Using a Spectrogram to Precisely Identify Sibilance Frequencies

A spectrogram is a visual display of how loud audio events are at different frequencies. This means you can use your eyes (in addition to your ears) to help identify various audio phenomena including sibilance, plosives, etc.

Not all applications have a spectral display but iZotope RX and Adobe Audition do, among other smaller lesser-known apps.

To help you dial in the settings of a de-esser, you can first look at the spectral display of a recording and see the precise frequency range where the sibilance is. Then set your de-esser accordingly.

Have you ever used a spectrogram display like this? Comment below.

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