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The audio side of video is often not well recorded due to small production budgets and short time frames. Therefore, during post-production, producers can be assaulted by a series of previous sonic missteps. An annoying rumble or hum in the low end is a common problem in audio recorded for video.

Software plugins that remove noise from audio abound and some function very well. However, under a fast approaching deadline, one may not have the time to find, purchase, and learn the nuances of a new plugin. For these situations, simply turn to the default equalization and reverbs provided in your audio or video editing software.

Use standard package plugins and the following tips to eradicate nasty noise from the bottom end of your audio recordings:

First, use a Single Band EQ to try and cut out the offensive hum. This type of EQ will cut out all sound below or above a certain frequency. For example, since low rumbles generally occur around 60 Hz, you can use a Single Band EQ to cut out everything below 80 Hz which will remove the hum without adversely affecting the dialog.

Next, target a very small width of the offending sound spectrum by using a Parametric EQ and “notching,” which decreases a certain frequency and its octaves such as 80 Hz, 160 Hz, and 320 Hz. One preserves the surrounding audio by being able to target a small area of audio.

Third, use a Parametric EQ to boost the desired audio slightly. By doing so, it will be prominent over the noise and take the listeners attention away from the unwanted hum. For example, boost a bit at 5 Khz to raise the human voice over a low hum.

Finally, one can use reverb on the entire mix once the lower rumble has been cut out. This can reduce the “tin can” effect that might result from minimizing the lower end.

Following the above strategies may not completely erase all problems associated with bad audio, but they can improve the quality of the product when unwanted noise and dialog are competing for attention in the mix.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by SFXsource Johnson
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Computer and online gaming are extremely popular now - so much so that they have become huge multimillion dollar businesses. There are different games for different audiences - for children and for adults - and new games are being designed every day. The two main kinds of games are Role Playing Games, or RPG - they can be played by a single player or a number of players, depending on the features of each game - and Massive Multi-Player Games, which are played by many players.

A Role Playing Game, as the name points out, lets you become a fictitious character of some sort. Once you become that character, the storyline of the game changes according to your actions. Of course, every game has its set of rules that you have to follow, but within that framework, you will have the freedom to choose your actions. A certain amount of improvisation is allowed and expected.

Role Playing Games are a lot of fun and can even help people forget about winning and form teams, and work together, which makes them very different from arcades, puzzles and card games.

You can play a Role Playing Game against other people, other player who are in the network, or you can play against characters already programmed in the computer. Either way, these games progress, like a television show does through episodes - you have to play through sessions, which might take anywhere from weeks to months to complete.

Again like a TV show, the plot as a whole will evolve over several sessions. There will be twists and turns along the way. As you advance through levels, you will find new characters being introduced, new angles - the works. Different Role Playing Games are different: ones like Dungeons & Dragons are very imaginative and creative, while others like Call of Duty are based on simulated versions of real life.

Even though you can choose who you would like to be in an RPG, you have a set of characters to choose from, each with characteristics and abilities that are predefined. Let us take X-Men, as an example - you can be any of the X-Men, but, just like in the comic, each character’s abilities are already decided and you cannot change them or invent new ones.

Compared to RPG games, Massive Multi-Player Games (MMP) need hundreds and thousands of players to achieve the game objectives. Complex and highly challenging, these MMP games are definitely not for individuals or two players.

The biggest differences between RPG and MMP are the number of players, subscriptions involved and the fact that you must be online to play MMP games. EverQuest, a popular MMP game, is a 3D fantasy game based in an alternate universe. MMP games are also commonly known as MMORPG or Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Stuart Russell
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On this thirteenth birthday, an English boy - an illegitimate son of a soldier - picked up his first acoustic guitar from his grandparents.

Despite his love for blues music, he found learning to play so difficult he almost gave up. He practiced for many long hours, persevering to learn chords and trying to mimic the sounds of his blues guitar idols like Big Bill Broonzy by listening to them on his tape recorder.

Finding that the study of stained glass design at England’s Kingston College of Art wasn’t right for him, he busked around Kingston, Richmond and London’s West End before joining his first band at age 17 - the Roosters - an R&B outfit, in 1963. From there, Eric Clapton went on to a stunning musical career as an incredibly talented guitar player, singer and songwriter.

His versatility is remarkable, with hits in genres from Delta blues (’Me & Mr Johnson’), pop (’Change the world’) and reggae (’I shot the sheriff’). Nicknamed ‘Slowhand’ for his string-bending blues licks and riffs, Eric Clapton is known as one of the most successful musicians of the 20th century. Do you know that Eric was ‘christened’ Slowhand by the manager of The Yardbirds because when he broke a string [only had 1 telecaster] he took his time replacing it on stage …and let everone wait…including the audience.

With his love of the instrument demonstrated in his collection of about 750 guitars, Eric Clapton is hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. How is your musical journey progressing?

Tags: Music by Zack R.
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