Separate Vocals from Background Noise in 5 Ways [Step-by-Step]

Looking to separate vocals from background noise? Learn effective techniques and tools to extract vocals from audio tracks. Discover how to use 5 professional software step by step in this article.

Whether you're working on music production, podcast editing, or audio post-production, having the ability to cleanly separate vocals from background music can greatly enhance the quality and impact of your final product.

Perhaps you have the same confusion as the questioner, so, in this article, we will explore various techniques and five professional best vocal removers for Windows, macOS, iOS, and web users to achieve professional-level results.

Separating music from vocals is a crucial task in audio production, allowing you to isolate and highlight the vocals in a track while minimizing unwanted distractions. And it serves several important purposes:

• Enhances vocal clarity, allowing vocals to stand out in the mix.
• Provides better control over audio elements, enabling independent manipulation of vocals.
• Facilitates precise edits and adjustments for a polished final product.
• Supports seamless integration of vocals in post-production tasks like mixing and sound design.
• Enhances the overall clarity, impact, and professional quality of audio productions.

5 Ways to Separate Vocals from Background Noise

Now that we've explored the importance of background noise removal let's dive into the various methods you can employ to achieve this.

⭐Using EaseUS Online Vocal Remover

💻Compatibility: Online

EaseUS online vocal remover is a free vocal remover program without downloading. It provides a smooth noise reduction experience, which also enables the respective exportation of music and vocals. While EaseUS VideoKit is a powerful offline vocal remover that separates voice from background noise in seconds, supporting 1000+ audio and video formats. 

📑Features

• Isolate vocals from background music without losing quality
• Speedy AI analysis in seconds
• Download vocals and accompaniment separately
• Support MP3, WAV, AAC, AIFF, M4A, FLAC, and more formats

How to separate vocals from background noise in EaseUS online vocal remover:

Step 1. From the main page of EaseUS Online Vocal Remover, choose "Vocal Remover" from the left, and click "Choose file" to upload your video or audio files. You can also drop the file into the window.

Step 2. By AI algorithm, all the vocals in the audio will be recognized automatically and then separated from the music in seconds.

Step 3. Once vocals are extracted, audition the audio, and then choose to download the extracted Karaoke, instrumental sound, or background music.

Share this blog with your friends on social media and level up your music separation skills today!

⛅Using Audacity

💻Compatibility: Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux

Audacity is a popular open-source audio editing software that comes with built-in effect plugins for vocal isolation and allows you to fine-tune the audio parameters such as strength and low and high cuts for vocals. And when Audacity vocal remover not working, you can set up these features to settle.

You can also record live audio, edit the track, and apply real-time preview of plugins using it. But without the artificial intelligence algorithm, you'll have to do the manual adjustment to get your desired removal effect.

📑Features

• Extract vocals from audio tracks with effects
• Fin-tune vocal parameters like strength and vocal cuts
• Import and export audio files of multiple formats
• Support multiple sound effects

How to isolate voice from background noise in Audacity:

Step 1. In the Audacity interface, click "File" > "Import" > "Audio"  to import the song.

Step 2. Select the target audio area or, alternatively, click "Select" > "All."

Step 3. Go to "Effect" > "Special" > "Vocal Reduction and Isolation" > "Action" > "Isolate Vocals."

Step 4. Adjust the effect settings, including strength, low cut, and high cut for vocals.

Step 5. Play the result now, and select "Effect" > "Volume and Compression" > "Amplify"  to restore the volume.

Step 6. Export the final work.

🌙Using Adobe Audition

💻Compatibility: macOS or Windows

Adobe Audition, a professional audio editor and vocal remover app, is equipped with advanced features for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering audio. You can use the vocal remove or acapella presets and adjust their settings to get crystal-clean vocals.

With its comprehensive editing capabilities, Audition allows you to work seamlessly with multiple audio tracks. But, things can be tricky for those who use the software for the first time, which entails some basic knowledge about the operations.

📑Features

• Ability to work with multiple audio tracks simultaneously
• Comprehensive tools for audio editing, allowing for precise adjustments
• Noise removal tools to eliminate unwanted background noise, clicks, and pops
• Built-in audio effects and filters to enhance and modify audio

How to isolate vocals from background music in Adobe Audition:

Step 1. Launch Adobe Audition and click "File" to upload your audio.

Step 2. Either head over to "Effects Rack" > "Stereo Imagery" > "Center Channel Extractor…" or access it from the "Effects" menu.

Step 3. Click the drop-down of "Presets" to select "Acapella" or "Vocal Remove".

Step 4. Attenuate the vocal extraction and discrimination settings. Under extraction, set "Center" for "Extract," and customize the frequency range as needed. Refining your audio under the discrimination tab.

Step 5. Click "Apply" and export.

🌞Using GarageBand

💻Compatibility: macOS, iPadOS, and iOS

GarageBand is a widely-used digital audio workstation (DAW) and high-quality vocal remover developed by Apple for iPhone and Mac users that offers an array of features to create professional-quality music.

In GarageBand, you can remove vocals by muting or deleting the vocal track. Alternatively, adjust the EQ to eliminate vocal frequencies from the mix, which doesn't always work, but it might be the only option if you lack an isolated vocal track. Thus, if you have reverb tracks, this may not be such a great option for you.

📑Features

• Provide audio effects and editing tools, including EQ, compression, reverb, etc.
• Offer a vast sound library with pre-recorded loops and samples
• Boast virtual instruments, like keyboards, drums, guitars, and more
• Record audio and MIDI tracks using microphones, instruments, or MIDI keyboards

How to extract vocals from background audio for iPhone in GarageBand:

Step 1. Open GarageBand and open the project.

Step 2. Select the entire audio track.

Step 3. Click the smart controls button to open the window.

Step 4. Select "Track" > "EQ." Identify vocal frequencies on the EQ graph and lower them below 85-350Hz for effective vocal removal.

Step 5. Save and export.

🌈Using VEED

💻Compatibility: Web

VEED is a free online video recorder and editor that allows users to upload a song without downloading and remove background noise using clean audio. After uploading the song, you can split it, add more media, and do the voiceover.

You can have a free trial before buying, but note that to use background noise removal, you have to upgrade your plan.

📑Features

• Adjust the volume, remove background noise, and add music or sound effects
• Trim, crop, and merge videos with precision
• Restore to a previous version
• Optimize videos for different platforms with specific aspect ratios

How to separate vocals from background music in VEED?

Step 1. Visit the VEED website and click "Start for free."

Step 2. Click to browse or drag and drop your audio file.

Step 3. Click "Clean Audio" to remove background noise.

Step 4. Wait for the processing and export.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to separating vocals from background noise, you can use various methods: EQ techniques, vocal removal software, phase cancellation, AI-powered tools, and professional audio editing software.

In particular, EaseUS online vocal remover stands out with its impressive vocal removal ability. With this AI vocal remover for PC, you can easily isolate vocals from background noise, resulting in clear and focused vocal tracks. Access the online program or free download the offline vocal remover for Windows & macOS.

Extract Vocals from Background Sound FAQs

1. How do you remove hiss from vocals?

To remove hiss from vocals, follow these steps:

• Separate the vocal track.
• Identify the frequency range with a prominent hiss.
• Apply a high-pass filter to remove low-frequency noise.
• Use a noise reduction plugin to target and reduce the hiss.
• Adjust plugin settings for a balance between reduction and vocal quality.
• Consider spectral editing for precise frequency control.
• Continuously monitor and make adjustments as needed.

2. How do you isolate vocals cleanly?

Isolating vocals clean from a song is not easy, but you can try using phase cancellation, vocal isolation tools, EQ adjustments, spectral editing, and manual editing techniques to maximize vocal removal.

3. How do you smooth out harsh vocals?

To smooth out harsh vocals, you can use EQ to reduce frequencies causing harshness (normally between 2kHz-12kHz), compress for dynamic control, de-ess for sibilance, add subtle saturation, apply gentle reverb/delay, perform manual edits, and maintain a balanced mix.