# Cleaning up live recordings



## rodrigorajao (Jul 23, 2013)

How come producers don't clean up some live recordings during mixing? Is it to feel more live and real?

The other day I was listening to a Donizetti opera sung by Pavarotti, in a stunning performance, only to be distracted by some dude in the audience coughing incessantly near the mic.

It's a 2015 release with superb sound quality, so the recording can't be that old (Pavarotti died only 8 years ago).

These little distractions kind of drive me nuts.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Coughs occupy a wide dynamic range and can be hard to digitally scrub without removing some of the music as well. Pops and clicks from old recordings are much easier to expunge.


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## Baregrass (Feb 16, 2015)

rodrigorajao said:


> How come producers don't clean up some live recordings during mixing? Is it to feel more live and real?
> 
> The other day I was listening to a Donizetti opera sung by Pavarotti, in a stunning performance, only to be distracted by some dude in the audience coughing incessantly near the mic.
> 
> ...


Lots of coughing can be distracting. Looks like the guy would have left until getting it under control. I would have. But, on the other hand some audience noise is appealing to me because it is a reflection of a live audience.


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