There is nothing more annoying than an unwanted echo when you’re recording a song or a podcast in Audacity. You want to get rid of the echo for good, but how do you do that?
Here are 5 ways to remove the echo from audio in Audacity
- Move closer to the microphone.
- Turn down the gain and use Amplify.
- Reduce ambient echo with Noise Reduction.
- Reduce ambient echo with Noise Gate
- Try a commercial plug-in.
Removing echo from a recording is difficult and often results in unacceptable losses of sound quality. These steps may not remove your echo altogether, but they should reduce it significantly with a bit of luck. Read on and learn how you can fix your reverberant recordings.
Contents
- 1 1. Move Closer to the Microphone
- 2 2. Turn Down the Gain and Use Amplify
- 3 3. Reduce Ambient Echo With Noise Reduction
- 4 4. Reduce Ambient Echo With Noise Gate
- 5 5. Try a Commercial Plug-In
- 5.1 SPL DeVerb Plus
- 5.2 ACON Digital Deverberate
- 6 Final Thoughts
- 7 Sources
1. Move Closer to the Microphone
If you’re too close to the microphone when you speak, your recording will emphasize consonants like “p” and “t” and make “s” sounds uncomfortably sibilant. But if you talk too far away from the microphone, your recording will pick up more background noise, including echoes.
This can become a huge problem if your microphone is closer to a wall or window than it is to your mouth. The echoes are magnified by the reverberant surface, making your words seem unclear and giving them a booming quality.
For the best recordings, you should speak with the microphone 6-10 inches away. At that distance, you can keep the gain at a reasonable level with both your mic and Audacity settings. The lower the gain, the less chance there is of picking up unwanted sounds.
A pop filter like theEaramble Microphone Pop Filter(available on Amazon.com) will keep your p’s from popping and your s’s from hissing when you lean into your mic. You may also find that placing a thick quilt around the back of your microphone and recording in a room full of padded furniture goes a long way toward helping your echo issues.
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Moving closer to the microphone will also help you use Audacity to correct one of the most common echo sources and other unwanted background noises.
For more information, check out how to make your voice sound better on Audacity.
2. Turn Down the Gain and Use Amplify
Your mic’s gain knob can be used to increase or decrease the microphone’s sensitivity. Raising the gain means your mic picks up sounds it would miss on a lower gain setting.
Using Audacity, you can turn down the gain until your microphone is no longer recording background echoes. You may be disappointed with the results at first, as your voice seems too quiet. But Audacity’s Amplify function can help.
To Amplifyyour voice using Audacity:
- Select your vocal track.
- Go to “Effect” and choose “Amplify.”
- In the “New Peak Amplitude” window, set your desired setting with 0.0 max. (-3.0dB will generally be sufficient).
- Make sure “Allow Clipping” is not checked, as clipping leads to distortion.
- Click “OK.”
When you click “OK,” you should see your waveform becoming taller. Then, when you play it back, your once-quiet voice should be louder. Note that the volume slider on your playback feature will make your voice sound louder through your headphones but will not increase the recording volume.
You may need to tinker with the settings and undo then reapply the effect multiple times before you get the exact sound you are looking for. But with Audacity, you can set your mic gain low enough to avoid many room echoes without compromising recording quality.
3. Reduce Ambient Echo With Noise Reduction
Noise Reduction is better suited for removing steady and consistent noises like air conditioners. Echoes are particularly challenging as they are very similar to the original signal. Reducing the echo without distorting the desired audio is a tough challenge. However, if you only have a slight echo, Noise Reduction may help tame your problem.
To reduce background echo with Noise Reduction, you will need an audio sample of the echo, which Audacity calls a Noise Profile. This sample must be at least 0.05 seconds long at 44,100 Hz, but you will get better results with longer samples.
To reduceecho with Noise Reduction:
- Select a region of your waveform which contains only the echo that you want to remove.
- Click “Effect,” then “Noise Reduction.”
- Click “Get Noise Profile”
- Select the track or region where you want to reduce the echo.
- Click “Effect,” then “Noise Reduction.”
There are several sliders that let you tailor the Noise Reduction to your needs:
- Noise Reduction (dB):How much you want to reduce the background echo. The higher the setting, the more likely you will see distortion in the remaining audio.
- Sensitivity:How much echo you want to remove, ranging from 0 (none) to 24 (as much as possible). Too low, and you may see distortion in the noise-reduced audio: too high, and you may lose signal along with the noise.
- Frequency Smoothing:This can help reduce artifacts in noise-reduced audio. Settings range from 1 to 6 with a default setting of 3. Lower settings are best for music, while podcasts can use higher settings.
For more information, check out my guide to removing room echo on Audacity.
4. Reduce Ambient Echo With Noise Gate
A noise gate stops any signal below a certain threshold, allowing signals above that level to pass undisturbed. Noise gates can shut out feedback, hiss, and hum, and Audacity’s Noise Gate effect may reduce the volume on your echo.
To useNoise Gate to remove audio echo:
- Select a section of your track that contains only echo.
- Click “Effect.”
- Select “Analyze Noise Level.”
- Click “OK.”
Audacity analyzes the echo as noise, then provides suggested settings to reduce that noise through the rest of your track. Those settings are:
- Gate Threshold:The audio level below which the gate closes.
- Gate Frequencies Above:If set to the default of zero, the gate processes all the audio. When set above zero, it only affects frequencies above a certain Hz (10kHz maximum). This option is useful when dealing with high-frequency feedback and hiss.
- Level Reduction:How much is the signal suppressed if it is below the gate frequency. At 100, the gate stops low-level sound entirely, while other settings simply attenuate its volume even further.
- Attack:How quickly the gate opens
- Hold:How long the gate remains open.
- Decay:How long it takes for the gate to close.
A little bit of noise gating can help make vocal tracks clearer and remove some unwanted reverb. But while Audacity’s Noise Gate can help you reduce echo, you should use it with caution. Overly aggressive gating creates unnatural, abrupt silence between words or musical notes.
For more information, check out my review about Audacity is good recording software.
5. Try a Commercial Plug-In
If all else fails, there are several commercial echo-removing plug-ins that work with Audacity.
However, keep in mind that removing an echo from a track without distorting the original audio is a very tall order. These plug-ins do it well, but they don’t do it cheaply, so you should only opt for this option if you have the budget and are ready to spend.
SPL DeVerb Plus
When producers are stuck with a great track laid down in a bad environment, they turn to SPL DeVerb Plus. This VST plug-in works with Audacity and other DAWs and has a clear and easy-to-use interface. DeVerb Plus will take the echoes out of your recordings and leave you with professional-quality audio.
ACON Digital Deverberate
ACON’s Digital Deverberate uses a deep learning algorithm and statistical analysis to pick out echoes and reverberation and separate them from the signal. Virtual dials let you increase the reverb or signal at different frequencies to give you precisely the mix you want without unwanted reverberation.
While DeVerb Plus and Deverberate are expensive, they may be worth your while when you need to upload your show yesterday, and re-recording is not an option.
Final Thoughts
An unwanted echo can make your audio worthless. Fortunately, there are ways to salvage your track and reduce if not eliminate echo. Best of luck in your recording career!
Sources
FAQs
Can you remove echo from audio in Audacity? ›
Removing Echo in Audacity with Noise Gate
Select your track, go to your effects menu and look for the Noise Gate plug-in (you may have to scroll down a bit). Make sure Gate is on Select Function. Use preview when adjusting the settings. Click OK when you're satisfied to apply the effect to the entire audio file.
- Open your audio file and go to Effect.
- Scroll down until you locate the Noise gate option.
- Then select the Gate function to stop the echo.
- Select the frequencies you want to gate.
- Additionally, you can also adjust the other settings to see if you notice any improvements.
- Cover the Floor. Carpets and rugs do more than provide soft padding for your feet. ...
- Cover the Walls and Windows. Wall and window coverings reduce the amount of sound reflecting off window glass and hard wall surfaces. ...
- Fill Rooms with Furnishings. ...
- Install Acoustic Panels.
Lower your speaker volume to reduce the echo. If your microphone or audio device is near a wall or other reflective surface that does not absorb sound, consider moving the microphone or changing its direction away from the reflective surface to reduce potential echoes.
How do I clean up audio in Audacity? ›- Duplicate the File That Needs to Be Cleaned Up. It would be wise to make a copy of the original file before editing on Audacity. ...
- Open and Import the Audio File/s. ...
- Reduce the Noise. ...
- Cut the Silence. ...
- Equalize the Sound. ...
- Check and Export the Final Output.
- Highlighting a section of recording where no deliberate sounds were made. ...
- Then select Effect > Noise Removal in the menu options.
- Click on Get Noise Profile.
- Now highlight the entire recording from start to end.
- Select Effect > Noise Removal in the menu options again.
- Click OK.
If you're hearing an additional echo of the incoming sound then it's probably that you're hearing the signal from the soundcard and then, with a slight delay, the same signal via software. Check that the option Edit-Preferences-Audio IO-Software Playthrough is not ticked.
How do I use the echo effect in Audacity? ›Audacity: How to add Echo (Delay) and Reverb (GVerb) - YouTube
How do I remove the reverb effect in Audacity? ›Remove reverb from your podcast voice recordings in Audacity
How do I reduce echo in recording studio? ›Weird But Free Way To Prevent Room Echo When Recording VoiceOvers
How do I record without echo? ›
How to record SOUND without REVERB or ECHO - YouTube
Why is there echo in my recording? ›Recording both your microphone and tab/system audio in the same recording can cause an echo if you're not wearing headphones. This happens when the tab/system audio is played loudly through your speakers and is then picked up again by your microphone (hence the echo effect).
What is echo in audio? ›Acoustics / Electroacoustics. An echo is a repetition or a partial repetition of a sound due to REFLECTION. REVERBERATION is also reflected sound, but in this case, separate repetitions of the original sound are not distinguishable.
How do you remove reverb from vocals? ›How To Reduce Reverb in Audio Tracks - YouTube
How can I make my sound clear? ›- Upload Audio. Upload your audio files to VEED - it's all online & works right in your browser.
- Remove Background Noise. Click on the audio track, open Settings, then click 'Clean Audio'. Background noise will disappear in seconds, automatically.
- Download. That's it, you're done.
- Value your listeners. Podcasts and blogs are similar. ...
- Invest in the right microphone. You knew this one was coming. ...
- Use a microphone stand. ...
- Find a great place to record. ...
- Speak near the microphone. ...
- Set up a pop filter. ...
- Select an audio interface. ...
- Record separate tracks.
- Keep a small distance between the speaker and the microphone.
- Make sure there is as little background noise as possible.
- Do not interrupt each other.
- Provide a good quality microphone.
How To Equalize Audio In Audacity - Tutorial #16 - YouTube
How do I make my mic sound professional in Audacity? ›HOW TO MAKE YOUR MIC SOUND PROFESSIONAL IN AUDACITY ...
How do I listen to a voice recording clearer? ›Here are three basic tips to help you start recording high-quality audio: Make sure you have the right equipment, including a mic, audio splitter, and recorder. Place the microhphone carefully and speak loud and clear. Choose a quiet place to record to eliminate static noises.
How do I get rid of wind in Audacity? ›
On Audacity, highlight the part of wind noise in the clip. Then go to Effect > Noise Reduction and click Get Noise Profile.
How do I hear myself while recording on Audacity? ›To hear yourself as you record, go to Audacity > Preferences > Recording. For best results, check the Software Playthrough box. Make sure the Overdub… box is not checked.
What's the difference between echo and reverb? ›Reverberation is the persistence of sound after the sound source has been stopped. It results from a large number of reflected waves which can be perceived by the brain as a continuous sound. On the other hand, an echo occurs when a pulse of sound can be heard twice.
How do you find the echo effect? ›How To Add Echo Effect On TikTok! (2022) - YouTube
How do I change the reverb in Audacity? ›Select the audio track that contains the vocal recording. Click Effect > Reverb to launch the Reverb effect. In the "Presets" panel, click the Load button, select Vocal II from the list then click OK. The controls will now have been adjusted according to the selected preset.
What does high pass filter do in Audacity? ›High-Pass Filter passes frequencies above its cutoff frequency and attenuates frequencies below its cutoff frequency. This effect can therefore be used to reduce low frequency noise.
Why do I hear an echo when I talk? ›Echo is when the sound from the speaker comes back into the microphone. This often happens because the microphone and speaker are placed too close together, causing you to hear yourself on a slight delay after you speak.
How do I reduce mic reverb? ›- Move the microphone. A quick fix to reverb is to move the microphone closer to whomever is speaking. Headphones with a built-in microphone work really well to reduce the severity of reverb.
- Add acoustical treatments. The best way to solve reverb is to address the actual room environment.
Our mic of choice is a Sennheiser ME66/K6 Shotgun microphone mounted on a boompole. When positioned properly, lavaliere microphones can do a good job of hiding room echo as well, but lav mics come with a set of limitations you should consider.
Do acoustic panels reduce echo? ›The noise volume rises too as the sound energy is staying in the room for longer whilst more sound is being created. Sound Absorption wall panels need to be added inside the room, as they are designed to absorb the sound waves, reducing the reflections and therefore reducing the reverberation and echo.
Which materials are best in reducing echo and unwanted sound when recording in a room? ›
Acoustic foam comes in slabs of toothed 2″ inch thick foam material that is placed above hard surfaces to reduce echo from sound interference and reverberation. They do this to break up reflected sound waves and the shape of the room, which reduces the amount of reverb returning to the microphone.
How do I reduce the echo in my podcast? ›Cover any hard objects such as counter tops or desks with a blanket or a towel. Make sure all doors are shut and a heavy towel is placed on the floor between the door and floor. Soft fabric furniture is good such as couches or beds at absorbing echoes. Place pillows or soft bags in each corner of the room.
Why can I hear myself through my mic? ›This is usually because you've enabled microphone monitoring on your device. This is a feature that loops your mic input straight to your speakers or headphones, allowing you to see how you sound.
What is an echo solution? ›Solution. The repetition of sound caused by the reflection of sound is called echo.
What is echo control? ›Network echo control. Eliminates talker echo so that peer-to-peer human communications do not suffer the annoying effects. This behavior typically applies to IP telephony gateway applications on AG Series or CG Series boards.
What is example of echo? ›Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, by a building, or by the walls of an enclosed room and an empty room. A true echo is a single reflection of the sound source.
Can you Eq out reverb? ›EQ can be really helpful for tailoring your reverb to fit the song. Too much bottom end on reverb returns can add to the lower midrange muddiness of a mix. In most cases, you won't lose much by EQing out a significant amount of low end from the reverb itself.
How do I reduce reverb when recording? ›Then, when it comes time to record audio, just throw the material on the reverberant surfaces, like wood/tile/etc. floors, walls, bathtubs. You can even throw a blanket on a boom and hang it close to your subject to try and cut down on any reverb.
What is an example of reverberation? ›The definition of a reverberation is a reflection of light or sound waves, or a wide reaching impact of an action. An example of a reverberation is the sound bouncing around in a large speaker. An example of a reverberation is the impact of a no trespassing law at a shopping center on students at a nearby high school.
How do I remove reverb in Audacity? ›Re: How to reduce reverb or echo? If you use the entire audio as the noise-profile, (not just the noise),then noise-reduction acts like an expander, which will reduce reverb when you are not speaking.
Where is equalizer in Audacity? ›
Equalization has been removed from Audacity, superseded by the two new effects: Filter Curve EQ - uses drawn curves for the equalization. Graphic EQ - users sliders for the equalization (similar to hardware graphic equalizers)
What does high pass filter do in Audacity? ›High-Pass Filter passes frequencies above its cutoff frequency and attenuates frequencies below its cutoff frequency. This effect can therefore be used to reduce low frequency noise.
How do you remove reverb from vocals? ›How To Reduce Reverb in Audio Tracks - YouTube
What is the opposite of reverb? ›Reverse reverb, sometimes called reverse echo or reverse regeneration, simply takes the reverb tail of any instrument and reverses it. Creating it is a matter of printing the wet signal of a reversed audio track. Reverse reverb is typically accompanied by the original, unreversed recording played back correctly.
How do I change the reverb in Audacity? ›Select the audio track that contains the vocal recording. Click Effect > Reverb to launch the Reverb effect. In the "Presets" panel, click the Load button, select Vocal II from the list then click OK. The controls will now have been adjusted according to the selected preset.
How do I equalize audio in audacity? ›How To Equalize Audio In Audacity - Tutorial #16 - YouTube
How do you equalize a voice in audacity? ›Click Effects and choose Equalization from the drop-down menu. Click the button beside Graphic EQ. This provides an on-screen bank of 31 sliders covering frequencies from low, on the left, to high. Clicking and dragging a slider permits you to change the addition or subtraction of that frequency.
What is normalize in audacity? ›From Audacity Development Manual. Use the Normalize effect to set the peak amplitude of a single track, make multiple tracks have the same peak amplitude and equalize the balance of left and right channels of stereo tracks. Optionally you can remove any DC offset from the tracks.
How do you remove hiss in audacity? ›To remove a high pitched hiss, select all the audio file waveform and from the Effect drop down select Low Pass Filter.
Where should I set my high-pass filter? ›As a general starting point, you should place a high pass filter on each channel and adjust it according to the lowest frequency the sound source can produce. For example, a male vocal will not contain frequencies lower than about 80 Hz.
What is high-pass EQ? ›
A high-pass filter is a type of EQ that reduces low frequency content in your signal by only allowing frequencies above a cutoff frequency to pass through. It's called a high-pass filter because it lets the high end pass through unchanged while cutting the bass. The term is often abbreviated to HPF for short.
Can you Eq out reverb? ›EQ can be really helpful for tailoring your reverb to fit the song. Too much bottom end on reverb returns can add to the lower midrange muddiness of a mix. In most cases, you won't lose much by EQing out a significant amount of low end from the reverb itself.
How do you stop reverberation? ›- Increase the mass (weight) and density of the wall to make it heavier, as mass helps to block sound.
- Decouple the wall meaning one side of the wall doesn't touch the other. ...
- Dampen the vibration energy of the wall.
- Move the microphone. A quick fix to reverb is to move the microphone closer to whomever is speaking. Headphones with a built-in microphone work really well to reduce the severity of reverb.
- Add acoustical treatments. The best way to solve reverb is to address the actual room environment.