Unintelligible audio - how to fix ??

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Rick wrote:
> Hi...
> I have a casette tape which I don't have a clue what it says. It
> appears to be recorded either at a slower speed than my player plays,
> or recorded backwards, or any other number of things that equates to
> it sounding like gibberish.
> It is not music, but a recording of a traffic court hearing which the
> court claims "radio interference" caused the problem. I really need to
> decipher what is on the casette.
> I used "1st Sound recorder" to record it on my hard drive - but I
> haven't a clue if there is software which can help me, and if so, what
> would you recommend?
> Thanks so much in advance...
> Nightcheck

There is software that can play in reverse or change the speed of your
data. Cool Edit Pro is one example which can alter speed with or without
a pitch change.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

I found CoolEdit (Adobe has bought it and now calls it "Audition".
I've had several friends listen to it and they agree with you that
there was an attempt to "bulk erase" it. The question then is, can a
tape partially erased in this manner be rejuvenated? Will Cool Edit do
it, or do I need another program... or is it hopeless?
Many thanks...
NC



"malcolm" <m.tamblynNOSPAM@mchsi.com> wrote in message news:<rhXdc.4019$_K3.25365@attbi_s53>...
> "Rick" <Nightcheck@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:52f3c20b.0404100856.469b1157@posting.google.com...
> > Hi...
> > I have a casette tape which I don't have a clue what it says. It
> > appears to be recorded either at a slower speed than my player plays,
> > or recorded backwards, or any other number of things that equates to
> > it sounding like gibberish.
> > It is not music, but a recording of a traffic court hearing which the
> > court claims "radio interference" caused the problem. I really need to
> > decipher what is on the casette.
> > I used "1st Sound recorder" to record it on my hard drive - but I
> > haven't a clue if there is software which can help me, and if so, what
> > would you recommend?
> > Thanks so much in advance...
> > Nightcheck
>
> sounds like they partily 'bulk erased' it on purpose.
> good luck

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

> Rick wrote:
> > I found CoolEdit (Adobe has bought it and now
> > calls it "Audition". I've had several friends listen
> > to it and they agree with you that there was an attempt
> > to "bulk erase" it. The question then is, can a tape
> > partially erased in this manner be rejuvenated?
> > Will Cool Edit do it, or do I need another program...
> > or is it hopeless?

"Robert Gault" wrote ...
> The missing information can't be replaced but noise can
> be removed. If there actually was an attempt at erasure
> which added noise instead of removing information, then
> there is hope. If the tape truly has been partially erased,
> then just add it to the collection of Nixon tapes and
> be done with it.

OTOH, Rick's previous description ...

> "recorded either at a slower speed than my player plays,
> or recorded backwards, or any other number of things that
> equates to it sounding like gibberish."

sounds NOTHING like "bulk erasure" to me. Full, or partial,
intentional or accidental erasure. At least not in my few
decades of experience.

Certainly if you have it captured as an audio file, you should
start by stretching (or slowing) it until the tempo sounds more
realistic. That should be easy enough to do with Cool Edit.
THEN you can determine whether it is forwards or backwards.
(Which is also easily "fixed" by Cool Edit).

Of course, if it IS partial erasure, then Mr. Gault is correct
that Cool Edit (or anything else for that matter) won't re-
create what has been taken away.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

>Hi...
> I have a casette tape which I don't have a clue what it says. It
>appears to be recorded either at a slower speed than my player plays,
>or recorded backwards, or any other number of things that equates to
>it sounding like gibberish.
>It is not music, but a recording of a traffic court hearing which the
>court claims "radio interference" caused the problem. I really need to
>decipher what is on the casette.
> I used "1st Sound recorder" to record it on my hard drive - but I
>haven't a clue if there is software which can help me, and if so, what
>would you recommend?
> Thanks so much in advance...
> Nightcheck
>
>

Traffic court procedings are often recorded on Sony Machines that are either
1/2 or 1/4 normal tape speed ( 15/16 ips of 15/32ips).

These machines are also 4channel 4 track, so you need the original machine to
play it back.

It will indeed be backwards if you tryu to play side B in a normal machine.

The tape isn't necessarily screwed up, you are just using the wrong equipment
to play it back.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty