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How to process a field record? (for a beginner)


Lilay Purple

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I am an absolute beginner in the subject of sound recording. Please forgive me if my question is vague, I don't even know how to formulate it correctly.
Please tell me, I record the sounds of nature, but I don't know anything at all about how to process them.
On the Internet, there is mostly information related to music tracks, there is almost no information regarding the processing of recording sounds of nature and ambient.
I have only heard that it is necessary to do compression and remove the electric hum that can get on the record from high-voltage towers.
The purposes for which I need it at the moment is to create audio for sleep, study or meditation. In the future, for the long term, I want to create my own sound library and possibly sell sounds.
But at the moment I do not even know how to formulate a query in Google, since my knowledge is limited only to the choice of recording equipment, I do not know anything about post-processing.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

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You can teach yourself to do this work using a freeware app like Reaper, for which there are MANY online tutorials on all sorts of subjects.  There are many free plugins you can find (VST etc) that can help you as well.   Consider downloading these apps and trying to work over your recordings until you are happy with them.   Search under audio noise reduction etc.

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Get out and record and be aware of the quality of what you are recording.   Make mistakes and learn from them.   Focus on the source you are recording and with the proper mics you can reject a certain amount of unwanted noises.  Like you mentioned, "high-voltage towers"  or traffic, etc.   First thing is to search out areas that are not near these things.  Travel a little further if you have to.  If you can't avoid them totally, then you can deal with having to correct things later, in editing.   But you will not be under any constraints, like having to work where the production decides to shoot. 

Get out and listen closely.  Get good levels and record more than think you will need.   

Most basic editing software can remove low frequency hum, or hiss.   Archiving and selling is something that will come later, after you get your experiences dialed in  and start getting some good, usable stuff.  Good luck!

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1 hour ago, Philip Perkins said:

You can teach yourself to do this work using a freeware app like Reaper, for which there are MANY online tutorials on all sorts of subjects.  There are many free plugins you can find (VST etc) that can help you as well.   Consider downloading these apps and trying to work over your recordings until you are happy with them.   Search under audio noise reduction etc.

I have Adobe Audition 2023. But I'll watch the lessons on Reaper. Thanks!

 

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I can walk into any store and take what I want, and walk out. That does NOT mean that the store caters 'free' stuff.
A normal store does NOT have a sign that it is not giving away free stuff, unlike Reaper, that is VERY clear about being a paid product.

Then, for the records, there is also a difference between 'freeware' and 'open source', 'paid' and nowadays a gazillion other options (where you are the product and 'should' get paid for using the product.

 


 

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1 hour ago, Olle Sjostrom said:

if you want it to be; you can endlessly trial it


This is not what freeware means.  Freeware means it is given away / licensed at no cost by the author.  The company behind Reaper is very gracious about making it possible for people to let the trial drag on endlessly, and I have a lot of respect for their approach.  But, they are also very clear that they *do* expect people to purchase a license after the trial period, and if you are using for commercial purposes, they expect you to purchase it immediately.  I believe that also goes for purchasing the "correct" license for your use-case.  They are *not* giving Reaper away for free; if you choose to use the "indefinite trial", you are technically violating the license agreement.

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No I’m not, I paid cus I’m not a person who leeches. But I mean it’s not technically freeware, but you CAN use it freely if you are morally willing to do it. I’m not. Others might used cracked software or otherwise. And I’m not endorsing anyone to not pay for software they use to make money. But for someone just starting in the business, it’s great to know that reaper IS able to be trialed freely for someone just starting in the business for example. 
 

So yes you are correct, it’s not freeware per se.

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I own at least 6 paid-copies of Reaper.  One of the great things about Reaper is that you can start for free--full up version, with only a slowly increasing boot up delay with a nag-screen for more or less ever as far as I can tell without paying for it.  Yes, if the OP finds it useful enough to get a lot of real work done with it then they should pay the $60 for a nonpro license.   But one of the founding principles of Reaper was easy access to it by anyone regardless of whether or not they had any money at the moment.  This attitude has made me want to support them by buying new copies for new computers as they come in rather than "moving" my existing licenses.   (So all machines around here have "legal" Reapers.)

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FWIW, Reaper was inspired by a early version of the video NLE 'Vegas Pro'. (which was actually audio only) at that time and published by Sonic Foundry and was acquired by Sony Pictures in 1999. It is now published by MAGIX Software GmbH. Vegas Pro 20 is a full featured video editing app and still has a substantial DAW built it.  Justin Frankel, Reaper's original developer and was one of the founders of WinAmp.

btw, I am a Magix forums moderator

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