of a particular
noise reduction setting.
Remove Hum Buttons
The Remove Hum buttons in the SoundSoap interface control whether hum removal is set to remove 50 or 60 Hz hum,
or whether hum removal is turned off. To make settings to
these controls, use your mouse to click the desired type of
hum removal. The selected Hum Removal type is indicated
by an illuminated button.
When the “50 Hz” button is illuminated, SoundSoap will
remove 50 Hz hum.
When the “60 Hz” button is illuminated, SoundSoap will
remove 60 Hz hum.
When the “Off ” button is illuminated, SoundSoap’s Hum
Removal feature is inactive.
18
Chapter 4
Using SoundSoap within a Host Application
Chapter 4:
Using SoundSoap within a
Host Application
Sampling Noise
Introduction
This chapter will cover how to use SoundSoap to reduce
noise in digital media files, within various host applications.
SoundSoap is a very flexible plug-in – it can be used within
any VST or DirectX compatible host application, on Mac OS
X or Windows XP.
Tips for Noise Reduction
SoundSoap can be used in many ways, but by observing the
following tips, you will get the best results in the least
amount of time.
Often, the noisy media that you encounter will have areas
where there is just the undesired noise present, and none of
the audio signal that should be kept. A simple but very common example would be video footage of an interview – this
situation would contain spoken word, interspersed with
silence (or what should be silence, except for the undesired
noise). In cases such as this, the “silent” areas will contain
the same noise that gets in the way of us hearing the voice
of the person being interviewed. These silent sections of
the file allow us to sample just the noise itself, essentially
telling SoundSoap what to remove from the entire file. The
end result is that the undesired noise is reduced equally in
all parts of the file, making the desired audio signal much
cleaner.
In other cases, there may not be an area present in your
media that contains just the undesired noise. In media that
contains the desired audio and undesired noise throughout
Audio document with good target area selected for noise sampling – the selected portion of the waveform in this area contains just the undesired DV camera motor noise
Chapter 4
20
the entire length of the file, it is often best to first experiment and learn the noise in different parts of the file to get
the best noise reduction results. This can be done by clicking the Learn Noise button in various parts of the file as it
plays, or by positioning the playhead cursor in your host
application in a specific location, clicking the Learn Noise
button, and starting playback. When you find the settings
that work best, you can then apply, or render them, to the
entire file. If in this process it seems that different settings
would work best for different parts of the file, consult the
next section.
Constant Noise vs Changing Noise
Noisy media can be categorized into two basic groups – that
which has a constant noise level and type, and that which
has varying levels and types of noise throughout. Each category of media can be cleaned best by using a slightly different approach to noise reduction.
Media with a constant noise level and type of noise is generally the easiest to clean, and is typically found in recordings of audio cassettes, or in cases where there is a constant
hum present, due to using equipment that is plugged in to
poorly grounded electrical circuits. Media that falls into this
category can usually be cleaned by sampling the noise,
and creating just a single noise profile. In other words, in
media with a constant noise level and type of noise, you
should be able to open a file, click the “Learn Noise” button
to automatically set the Noise Tuner and Noise Reduction
knobs, perhaps fine-tune those settings, and then “bounce”
or render the noise reduction settings to the file.
Noise in a media may vary over time – for example, a video
clip may contain air conditioning noise that varies in intensity throughout the clip, due to the camera being moved
around the room while taping a subject. In cases like this, it
is best to apply noise reduction with different settings for
the different levels of noise that occur in various parts of the
clip. To reduce noise by varying degrees in different sections of a clip, it’s possible to select specific “target” areas,
apply noise reduction with certain settings, and then move
on to each area of the clip, targeting the specific noise that
occurs in each. This will generally yield the best results, as
one noise reduction setting alone may not be suitable for
the different levels and/or kinds of noise that occur over the
course of the entire file.
Audio document with three distinct noise types - note use of region markers for reference
21
If your host application allows the use of reference markers
and/or regions, you may want to “mark up” a file into sections that contain different levels of noise or different noise
types. This is a good strategy for isolating and processing
areas of the file with a certain level and kind of noise, and
then moving on to another section and processing it with
different noise reduction settings more suitable for its level
and kind of noise.
Updates to version 3.2 of various editions of Peak are
provided with SoundSoap, as well as a fully functional
14 day trial version of Peak for those who are interested
in trying SoundSoap using Peak as a host application.
The first step in reducing noise in digital media is to open
the file in Peak, then open SoundSoap. The following steps
will guide you through your first attempts at noise reduction.
Using SoundSoap in a Host Application
The following section will describe the noise reduction
process step by step within the following host applications
(a host application being the main editing application that
SoundSoap “plugs in to”, to expand its editing capabilities):
1. Launch Peak.
2. Open media file.
3. If using Peak LE/DV, choose “Insert 1>SoundSoap”
from the VST Plug-Ins menu. If using full edition of
Peak, select it from the integrated Vbox SE matrix when
you select “VST Plug-Ins...” from Peak’s VST Plug-Ins
menu.
BIAS Peak
Apple Final Cut Pro 3 & iMovie
Sonic Foundry Sound Forge
Steinberg Cubase SX & Nuendo
4. When the SoundSoap interface appears, enable the
Learn Noise button.
Adobe Premiere
It is normal for operation to vary slightly depending on the
plug-in implementation in each host application. If the host
application you plan to use SoundSoap with is not listed
here, it is recommended that you consult the documentation provided with your host application of choice for details
on how to use VST or DirectX plug-ins. In terms of instantiating and applying effects, SoundSoap will operate in much
the same way as other plug-ins that conform to the VST or
DirectX standards.
5. Start playback by pressing the space bar, or by clicking
the Play button in Peak’s transport window.
6. Listen to the results.
7. To apply/render the current noise reduction settings,
choose “Bounce...” from Peak’s VST Plug-Ins menu.
Congratulations! You’ve just learned the basics of using
SoundSoap. Now, we’ll show some advanced techniques to
fine tune the noise reduction.
Using SoundSoap with BIAS Peak
To use SoundSoap with BIAS Peak, you will need to be running either Peak LE, Peak DV, or Peak (version 3.2 or later)
and have already installed SoundSoap into your Macintosh.
Chapter 4
8. Turn the Noise Reduction knob all the way to the right
for the maximum amount of noise reduction.
22
9. While listening to your media, adjust the Noise Tuner
knob to fine-tune if necessary (see tip below).
A good technique for confirming your noise reduction
settings is by switching SoundSoap into “Noise Only” listening mode. In Noise Only mode, you will hear just the
noise that will be removed when you apply the current
noise reduction settings. If you hear any of the audio
that should be kept in the file, adjust the Noise Tuner
knob until you hear just the undesired noise.
10. While still listening to your media, (in the “On” listening
mode) slowly turn the Noise Reduction knob to the left
to reduce the amount of noise being taken out. Continue
to reduce the Noise Reduction setting until you reach
an acceptable compromise between the amount of noise
being reduced and any audible artifacts from the noise
reduction process.
Using SoundSoap with Apple Final Cut Pro 3
If you use Apple Final Cut Pro 3, and would like to use
SoundSoap to reduce unwanted noise from any of the audio
or video clips in a project, there are some important things
to be aware of. Final Cut Pro 3 does not directly support VST
plug-ins, and is unable to directly access SoundSoap.
However, Final Cut Pro 3 does provide support for an external sample editor, and every copy of Final Cut Pro 3 is bundled with BIAS Peak DV 3. The solution entails setting up
Peak DV 3 as the dedicated external sample editor for Final
Cut Pro, and accessing SoundSoap from within Peak DV. In
this way, any of the audio clips (or video clips with a soundtrack associated with them) in the Final Cut Pro timeline
may be launced directly into Peak DV, to take advantage of
any of the advanced audio editing features in Peak DV,
which, among other things, includes the ability to process
files with real-time VST effects plug-ins, such as SoundSoap.
The interaction described above between Final Cut Pro
3 and Peak DV requires Mac OS X.2 (Jaguar) as well as
Peak DV 3.2. The SoundSoap installer CD-ROM contains updates for owners of Peak DV 3.0/3.1, to update
their copy of Peak DV to version 3.2.
11. Now, using the Mode Buttons, toggle between the “Off ”
and “On” listening modes. This allows you to compare
the original noisy audio, with the results after being
processed through SoundSoap.
12. To apply/render the noise reduction settings to the file,
go to Peak’s VST Plug-Ins menu, and choose
“Bounce...”
Setting up Peak DV as Final Cut Pro 3’s dedicated external
sample editor is a very simple process:
1. Launch Final Cut Pro 3.
Be sure to disable SoundSoap after “bouncing” in
Peak. If you leave SoundSoap active, you will hear the
processed file being played through SoundSoap in realtime, giving the effect of twice the amount of noise
reduction. For your convenience, a dialog box is presented after bouncing, with options to turn plug-ins off,
or to leave them active if you need to process additional files.
2. From the Final Cut Pro menu, choose “Preferences...”
3. In the Preferences window, click the “External Editors”
tab.
4. In the section of the External Editors window labelled
“External Editor Applications”, click the button labelled
“Set” in the Video Files section.
5. In the directory window that appears, locate the Peak
23
DV application, highlight it, and click the “Choose” but
ton. This setting allows video clips that contain a
soundtrack to be launched into Peak DV for processing.
6. In the section of the External Editors window labelled
“External Editor Applications”, click the button labelled
“Set” in the Audio Files section.
7. In the directory window that appears, locate the Peak
DV application, highlight it, and click the “Choose” but
ton. This setting allows any audio-only clips in the Final
Cut Pro timeline to be launched into Peak DV for pro
cessing.
Using SoundSoap with Apple iMovie 2
iMovie users can also use SoundSoap to remove unwanted
noise that may be picked by the built-in mic in a DV camera.
While iMovie does not directly support an external audio
editor, a handy feature called “Extract Audio” makes the
process of getting audio into BIAS Peak very simple. Once
extracted audio is in Peak, it can be processed with any of
Peak’s editing tools, including real-time effects plug-ins like
SoundSoap.
The steps below outline the fastest and easiest method of
cleaning up noisy media from an iMovie project.
8. That’s all there is to setting up the connection between
the two applications – To launch clips from the Final Cut
Pro timeline into Peak DV for processing, just select a clip in
the timeline, and from the “View” menu, choose “Clip
in Editor”. (Or the keyboard equivalent: Option Key +
Return Key)
9. To process audio files with SoundSoap, follow the directions in the previous section - “Using SoundSoap with
BIAS Peak”.
10. To bring an edited clip back into Final Cut Pro, simply
close the file in Peak DV, and it will automatically “reconnect” with the Final Cut Pro timeline.
IMPORTANT! When used in this manner, Peak DV is
editing your original media files. Any changes that are
saved, are permanently applied to the original media
files. If you are unsure about permanently altering
original media when editing in Peak DV, choose “Save
As...” from Peak DV’s File menu, and save a copy of the
edited clip. Close the original media file without saving and it will remain unaltered. Then, import the
edited copy into Final Cut Pro using the “Import” command, and place the edited file into the timeline. The
original media remains available in the Final Cut Pro
file browser in its unaltered state.
Chapter 4
1. Open an iMovie project.
2. Click on a clip in the iMovie timeline to select it.
DV clip highlighted in yellow indicates that it is selected
3. From the “Advanced” menu, choose “Extract Audio”.
Notice that the extracted audio is placed onto one of iMovie’s audio tracks
The audio that is extracted from an iMovie clip is a
copy of the original audio that is embedded in the DV
clip. When audio is extracted and placed in one of
iMovie’s audio tracks, the original audio in the DV clip
is automatically muted. If you delete the extracted
audio clip from iMovie’s audio track, then you will
hear the original audio from the DV clip.
24
4. Open the “Media” folder for the iMovie project you are
working on, and notice that among the various video
clips, there is now also an audio clip called “Voice 01”.
( Voice 01 is the default name given to the first extracted audio clip, Voice 02 for the second, and so on).
5. Open the audio clip called “Voice 01” in Peak, where you
can access SoundSoap via Peak’s VST Plug-Ins menu.
(Refer to page 22 of this user’s guide for complete details
on using SoundSoap with BIAS Peak as a host application).
6. Process audio clip as desired with SoundSoap.
5. Start playback by clicking the “Preview” button in the
DirectX plug-in window.
click the “OK” button.
7. Save and close the audio clip in Peak.
8. Return to iMovie, where any edits applied with Peak &
SoundSoap are automatically updated in the extracted
audio file in iMovie’s audio track.
9. While listening to your file, adjust the Noise Tuner knob
to fine-tune if necessary (see tip below).
Using SoundSoap with Sonic Foundry Sound Forge
To use SoundSoap with Sonic Foundry Sound Forge, you
will need to have already installed SoundSoap into your PC.
The first step in reducing noise is to open the media in
Sound Forge, and then open SoundSoap. The following
steps will guide you through your first attempts at noise
reduction.
1. Launch Sound Forge.
10. While still listening to your file, (in the “On” listening
reduction process.
2. Open media file.
3. From Sound Forge’s “DX Favorites” menu, choose “BIAS
SoundSoap...”
4. When the SoundSoap interface appears within Sound
Forge’s DirectX plug-in window, enable the Learn Noise
button.
25
Using SoundSoap with Steinberg Cubase SX
To use SoundSoap with Steinberg Cubase SX, you will need
to have already installed SoundSoap into your PC or
Macintosh.
The first step in reducing noise is to open the media in
Cubase SX, and then open SoundSoap. The following steps
reduction process.
1. Launch Cubase SX, and open a project/create a new
project.
2. Import noisy media file into the project.
3. Click on the noisy media file to select it, and then Right
Click on the selected file (Option-Click on Mac), and
from the contextual menu that appears, choose “PlugIns>Plug-Ins>SoundSoap VST”.
the original noisy media, with the results after being
Learn Noise button.
click the “Process” button in the VST plug-in window.
SoundSoap VST plug-in window.
Using SoundSoap with Steinberg Nuendo
To use SoundSoap with Steinberg Nuendo, you will need to
have already installed SoundSoap into your PC or
Macintosh.
The first step in reducing noiseis to open the media in
Nuendo, and then open SoundSoap. The following steps will
guide you through your first attempts at noise reduction.
Chapter 4
26
1. Launch Nuendo, and open a project/create a new
project.
3. Click on the noisy media file to select it, and then Right
Click on the selected file (Option-Click on Mac), and
from the contextual menu that appears, choose “PlugIns>Plug-Ins>SoundSoap VST”.
reduction process.
Learn Noise button.
SoundSoap VST plug-in window.
click the “Process” button in the VST plug-in window.
Using SoundSoap with Adobe Premiere
To use SoundSoap with Adobe Premiere, you will need to
have already installed SoundSoap into your PC.
SoundSoap is currently compatible with Adobe Premiere
version 6.5 or later on Windows XP, and functions as a
DirectX format plug-in.
The first step in reducing noise is to open the noisy media
in Premiere, and then apply SoundSoap. The following steps
1. Launch Premiere, and open a project/create a new
project.
3. In the Transition/Video/Audio palette, click the Audio
tab, then click the drop-down menu indicator to the left
of the DirectX folder.
4. Click on the DirectX Audio Filter icon, then drag and
27
drop over the clip in the timeline that you wish to process.
reduction process.
5. When the DirectX Audio Filter window appears, select
“BIAS SoundSoap” from the pop-up menu, and click
“OK”.
Learn Noise button.
click the “OK” button in the DirectX plug-in window.
BIAS SoundSoap settings window.
Chapter 4
28
Chapter 5
Using SoundSoap as a Stand-Alone Application
Chapter 5:
Using SoundSoap as a
Stand-Alone Application
Introduction:
Authorization
There are some basic differences between using SoundSoap
as a plug-in within a host application, and using SoundSoap
as a stand-alone application. This chapter will cover the differences between the two, and explain the additional features in the stand-alone edition.
SoundSoap must be authorized to work on your computer.
To authorize SoundSoap, you will need your Product
Authorization Code (PAC) in addition to the serial number
that appears on your SoundSoap Owner’s Certificate. BIAS
will provide you with your Product Authorization Code
when you register SoundSoap.
You must register
SoundSoap in order to obtain your Product Authorization
Code; SoundSoap will not launch after the 14 day registration period unless you authorize SoundSoap with your
Name, Organization, Serial Number, and Product
Authorization Code!
Installation
Installation of the plug-in edition of SoundSoap is covered in
Chapter 2 of this User’s Guide. To install the SoundSoap
stand-alone application, follow the directions below for your
specific operating system.
On Macintosh:
To install the stand-alone edition of SoundSoap on Mac OS
X, insert the SoundSoap installer CD-ROM and simply drag
the SoundSoap application icon into the Applications folder
on your hard drive.
The SoundSoap Authorization dialog on Mac OS X
On Windows:
On Windows XP systems, both the VST and DirectX format
plug-ins of SoundSoap, as well as the stand-alone application
are installed automatically by using the installer program. If
you wish to install just one format of the plug-in, or just the
stand-alone edition, just choose “Custom” setup type in the
install process, and then check the boxes for the items you
wish to install. By default, SoundSoap is installed into the
following directory:
When you first launch SoundSoap, it will prompt you to
authorize it by entering your Name, Organization, Serial
number, and Product Authorization Code.
Be sure to register! After you have installed
SoundSoap,
please
register
online
at:
http://www.bias-inc.com/support/register.html
or send in the registration card included with your
software to receive your Product Authorization Code,
technical support, software updates, and notification
of upgrades.
C:\Program Files\BIAS\SoundSoap
30
Conclusion
SoundSoap Menus
Now that you have installed SoundSoap, proceed to the next
section to learn about the additional commands and graphical elements of the stand-alone edition of SoundSoap.
When used as a plug-in, SoundSoap does not have any
menus, as opening and closing of files, navigation through
files, and applying noise reduction settings is handled by the
host application. To function as an application, SoundSoap
needs menus so media files may be selected and opened,
closed, navigated, etc. Below is a brief description of the
SoundSoap application’s menu items, and what each command does. Listed with each command is the keyboard
equivalent - if one is available.
Stand-Alone Edition Graphical User Interface
(GUI)
The SoundSoap application has some small but significant
differences compared to the plug-in edition. While the
details of tuning and reducing noise are the same as the
plug-in, there are some important differences related to
using menu items, opening and closing media files, navigating media files, selecting specific areas within media files,
and applying noise reduction settings to media files. For
details on SoundSoap’s noise reduction controls, please
refer to page 16 of this User’s Guide.
File Menu:
•
– Choosing this menu item allows changes to
be saved to a new file, with a different name, and leaves
Save As
Rewind Button
Movie Window
Positions playhead to
beginning of file.
Displays the video portion of a digital media
file (if any is present).
Play/Pause Button
Begins
playback
of
stopped/paused audio,
and pauses playback
already underway.
Apply Button
Playhead Indicator
In & Out Point Markers
Time Display
Indicate the beginning
and end of a selected
range of audio.
Shows the current
file position in
Hours: Minutes:
Seconds: Tenth
Seconds
Chapter 5
Shows position of playhead in media file.
Applies current noise reduction settings to area indicated
by In & Out markers.
31
•
•
•
•
the original media file intact. ( - Shift - S on Mac,
Ctrl - Shift-S on Windows)
•
Stop –
– This menu item allows browsing
and opening of media files on any available volumes.
SoundSoap can open the following types of media files:
.mov, .aiff, .wav, .sdII, .dv, and .mp3. ( - O on Mac,
Ctrl - O on Windows)
•
Loop –
•
– This command moves the playhead
to the beginning of the media file. (Home Key)
•
Move Playhead to In Point
•
Move Playhead to Out Point –
This command moves
the playhead to the currently defined “Out” point of the
media file. (Shift - O)
•
Set In Point –
•
Set Out Point –
Open Media File
– This command saves the current noise
reduction settings as a preset that can be recalled and
used later.
This command stops playback of the currently
open media file.
This command loops playback of the currently
open media file, or the area defined by the In and Out
markers. (L )
Go to Start
Save Settings
– This command moves
the playhead to the currently defined “In” point of the
media file. (Shift - I)
Load Settings – This command loads any saved presets.
Reset Settings – This command resets SoundSoap’s
parameters to their default settings.
•
– One of these commands will
appear in the file menu, depending on whether you use
the Macintosh or Windows operating system on your
computer. This command shuts down the SoundSoap
application when you are finished using it. ( - Q)
Quit SoundSoap/Exit
This command sets the “In” point of the
clip to wherever the playhead is located. (I)
This command sets the “Out” point of
the clip to wherever the playhead is located. (O)
Window Menu:
Edit Menu:
•
– This command lets you quickly select the
entire open media file. ( - A on Mac, Ctrl - A on
Windows)
•
Select None
Select All
– This command lets you quickly de-select
the entire open media file. ( - D on Mac, Ctrl - D
on Windows)
•
•
Half Size – This command halves the size of the movie
window (if the clip is a video clip). (
Ctrl - Zero on Windows)
- Zero on Mac,
•
– This command resets the size of the
movie window to its normal size (if the clip is a video
clip). ( - 1 on Mac, Ctrl - 1 on Windows)
•
Double Size – This command doubles the size of the
Transport Menu:
•
– This command brings the
movie window of a clip to the foreground (if the clip is a
video clip).
Show Movie Window
– This command starts playback of the currently
open media file. (Space Bar)
Play
Normal Size
movie window (if the clip is a video clip). ( - 2 on
Mac, Ctrl - 2 on Windows)
Chapter 5
30
Processing a Media File
The following steps will guide you through processing a
noisy media file in the stand-alone edition of SoundSoap.
For information on processing with the plug-in edition,
please refer to page 20 of this User’s Guide.
1. From SoundSoap’s File menu, choose “Open Media
File”, then select the file you wish to clean, and click the
open button. SoundSoap will load the file, and if it contains video, this will be displayed in the Movie Window.
2. It’s a good idea to first listen to a noisy file as is, before
applying any noise reduction. Ideally, you’ll want to
locate an area of isolated noise, with no content that you
wish to preserve. (If the current file doesn’t have this,
it’s okay, but it’s best to create a noise profile in such a
section). During this audtitioning process, if you notice
an area of isolated sllence between sections of dialogue,
music, etc. this is an ideal place to use the Learn Noise
function in SoundSoap.
3. Position the playhead indicator at the beginning of the
“silent” area. (If the current file has no areas of just noise
by itself, just skip ahead to step 4).
4. Click the Learn Noise button, and then click the Play button – SoundSoap will begin reading in the noisy audio,
and within a fraction of a second, will pick up a noise
profile, and turn on noise reduction automatically.
5. If you’re happy with the results, click the Apply button,
and then choose “Save As...” from the file menu.
reduction process.
the original noisy media, with the results after being
click the “Apply” button.
11. If you’re happy with the results, be sure to save the file
by choosing “Save As...” from the File menu.
Using In & Out Point Markers
The steps above assume a constant noise type and level
throughout the file. Sometimes, you will need to process
individual sections of a file with different noise reduction
settings. The next few steps show how this is done, using
SoundSoap’s “In” and “Out” markers. For the purposes of
this example, we’ll be cleaning a file with three distinct sections of noise – each requiring different noise reduction settings.
33
1. From SoundSoap’s File menu, choose “Open Media
File”, then select the file you wish to clean, and click the
open button. SoundSoap will load the file, and if it contains video, this will be displayed in the Movie Window.
8. When you have determined where the second area of
distinct noise ends, press the “O” Key on your keyboard
(or choose “Set Out Point” from the Transport menu) –
Now, just the middle section of the timeline should be
highlighted.
2. Audition the noisy file, making sure that SoundSoap’s listening mode is set to “Off ” so that any noise in the file
can be heard clearly.
3. As you listen, when you get to a section where the noise
sounds different than the noise in the first section of the
file, press the “O” key (for Out) on your keyboard – this
will set the Out point. You may need to fine tune your
Out point so that it is at the very end of the first type of
noise – notice that only the first section of the timeline
is highlighted, or selected.
SoundSoap’s timeline, showing In & Out points bounding the second type of noise
By using this technique, you can be sure that the entire
first section is processed one way, and the next section’s
selection will start on the very next sample. This way,
you won’t have any gaps between different sections
that you clean with different settings.
9. Make any desired noise reduction settings.
10. Click the Apply button – only the highlighted section
will be processed.
SoundSoap’s timeline, showing In & Out points bounding the first type of noise
4. Adjust SoundSoap’s noise reduction controls as described in the previous section, to reduce the specific type
of noise in the first section of the file.
5. Click the Apply button – notice that only the selected
section of the timeline will be processed.
6. Now, we’ll move on to the second section, which has a
different type of noise – on your keyboard, press the
Shift Key and the “O” key at the same time (or choose
“Move Playhead to Out Point” from the Transport menu).
7. Click the “I” button on your keyboard (or choose “Set In
Point” from the Transport menu) – essentially, this takes
the Out point from the first section that was processed,
and makes it the In point for the next section. Now,
click the Play button to audition the second section of
noisy audio.
Chapter 5
11. To clean the last section of the file, which contains yet
another type of noise, press the Shift Key and the “O”
key at the same time (or choose “Move Playhead to Out
Point” from the Transport menu).
12. Click the “I” button on your keyboard (or choose “Set
In Point” from the Transport menu) – again, this will
make sure there is no gap between your “target” areas
for the second and third sections of differing noise.
13. Move the playhead to the end of the timeline and click
the “O” Key on your keyboard to set the Out point.
14. Make any desired settings to clean the distinct type of
noise in the third section of noisy audio.
15. Click the Apply button – only the highlighted section
will be processed.
34
the clips that need it. The following steps illustrate how to
clean clips one at a time.
To Clean Clips One at a Time:
SoundSoap’s timeline, showing In & Out points bounding the third type of noise
1. In the iMovie project’s timeline, locate a noisy clip and
select it.
16. From the File menu, choose “Save As...” to create a new
file).
By following the steps above, you should be able to independently process various sections of a file, each with certain noise reduction settings that work best for the respective section/type of noise.
An easy way to set in & out points for processing different sections of audio with different noise reduction settings is to simply drag the In Point Marker to the right
in SoundSoap’s timeline – when you drag the In Point
Marker beyond the current location of the Out Point
Marker, the In Point Marker automatically takes the
place of the Out Point Marker, and you will now be
dragging the Out Point Marker. Using this technique
assures that there is no gap between the different sections of audio.
DV clip highlighted in yellow indicates that it is selected
2. From iMovie’s Advanced menu, choose Extract Audio –
the audio contained in the clip is placed onto an available audio track in the timeline.
Notice that the extracted audio is placed onto one of iMovie’s audio tracks
3. Hide iMovie.
4. On your hard drive, navigate to:
Working with Apple iMovie 2
/Macintosh HD/Users/<YourUserAccount>/Movies/
If you are using iMovie 2, there are a couple of main ways to
work with the stand-alone edition of SoundSoap – either on
a clip-by-clip basis, or on an entire-movie basis. There may
be situations where using one technique over the other is
more convenient, but either should yield equal quality noise
reduction.
Here you will find your iMovie project (unless you’ve specified a different location). You should see something similar
to the picture below:
Working with Audio on a Clip-by-Clip Basis
Some of your iMovie projects may only have certain scenes
that contain noisy audio, and you may find it easier to clean
35
5. Notice that in addition to the various video clips that
make up the project, you now have another clip called
“Voice 01” – this clip contains the audio that was just
extracted.
4. Click the Export button, and then name and choose an
output location from the Export QuickTime Movie dialog.
6. Launch the SoundSoap application, and open the clip
called “Voice 01”.
7. Clean the clip according to the directions in the
“Processing a Media File” section on page 31. Be sure
to save and close the clip when you are finished
cleaning it.
5. Launch the SoundSoap application, and open the
QuickTime file that was just exported from iMovie.
8. Return to iMovie and audition the clip, which will now
have any noise reduction settings you made in
SoundSoap applied.
6. Clean the file – referring to the “Processing a Media File”
and “Using In & Out Point Markers“ sections on
page 31 if necessary.
9. Repeat this process for any additional clips that need
noise reduction.
7. When you’re happy with the results, be sure to save!
Your QuickTime movie is now ready to be output to video
tape or DVD.
To Clean an Entire Movie:
1. Open an iMovie project that is edited to your liking, and
is ready to be output to video tape or iDVD.
2. From iMovie’s File menu, choose Export Movie.
3. In the Export Movie dialog, select To QuickTime from
the Export pop-up menu, and Full Quality, Large from
the Formats menu.
Chapter 5
36

SoundSoap User`s Guide

Transcription

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