Eliminating White Noise in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight: Step-by-Step Guide

DaVinci Resolve is an award-winning video editing software that offers comprehensive audio editing capabilities through its Fairlight module. One common audio issue faced by video editors is the presence of pesky white noise, which can hinder the overall quality of the final output. In this article, we will walk you through the process of effectively removing white noise in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight to help you achieve cleaner and better-quality audio in your projects.

Step 1: Open Fairlight Workspace
First, open your project in DaVinci Resolve and navigate to the 'Fairlight' workspace, which can be found at the bottom of the interface (between 'Edit' and 'Color').

Step 2: Identify the White Noise
Listen to the audio track and make a mental note of where the white noise occurs. If necessary, zoom in on the waveform to see which sections contain the unwanted noise.

Step 3: Separate the Audio Clip
If the white noise is present in only a portion of the audio clip, use the razor tool to split the clip and isolate the noisy section.

Step 4: Adding a Noise Reduction Plugin
To remove the white noise, we will be using a noise reduction plugin. In the 'Effects Library,' click on 'Audio FX,' and find the 'Noise Reduction' effect. Drag it onto your selected audio clip in the timeline.

Step 5: Configure the Noise Reduction Plugin
Once the plugin is applied, click on the audio clip in the timeline to bring up its properties in the ‘Inspector’ window. Adjust the ‘Threshold’ and ‘Reduction’ sliders to fine-tune the noise removal. A good starting point would be setting the threshold to around -45 dB and the reduction to around 20 dB. You may need to experiment with these settings to achieve the desired results.

Step 6: Fine-Tune Your Results
After configuring the noise reduction settings, play back the audio clip to listen for any remaining white noise. If necessary, go back to the ‘Inspector’ window and adjust the settings accordingly.

Step 7: Finalize and Export
Once you have successfully removed the white noise, continue editing your project in DaVinci Resolve. When you are ready to export your final video, make sure to include the audio track with the noise reduction applied.

By following these steps, you can effectively remove unwanted white noise from your audio clips in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight and enhance the overall quality of your final product. Don't let pesky audio issues hold you back – make the most of your projects with this powerful editing software.