Audio Editing & Sweetening A Note on Editing for Different Applications:
Apps, ADR and video game content are treated differently than documentary and film/video content. With App audio, I aim for it to sound like it were in a vacuum, pristinely clean. Video Game and ADR is similar, as I will add wanted effects afterward. With film/video audio the audience accept some ambient noise. In narrative works, the goal is to minimize it and replace it with a desired ambience. Documentary works are more forgiving and the task is to make sure the audio pops. In either case, the goal is to minimize noise, but maintain that the audio lives in the space that we see on screen. In some cases, I know that sound design or music will hide imperfections. Audio is edited with the mix in mind. Sometimes this means treating it with the App/ADR approach, others it is about reduction and balance. Each audio edit is entirely dependent on what is possible with the given recording weighed against what the desired output is.
Use headphones for proper A/B listening:
Marketing Video
Audio Issues: Dialogue was captured in a noisy environment. The voice is harsh and clipped – likely from bad gain settings or low quality recording equipment.
Sweetened Dialogue: The edginess has been removed and the background noise reduced. The remaining noise will be hidden by music. Further removal risks potential tonal destruction and artifacts.
Final Mix: Mixed with the music bed the piece sounds clean and the voice sounds smooth.
Phone App Trivia [for a San Francisco Tech Start-Up]
BEFORE
Audio Issues: Constant electrical buzz crossing 20+ tonal frequencies, loud noise floor from the room, pops, clicks, edgy sound from poor recording technique and possibly too much compression.
AFTER
Sweetening: While it’s been softened to feel less aggressive, some of the edginess remains from the original recording technique. Given its output for a radio-esque format, this is acceptable for the market audience.
Edit & Mix
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Sound Edit & Mix
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Sound Edit & Mix
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Sound Edit & Mix
The Deloitte Greenhouse Experience – Behind the Breakthrough
