HELP!! AUTO SHORTEN SPACE between regions(if longer than decided limit)?

Hi all!

I'm editing an audiobook and the reader has left some longer pauses than wanted in many parts throughout the book.

I've used kill-silence or whatever it's called so it has all separate regions at the correct length.

Is there a way to select all the regions and automatically have the space between these regions shortened if the space is longer than a specific time I can put in(like 1 sec for exaample)?

The command would look something like "If space = longer than x(my input time) then shorten to x" if programming in basic on a commodore 64.

Thanks for all sugestions,

Yabba

There's no such command, however you could do it in two operations: first resize (lengthen) all your regions so as to close the smaller gaps, and then shuffle all regions left to close the remaining gaps. See: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=157131&p=823672

Thank you very much for your reply.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean though? I did read the link you provided.

If I shuffle left, does that close the gap to a by me specified length of time?

Also, If I lengthen the regions, won't that re-expose out edited breaths from the kill-silenced regions etc?

Thanks,

Yabba

The command is Remove Silence From Audio Files. The parameter Post Release Time defines the max amount of silence unless something else comes along. This will leave ugly gaps in the timeline. You can close these by Shuffle Left.

However, I'm quite certain that this kind of automated approach will result in something you will have to redo properly anyway for a great result. Proper timing is absolutely crucial in spoken text unless it's a product manual that's translated verbatim from korean to engrish or a pictorial for assembly of an IKEA chair. It's an art actually and any producer worth their salt will not allow any slop here. Arguments have been had in the studio over two frames earlier or later.

Just sayin'.

The command is Remove Silence From Audio Files. The parameter Post Release Time defines the max amount of silence unless something else comes along. This will leave ugly gaps in the timeline. You can close these by Shuffle Left.

 

However, I'm quite certain that this kind of automated approach will result in something you will have to redo properly anyway for a great result. Proper timing is absolutely crucial in spoken text unless it's a product manual that's translated verbatim from korean to engrish or a pictorial for assembly of an IKEA chair. It's an art actually and any producer worth their salt will not allow any slop here. Arguments have been had in the studio over two frames earlier or later.

 

Just sayin'.

Thanks!

So could I add silence for a decided length of time in all gaps longer than a time I input?

I'm not trying to be great, just trying to make it simple.

Yabba

Don't you want to keep some of the ambient noise between the spoken part? If you replace it with real silence then it may sound a bit unnatural. In fact I would handle this at the source during the "Remove Silence" operation, by lengthening the Post Release-Time in the Remove Silence window.

If you truly want to replace the ambient noise with digital silence then you'll have to do it manually I suppose, I can't think of a way to do it manually.... or maybe pack each individual region inside a folder then lengthening the folder? Bit convoluted, but it could work. Still you'd have to pack the regions one a time. Edit: actually I just tried that and it's a bit of a messy workflow it seems.

I'm not trying to be great

You should.

Don't you want to keep some of the ambient noise between the spoken part? If you replace it with real silence then it may sound a bit unnatural. In fact I would handle this at the source during the "Remove Silence" operation, by lengthening the Post Release-Time in the Remove Silence window.

 

If you truly want to replace the ambient noise with digital silence then you'll have to do it manually I suppose, I can't think of a way to do it manually.... or maybe pack each individual region inside a folder then lengthening the folder? Bit convoluted, but it could work. Still you'd have to pack the regions one a time. Edit: actually I just tried that and it's a bit of a messy workflow it seems.

Nope, no ambient noise between. And unfortunately I can't lengthen the parts cause breathing and other noise comes in.

I'll have to keep dragging the regions left by hand then.

I'm very appreciative that you tried to help me anyway.

All the best,

Yabba

I'm not trying to be great

You should.

Nah.

Ok then if you're going to do it manually here are a few ideas for an alternative workflow that may (or may not) make your life easier.

Shuffle all the regions left, then click the second region and press Shift-F to select all following regions then use nudge right key commands to move them all right, select the next region, press Shift-F, nudge, etc.

Ok then if you're going to do it manually here are a few ideas for an alternative workflow that may (or may not) make your life easier.

 

Shuffle all the regions left, then click the second region and press Shift-F to select all following regions then use nudge right key commands to move them all right, select the next region, press Shift-F, nudge, etc.

Aha, thanks.

The problem with that though is that the super short gaps from the eliminate silence command will then become larger even though they're already perfect as they are, right?

It seems there'd have to be some script involved where there is a "if longer than = then" type deal to make it work for me. No?

You'd be in command of each individual gap you create so they would become larger only if you want them larger (the nudge key commands are highly customizable and can move by tiny amounts if you want).

No, there's no such script as what you describe. Keep in mind that Logic is really geared toward music producers, more than toward post production.

You'd be in command of each individual gap you create so they would become larger only if you want them larger (the nudge key commands are highly customizable and can move by tiny amounts if you want).

 

No, there's no such script as what you describe. Keep in mind that Logic is really geared toward music producers, more than toward post production.

Ok, so if I select the end region of a sentence with a previous small gap in it(that I want to keep) and then a bunch of following regions that don't have those gaps I'd be able to but a decided distance between all those and then just leave the next sentence with a mini gap and then do the same again to the regions after up until the next one with a mini gap, right?

I wonder if this would save me time and hassle compared to what I do now.

Yes I usually produce music so this audio book thingy is brand new to me. But logic is what I'm used to.

No what I meant is you first close all gaps and then reintroduce individual gaps one by one — instead of closing the gaps one by one. It may not save you time, I was just thinking that it would make smaller dragging motions and automate the process a bit allowing you to use key commands and perhaps end up finding some kind of flow.

But it's totally up to you, the type of audio you're dealing with, its length, the type of gaps you want to introduce, and ultimately what you prefer or what makes you work better and/or faster.

No what I meant is you first close all gaps and then reintroduce individual gaps one by one — instead of closing the gaps one by one. It may not save you time, I was just thinking that it would make smaller dragging motions and automate the process a bit allowing you to use key commands and perhaps end up finding some kind of flow.

 

But it's totally up to you, the type of audio you're dealing with, its length, the type of gaps you want to introduce, and ultimately what you prefer or what makes you work better and/or faster.

Well, I just want to say thank you once again for all the help.

Have a great day,

Yabba