Stop breathing!!
 

Hey

Does anyone know how to remove/elimate breaths in recordings? I am currently using PT-SE and we are recording vocals but the artist takes puffs of breaths at times which you can hear in the songs.

THANKS!

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

Editing. Highlight the breath with the selection tool and press the delete key.

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

Nice quote by Mr. Bill

See mine below.....:D

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

For some folks, that's too complicated :)

Try using a plug in called "De-Breath" from Waves. Great plug for 1-2 hour Narr. reality shows. Just have to learn the curve as to not take out soft words or breaths that are too natural and need to be in there.

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

Editing or automation are the best-sounding options, though the Waves DeBreath is a quick-and-dirty way of doing 80% the same...

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

This has worked for me for VO and vox tracks for years... Take a second to record some 'room tone'. 10-20 seconds is fine. From that room tone track, copy into your clipboard a selection - I highlight and copy a region whose duration is .440 (that is about as long as my normal breaths are, I've found over the years...). Highlight the breath, and paste in the room tone (I like using shuffle mode for this, but slip is good too). If it's too long, trim back, if it's too short, trim out. If your room is quiet — without any hum or real noise — there should generally be no clicks or pops at the region juncture. If you do get some clicks or pops at the juncture, very quick tiny xfades smooth them out as a quick solution, but of course - find and destroy the source of the noise!

I've done this for years and it preserves the timing of a read or vox pass (just deleting the breath can make things choppy or robotic sounding, IME).

I know that in long-format recordings (narration, BOT, &c), this can be tedious, but you have to listen to the whole thing for QC, anyway... The Smart Tool and knowing the quick-keys well? These are your friends for this!

I've used De-Breath, and its okay - I've seen some folks use it to really great success - but for great precision and control, this method is fantastic, IMO. Adding clip gain to this workflow now that 10 is out is amazing!

As always, YMMV... but try it, you'll like it — Hey Mikey!

Nathan

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

This is great trick and makes the track sound more natural. However, many want to "gate" everything out and it's just as okay as well. Whatever you want to do.

One thing though. These problems could be avoided altogether if micing properly and not driving preamps to the hottest. But hey, we can always fix everything in the shrink-wrap ;D

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

Ya know, I just am not a fan of gating, specially if its a naked voice (i.e., no music or FX around it). But again, I have heard some really nice tracks that have been gated.

Agreed!

Nothing beats a voice talent who controls his breathing. No breathing at all is too clinical.

Re: Stop breathing!!
 

Exactly!