I initially forgot a couple steps, very important. After you've recorded your "stereo" file with each track/side in the left and right channels, you need to select the entire file and copy it to the clip board and paste it into another window, one which is mono so the sound will be in the center. OOPS, sorry about that. You can do all the processing if you wish first before you do the pasting into your mono file, but it is important if you can, to put markers while the initial recording is being made when the cassette sides end so you can find them in an 8 side file, for example, which is just about the limit for fat32 (at 44,100Hz at 16bit stereo), if you use that format on your hard drive. So, let's say you've recorded your stereo file, 2 cassettes long which is about 3 hours, (probably 2:56 or so), select it all, then paste it into your mono file. First, the left channel, then the right channel. When you reverse the right channel, after you've done that, your 11 hour file will look like this; again after you've sampled down to 22,050Hz in mono, side 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 3, 4, (from least to most time, left to right. I label each region paying very close attention to the narrator so the numbers coincide, but I don't keep him saying "side 2, side 3, etc. and also I don't keep, "this book is up to 4 sides per cassette, or "so many pages on so many sides," in digital format, (again just my opinion, it is not needed, and, "to skip such and such in this book, fast forward until a beep is heard, stop at that point to hear x x x, or the beginning of the book." The markers, though you made them going forward, after you've reversed the right channel, the markers will be close to where the "reversed" sides begin' or' end, but you'll have to hunt a bit. Make new markers at the beginning and end of where you wish to create your regions, so in that way if the left or right end of the region area gets lost or unselected, you can readily find it again. I just recorded, finished, "Undue Influence," by Steven Martini tonight, while the Rose Bowl was going on, GO TEXAS! :) They did win, during side 10 about 30 minutes before I finished the initial recording before processing.
At 04:47 PM 1/4/2006, you wrote: >Thank you for such kind words, and I will do what I can to reveal >what I do to get rid of noise in sound forge. >Here is a message I sent to Nolan about it, but I'll amplify. >Well, this is "off list," so no prob, and as far as replying, hey, >what are we here >fore, to help one another? Damn right! So, I enjoy it since I've done >many hundred >books and know how valuable it is when you hear something which, >going in sounded >like that unmentionable schtuff you mentioned, but coming out sounds >fantastic! I, >presume, you do have the sound forge noise reduction plug in, so if >you do, then >you're going to find that it will do a magnificent job, especially if >you can get >it to sample the sound in such a way that it automatically picks the >"hiss," and/or >the "noise" it is suppose to hear, and not what you don't want it to >reduce like >the voice. Since you've recorded in SF before and know how to >reverse, what I do >is make a region for each side of each cassette, and then have sf >write those regions >to specific *.wav files, and then use something else to make the mp3s >at 32K or 32K >with vbr so the sound is as good as it should be. I record at >44,100Hz and then change >the sample rate to 22,050, (NOT RESAMPLE) just change the sample rate >so the pitch >halves, to resample would not change the pitch but you'd loose >quality, and then >apply noise reduction since the noise you wish for the NR to hear >would be at the >correct pitch as well. >I hope some of this rambling helps. You can change the amount of >noise reduction >in the nr reduction plug-in, rather than use the preset of "0.250 >seconds (a quarter >second) (for fast computers) and then, since it's mode 1, you can >then change the >amount of supression in db. The "sample noise" checkbox should be >checked, and when >you first have it sample a noise, it auto unchecks itself since the >nr plug-in has >found the sample and made it's configuration and to that noise it's >sampled, it's >set. Change the db slider to, let's say, minus 40 DB and while >listening to the "preview" >you'll be amazed how wonderfully it will work. Then, save the >setting, but make sure, >before you save that setting, that the sample checkbox is then, >checked, since if >you use that setting in the future for another minus 40 db sample, >you wish it to >sample at least a quarter second of noise automatically, and by >default. Many guys >forget that checkbox and figure that since the slider is set for >minus 40 db, it >will get rid of the noise, forgetting that it needs to sample first >some noise before >it can apply it's magic to what you wish it to hear, not a voice or >music. Plan to >use a selected part of the noise when you make the nr plug-in hear >noise, (the beginning >of each side of a book is plenty of room for it) and you'll be really >pleased, I >guarantee. >That dec, will make a huge difference though the handi-cassette is >good one track >at a time, even has better or less cross talk one track at a time, >but is tedious >that way. Recording off that dec in your garage (when you set it up) >the right channel >is tracks 4 and 3 sides 1 and 2 of the tape, and you know that if you >first record >1 cassette, that if you press tab it will put the left channel by >itself into a way >which you can work with separately. Press tab until you hear only the >right channel, >then reverse it all at once. Then you should down sample, normalize, >noise reduce, >make regions for sides (which for best results should be noise >reduced separately) >and then have sf make your *.wav files. >Getting to those sliders for minus db can be problematic, though, >fortunately I have jfw 5.0 and it's native sound forge configuration >files, so the sliders can be found. You must play around a good bit >in the plug-in configuration, trying up and down arrow to find out >which field(s) get changed, but when you do and learn which does >change that slider from about minus 12.5 db which is a default >setting when using the preset for "fast computers with 250 >millisecond capture, you then will be amazed how well it works, >again, especially, if it just hears noise such as tape hiss or hum >before the recording begins. >I hope all this helps. Take care and write to let me know how you're doing. >Curtis Delzer > >At 02:06 PM 1/4/2006, you wrote: >Thanks for the outstanding advice regarding the plug-in and the >handi-cassette. I knew it was a piece of something unmentionable when it >came to reproducing stereo sound; I need to hunt up my old cassette deck >stored in a box in the garage, and I'll do that this weekend. >I wonder if we could communicate via e-mail off list so I can get a somewhat >better handle on how to even begin to use that plug-in. I can't even get >the auto trim crop to trim the silence off both ends of the recording >appropriately--obviously operator incompetence alive, well, and at work in >front of my keyboard. <smile> >Again, Curtis, thanks for replying. I know it took time out of your life, >and silly and goofy as it sounds, any time I get a reply from anyone, it's >kind of a significant thing, especially when I stop and recognize how busy I >get and how easy it is to just say "poor slob; hope someone somewhere can >figure that out for him," and hit the delete key. So when I say thanks for >writing back, I truly am grateful. >Where do I even go to activate the plug-in? I assume I have to select some >tape hiss; that's easy enough to do. >And do you do that before or after you resample? >Nolan Crabb >[EMAIL PROTECTED] or >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [ >mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >] >On Behalf Of Curtis Delzer >Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 12:18 AM >To: PC audio discussion list. >Subject: Re: Sound Forge 8 and Noise Reduction Questions >Sorry, but the HANDI-CASSETTE has a lot of cross talk by default, >and nothing in sound forge can correct this. A better way is to use a >regular stereo cassette dec and record tracks 1 and 4, then turn the >cassette over and then record sides 2 and 3. This will make a file >about an hour and a half long, (probably closer to about 84 or 85 >minutes give or take). In SF you can press tab and get to either the >left or right side, and you wish to reverse the right channel as you >know. If you have the SF noise reduction plut-in, it is superlative >at getting rid of the hiss. The commercial cassette stereo recorder >has a much better cross talk capability, even a non expensive one. >Somehow, the HANDI-CASSETTE, in stereo, is pretty lousy in this >regard. If you use the sound forge noise reduction plut-in, use a >facility in it which lets you sample the hiss in such a way that it >is beyond the beginning of the tape and just before the narrator >begins, and save the setting. You can tweak the settings to get that >hiss up to 99 db below what it is, and if you do it right, the hiss >will be virtually gone leaving the recording even better than the >original, I know, I've done it several hundred times. >Good luck! >Curtis Delzer >At 05:18 PM 1/3/2006, you wrote: > >Greetings, all, and thanks in advance for reading this. > > > >I'm using Sound Forge 8 to digitize NLS four-track books for use in my Book > >Port. So here's the question: > > > >I'd love to reduce some of the tape hiss I get and to reduce some of the > >crosstalk that comes about when I record in stereo. (I record using a > >handi-cassette as my player, record the tapes at double speed, then reverse > >tracks 3 and 4. I then resample the recordings so the speed is normal, > >combine the tracks and save them as single MP3 files that I later suck into > >the Book Port. > > > >How do I institute the plug-in that would help reduce at least the hiss if > >not the crosstalk? > > > >Please, no messages about how I need a different player as my source. >Trust > >me, I get that already! > > > >Thanks for any help you can give. > > > >Nolan Crabb > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > > >http://www.pc-audio.org > > > >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other > >lists we offer, visit us on the web at >http://www.MosenExplosion.com >_______________________________________________ >PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... >http://www.pc-audio.org >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists we >offer, visit us on the web at >http://www.MosenExplosion.com > > >At 02:26 PM 1/4/2006, you wrote: > >Nolan, I have had good results in removing crosstalk by using the > >Noise Gate function in the SF8 menu. That's Noise Gate rather than > >Noise Reduction. You need to tinker with the decibel setting - > >somewhere between -30 and -35 worked best for me without cutting off > >the speech at the end of phrases, and you still get crosstalk > >sometimes during the speech, but it made a big difference in the final > >product. > > > >I endorse Curtis's suggestion (posted later) of using a commercial > >stereo cassette deck, and resampling and reversing tracks to get the > >final result. It's a little more technically intensive, but the > >results are worth it. I would love to know Curtis's secret for > >removing as much hiss as he does with Noise Reduction. I could never > >achieve those results, which I am sure is more a comment on the > >operator than on the product. > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Nolan Crabb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: "'PC audio discussion list. '" <Pc-audio@pc-audio.org> > >Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 8:18 PM > >Subject: Sound Forge 8 and Noise Reduction Questions > > > > > >Greetings, all, and thanks in advance for reading this. > > > >I'm using Sound Forge 8 to digitize NLS four-track books for use in my > >Book > >Port. So here's the question: > > > >I'd love to reduce some of the tape hiss I get and to reduce some of > >the > >crosstalk that comes about when I record in stereo. (I record using a > >handi-cassette as my player, record the tapes at double speed, then > >reverse > >tracks 3 and 4. I then resample the recordings so the speed is > >normal, > >combine the tracks and save them as single MP3 files that I later suck > >into > >the Book Port. > > > >How do I institute the plug-in that would help reduce at least the > >hiss if > >not the crosstalk? > > > >Please, no messages about how I need a different player as my source. > >Trust > >me, I get that already! > > > >Thanks for any help you can give. > > > >Nolan Crabb > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > >http://www.pc-audio.org > > > >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists > >we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > >http://www.pc-audio.org > > > >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other > >lists we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com > > >_______________________________________________ >PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... >http://www.pc-audio.org > >To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other >lists we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com _______________________________________________ PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com
