After a lot of experimentation and testing, I've come up with Audacity noise reduction settings that seem to work: 20 / 20 / 3 (NR / sensitivity / frequency smoothing) plus EQ cutting to zero at 100 Hz and boosting around 10,000 Hz up to 6 Db. This would be a demo for audiobook voiceover. I tried it in the ACX tester but it keeps saying the RMS is too high, and to reduce by 10 Db, even though I've done that several times lower and lower. I don't understand why it's doing this. Using these settings the noise floor is definitely below -60, but I still went through all the gaps and made them silent, even though the room noise - including an annoying mains hum - is definitely below minus 60. All feedback gratefully received! Many thanks in advance.

Many thanks! This is very helpful. Just in the middle of a big video editing project, I’ll reply in more detail when finished!

Thanks very much for the feedback. I've tried hard to reduce the background noise. I'm using an improvised set up in a room using a duvet. I don't think I'll be able to eliminate that background noise except by using noise reduction. I'm still not quite there yet. Many thanks for your help.

I'm sending a short snippet of the unedited recording so you can hear the background. The question is, can I produce acceptable voiceover with this background noise? Is it possible to eliminate it through noise reduction? I can't proceed unless I can solve this problem! Many thanks, Peter, for your help.

Wow this is exactly what I need. I’ve been using it daily for years but only know the basics. I’ll start the course today :)

I've completed the Audacity course. It is very good indeed. It's very enjoyable to watch, very informative and focuses on most of the features I have been using for several years. I've learned scores of functions and time-saving things, I've already been applying them to my voiceovers for my YouTube channel. The only issue is that the last video cuts off early. One area I still don't understand is the spectral view. I like the humorous references such as your love of the phrase 'by end of play'. All in all I'm thrilled to have discovered this entire programme, it is tailor-made for what I need to know - actually I wish I'd learned much of it a long time ago! But no regrets, there's no time like the present! No, I don't need the music-based features, I've done one or two simple music projects, but now focusing on the spoken word.

Most course books have a dry, academic style, yours is ‘media savvy’ more ‘entertaining show’ than ‘learning module’ highlighting many language issues that conventional courses have little awareness of.

Wow, fantastic to hear from you! I've been watching your videos, they are excellent. But I just wanted to say, your voice is a voice from my childhood. I remember when Piccadilly Radio started, listening to the test transmissions and finally going live. I remember a guy with a softer voice than the others, and that was Pete Baker, it takes me back to listening to the radio at night, Andy Peebles, soul music and another iconic voice on TV, Bob Greaves, not to mention Tony Wilson, who I worked with. Anyhow many many thanks for the information and guidance! I think I need to upgrade my equipment before doing a demo! I'll continue the introductory course.

Thanks will definitely go and have a look. Ah yes I recorded on a lot of tapes, mostly cassettes. 😊