Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 10, 2019. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
But not everyone who wants to record speech quickly has time to fine-tune the sound. Fortunately, there are some simple tools that can help without complication. We looked at three tools.
Compressor
The standard method for matching volume is actually a compressor. It is also available in every editing application. Set correctly, the level can already be equalized quite well here. You find the loudest point and set the threshold so that the level is reduced by roughly the amount corresponding to the lowest level. However, large volume fluctuations or only temporarily quieter passages can result in an unsettled sound, pumping and unwanted amplification of background noise. When it comes to adjusting levels, there are tools that can do it much better.
Levelator
The tool is really ancient. It has not been developed further since 2012, but can still be downloaded for free. And it still works surprisingly well and, above all, is completely foolproof. After installation, you simply drop the WAV or AIFF file onto the desktop icon or, after double-clicking, onto the GUI. The displays on the GUI then twitch briefly and an equalized audio file with the suffix “output” in the file name lands in the same folder as the original. Nothing can be set or influenced here. Nevertheless, the results are usually quite good.
Accusonus ERA Voice Leveller Plug-in
Accusonus offers several good plug-ins for rescuing failed recordings and optimizing normal ones. Alongside the Voice Leveller plug-in tested here, there are also Noise Remover, Reverb Remover, De-Esser, Plosive Remover and the new De-Clipper – all with effective one-button operation. The names speak for themselves. There is also ERA-D, the noise and reverb remover for professionals with a few more settings. The plug-ins work in almost every common DAW or editing application for both Mac OS and PC. We tested them in Cubase, Ableton, Audition and Premiere. Above the Big Knob, which controls the degree of processing, there is a knob for adjusting the output level. Otherwise there is only a four-way switch that can be used to switch between “Normal” and “Tight”. In Tight mode, the voice is brought a little further to the foreground. The Emphasis button optimizes the tonal balance.
The display in the button signals when the function responds. And the new Breath Control button prevents breathing noises from being amplified too much. Below it runs a waveform display that visualizes the volume matching in yellow. Was that all? Yes, and thanks to the software’s so-called artificial intelligence, it works damn well in most cases without raising the background noise too much. Anyone who wants to try it can download the fully functional 14-day trial version.
Waves Vocal Rider Plug-in
Anyone who needs a little more functionality is better served by the Waves Vocal Rider plug-in. There are more settings here, as well as a sidechain function that allows the volume to be dynamically controlled by another track, for example to automatically adapt a music track to the speech track. Keyframes can also be recorded in the DAW and edited afterwards. A fully functional demo version is also available here. However, the Waves Central software must first be downloaded and installed, which handles license management and installation. The trial versions here run for only 7 days.
Conclusion
For occasional use, Levelator is completely sufficient. For more professional requirements and little audio-engineering knowledge, ERA Voice Leveller is a sensible purchase. Due to its price, Waves Vocal Rider is also more for demanding users or musicians.
