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Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Specific to Premiere Elements Version 11.

Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby HSA » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:06 pm

Question about audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT:

I have a good background in both analog and digital audio, including using “Audacity” a number of times.

I have found that when the source of a musical performance is from a 1930s or 1940s movie, often higher audio frequencies are to some extent missing, possibly never there to begin with, or have deteriorated over time. Magnetic audiotape from the 1950s often suffers similarly.

I am currently working on my first Premier Elements project (Premier Elements 11, Windows 7). The underlying source file is a (public domain) movie from the 1940s from which I’ve deleted all but one three-minute musical performance. The audio suffers from lack of higher frequencies, thereby, of course, leaving the remaining audio a bit “dark”.

While such higher frequencies cannot actually be brought back (to the extent present to begin with), my experience with “Audacity” and other audio editors is that by using the “EQUALIZER” function (formally, a Parametric Equalizer), and doing so judiciously ---- stepping up gradually from middle frequencies, but not going overboard ---- one can markedly improve the apparent low-to-high balance.

In my current learning and practice with Premier Elements 11, I observe the EFFECTS>TREBLE control, but my experience with “treble” controls generally is that one cannot control the frequency ranges are being boosted, and by how much compared to other frequency ranges. Almost a sledgehammer tool.

Surprisingly, I cannot find an AUDIO EQUALIZER tool in Premier Elements 11.

In my further learning and practice with Premier Elements 11, I’ve just come across an audio EFFECTS function called “NewBlue Audio Polish”.

The Adobe online HELP screen says the following:
“Audio Polish ---- cleans and enhances audio. It includes features for noise reduction, compression, brightening the high end and even adding reverberation.” “Brightness adds a little high end to the signal. Rotate the knob to the right to “brighten” the sound. Brightening helps polish muddy recordings.”

Can someone tell me a sentence or two about this tool, how it works, whether experience has shown it to be an improvement on one’s use of the treble adjustment?

Thank you,

Howard
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Steve Grisetti » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:26 pm

I'm not sure what more to say than the description, Howard. Though it's certainly worth experimenting to see if it does what you need.

Aside from audio effects (like echo), most audio effects toolkits have a number of variations on dynamics, noise gate and equalizer. Which you use depends pretty much on which is easiest for you to use and which can do the job.

Like you, I'm kind of surprised Premiere Elements doesn't include an Adobe equalizer among its effects. And you certainly could go with an external audio editor to improve your audio. (Magix' Sound Forge Pro is excellent and affordable.)

Or maybe someone on this forum with more audio editing experience has a suggestion.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby sidd finch » Thu Mar 07, 2019 8:21 pm

One of the best tricks to get acceptable audio is to put multiple tacks of the audio on your timeline. For this you would just unlink your video file then copy the audio track a few times and stack them all up so they are in sync. The keep one track with no effects and make changes to the remaining tracks. I have found that some audio need base and treble adjustments so I adjust each track individually to give me a better mix of the track. For example you could put one track with more high, one with a little reverb, one with a pitch shift etc.

That way you mix your way to better audio.

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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby HSA » Fri Mar 08, 2019 1:27 pm

Sidd, thank you; that’s a very clever idea.

I thought of something else, if it’s doable.

As mentioned in my original post in this thread, I am familiar with “Audacity”. Within its domain, i.e., audio (only), it of course is far more functional than Premier Elements.

Would the following be possible:

Load my project into Premier Elements. Delete all video and anything else not specifically audio. Save this new ---- audio-only ---- project. EXPORT this new audio-only project in a format such as a “.WAV” file.

Pull this new audio WAV file into Audacity; edit it there ---- using its powerful, multi-functional tools. Save/export the new/edited Audacity file as a WAV.

Back in Premier Elements, open the recently saved, video-only, project. IMPORT the audio WAV file that was just edited in Audacity. Alternatively, add this newly edited audio WAV file to the “Project Assets” of the original project (which is now video-only, but soon to be supplemented with the newly edited audio WAV file).

(Naturally, when the WAV file is loaded into the Audacity program, one must be sure not to alter the time length, as that would cause an audio/video out-of-sync issue when IMPORTED back into Premier Elements.)

Of course all of this would require that one can EXPORT the audio-only portion of the Premier Elements project as a WAV or other audio-format file.

Can this be done? (Even if not, it seems to be an interesting idea.)

Thanks for your thoughts,

Howard
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Peru » Fri Mar 08, 2019 1:43 pm

You can export .aiff and then convert it to wav in Audacity.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Bob » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:03 pm

It's absolutely doable. That's what Steve was talking about when he said "you certainly could go with an external audio editor to improve your audio."

It's been a while since I've used Premiere Elements (I use Premiere Pro now), but I'm pretty sure you can still export directly to a .wav file. You don't need to delete the video first. In the export dialog, select the option for audio only and then set the properties to select the wav output format. Just be sure that the export option is set to export both audio and video when you export your finished project.

You can import the modified .wav file to your project assets and use it.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby HSA » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:13 pm

Wow! That's a great thing to know. Thank you.

Since I don't intend to shoot new video/audio, but transfer and restore quite a bit of older material, including from VHS tape, being able to use Audacity on the audio is a great option.

I will give it a try.

Thank you for the information (and the encouragement for a first-time user),

Howard
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby sidd finch » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:21 pm

Not that I am trying to sell you anything, but one of the cool features of the Creative Suite / Cloud is that you can export the audio from premiere pro directly to adobe audition do your edits then keep it in the project. Again only speaking about options. If this is a one off project then no need to do this.

I am also getting my toes wet with a program called DaVinci Resolve. Which has a separate audio editor. Not sure if it is included in the free software but another option to checkout. I am a huge Adobe fan but I get chills having to think about paying a monthly fee to rent software.... :)

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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Peru » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:57 pm

Bob wrote: It's been a while since I've used Premiere Elements (I use Premiere Pro now), but I'm pretty sure you can still export directly to a .wav file.


It's not listed in the supported export files here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elemen ... rmats.html

That's why I suggested .aiff.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Bob » Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:32 pm

Thanks, Bob (Peru), I didn't know wav export was missing from the current version. Any idea which version that started?

Anyway, the current version may not have it, but I believe he is using Premiere Elements 11 which does.

Per: https://help.adobe.com/archive/en/premi ... erence.pdf

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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby HSA » Sat Mar 09, 2019 1:05 pm

Bob wrote:Thanks, Bob (Peru), I didn't know wav export was missing from the current version. Any idea which version that started?

Anyway, the current version may not have it, but I believe he is using Premiere Elements 11 which does.

Per: https://help.adobe.com/archive/en/premi ... erence.pdf

audiofmts.JPG

_________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for the interesting conversation.

When in my original post for this thread I mentioned WAV files, the intent was to use a non-compressed format that would work well with Audacity and, of course, Premier Elements. There would be no export or import beyond Premier Elements and Audacity, with the completed project remaining in Premier Elements ---- and whatever final media chosen, i.e., DVD.

Since a WAV is the old default for uncompressed audio, and as well Steve in his book recommends the use of WAV if audio is to be imported as a Premier Elements project asset, I followed that theme.

I have never used an "aiff" file. For stand-alone audio, it's been WAV and FLAC (and the native format inside Audacity until exported). If you believe that ".aiff" is better than WAV for my intended purposes (Premier Elements project; audio exported to Audacity for edit; re-imported back into Premier Elements) then ".aiff" it can be.

Since I have no prior experience with Premier Elements, which would you recommend: WAV or .aiff?

Thank you,

Howard
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Peru » Sat Mar 09, 2019 1:47 pm

HSA wrote:
Since I have no prior experience with Premier Elements, which would you recommend: WAV or .aiff?


I'm glad that Bob pointed out the difference in supported export files between version 15 and version 2019.
The only reason I recommended aiff is because it is uncompressed and I saw that wav wasn't supported (in 2019 :) ).

I always convert audio from mp3 to wav with Audacity or Audition before using in projects. As Bob does, I also use Premiere Pro, but I know Premiere Elements works fine with wav.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Bob » Sat Mar 09, 2019 3:21 pm

Howard,

AIFF and WAV are equivalent and have equal quality. Both formats are uncompressed, lossless, and encode audio the same way using PCM (pulse code modulation) -- the contents are the same. Historically, AIFF was developed by Apple and is most associated with Macintosh systems, and WAV was developed by Microsoft/IBM and is most associated with Windows systems. Audacity even reflects this historical fact by defaulting uncompressed export to AIFF on Macintosh and WAV on Windows. But, most if not all current players and editors can work with both regardless of system. You can use either format.
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby HSA » Sat Mar 09, 2019 11:10 pm

Bob wrote:Howard,

AIFF and WAV are equivalent and have equal quality. Both formats are uncompressed, lossless, and encode audio the same way using PCM (pulse code modulation) -- the contents are the same. Historically, AIFF was developed by Apple and is most associated with Macintosh systems, and WAV was developed by Microsoft/IBM and is most associated with Windows systems. Audacity even reflects this historical fact by defaulting uncompressed export to AIFF on Macintosh and WAV on Windows. But, most if not all current players and editors can work with both regardless of system. You can use either format.


____________________________________

Well, I just EXPORTED my Premier Elements project audio in WAV format, then imported it into Audacity. EASY AS PIE; thank you for all your advice.

(My earlier confusion was that Premier Elements 11 allows for exporting in WAV (what has sometimes been recommended when adding music to a Premier Elements project), AAC-High Quality, and AIFF - 48kHz. I learned earlier on this forum that DVD audio is 48kHz and therefore was not sure as between WAV and AIFF-48kHz.)

Back in Audacity, I made a few "Amplification" and "Equilization" edits. (Audacity is an excellent and powerful product.)

I EXPORTED the Audacity audio-project file as a WAV file.

Now I need to get that WAV back into my Premier Elements project.

I assume that I need to load it into Premier Elements as a "project asset". From there, it would seem that I should DELETE the existing (original) Audio 1 track and then drag and drop the new Audicity-editd WAV file right to the beginning of the Audio 1 track.

(Note: In Audacity, I was careful to edit the material without making changes to the length of the audio. I assume, therefore, that when loaded back into my Premier Elements project, the "new" audio should be perfectly in sync with the video.)

Having merely guessed as to the manner to get the newly edited audio back into my Premier Elements project and replacing the original audio track 1, is there perhaps a better way?

Thank you,

Howard



, is there some better or preferred manner
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Re: Audio EFFECT/ADJUSTMENT Tools?

Postby Peru » Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:00 pm

HSA wrote:
I assume that I need to load it into Premier Elements as a "project asset". From there, it would seem that I should DELETE the existing (original) Audio 1 track and then drag and drop the new Audicity-editd WAV file right to the beginning of the Audio 1 track.


Yes, that will work.
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