remove the drums and bass, keeps vocals in a sample

desmondo · Post by **desmondo** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:17 pm

Hi all,

My first post, so hello!

I'm using version 5 currently, so hope this can be achieved. Would like to know if anyone could give me tips on removing the "bottom end" out of song samples. How would you take out everything (eg drums, bass, guitar even) and still keep the vocals sounding decent?

I've played around with the EQ, but haven't found anything that does what I need yet. If anyone could give me a tip or link to check, would be greatly appreciative.

Cheers

Rogue Scrunt · Post by **Rogue Scrunt** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:23 pm

not possible

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:23 pm

If you convert it to a mid-side signal, you can sometimes just remove the side aspect, leaving on the mono mid signal, which is typically where the vocals sit. It still will not remove everything except the vocals (pretty much impossible to do), but sometimes it gets you closer. If that all sounds like a foreign language to you, I suggest googling mid-side processing.

desmondo · Post by **desmondo** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:27 pm

Thanks for your replies everyone. I will google that one tarekith.

Sorry, should be clear that I'm not expecting it to be completely removed, just the l closer I can get to isolating the vocals the better. Will try what you've said, sounds promising

Cheers

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:22 pm

check out 'the utility trick'
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ity+stereo

low frequencies are generally monophonic, the utility plug-in lets you isolate sounds panned hard left and right. use another utility plug in with the phz-r and phz-l buttons activated to invert a signal.

normal clip - left/right panned sounds = bass
normal clip - bass = more vocals

laird · Post by **laird** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:33 pm

although be warned.... you can never really subtract audio.

What tone deft mentions is a trick, to add a negative version of the audio.

Trouble being that noise plus (negative noise), unless you have the 100% exact same noise, means more noise.

Just something to watch out for.

While experimenting with EQ, did you try a HP filter?

I'd suggest multiple techniques. For instance, I might try running my audio through a HP filter set at 200-800 hz first, just to remove all the bass from the bassline and kick drums... then move on to the Utility trick.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:38 pm

+1

isolating vocals is nearly impossible. when I grab a vocal sample I try to isolate it given the context of the song, IOW play it in place in the song then see how I can get it and the crap that comes with it to blend into the tune.

superaction80 · Post by **superaction80** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:24 am

This kinda works:
Split the sides of the stereo file into two mono tracks and then phase-invert one side. Most of the time, it sounds like a low-bitrate mp3.

longjohns · Post by **longjohns** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:10 am

Theoretically if you have an exact duplicate of the mix without the vocals, you could do the phase-cancellation.

I did it once with SOME success - but only on a short sample (1 bar long) and the instrumental mix was off vinyl, the complete mix off CD

so it was far from perfect but it did remove a lot of the instruments

desmondo · Post by **desmondo** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:54 am

Thanks for your replies everyone, much appreciated. Thanks for the link too, tone deft.

I hadn't tried the HP filter either, laird, will give it a go.

Got a lot of things to try out tonight!

Thanks again.