Help: Need A Sound Editor And Cut Out "silences", Help: Need a sound editor and cut out silences Options

[sdpinc]

OK so here is a odd question for you all that I am hoping someone might know. I am working on a project editing large talk radio shows and web casts audio files. They are all voice recordings spanning 20 to 30 mins long of a host, and a few guests talking back and forth, like any other radio show. These shows were recorded live onto one sound file. I have been asked by a friend to take each of these sound files, open them up using a sound editor and cut out the "silences" in the conversations. You know the pauses between speakers, the semi dramatic pauses and so on. If for a non profit charity connected with health care, so they are trying to archive all of these broadcasts, but to have them play much more effectively making a 20 min segment into say a 15 min.

Not sure if I am explaining it right or not. Basically I'm looking for a program (for the Mac) that I can open a large sound file, (aiff / wav / mp3) then have it automatically look for "silence" of a certain duration and then automatically remove it from the entire sound file that I can then go ahead and save on the FTP for future people in need.

Any help would be appreciate as this would save a TREMENDOUS amount of time and effort.
sdpinc@comcast.net

[lunar 1]

Don't know of any plugins or stuff that's free, but both Logic and Adobe Audition have 'strip' or 'delete' silence functions that should work. And I'd be amazed if Protools didn't have something along these lines as well. Plus there's always 'time-stretching' (used to shorten, of course)... I'd caution though, it's quite easy to make your recordings a real chore to understand: Have you ever really listened those high-speed disclaimers at the end of sleazy commercials? Unless these interviews are with folks from the Slow Talkers Of America, whacking out 5 minutes from 20 may be a tad optimistic. -G'luck

[mortalengines]

I remember that PT definitely does have a strip silence function. On my PC, Sound Forge had a detect silence function as well. You may want to look up Audacity on Google, as their beta version may offer a function not unlike what you are looking for as well.


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