From the course: Audio Mastering Techniques

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Reducing sibilance with a de-esser

Reducing sibilance with a de-esser

From the course: Audio Mastering Techniques

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Reducing sibilance with a de-esser

Sibilance is a short burst of high-frequency energy where the esses are over emphasized. This requires a special type of compressor called a De-esser to suppress it. Here is an example of a song with a fair amount of sibilance that doesn't yet have the De-esser applied. (music playing) In order to use a De-esser, do the following, after you've inserted the De-esser, raise the Threshold Control until the sibilance is decreased, but you can still hear the esses. If you can't hear them then you've raised the Threshold too far. In this case the Threshold is called the Range Control. (music playing) Span the available frequencies with the frequency control until you find the exact spot where it's offensive, then adjust the Threshold Control until the esses sound more natural. (music playing) Use the LISTEN feature to determine the exact sibilance frequency. When using the LISTEN feature, remember that the audio you are hearing isn't in the signal path just the slide chain. (music playing)…

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