Removing vocals with EQ?

Removing vocals (new idea)

Hello everyone!

I've been trying to remove vocals lately, but none of the standard methods worked. For the song I'm working on, I noticed that a part of it contains only music and no vocals. Is there a feature in any audio editing program that can use that bit as a reference for the program to know what to remove? If more clarification is needed, then please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

-Dhaher
 
The only case I was able to remove voice from soundtrack was with (some) 5.1 DVD movies where the vocals were in the Center channel and music in the Left/Right ones.

Other than that, to remove vocals from 2 channel stereo (not the Beatles tracks though) would be freaking difficult up to outright impossible.

Try removing a person from a picture and revealing the background that would be visible if that person wasn't in the picture.
 
Usually paralleling two stereo channels out of phase will kill most if not all of the vocal track in the resultant output (mono) signal. Obviously it depends on the original mix, but it's easy and works surprisingly well.
 
d123s404 said:
Hello everyone!

I've been trying to remove vocals lately, but none of the standard methods worked. For the song I'm working on, I noticed that a part of it contains only music and no vocals. Is there a feature in any audio editing program that can use that bit as a reference for the program to know what to remove? If more clarification is needed, then please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

-Dhaher
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Hi again. The only way to use sections of the song without music as the background for the whole song is if every part you would sing over has a complete section where there are no vocals. Then someone like me can take those sections, loop them, copy, paste, edit, and come up with a compilation. But having enough of the songs parts existing without vocals or other lead instruments in the original track in order to do it this way is highly unlikely.
 
mhardy6647 said:
Usually paralleling two stereo channels out of phase will kill most if not all of the vocal track in the resultant output (mono) signal. Obviously it depends on the original mix, but it's easy and works surprisingly well.
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In his original post on this subject he said the source is mono. He also stated that he created two stereo tracks from this (How, I dunno) and had no success with your method. I wonder why?

Sometimes, you just can't get there from here.
 
Markw said:
In his original post on this subject he said the source is mono. He also stated that he created two stereo tracks from this (How, I dunno) and had no success with your method. I wonder why?

Sometimes, you just can't get there from here.
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I apologize for not clarifying that I'm experimenting with a different track now. It's a stereo, but the vocal removers make everything sound terrible.

@ToneAlive - do you know of any resource I could use to learn how to do that? I would appreciate you letting me know.
 
d123s404 said:
I apologize for not clarifying that I'm experimenting with a different track now. It's a stereo, but the vocal removers make everything sound terrible.

@ToneAlive - do you know of any resource I could use to learn how to do that? I would appreciate you letting me know.
Click to expand...

It cannot be done.......If you want to invest hours and hours of time learning how to use Pro-Tools, Logic, Cuebase, Sound-Forge....programs which are professional recording and editing programs, you can then edit a Non Vocal part of the song, but its unlikely you will find enough of the song to be able to create the whole song without vocals....

Trying to reverse the phase to remove the vocals doesnt work, many vocal tracks are accompanied with reverb and other effects which use varying amounts of phase shift to create the image, so often when you mono a track, the vocal disappears but the vocal effects remain and on top of the mix....
The other problem is anything in the centre will almost disappear, this includes the Kick Drum, Snare Drum, Bass Guitar, and then if at some point the guitars have been double tracked, you might get this weird incredibly wide guitar image........not to mention the weird stuff which happens with pianos and hammond organs.....etc...

Honestly, without ruining the song and the sonic structure, you are wasting you time thinking about it......

Maybe contact the record company, they usually have access to "mix minus" tracks, these are usually done to be used for music beds for ads and things like that, but its hit and miss whether they would have the song you want, and they are not available to the public......

The best option is as Similost said, get a band to record the song without the vocals.......
 
Hello everyone!

I apologize for posting too many threads on removing vocals, but I need to learn how to do this. I'v heard of the use of EQ to remove vocals. Does anyone know of any good resource I could use to learn how to use EQ to remove vocals? Preferably with a free program, but a commercial program that is compatible with PC and not called Pro Tools would be OK as well.

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey d123,

There is no way to remove vocals with Equalization. I use ProTools with Waves Restoration Suite for forensic audio work. The X-Noise plug-in it is effective in removing AC noise, hum, hiss, etc. - however it is impossible to sample a vocal and remove it from the mix.
 
You have one way to do it short of re-recording, having the original multitrack tapes and correct playback machinery to do the job and good consoles and outboard gear. Other than that, you don't have options.
 
Once about 30 years ago I miss wired the speakers on my Sansui 1000A. I had one channel hooked to the two + screws and one channel hooked to the two - screws. When I thought it was out of phase and I clicked the phase switch everything common to both speakers ( center stage) went away. It was kind of cool actually. I don't know what that does to the amp electronically but the Sansui is still alive 30 years later.
 
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