How to Reduce People Talking in the Background of a Recording

The short version

Background speech is hard to separate from your voice, because it sounds like speech.
A gate can quieten it between your phrases; it will not remove it under them.
Moving the mic closer to you is the most effective fix.
Ask the people to be quiet, or record in another room.

Why it is hard

Noise removal works best on sounds that do not change. Other people talking changes all the time and has the same frequency range as your voice. A tool that removes it can remove parts of your voice too.

What helps in the file

A gate set just above the room noise quietens background speech between your phrases. A little less high-end on the background can soften it, but the balance has to stay natural. Expect a reduction, not a removal.

What helps on the day

Move the mic closer to you so your voice is louder than the room. Record in another room, or ask people to pause during the take. A close mic with a quiet room beats any cleanup.

Know when to re-record

If the background speech is as loud as your voice, cleanup will leave you with a muffled, odd sound. A short re-take of that section is quicker and sounds better.

Reduce the chatter, keep your voice

Tunedzy’s cleanup reduces steady room noise. For speech in the background, use Before and After and expect a reduction, not a removal.

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Frequently asked questions

Can AI remove people talking in the background?

It can reduce it, but not always without affecting the voice. Check the result carefully.

Is it better to re-record?

Usually, if the background speech is loud. A short re-take sounds better than heavy cleanup.

What about a noisy café?

Record somewhere quieter, or with the mic very close to your mouth.

Keep going

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