How to Eliminate Echo/Reverb in Audio Recording – Causes and Solutions
In this video we will be learning how to eliminate echo or reverb in audio recordings by looking at what causes it in the first place and then looking at the different types of solutions, ranging from professional sound absorbing panels to using household materials that you can use to treat the acoustics of the room. We will also be looking at some other solutions like the type of mic that captures less of echo sound waves (reflected sound). Here’s the video:
Video Summary
This video explains the causes of echo and reverb in audio recordings and offers both professional and budget-friendly solutions for treating a recording space.
The Science of Sound Reflection [01:14]
- Direct vs. Reflected Sound: When you speak, direct sound waves travel straight into the microphone. However, sound also travels in all directions, hitting hard, flat surfaces like walls, ceilings, and floors [03:15].
- Reverb/Echo: Because reflected waves travel a longer distance, they reach the microphone slightly later than the direct sound. This delay creates an “echoey” or “hollow” effect [04:39].
- Distortion: Reflected waves can also collide with direct waves, causing messy, distorted audio [05:02].
Professional Solution [06:28]
- Acoustic Panels: Mounting sound-absorbing foam or panels on walls and ceilings prevents sound from bouncing back. These panels convert sound energy into heat energy, effectively “killing” the reflection [07:20].
Budget & DIY Solutions [08:16]
- Avoid Empty Rooms: An empty room with only hard surfaces is the worst environment for audio.
- Soft Materials: Fill the room with soft, thick items like carpets, mattresses, blankets, and couches [08:43]. These materials absorb sound waves naturally.
- Microphone Choice: Use a Dynamic microphone or set a Condenser mic (like the Blue Yeti) to the Cardioid pattern [10:39] to ignore sounds coming from the sides and back.
- Proximity [10:52]: Keeping the microphone close to your mouth ensures the direct sound is much stronger than any reflected room noise.
- Audio Editing [11:17]: If your room isn’t perfectly treated, post-production editing is mandatory to clean up the sound quality.
Important Links
This video is from Audacity for Beginners course, which has 36 videos and 4 hours of content. You can use the link below to access the full course via Udemy:
