De-ess [STD & ADV]
| Module & Plug-in |
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Overview
De-ess attenuates or reduces sibilance, the harsh high-frequency sounds that come from “S,” “F,” “X,” “SH,” and a soft “C.”
Controls
- MODES: The De-ess module offers two processing algorithms:
- CLASSIC MODE: Detects sibilants and attenuates them with a broadband gain envelope. Since attenuation is applied to all frequencies, this mode is less targeted than Spectral De-ess.
- SPECTRAL MODE: Offers a more transparent, intelligent, and frequency-specific type of de-essing than Classic Mode. Spectral Mode only attenuates the high frequencies where sibilance is most active, leaving the lower frequencies untouched.
- CLASSIC MODE: Detects sibilants and attenuates them with a broadband gain envelope. Since attenuation is applied to all frequencies, this mode is less targeted than Spectral De-ess.
How does the Spectral De-ess processing work?
Spectral De-ess is a multiband compressor with dozens of bands. It’s able to compress the level of sibilants, shape their spectra, and avoid modulation of ambient noise. Each band can operate independently or with a link to adjacent bands (adjusted by the Spectral Shaping slider, explained below) and band thresholds can be adjusted for the desired shape of a sibilant (achieved by adjusting the Spectral Tilt slider, explained below)
- THRESHOLD: Determines the level at which the De-ess module begins compressing sibilance. The Threshold control has two modes that determine how it reacts to incoming signal level. It is specified in decibels, relative to speech level (Relative Mode) or full scale (Absolute Mode).
- RELATIVE MODE: Determines the level of speech and sets the threshold relatively to that level. This is the default Threshold mode, Relative mode is active when the “Absolute” checkbox below the Threshold slider is not checked.
- ABSOLUTE MODE: Sets the threshold to a decibel level below full scale (dBFS). This mode is enabled by checking the “Absolute” checkbox below the threshold slider.
- RELATIVE MODE: Determines the level of speech and sets the threshold relatively to that level. This is the default Threshold mode, Relative mode is active when the “Absolute” checkbox below the Threshold slider is not checked.
- CUTOFF FREQUENCY: Specifies the crossover point between speech (to be preserved) and sibilance (to be reduced). The Cutoff frequency value functions as the lower boundary for sibilance detection.
SPECTRAL FLATTENING: Spectral Flattening determines how much the spectral shape of the sibilant is changed. A setting of 0% leaves the natural shape of the sibilance by applying uniform compression across all bands. A setting of 100% flattens the shape of the sibilant toward a specified noise profile (see Spectral Tilt).
Understanding Spectral Flattening
- Think of Spectral Flattening as a way to fine tune the strength of the sibilant processing. The flatter you go, the more the sibilant is reduced.
- Think of Spectral Flattening as a way to fine tune the strength of the sibilant processing. The flatter you go, the more the sibilant is reduced.
SPECTRAL TILT: Spectral Tilt creates a target noise profile for the sibilance. A setting of 0 creates a natural spectral decay similar to pink noise. Values below or above 0 create a profile that is heavier in low frequencies (like brown noise) or high frequencies (like white noise). Spectral Tilt is most effective when the Spectral Shaping control is set to a non-zero value.
Understanding Spectral Tilt
- Spectral Tilt gives you the flexibility to determine what the ideal shape of your high frequency signal could be. Moving the shape toward brown noise moves it toward a darker sound. Moving the shape toward white noise provides a brighter result. Together with flattening and threshold, you can determine how much shaping takes place.
- Spectral Tilt gives you the flexibility to determine what the ideal shape of your high frequency signal could be. Moving the shape toward brown noise moves it toward a darker sound. Moving the shape toward white noise provides a brighter result. Together with flattening and threshold, you can determine how much shaping takes place.
SPEED: Sets the attack and release times for the processing. Attack times are program-dependent in both modes.
- FAST: Uses quicker attack and release times.
- SLOW: Uses longer attack and release times.
Are you using the right speed setting?
- Is De-ess smoothing out the transients too much?
Settings that are too fast can reduce the high frequency signal too much in the initial transient phase and can introduce a smoothing effect that reduces useful high frequency definition. Try using Slow mode to mitigate this problem. - Is De-ess causing pumping in the high frequencies?
If the settings are too slow, the processor won’t recover quickly enough, resulting in too much high frequency attentuation. Try using Fast mode to mitigate this problem.
- Is De-ess smoothing out the transients too much?
- FAST: Uses quicker attack and release times.