Breath noise in Woodwinds

[SergeD]

Aside of enjoying Ewqlso Silver it's something I'd like to attenuate. How much is the cost of filtering some frequencies ?

Based on the Adler Woodwinds examples I tried a drastic setting in the master filter for the Alto Flute Sus-Vib 'On' P:

Cutoff at 7841 Hz, Reso at -8.0 Db, Bandwith at 1.0 Oct.

There's less whistling and breath, also the flute doesn't jump in your face. But I'm afraid there is a sonic loss with this setting.

Is somebody found a way to compromise between noise and sonic purity ?

Thanks,

SergeD

[Evan]

i like the noise...more the better(to an exent)

[lux]

Hi Serge, why not posting a comparative mp3 before and after your tweaks? It would be easier to judge the timbre variation.

Luca

[SergeD]

Evan,

Noise is great as a feeling of proximity and intimacy but not very handy in a faking stage context.

Lux,

Sorry I don't have a website to hold it but no problem if you want to get the file via Email.

SergeD

[arwa02]

SergeD,

breathing noises from woodwind instruments isn't restricted to the upper frequencies. Sure, you can get rid of a lot of it by low-passing the signal, but only because the upper register is lacking audible proper overtones. Filtering in this area will reduce high-frequency noise without hurting the body sound too much. But in general, the noise from the flute is more resembling of white noise (evenly distributed over most frequencies) and basic filtering isn't a proper way to get rid of it.

As you probably know, the flute is by nature a very breathy woodwind, and it's not the best choice of an instrument if you want a fuller sound. This may not be the response you're after, but if I where you, I'd orchestrate that part for another woodwind, perhaps the clarinet. Or I'd take care of the "in-your-face" problem by making sure it isn't performed "in-your-face". I.e. longer attack time for notes that aren't supposed to be accentuated.

/Arne

[SergeD]

Thanks /Arne for your technical observations about the distributed noise all over the spectral content.

And mainly because this fact filtering woodwinds (specially flutes and English horns) cost to much in term of sound quality.

So i have decided to listen my pieces from the first row instead of the last one :)

SergeD