Logic Pro 9 narration track pops

Edgold

Logician
My narrator does not have a professional studio (nor do I) and he, being an actor, tends to emphasize the consonants especially the p's producing and unwanted percussion effect in addition to my regular percussion track.

Is there anything in Logic 9 I can add to filter this out, to some extent at least?

Thanks,

Ed Gold
 
It's hard to say without hearing exactly where the low P popping is happening in the frequency spectrum. But how about a steep high pass filter band in the Channel EQ at at about 60 hz or so as a starting point. That should get you started. You may have to set it a bit higher, like maybe 70 - 80 hz. You'll need to experiment. But try a steep slope of 48 db, with a Q setting of around 0.71 like in the screen shot.

Note: this screen shot is from the Channel EQ in LPX. Although the graphic interface appears different, the functions work the same in LP9's Channel EQ.
 

Attachments

  • Hi Pass Filter.jpg
    Hi Pass Filter.jpg
    19.7 KB · Views: 161
Upvote 0
Thanks Eli,

That seems to work pretty well but whether the narrator will approve the result is another matter. This is my EQ window which is set much higher to 164 Hz, but I don't understand why the bass doesn't disappear as it does if I monkey with the high frequencies changing the sound into a telephone-like one.

Channel EQ.tiff
 
Upvote 0
A hi pass filter is always a good place to start. Due to the logarithmic nature of most eqs the displayed curve can be quite misleading (have a look at the frequency scale on the graph.) An additional step would be a multiband compressor with the bottom band's upper frequency set to something like 150-300hz and the threshold set so as to trigger compression on just the plosives/pops, then set the ratio (on that band) to control the amount of reduction you want. You'll probably need to set the attack quite fast, the release will probably be alright. Leave the other bands alone. Hopefully this will get you in the right ballpark!

Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Upvote 0
Thanks Mike,

I found that reducing the wave magnitude pretty much reduces the problem in the worst places and the result is pretty satisfactory.

But I will investigate your advise further when I get the chance.

Another idea I had which I never tried would be to record the EQed track to another track and edit it selectively into the first track which has now had the filter removed.

Anyway, the piece is now in the process of being published online.

Ed
 
Upvote 0
I record voice-overs every day in my studio, and the only satisfactory solution I have ever found for pops is to create volume automation to drastically reduce the level of the plosive for that fraction of a second while it occurs.

A much better solution is to avoid the pops in the first place with a pop shield.

http://www.sweetwater.com/c394--Pop_Filters

Sadly, some actors pop so hard these don't get everything, but they do help a lot.
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top