Camtasia Studio Learning Center

Use audio enhancements to automatically improve audio quality on the Timeline.

Camtasia Studio Video Tutorial

Audio Enhancements

Audio enhancements help you automatically improve the quality of the audio on the Timeline. Audio enhancements apply to the entire Timeline, not to a selection or individual clip.

To access the audio enhancements in Camtasia Studio, click the Audio Enhancements option in the Task List.

Even Out Volume Levels on the Timeline

The Even out volume levels option adjusts the volume of the audio on the Timeline to a standard level. Use the Even out volume levels when the recording level between audio clips varies greatly.

Complete all Timeline editing before apply audio enhancements. Audio enhancements apply to the entire Timeline, not to a selection or individual clip.

To even out the volume levels on the Timeline

1. Choose the Audio Enhancements option in the Task List.
2. The Audio Enhancements page appears. Check the Even out volume levels option.
   
3. Select an option from the Settings dropdown that best describes the levels of audio variation on the Timeline. The volume leveling occurs immediately.
4. Click Play in the Preview Window to listen to the new audio. While the video is playing, check and uncheck the Even out volume levels option to hear a comparison of the audio quality before and after applying the option.
5. Click OK.

Typically, use one of the standard volume variation options (high, medium, low) to improve the audio quality.

To use an advanced custom setting, select Custom from the Settings dropdown list or click Show advanced options.

• Ratio: Sets the compression slope which determines how the output signal changes in relation to the input signal once the input signal exceeds the threshold.
• Threshold: Sets the level above which signals are compressed or limited. Increasing the threshold clamps signals at a higher level, reducing the amount of compression or limiting.
• Gain: Process of reducing dynamics lowers the signal’s overall level. The gain control compensates by adding increasing output gain, or signal level.

Remove Background Noise

Background noises, such as the hum of the computer, people talking nearby, etc. can affect the quality of the audio in a recording. Use the Remove background noise option in Audio Enhancements to reduce background noise for the audio on the Timeline.

Complete all Timeline editing before applying audio enhancements. Audio enhancements apply to the entire Timeline, not to a selection or individual clip.

To remove background noise automatically

1. Choose the Audio Enhancements option in the Task List.
2. The Audio Enhancements page appears. Enable the Automatically try to detect noise on the Timeline.
3. Click the Remove Noise button. This process detects noise in the audio by using a selection with silence.
4. When the process is complete, the status levels turns green and displays: Noise Removal Enabled.
   
5. The color of the audio waveform changes from teal to burgundy. Click Play in the Preview Window to listen to the new audio. While the video is playing, check and uncheck the Restore Noise option to hear a comparison of the audio quality before and after applying the option.
   
6. Click OK

If you are not satisfied with the quality of the audio, you can manually remove background noise.

To remove background noise manually

1. Select an area (less than one second) where silence should exist on the Timeline’s audio waveform to train for noise reduction. If no true silence exists, you might have to train over an area includes some speaking in it. Use the Adjust Sensitivity slider to fine tune the noise reduction.
2. Click the Remove Noise button. The noise reduction process begins immediately. The status area alerts you when the process is complete.
3. Click the Play button in the Preview Window to listen to the new audio. While the video is playing, check and uncheck the Restore Noise option to hear a comparison of the audio quality before and after applying the option.
4. Click OK.

Adjust Sensitivity Slider

Use the Adjust Sensitivity slider if the noise reduction process caused the audio quality to degrade. Degradation may occur if the noise removal occurred over a selection without true silence. In this case, use the slider to reduce the sensitivity to restore some of the audio quality.

Vocal Enhancements

Use the vocal enhancements to remove audible mouse clicks, fix clipping on the audio track, and optimize the audio for a male or female voice.

Optimize for

The Optimize for option can help remove the sibilance (hissing noise from “s” sounds) and plosives (popping noise from “p” sounds). This option can also minimize loud bass sounds that occur when a microphone is held too close while speaking. You can choose to optimize the vocal enhancement for a male or a female voice.

Remove

Attempts to lessen distortion caused by the following:

• Clipping: Cuts off the peaks of the recorded audio when the audio volume reaches too high of a level. Clipping results in an audible distortion in the audio.
• Clicks: Removes recorded artifacts that sound like clicks.
• Click Sensitivity: Use the slider to set the threshold for the filter.