At Designers Choice, we understand that creating professional-quality videos involves more than just stunning visuals.
Clear audio is just as important. As a team of passionate designers and video editors, we’ve spent years honing our craft and want to share our knowledge with you. We know how frustrating it can be when unwanted background noise ruins an otherwise perfect video clip.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Our goal is to provide you with the tools and techniques you need to achieve clean, crisp sound in your projects. We believe that with the right guidance, anyone can master the art of audio editing and bring their creative visions to life.
Why is Reducing Background Noise Important?
Have you ever watched a video where you couldn’t hear what the person was saying because of all the noise in the background?
It’s annoying, right? That’s why reducing background noise is so important in video editing. When your audio is clear, your audience can focus on your message without getting distracted. Think of it like this: if you’re trying to tell a story, you want people to hear every word.
Unwanted background noise, like the hum of an air conditioning unit or a car driving by, can make your video sound unprofessional.
Good sound quality makes your videos more enjoyable to watch. It shows that you care about your work and want to give your viewers the best experience possible. Whether you’re making a movie, a YouTube video, or a presentation for school, clean audio is key.
High-quality audio can make a big difference in how people perceive your work. By learning how to remove background noise in Premiere Pro, you can make your videos sound much more polished and professional.
This helps keep your audience engaged and ensures your message is heard loud and clear. It’s an important step in the video editing process that separates amateur work from professional productions.
How to Remove Background Noise in Premiere Pro?
Adobe Premiere Pro is a powerful video editor that offers several ways to clean up your audio.
Let’s walk through some of the most effective methods to remove unwanted noise from your audio track.
Import Your Footage
The first step is to bring your video clip into Adobe Premiere Pro.
When you open Premiere Pro, you’ll need to start a new project.
Once your project is created, you can import your media files. You can do this by going to the “File” menu and selecting “Import,” or by simply dragging and dropping your video files into the project panel.
After importing, drag the video clip you want to work on from the project panel to your timeline. This is where you’ll do all your editing. You will see both the video and audio tracks in the timeline.
Now you’re ready to start working on the sound quality.
Use the DeNoise Effect
One of the most straightforward ways to reduce noise is by using the DeNoise effect. You can find this effect in the Effects panel.
If you don’t see the Effects panel, you can open it by going to the “Window” menu and selecting “Effects.”
In the Effects panel, search for “DeNoise.” Once you find it, drag the DeNoise effect onto your audio clip in the timeline.
After applying the effect, go to the Effect Controls panel. Here, you’ll see the settings for the DeNoise effect.
The main control you’ll use is the “Amount” slider. This slider lets you control the amount of noise reduction applied to the audio.
Start by setting it to a low value, around 20-30%, and listen to the result.
If you still hear a lot of background noise, you can slowly increase the amount. Be careful not to set it too high, as this can make the audio sound robotic or distorted. The goal is to reduce the unwanted background noise without affecting the main audio.
The denoiser effect is a great starting point for cleaning up your audio files.
Apply the Low Pass Filter
Sometimes, the background noise is a high-frequency hiss or hum.
In these cases, the low-pass filter can be very helpful.
This audio effect works by cutting out high frequencies while letting lower frequencies pass through. To use it, go to the Effects panel and search for “Low Pass.” Drag the filter onto your audio clip.
In the Effect Controls panel, you’ll see a “Cutoff” setting.
This determines the frequency at which the filter starts to work. You’ll need to experiment with this value to find the sweet spot. Start with a high value and gradually lower it until you hear the hissing noise disappear.
Be careful not to cut off too much, as this can also remove the high frequencies from the speaker’s voice, making it sound muffled.
The low-pass filter is particularly effective for dealing with wind noise or the sound of an air conditioning unit.
Use the Parametric Equalizer
For more precise control over your audio, the Parametric Equalizer is an excellent tool. This effect allows you to target and reduce specific frequencies where the noise is most prominent. Find the “Parametric Equalizer” in the Effects panel and apply it to your audio clip.
In the Effect Controls panel, you will see a graph with different bands. Each band can be adjusted to boost or cut certain frequencies.
To remove background noise, you’ll want to identify the frequency of the noise and then cut it. You can do this by creating a narrow “Q” value (which controls the width of the frequency band) and then sweeping through the frequencies until you find the one that matches the noise.
Once you’ve found it, lower the gain for that frequency band.
This technique requires a bit more practice, but it gives you a lot of control over your sound quality.
It’s great for dealing with consistent, tonal noises like a refrigerator hum.
How to Remove Background Noise in Premiere Pro Using the Essential Sound Panel?
The Essential Sound panel in Adobe Premiere Pro provides a more user-friendly way to improve your audio. It simplifies many of the complex audio editing processes into easy-to-use sliders and buttons.
Step 1: Open Your Workspace
To get started, you’ll need to switch to the “Audio” workspace. You can do this by clicking on “Audio” at the top of the Premiere Pro window or by going to “Window” > “Workspaces” > “Audio.”
This will rearrange the panels to give you a layout that is optimized for audio work, with the Essential Sound panel prominently displayed.
Step 2: Select Your Audio Clip
In your timeline, click on the audio clip you want to edit.
This will tell the Essential Sound panel which clip you are working on. You’ll see the options in the Essential Sound panel become active.
Step 3: Use the “Repair” Dialogue Type
In the Essential Sound panel, you’ll see several audio types, such as “Dialogue,” “Music,” “SFX,” and “Ambience.”
Since you’re working on cleaning up speech, select your clip and then click the “Dialogue” button. This will bring up a set of tools specifically designed for enhancing speech. Under the “Repair” section, you’ll find options to reduce noise, rumble, and other audio issues.
Step 4: Adjust the “Reduce Noise” Slider
Check the box next to “Reduce Noise.” This will activate the noise reduction feature. You’ll see an amount slider that goes from 0 to 10. This slider controls the amount of noise reduction applied to your audio clip.
Start by moving the slider to a low value, like 2 or 3.
Play back your audio and listen to the effect. If there is still too much noise, you can gradually increase the value. Be careful not to push it too far, as aggressive noise removal can degrade the overall audio quality.
The Essential Sound panel makes it easy to experiment and find the right balance to remove noise effectively.
Advanced Techniques For Background Noise Removal
Sometimes, the basic tools aren’t enough to tackle really noisy audio.
Here are some advanced techniques you can use in Adobe Premiere Pro to get even better results.
If you are also working on the video element, remember to check out our guide on How to Rotate Video in Premiere Pro for visual adjustments.
Adobe Audition For Precision Noise Reduction
For really tough audio problems, you might need to use a dedicated audio editing program like Adobe Audition. Adobe Premiere Pro is part of the Creative Cloud suite, which means it works seamlessly with Audition.
To send your audio to Audition, right-click on your audio clip in the Premiere Pro timeline and select “Edit Clip in Adobe Audition.”
This will open the audio file in Audition, which has more advanced noise reduction tools. One of the most powerful features is the “Noise Print.”
This allows you to select a small section of your audio that contains only the background noise. Audition then analyzes this noise print and can remove that specific noise from the entire audio track.
This is incredibly effective for removing consistent background sounds.
After you’ve cleaned up the audio in Audition, simply save the file, and the changes will automatically update in your Premiere Pro project.
Overlay Background Music
Another way to deal with background noise is to mask it with background music. If the noise isn’t too distracting, adding a subtle music track can help cover it up. In the Essential Sound panel, you can designate a clip as “Music” and use the “Ducking” feature.
Ducking automatically lowers the volume of the music whenever someone is speaking, so the dialogue remains clear. This is a common technique used in many professional videos. A good choice of background music can also add emotion and energy to your video.
When sourcing content like music or stock footage, it’s good to know the costs involved, which is why we’ve detailed the adobe stock cost for you.
Add Room Tone
Room tone is the subtle, low-level ambient sound of a room when no one is speaking. Recording a minute of room tone on location can be a lifesaver in post-production. If you have to cut out a section of dialogue, you can fill the gap with room tone to avoid a sudden, jarring silence.
This makes the audio edits much smoother and less noticeable.
You can also use room tone under your entire dialogue track to create a consistent audio floor, which can help to mask minor inconsistencies in the background noise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid In Premiere Pro
When you’re learning how to remove background noise, it’s easy to make a few common mistakes. Here are some things to watch out for:
- Over-processing the audio: It can be tempting to crank up the noise reduction to eliminate every last bit of background noise. However, this often leads to distorted, unnatural-sounding audio. It’s better to have a little bit of noise than to ruin the quality of the main dialogue.
- Not listening with headphones: To accurately hear the changes you’re making, you should always use a good pair of headphones. Laptop speakers or cheap earbuds might not reveal the subtle artifacts that can be introduced by noise reduction effects.
- Forgetting to save presets: If you find a set of effects and settings that work well for a particular recording environment, save it as a preset. This will save you a lot of time on future projects.
- Ignoring the source of the problem: While Premiere Pro’s tools are powerful, the best way to get clean audio is to record it correctly in the first place. Don’t rely solely on post-production to fix all your audio issues.
Tips For Avoiding Background Noise During Recording
The best way to deal with background noise is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some tips for recording clean audio.
- Use Proper Microphones: The type of microphone you use can make a huge difference. Shotgun mics are great for capturing sound from a specific direction, which helps to reject noise from the sides and rear. Lavalier mics (the small ones that clip onto a shirt) are good for recording dialogue because they are close to the speaker’s mouth.
- Record in Controlled Environments: Whenever possible, record in a quiet, controlled environment. Choose a room that is away from traffic, noisy appliances, and other sources of sound. Soft furnishings like carpets, curtains, and couches can help to absorb sound and reduce echoes.
- Use Windshields and Pop Filters: If you’re recording outdoors, a windshield (often called a “dead cat”) is essential for reducing wind noise. For indoor recording, a pop filter placed in front of the microphone will help to prevent the “popping” sounds that can occur when a speaker says words with “p” and “b” sounds.
- Monitor Audio While Recording: Always monitor your audio with headphones while you’re recording. This allows you to hear exactly what the microphone is picking up, so you can identify and address any noise issues in real time. It’s much easier to move a microphone or ask someone to be quiet during the recording than it is to fix the problem later in post-production.
FAQ’s:
What is the Easiest Way to Remove Background Noise in Premiere Pro?
The best way is to use the Essential Sound panel in Premiere Pro. Pick your sound clip first. Then, mark it as “Dialogue.”
Next, find the “Repair” section. Slide the “Reduce Noise” bar to lower the background sound. This tool is easy and good for new users.
Beginners can learn it fast and use it without trouble.
Does Reducing Background Noise Affect Audio Quality in Premiere Pro?
Yes, it can. If you use too much noise fix, the sound may get thin or strange. It might even sound like a robot or water. The best way is to lower the noise but keep the main sound clear. You should try to find a good balance between cutting noise and keeping the real sound safe.
This helps your audio stay nice and true without sounding fake.
Is the Essential Sound Panel the Only Option For Noise Reduction in Premiere Pro?
No, it is not the only way. You can use sound effects from the Effects panel too. Try using DeNoise or Parametric Equalizer.
If you need more control, send your sound to Adobe Audition. This lets you do even better work with your audio.
Is the DeNoise Effect Better Than The Essential Sound Panel?
Neither is definitively “better“; they are just different. The DeNoise effect offers more manual control, which can be good for specific adjustments.
The Essential Sound panel is simpler and faster, making it great for quick fixes and for those new to audio editing.
The best choice depends on your specific needs and skill level.
Can Premiere Pro Handle Heavy Background Noise Effectively?
Premiere Pro can handle a moderate amount of noise quite well.
For very heavy or complex background noise, you will get the best results by using Adobe Audition, which has more powerful and specialized noise reduction tools.
How Can I Quickly Remove Wind Or Ambient Noise Without Plugins?
You can use the built-in Low Pass filter to reduce high-frequency wind noise.
The DeNoise effect and the Essential Sound panel are also effective for general ambient noise. These tools don’t require any third-party plugins.
Is It Possible to Get Studio-Quality Audio By Using Premiere Pro Effects?
While Premiere Pro can significantly improve your audio quality, achieving true “studio-quality” audio usually starts with a great recording.
If your original recording has a lot of noise or was made with a poor microphone, there’s a limit to what any software can do.
However, for a well-recorded track, Premiere Pro’s tools can certainly help you get very close to a professional, clean audio sound.
Can I Clean Up Audio in Premiere Pro If I’m A Complete Beginner?
Yes, the Essential Sound panel is made for people who are new to sound editing. It makes sound work simple.
The controls are easy to use and not hard to learn.
If you follow the steps in this guide, you can clean your audio. You do not need any past skill with sound tools.
You can make your sound better and clearer by using these tips.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of noise reduction is a game-changer for any video editor. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your video editing journey, Adobe Premiere Pro offers a powerful suite of tools to help you achieve clean, professional-sounding audio.
From the simple sliders of the Essential Sound panel to the more advanced controls of the DeNoise effect and the Parametric Equalizer, you have everything you need to tackle unwanted background noise.
For those really challenging audio files, the seamless integration with Adobe Audition provides an extra layer of precision.
Remember that the best results come from a combination of good recording practices and smart post-production techniques.
By using the right microphone, choosing your recording environment carefully, and monitoring your audio, you can minimize the amount of noise you have to deal with later. When you do need to clean up your audio track, you now have the knowledge to do so confidently.
With these skills, you can ensure that your message is always heard clearly, making your videos more impactful and engaging for your audience.
There are many video editing software options available, like Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve, but Adobe Premiere Pro remains a top choice for its robust features in both video and audio editing.
You can even start with a free trial to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Also, when considering assets for your video projects, you might be interested in our comparison of Shutterstock Vs. Adobe Stock.
