looking for .bat deesser

[geextah_2]

Hi I'm looking for any way to use a deesser in a .bat file (script). The only way I know is the ffmpeg deesser but the results are pretty bad.
I have experience with audio editing software (Cubase) so I know what deessers (like Waves or fab-filter) are capable of, but this manual way is not reasonable/practical to batch process 10 movies, and also very time-consuming. I am also using Windows.

Any help would be appreciated

[pandy]

Hi I'm looking for any way to use a deesser in a .bat file (script). The only way I know is the ffmpeg deesser but the results are pretty bad.

Why deesser in ffmpeg is bad? Did you tried to play with settings? You can try to use https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#mcompand - it should be able perform similarly to deesser.

[geextah_2]

Have you tried the deesser from ffmpeg on a movie? I tried it and you loose (high frequencies) from the get-go, even when there are no "esses" and if there are then the complete audio ducks like there was no low pass filter. So it feels like you would drive a car over a bump. The deesser is triggered by high frequencies, there is no intelligent vocal detection or something similar. I use a deesser (fab-filter) on my daily machine, watching youtube, movies, series and never experienced such a behaviour.

[pandy]

Have you tried the deesser from ffmpeg on a movie? I tried it and you loose (high frequencies) from the get-go, even when there are no "esses" and if there are then the complete audio ducks like there was no low pass filter. So it feels like you would drive a car over a bump. The deesser is triggered by high frequencies, there is no intelligent vocal detection or something similar. I use a deesser (fab-filter) on my daily machine, watching youtube, movies, series and never experienced such a behaviour.

Have you read deesser documentation and tried to tune ffmpeg deesser behavior?
ffmpeg filters frequently are poorly documented so you may need to check source and spent some time to search for optimal settings - this is side effect for open source software like ffmpeg. I have impression that ffmpeg multiband compandor may work for you better...

[geextah_2]

I have found https://github.com/teragonaudio/MrsWatson and can use now my own VST deesser.
It supports Linux, Mac OS X and Windows

@pandy Yes I have read the documentation but there are only 3 settings. I just think this was a poor implementation. Like someone wrote his first deesser.

[pandy]

Alternatively you can use in ffmpeg LADSPA and LV2 plugins - https://gist.github.com/mxmilkiib/8624da2fdd59c17d048147d97f6ea0c7 - seem there are some deesser plugins so perhaps you not need to export wav and later import it - this will simplify processing.

If your current flow support piping then perhaps you can skip wav creation and try to complete all in single pass.

https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#lv2
https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#ladspa

[geextah_2]

Thank you, this is how I found MrsWatson, I was googling about ffmpeg and LADSPA. I looked at calf deesser it looks nice. But for me it's better to stick with something I use for 8 years or something. And know the capabilities.
You are right about import and export but I'm already working on a script that can do that.

as a side note: I'm curious why someone can make a working vst host (complete under the radar) but something as known as ffmpeg can't. I have seen a ticket requesting vst plugin support but it seems nothing happend there.
ffmpeg is an awesome tool but the mapping functionality is atrocious, if you want to make something more complicated you have to ask people. I love that all the examples in the documentation are so trivial and have alsmost no real world application. If you look at https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/AudioChannelManipulation there is not a single example for switching a channel with another .wav file. They only show swap left right etc.
I don't know if you know mpv (open source video player) but it is so user friendly, you can make profiles, conditions etc. In ffmpeg you have to be a script master to do similar stuff. So you have to use ffmpeg, ffprobe and .bat scripts.

haha this is not a rant only some thoughts on ffmpeg, I use it for 2 weeks and this is the stuff that stands out to me ^^

I'm new to the forum, how do I get notifications if there is a reply/activity on my thread? I have check them manually now

[pandy]

Thank you, this is how I found MrsWatson, I was googling about ffmpeg and LADSPA. I looked at calf deesser it looks nice. But for me it's better to stick with something I use for 8 years or something. And know the capabilities.
You are right about import and export but I'm already working on a script that can do that.

Ok, fine for me - it was simply observation that ffmpeg offer some functionality trough external, third party filters (personally never used them)

as a side note: I'm curious why someone can make a working vst host (complete under the radar) but something as known as ffmpeg can't. I have seen a ticket requesting vst plugin support but it seems nothing happend there.
ffmpeg is an awesome tool but the mapping functionality is atrocious, if you want to make something more complicated you have to ask people. I love that all the examples in the documentation are so trivial and have alsmost no real world application. If you look at https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/AudioChannelManipulation there is not a single example for switching a channel with another .wav file. They only show swap left right etc.
I don't know if you know mpv (open source video player) but it is so user friendly, you can make profiles, conditions etc. In ffmpeg you have to be a script master to do similar stuff. So you have to use ffmpeg, ffprobe and .bat scripts.

There is few points with VST:
Firstly ffmpeg is CLI where VST GUI so some problems expected, secondly seem to be some issue with unclear license model from Steinberg who owns VST rights - seem there is issue with VST SDK (GPL but ffmpeg can be non GPL compliant some other components have other, incompatible licenses) .
And as there is so many things to do on ffmpeg so developers simply focus on other - each year there is some sponsored programs for ffmpeg - https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/SponsoringPrograms/GSoC/2024 or https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/SponsoringPrograms/STF/2024 - if you check list things there is clear no VST there - it is not needed.
Scripts are OK - to be honest i started to appreciate them like 20 years ago after using GUI - they are more effective and from my perspective better.

haha this is not a rant only some thoughts on ffmpeg, I use it for 2 weeks and this is the stuff that stands out to me ^^

I'm new to the forum, how do I get notifications if there is a reply/activity on my thread? I have check them manually now

Yeah, i know, ffmpeg can be frustrating - lack of documentation, sometimes you need to read source code to understand what parameters are accepted and how they work but still this is very good tool - one of my favorite - to be honest i don't recall GUI applications except very limited ones.

[geextah_2]

Okay ffmpeg seem to be bigger than I thought. Where is the money coming from? I guess it's like Handbrake and Blender.

[pandy]

Okay ffmpeg seem to be bigger than I thought. Where is the money coming from? I guess it's like Handbrake and Blender.

ffmpeg is one of multimedia workhorses used by many large companies (silently or openly) - silicone vendors, multimedia houses etc - all are beneficial from ffmpeg (but ffmpeg is IMHO still underestimated and underpayed) - anyway it is very important piece i modern world (mostly unknown to millions of customers) - money are from various sources mostly companies beneficial from ffmpeg.

[geextah_2]

@pandy
about the VST license, there are many 5-10 gui vst hosts for windows like element, pedalboard, carla, cantabile, hermannseib vst host etc. Some of them are open source on github. Why they don't have issues with the license but ffmpeg does?