Any way of improving low quality sound samples?

B

BTMM

Born To Make Music
I would like to use a sample in one of my songs. the sound quality is kind of low. What can I do to make sound as professional and clean as possible. Just a 8 bar sample.

Thanks!
 
"Sound quality" is a pretty vague term. You can of course EQ, compress, use other fx & processing - but it's impossible to say what to do without hearing it.
 
If "sound quality" is bandwidth, definition, signal to noise ratio, the short reply is NOT EASY.
If "sound quality" is effectiveness, emotional value in the mix, the short reply is DO WHAT EVER WORKS.
but it's impossible to say what to do without hearing it.
Click to expand...
 
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Use de esser, declick, denoise, dereverb type of plugins

EQ out harsh frequencies (4100hz) , Boost the top high frequencies
 
besides all mentioned techniques, how about 'improving' it as good as you can (try to avoid anything that has to do with amplifying the signal e.g. in the eq, this will add to your problem) and then use a bitcrusher or a tube amp to use 'low-fi' as a creative tool?
 
It is very difficult to get rid of noise and thus increase the quality of the sound. I tried it many times. The easiest way is to record the instrument/vocal again.
 
The short answer: You should not try to make it work. You cannot make chicken salad out of chicken shit. And this is a really important thing in engineering overall, that chicken salad is chicken salad and when that is what is needed you must choose that kind of salad. So it is what I call "engineering hygiene" and that is something very important and it is not based on the external, it is more than anything how the creative artist goes within to find the answer and then treats that answer with high hygiene so that what is on the inside gets authentically reflected on the outside. This creates good timing, good emotion, good energy flow and high efficiency. Nothing complex at all, just very tasteful and elegant.
 
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From what I've seen online, I can only conclude that a good sample starts out as one that requires very little tampering. Probably just an EQ on the individual audio track and the standard compression in the ensuing mix-down. I believe trying to clear up a poor quality sample gets you a shinier poor-quality sample.
 
Yea, that fuzzy shit that sits in the mix like a fly buzzing around your face... its not worth even trying.. it will fatigue your ears and make you want to cry...
 
Take it to your advantage. A lot of people like Lo-Fi samples.
Some even use bitcrusher to make Hi-Fi samples, Lo-Fi.
 
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I agree with opinions above, trying to make it something its not might build more frustration than its worth. I'd go the different route and give the track maybe a more lo-fi feel in general to make it work.
 
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