<p>From your description of the audio, it is going to be hard to fix, as white noise tends to cover a very broad frequency spectrum and so is hard to get rid of without losing what you want to keep.
A decent starting point for you would be to use a freeware audio editing program like <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/" rel="noreferrer">Audacity</a>. Here is a <a href="http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Noise_Removal" rel="noreferrer">noise removal tutorial using Audacity</a>.</p>

<p>You can also use audacity to cut out sections where there is no background talking. Then you can use an effect called a <strong>compressor</strong> to attempt to raise the level of the speaking to a better level, although you may still find you are amplifying some background noise. Here's a description of the <a href="http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Compressor" rel="noreferrer">audacity compressor</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-04-26T18:16:09.377Z
2011-04-26T18:16:09.377Z
Mark Heath
<p>I have a recording from a camcorder (with a broken mic) where the audio is 1) largely white noise and 2) almost in-audible sound from people chatting in a room.</p>

<p>What methods could be used to amplify the "almost in-audible" parts (and remove the white noise)?</p>

<p>I guess what consumer level audio tools could do this?</p>

<software><editing>
Methods of Amplifying Poor Audio from Camcorder Recording?
MikeM
# Methods of Amplifying Poor Audio from Camcorder Recording?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-04-26)

I have a recording from a camcorder (with a broken mic) where the audio is 1) largely white noise and 2) almost in-audible sound from people chatting in a room.

What methods could be used to amplify the "almost in-audible" parts (and remove the white noise)?

I guess what consumer level audio tools could do this?

**Tags:** software, editing


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2011-04-26. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

From your description of the audio, it is going to be hard to fix, as white noise tends to cover a very broad frequency spectrum and so is hard to get rid of without losing what you want to keep.
A decent starting point for you would be to use a freeware audio editing program like [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/). Here is a [noise removal tutorial using Audacity](http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Noise_Removal).

You can also use audacity to cut out sections where there is no background talking. Then you can use an effect called a **compressor** to attempt to raise the level of the speaking to a better level, although you may still find you are amplifying some background noise. Here's a description of the [audacity compressor](http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Compressor).


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