MPSE Wavelength

M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 7 .wav files ready for implementation in Wwise, FMOD, or other audio middleware. RX Spectral Denoise is my essential tool for removing unwanted room noise while preserving the integrity of the original performance. I start by identifying a clean section of background noise to establish the session's noise floor. Once set, I fine-tune the noise- reduction settings, keeping each pass below 6 to 9 decibels to minimize any negative impact on the dialogue. Once any noise-floor issues are resolved, I process the audio through a project- specific RX Module Chain, applying a combination of EQ, leveling, de-essing, compression, and gain adjustments. For precise tonal control, I rely on FabFilter plugins. FabFilter Pro-Q4 handles high pass filtering and corrective EQ, while Pro-C2 manages compression and peak control. Pro-DS is used for de- essing—I only use it lightly to maintain the natural character of the dialogue. De-essing is a powerful tool, but it must be applied on a case-by-case basis. Overprocessing strips the dialogue of its natural energy, making it sound dull and lifeless, so settings must be adjusted, with a subtle approach, for each actor's unique voice. RX Spectrogram View allows me to visually pinpoint and adjust sibilant areas while leaving the rest of the spectrum untouched. Sibilance in male voices typically fall between 3.5kHz and 10kHz, while female voices range between 5.5kHz and 13kHz, which can be easily identified through the brighter colors in the spectrogram. Even though my RX Module Chain usually includes a light global de-esser (Pro-DS), manual sibilance reduction is almost always still necessary. For actors with excessive sibilance, I clip gain entire S, F, and TH sounds down by three to five decibels. If sibilance is particularly sharp or whistly, I use RX's Brush Tool to target and reduce only the affected frequencies. Cleaning up mouth noise is a crucial step in game dialogue editing, and it requires a careful approach. Using RX Spectral Editor, along with RX De-click, Spectral Repair, Mouth De-click, Voice De-noise, and Ambience Match, I remove plosives, pops, thumps, bumps, clicks, squeaks, whistles, and other unwanted noises while keeping the speech 100% natural. When using tools like RX De-click, I target only the affected frequencies rather than processing the entire frequency spectrum. Instead of completely removing sounds, I typically attenuate them to maintain a natural tone, as over-editing can result in an unnatural or processed effect. If something doesn't sound quite right, I move the clip to a temporary holding track and revisit it later with fresh ears. Plosives almost always require manual softening, as de-plosive plugins tend to be too aggressive. Instead of applying global processing with a de-plosive plugin or EQ, I use clip gain adjustments or targeted spectral repair in RX where needed. Often the issue is not just the P sound but also the sibilance leading into the plosive. Tackling the subtle thump before a hard consonant significantly improves clarity. For loudness monitoring, I use iZotope Insight 2, Nugen VisLM, and Nugen Visualizer 2 to ensure all files meet loudness specs. It's important to focus on loudness specifications and performance intensities. I make subtle clip gain adjustments in 0.5-decibel increments to preserve natural dynamics without introducing artifacts. If a line has noticeable projection shifts, I fine-tune the gain within the line to smooth it out. Sound Miner handles asset management and metadata tagging, while software like Microsoft Excel, Delta Walker and Keyboard Maestro assist with file-naming verification and batch processing. I often use Adobe Premiere if I need to embed marker data within longer lines of dialogue. I run everything on a Mac Pro 3.3 GHz 12-Core Intel Xeon W with a Pro Tools HD system on encrypted SSD drives, monitoring through a 7.1 Adam setup with an Avid S1. For dialogue editorial, I primarily listen on Sennheiser HD650 headphones. I've used them for years, and they're easy to repair by ordering replacement parts directly from Sennheiser. My workflow is optimized with a Kensington Slim Blade Trackball, Keyboard Maestro, and Stream Decks for faster navigation and launching macros. My toolbox evolves with every project, but precision and efficiency remain at the core. What's in your toolbox? I'd love to hear how others tackle challenges. I'm always interested in learning from fellow professionals and sharing insights that push our craft forward. My Game Dialogue Editing Toolbox >Avid Pro Tools 2024.10.2 •RX Connect •iZotope Insight 2 •Nugen VisLM & Visualizer 2 >Adobe Premiere >iZotope RX Advanced 11 •Spectral De-noise •Module Chain •Brush Tool •Spectral Editor •De-click •Spectral Repair •Mouth De-click •Voice De-noise •Ambience Match •FabFilter Pro-Q4, Pro-C2, Pro-DS >Sound Miner >Microsoft Excel >Delta Walker and Keyboard Maestro

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