Click (acoustics)

A click is a sonic artifact in sound and music production.

Analog recording artifact

Vinyl clicking noise

On magnetic tape recordings, clicks can occur when switching from magnetic play to record in order to correct recording errors and when recording a track in sections.^[1] On phonograph records, clicks are perceived in various ways by the listener, ranging from tiny 'tick' noises which may occur in any recording medium through 'scratch' and 'crackle' noise commonly associated with analog disc recording methods. Analog clicks can occur due to dirt and dust on the grooves of the vinyl record or granularity in the material used for its manufacturing, or through damage to the disc from scratches on its surface.^[2]

Digital recording artifact

In digital recording, clicks (not to be confused with the click track) can occur due to multiple issues. When recording through an audio interface, insufficient computer performance or audio driver issues can cause clicks, pops and dropouts. They can result from improper clock sources^[3] and buffer size. Also, clicks can be caused by electric devices near the computer or by faulty audio or mains cables.^[4] In sample recording, digital clicks occur when the signal levels of two adjacent audio sections do not match. The abrupt change in gain can be perceived as a click.^[5] In electronic music, clicks are used as a musical element, particularly in glitch and noise music, for example in the Clicks & Cuts Series (2000–2010).^[6]^[7]

Speech noise

Audio recording of a male voice with speech clicks

The same recording with clicks digitally removed

In speech recording, click noises (not to be confused with click consonants) result from tongue movements, swallowing, mouth and saliva noises.^[8] While in voice-over recordings, click noises are undesirable, they can be used as a sound effect of close-miking in ASMR and pop music, e.g. in Bad Guy (2019) by Billie Eilish.^[9]

Click removal

In audio restoration and audio editing, hardware^[10] and software^[11] de-clickers provide click removal or de-clicking^[12] features.^[13]^[14] A spectrogram can be used to visually detect clicks and crackles (corrective spectral editing).^[15]

References

^ Company, Eastman Kodak (1961). Magnetic Sound Recording for Motion Pictures. The Company. pp. 62–63.
^ Kahrs, Mark; Brandenburg, Karlheinz (2006-04-18). Applications of Digital Signal Processing to Audio and Acoustics. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-306-47042-4.
^ Corey, Jason (2016-08-12). Audio Production and Critical Listening: Technical Ear Training. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-317-54104-2.
^ "Eradicating PC Audio Clicks & Pops". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
^ Fries, Bruce; Fries, Marty (2005). Digital Audio Essentials. "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". p. 260. ISBN 978-0-596-00856-7.
^ Philip Sherburne: "Click", www.mille-plateaux.net, 1998, PDF
^ Krapp, Peter (2011). Noise Channels: Glitch and Error in Digital Culture. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-7625-5.
^ "How to Remove Mouth Noises & Clicks in Audio". The Podcast Host. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
^ Sofer, Danielle Shlomit (2022-07-05). Sex Sounds: Vectors of Difference in Electronic Music. MIT Press. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-262-36205-4.
^ High Fidelity. ABC Leisure Magazines. 1977. p. 6.
^ Réveillac, Jean-Michel (2018-03-07). Musical Sound Effects: Analog and Digital Sound Processing. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 266–267. ISBN 978-1-78630-131-4.
^ Handbook of Signal Processing in Acoustics. Springer Science & Business Media. 2008. p. 776. ISBN 978-0-387-77698-9.
^ Fries, Bruce; Fries, Marty (2005). Digital Audio Essentials. "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". p. 267. ISBN 978-0-596-00856-7.
^ Schroder, Carla (2011). The Book of Audacity: Record, Edit, Mix, and Master with the Free Audio Editor. No Starch Press. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-59327-270-8.
^ Langford, Simon (2013-10-01). Digital Audio Editing: Correcting and Enhancing Audio in Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, and Studio One. CRC Press. pp. 282–285. ISBN 978-1-134-11130-5.

External links

Click and pop removal techniques, Audacity tutorial

[1] Company, Eastman Kodak (1961). Magnetic Sound Recording for Motion Pictures. The Company. pp. 62–63.

[2] Kahrs, Mark; Brandenburg, Karlheinz (2006-04-18). Applications of Digital Signal Processing to Audio and Acoustics. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-306-47042-4.

[3] Corey, Jason (2016-08-12). Audio Production and Critical Listening: Technical Ear Training. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-317-54104-2.

[4] "Eradicating PC Audio Clicks & Pops". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2022-07-02.

[5] Fries, Bruce; Fries, Marty (2005). Digital Audio Essentials. "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". p. 260. ISBN 978-0-596-00856-7.

[6] Philip Sherburne: "Click", www.mille-plateaux.net, 1998, PDF

[7] Krapp, Peter (2011). Noise Channels: Glitch and Error in Digital Culture. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-7625-5.

[8] "How to Remove Mouth Noises & Clicks in Audio". The Podcast Host. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2022-07-02.

[9] Sofer, Danielle Shlomit (2022-07-05). Sex Sounds: Vectors of Difference in Electronic Music. MIT Press. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-262-36205-4.

[10] High Fidelity. ABC Leisure Magazines. 1977. p. 6.

[11] Réveillac, Jean-Michel (2018-03-07). Musical Sound Effects: Analog and Digital Sound Processing. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 266–267. ISBN 978-1-78630-131-4.

[12] Handbook of Signal Processing in Acoustics. Springer Science & Business Media. 2008. p. 776. ISBN 978-0-387-77698-9.

[13] Fries, Bruce; Fries, Marty (2005). Digital Audio Essentials. "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". p. 267. ISBN 978-0-596-00856-7.

[14] Schroder, Carla (2011). The Book of Audacity: Record, Edit, Mix, and Master with the Free Audio Editor. No Starch Press. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-59327-270-8.

[15] Langford, Simon (2013-10-01). Digital Audio Editing: Correcting and Enhancing Audio in Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, and Studio One. CRC Press. pp. 282–285. ISBN 978-1-134-11130-5.

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