You will always encounter background noise and have a bit of imperfection in the audio. But it’s not the end of the world, don’t scrap your audio! We will show you how to remove background noise in Adobe Audition. 

How to remove background noise in Adobe Audition

Luckily there are several options in Adobe Audition to help you salvage potentially damaged audio. We will show you how to remove the background noise or reduce the background hiss. 

You will then have clean, high-quality audio, perfectly crafted for your latest production.

In this article, we will show you how to remove background noise in Adobe Audition in a number of ways to suit your audio editing style. 

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Let’s have a look at them. 

What is background noise?

Background noise, also known as ambient noise is any sound that is not the primary source of the sound you are recording. 

This can come in the form of all sorts of noise depending on where you are filming. For instance, outside you may pick up additional noise like wind or traffic. Whereas inside your microphone may pick up background noise from alarms, fridges, or cookers. 

To prevent background noise, the first port of call is sound control. Make sure you can clear any potential cause of background noise before you begin filming. Also, make sure you have the correct microphone set up to enable you to pick up your primary sound. 

It’s inevitable that you will pick up additional noise, so the remainder of it can be corrected in post-production. In this article, we will show you how to remove background noise in Adobe Audition.

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How to Remove Background Noise in Adobe Audition

Here we go. Below we will show you a number of ways in which you can reduce background noise in Adobe Audition. Each method is different, so choose your preferred method. 

Right, let’s check them out.  

Remove background noise with the hiss reduction

Here is how you can reduce the background noise in Adobe Audition using the Hiss Reduction module: 

Reduce background noise with the hiss reduction tool
Hiss Reduction
  1. Find and open your audio file in Adobe Audition. 
  2. Click > Effects > Noise Reduction/Restoration > then Hiss Reduction.
  3. Now you can sample your hiss with the Capture Noise Floor in the dialogue box.
  4. Click the Hiss Sample and select Capture Noise Print.
  5. Now you can test the Noise Reduction by using the sliders. See which level gives you the best results.

Reduce noise using the frequency analysis tool

Remove background noise using the frequency analysis tool
Frequency Analysis Tool

This is a great way to find additional background noise in Adobe Audition. The Frequency Analysis tool allows you to locate excessive bass and other problematic noises. By activating this tool in Adobe Audition it will allow you to pinpoint any excessive noise is coming from. Here is how to locate the Frequency Analysis tool: 

  1. At the top of the Adobe Audition menu click Window > Frequency Analysis.
  2. From the Scale Dropdown select Logarithmic.
  3. Now you can begin your playback to analyse your frequency. 
  4. To freeze it, simply click on the right Hold Buttons.

Click this link to watch the full tutorial on how you can utilise the Frequency Analysis Tool to the best of your ability to reduce the background noise. 

Remove background noise using the Spectral Frequency Display

Remove background noise using the Spectral Frequency Display
Remove background noise using the Spectral Frequency Display

The Spectral Frequency Display allows you to easily locate and remove any additional noise you may have picked up whilst out on location.

It helps highlight any additional background noise like a car passing by in the background on someone shouting from afar who’s not involved in the scene. 

Here’s how you can use the Spectral Frequency Display to remove background noise in Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on the Files Panel to open up your Waveform.
  2. Use the slider at the bottom of your Waveform to reveal your Spectral Frequency Display.
  3. This now highlights the background noises you’ll need to remove in the audio.
Spectral Frequency Display.
Spectral Frequency Display.

Here is a great tutorial to help you use the Spectral Frequency Display to remove background noise in Adobe Audition.

How to fix distorted audio in Adobe Audition

Occasionally, when you get to the post-production phase you’ll encounter distorted audio. It may be from one of the most important parts of the film – but don’t panic, this can be fixed in Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on your audio track to access the Waveform.
  2. Next, click Window > Amplitude Statistics. 
  3. A new window will pop up, click the Scan option in the bottom left-hand corner.
  4. Once the scan has completed, select the option Possibly Clipped Samples.
  5. Once it’s reviewed, click on the diamond next to the number. 
  6. This will take you to the part where your audio is clipping. 
How to fix distorted audio in Adobe Audition
How to fix distorted audio in Adobe Audition

The Amplitude Statistics method is a great way to fix the background noise in your audio and help fix any clipping you may occur. 

Here is a great tutorial to help you master the removal of background audio in Adobe Audition using the Amplitude Statistics tool.

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Remove background noise using Adaptive Noise Reduction

This is another way to remove any unwanted noise in Adobe Audition using the Adaptive Noise Reduction tool. It’s perfect for removing any unwanted background noise, a perfect example is an unwanted noise from the wind. 

This is something that can happen when shooting outside, even on the sunniest of days. A gust of wind blows through as your protagonist delivers an essential line. 

Fear not, we can rectify this using the Adaptive Noise Reduction tool. The effect can be applied in the multitrack editor. 

  1. Double click on your audio source in the Files Panel to activate the Waveform.
  2. Go to the Effects Rack or the Effects Top Menu with your Waveform selected.
  3. Now go to Noise Reduction/Restoration > Adaptive Noise Reduction.

Remove background noise using Adaptive Noise Reduction
Remove background noise using Adaptive Noise Reduction

There we have it, these are all the different ways you can remove background noise in Adobe Audition with ease. Check all the methods out, then decide on which method suits you best.


We hope this article on “How to remove background noise in Adobe Audition” has been of help, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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