Audacity is a powerful and free audio editor that can help you reduce the reverb in your recording. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do this using Audacity:
- Download and install Audacity: If you don’t have it already, download and install Audacity from the official website (https://www.audacityteam.org/).
- Import your audio file: Open Audacity, then click “File” > “Open” and select the audio file you want to edit. Your audio file will appear as a waveform in the main Audacity window.
- Install the Reverb plugin: Audacity has a built-in effect called “Reverb,” but for better control over the reverb reduction, you can use the “ReaPlugs ReaJS” VST plugin. Download it from the official website (https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/) and install it. In Audacity, go to “Edit” > “Preferences” > “Effects” > “VST” and enable the “ReaJS” plugin.
- Apply the ReaJS plugin: Select the entire audio track or the part of the track with excessive reverb by clicking and dragging on the waveform. Go to “Effect” > “VST” > “ReaJS…” to open the plugin.
- Load a de-reverb preset: In the ReaJS plugin window, click the “Load” button at the bottom-left corner, and navigate to the “deverb” or “dereverb” preset. Load the preset.
- Adjust the settings: You might need to adjust the plugin settings to get the best results. Here are some parameters you can tweak:
- Dry: Controls the amount of dry (unprocessed) signal. Set it to 100% to keep the original signal.
- Wet: Controls the amount of processed signal. Decrease this value to reduce the reverb.
- Room size: Controls the perceived size of the room. Decrease this value to make the room seem smaller.
- Damping: Controls the amount of high-frequency damping. Increase this value to make the reverb less boomy.
- Preview and apply: Click “Preview” to hear how the changes affect your audio. Tweak the settings until you’re satisfied with the result. Once you’re happy with the changes, click “Apply” to process your audio.
- Export your edited audio: Go to “File” > “Export” > “Export as WAV” (or your preferred audio format) to save your edited audio file.
How do you do this same reduction using the built-in audacity reverb feature?
Using the built-in Audacity Reverb effect to reduce reverb is not as effective as using a dedicated de-reverb plugin, but you can still try the following method to minimize reverb:
- Import your audio file: Open Audacity, click “File” > “Open,” and select the audio file you want to edit. Your audio file will appear as a waveform in the main Audacity window.
- Duplicate the track: Click on the track’s “X” button to open the track menu, and select “Duplicate.” You’ll now have two identical tracks.
- Invert the duplicate track: Click on the duplicate track to select it. Then, go to “Effect” > “Invert.” This will invert the phase of the duplicate track.
- Apply the Reverb effect on the inverted track: With the inverted track still selected, go to “Effect” > “Reverb.” This will open the Reverb settings window.
- Adjust the Reverb settings: Try using the following settings as a starting point, but feel free to tweak them according to your specific audio file:
- Room Size: 100%
- Pre-delay: 0 ms
- Reverb Bandwidth: 100%
- Damping: 0.1
- Reverb Time: 0.1 sec
- Dry Gain: 0 dB
- Wet Gain: -5 dB to -10 dB (experiment with this setting)
Click “Preview” to listen to the result. If you’re satisfied with the changes, click “OK” to apply the Reverb effect to the inverted track.
- Mix both tracks: Click on the “X” button on each track to open the track menu, and select “Mix and Render.” This will mix both tracks into one. The inverted track with added reverb should partially cancel out the original reverb, reducing the overall reverb effect.
- Export your edited audio: Go to “File” > “Export” > “Export as WAV” (or your preferred audio format) to save your edited audio file.
This method is not perfect, and the results may vary depending on the audio file. It’s always better to record in a well-treated room to avoid reverb issues in the first place.
Are there other de-reverb effects for audacity besides reaper?
Yes, there are other de-reverb plugins that you can use with Audacity. These plugins often come in VST (Virtual Studio Technology) or AU (Audio Units) formats. Since Audacity primarily supports VST plugins, here are a few popular de-reverb VST plugins that you can use:
- SPL De-Verb (Paid): This plugin provides an easy way to shorten the natural reverb tail of any sound. You can find more information and purchase it here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/spl_de-verb.html
- Acon Digital DeVerberate (Paid): DeVerberate is a VST plugin that focuses on reducing reverb from audio recordings. It has a trial version available, and you can purchase the full version here: https://acondigital.com/products/deverberate/
- iZotope RX Elements (Paid): iZotope RX Elements includes a Voice De-noise plugin, which can help reduce reverb and noise in your recordings. You can find more information and purchase it here: https://www.izotope.com/en/products/rx/rx-elements.html
To install and use a VST plugin with Audacity, follow these steps:
- Download and install the plugin: Download the VST plugin and install it on your computer. Most VST plugins come with an installer, but some may require manual installation. For manual installation, extract the plugin files (usually .dll or .vst3 files) into your VST plugins folder (typically found at C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins or C:\Program Files (x86)\VSTPlugins).
- Enable VST plugins in Audacity: Open Audacity, go to “Edit” > “Preferences” > “Effects” > “VST,” and make sure “Enable VST effects” is checked. You may need to specify the VST plugins folder if you have installed them in a custom location.
- Scan for new plugins: Click the “Rescan” or “Rescan VST Effects” button to let Audacity detect the newly installed plugin.
- Apply the VST plugin: After installing and enabling the plugin in Audacity, import your audio file by clicking “File” > “Open.” Then, select the entire audio track or the part of the track with excessive reverb by clicking and dragging on the waveform. Go to “Effect” > “VST” > [YourPluginName] to open the plugin.
- Adjust the plugin settings and apply the effect: Each plugin will have its own set of controls and options. Adjust the settings to reduce reverb in your recording. Preview the effect and apply it when you’re satisfied with the result.
- Export your edited audio: Go to “File” > “Export” > “Export as WAV” (or your preferred audio format) to save your edited audio file.
Remember, it’s always better to record in a well-treated room to avoid reverb issues in the first place. However, these plugins can help you reduce the reverb in post-production if needed.
