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Vocal recordings often contain unwanted mouth noises and breaths that can distract listeners and reduce the overall quality of a track. Removing these sounds is essential for achieving a clean, professional sound in music production and podcasting. Fortunately, there are several effective techniques to eliminate or reduce mouth noises and breaths in vocal tracks.
Understanding Mouth Noises and Breaths
Mouth noises include clicks, pops, and smacks that occur naturally when a singer or speaker moves their mouth. Breaths are the sounds of inhaling and exhaling during recording. While some breaths can be left in for a natural feel, excessive or loud breaths often need to be minimized or removed.
Techniques for Removing Mouth Noises
- Manual Editing: Use a digital audio workstation (DAW) to zoom in on the waveform and carefully cut or fade out noise spikes. This method provides precise control.
- Noise Reduction Plugins: Apply noise reduction or de-clicking plugins such as iZotope RX or Waves X-Click to automatically detect and remove mouth noises.
- Spectral Editing: Use spectral editing tools to visually identify and erase unwanted noises without affecting the rest of the vocal signal.
Techniques for Managing Breaths
- Manual Silence or Fade: Select breath sections and reduce their volume or fade them out smoothly.
- Automation: Automate volume levels to lower breaths dynamically, maintaining natural dynamics while reducing distraction.
- De-Breathing Plugins: Use specialized plugins like Waves DeBreath to automatically detect and suppress breaths.
Best Practices
Always listen carefully after editing to ensure the vocal sound remains natural. Over-processing can lead to a dull or unnatural voice. Combining manual editing with smart plugin use often yields the best results. Remember to save original recordings before making extensive edits, so you can revert if needed.
Conclusion
Removing mouth noises and breaths enhances the clarity and professionalism of vocal tracks. By understanding the tools and techniques available—such as manual editing, spectral editing, and specialized plugins—producers and editors can achieve clean, polished vocals that stand out in any project.