Top FREE Premiere Pro Audio Effects | Best Audio Effects in Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro offers a suite of great audio effects to help shape your sound and enhance your video editing projects.

From noise reduction to equalization, these tools can make your audio sound professional and well-balanced.

Here are the top free audio effects available in Premiere Pro.

1. Denoise

Denoise is an amazing and simple audio effect for reducing unwanted static or background noise.

The free audio effect works by analyzing the audio frequencies and reducing the volume of the noise frequencies, helping to clean up your audio and make the most prominent sound stand out.

The key to using Denoise effectively is subtlety.

Rather than trying to eliminate all noise (which can lead to 'artifacts' or distortions in your audio), aim to reduce it to a level where it is not distracting.

Here's how to apply the Denoise effect and how it works:

1. Apply the Effect: Go to the "Effects" panel, then navigate to "Audio Effects" > "Noise Reduction/Restoration" > "Denoise." You can then drag this effect onto the audio clip you want to clean up on the timeline.

2. Adjust the Settings: The Denoise effect has two main parameters: "Amount" and "Reduce By."

• The "Amount" slider: Controls how much of the noise you want to eliminate. A higher value will remove more noise, but be careful, as setting this too high may also start to distort your intended audio signal.

• The "Reduce By" slider: Controls how much the noise is reduced by in decibels. This is essentially how quiet the noise will become after the effect is applied.

2. Lowpass Filter / Highpass Filter

The Lowpass and Highpass filters are two types of free audio effects used in Adobe Premiere Pro, and they function by isolating or cutting off certain frequencies of an audio signal while allowing others to pass through.

Lowpass Filter

A Lowpass filter allows low frequencies to pass through while reducing the levels of the higher frequencies. It's like a gate that only lets low frequencies enter.

This is useful when you want to reduce high-frequency noise, such as hiss or buzz, or to create a muffled sound effect, like a conversation heard through a wall.

Highpass Filter

On the other hand, a Highpass filter does the opposite—it allows high frequencies to pass through while reducing the levels of the low frequencies.

This can be handy when you want to eliminate low-frequency noise, like a hum or a rumble, or to create an effect of a radio or telephone voice.

Here's how to apply and use the Highpass / Lowpass Filters:

1. Apply the Filter: Go to the "Effects" panel, then navigate to "Audio Effects" > "Filter and EQ" > and then choose either "Highpass" or "Lowpass". You can then drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline you wish to affect.

2. Adjust the Settings: Both the Highpass and Lowpass filters have two main parameters: "Cutoff" and "Q."

• The "Cutoff" parameter: Sets the frequency at which the filter starts to work. For a Highpass filter, frequencies below this cutoff point will be reduced, and for a Lowpass filter, frequencies above this point will be reduced.

• The "Q" parameter: Controls the sharpness of the transition between the frequencies that are reduced and those that pass through. A higher Q value makes a sharper transition.

3. Dereverb

The Dereverb effect in Adobe Premiere Pro is used to reduce the reverb or echo in an audio clip.

This free audio effect is especially useful when you've recorded in a large or wide open space with a lot of natural reverb that wasn't intended, like a large hall or a room with hard surfaces, and you want to make the audio sound more like it was recorded in a smaller or less reflective space.

It works by analyzing the audio and reducing the frequencies and time delays that make up the reverb sound.

This helps to make the audio clearer and more intelligible.

Reverberation happens when sound waves bounce off surfaces in the environment and reach the microphone at different times.

This creates a sense of space and can be desirable for some types of recordings, like music or certain types of sound design.

However, in dialogue or voiceover recordings, too much reverb can make the audio sound distant or hard to understand.

Here's how to apply and use the Dereverb effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Go to the "Effects" panel, navigate to "Audio Effects" > "Noise Reduction / Restoration", and then choose "Dereverb". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you wish to affect.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Dereverb effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. There are two main controls:

• Amount: This controls how much reverb reduction is applied to the audio. A higher value will reduce more reverb. Be careful not to set this too high, as it can lead to unnatural sounding audio.

• Auto Gain: When enabled, this automatically adjusts the output level of the audio to compensate for changes in volume caused by the dereverb process. This can help keep the volume consistent, but it may also amplify noise, so use it judiciously.

It may not completely remove all reverb, especially if the original recording has a lot of it.

However, when used correctly, it can significantly improve the clarity of your audio.

4. Surround Reverb

The "Surround Reverb" effect in Adobe Premiere Pro allows you to simulate the natural echo and ambiance of a physical environment in your audio.

This free audio effect designed to work with multi-channel audio (like 5.1 surround sound) to create a more immersive audio experience.

Reverb, or reverberation, is the reflection of sound off of surfaces in an environment, such as walls, floors, and ceilings.

These reflections reach your ears at slightly different times, creating a sense of space and depth.

The Surround Reverb effect in Premiere Pro allows you to digitally recreate this phenomenon, making your audio sound like it was recorded in a specific type of space, like a small room, a large hall, or an open field.

Here's how to apply and use the Surround Reverb effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Go to the "Effects" panel, navigate to "Audio Effects" > "Reverb", and then choose "Surround Reverb". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you wish to affect.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Surround Reverb effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. There are several controls, including:

• Mix: This controls the balance between the original (dry) audio and the reverberated (wet) audio. A higher value will result in more reverb.

• Size: This adjusts the size of the virtual room that the reverb is simulating. A larger room size will result in more echo and a longer reverb tail.

• Density: This adjusts the density of the reverb reflections. A higher density will make the reverb sound smoother and more natural.

• Diffusion: This controls the spread of the reverb reflections. Higher diffusion results in a more even spread of reflections, simulating a more diffuse or irregularly shaped space.

• Decay: This determines how long the reverb tail lasts. A longer decay time will make the reverb last longer after the original sound has stopped.

5. Balance

The "Balance" audio effect in Adobe Premiere Pro enables you to control the balance of audio between the left and right channels of a stereo audio track.

This essential audio effect is useful to fix recordings where one side is louder than the other or to create creative pan effects.

Here's how to use the Balance effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Go to the "Effects" panel, navigate to "Audio Effects" > "Stereo" > "Balance". Drag and drop this effect onto the stereo audio clip on the timeline that you wish to affect.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Balance effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. The Balance effect only has one control: the balance slider. This slider goes from -100 (full left) to +100 (full right).

• Moving the slider towards the left will increase the volume of the left channel and decrease the volume of the right channel, making the audio sound like it's coming more from the left.

• Moving the slider towards the right will do the opposite, increasing the volume of the right channel and decreasing the volume of the left channel, making the audio sound like it's coming more from the right.

• Leaving the slider at 0 will keep the left and right channels at their original volumes, resulting in a balanced stereo image.

6. Mastering

The "Mastering" audio effect in Adobe Premiere Pro is a versatile tool that offers a range of audio enhancement capabilities, including equalization (EQ), reverb, exciter, widener, and loudness maximizer.

It can be used to sweeten, enhance, and finalize your audio mix to make it sound more polished and professionial.

Here's how to use the Mastering effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Go to the "Effects" panel, then to "Audio Effects" > "Stereo" > "Mastering". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Mastering effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Each control corresponds to a different audio enhancement capability:

• Reverb: This control allows you to add space and depth to your audio. You can adjust the reverb amount and also the reverb size which controls the perceived size of the room.

• Exciter: This enhances the harmonics of the audio and can add a "sparkle" or "brightness" to the sound.

• Widener: This enhances the stereo field, making the audio sound wider and more immersive.

• Loudness Maximizer: This control can make your audio sound louder without clipping. It's a type of limiter that can increase the perceived loudness of the audio.

• Output Gain: This adjusts the final output level of the effect.

• Equalizer (EQ): There is a built-in 5 band EQ which you can use to adjust the frequency response of the audio. You can use this to boost or cut certain frequencies to shape the tone of your audio.

7. Delay

The "Delay" audio effect in Adobe Premiere Pro is used to create an echo-like effect, making the audio sound as if it's reflecting off surfaces in a room or open space.

This free audio effect repeats a sound after a certain amount of time.

You can adjust the delay time and the number of repetitions, creating echoes and other creative sound effects.

This can give a sense of depth and space to your audio, or be used creatively for special effects.

Here's how to use the Delay effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Navigate to the "Effects" panel, then go to "Audio Effects" > "Stereo" > "Delay". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Delay effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Here are the main controls:

• Left Delay and Right Delay: These controls set the delay time for each stereo channel. The delay time is how long it takes for the echo to be heard after the original sound. You can set different delay times for the left and right channels to create a stereo delay effect.

• Feedback: This controls how many echoes are heard. A higher feedback value will create more echoes.

• Mix: This controls the balance between the original sound and the echo. A higher mix value will make the echo louder compared to the original sound.

• High Cut and Low Cut: These controls act as a filter for the echoed sound. High Cut reduces the high frequencies in the echo, making it sound more distant. Low Cut reduces the low frequencies in the echo, making it sound thinner.

8. DeEsser

The DeEsser effect in Adobe Premiere Pro is used to reduce or eliminate harsh sibilant sounds ('s', 'sh', and 'ch' sounds) that can occur in dialogue recordings and vocal tracks.

These sounds can be harsh or overly pronounced in the audio mix, and DeEsser works by compressing only the frequencies where these sounds typically occur, without affecting the rest of the audio spectrum.

Here's how to use the DeEsser effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Navigate to the "Effects" panel, then go to "Audio Effects" > "Stereo" > "DeEsser". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the DeEsser effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Here are the main controls:

• Center: This sets the center frequency for the sibilance range. The default setting is usually a good starting point, but you can adjust this to better suit the voice you're working with. Female voices generally have higher sibilance frequencies than male voices.

• Sharpness: This controls how narrow or wide the sibilance frequency range is. A higher sharpness value will target a narrower range of frequencies, while a lower value will affect a wider range.

• Sensitivity: This sets the threshold at which the DeEsser starts to work. A higher sensitivity value will cause the DeEsser to act on quieter sibilant sounds.

• Strength: This controls how much the sibilant frequencies are reduced. A higher strength value will result in more reduction.

• Solo: This allows you to listen only to the affected frequencies, which can be useful for fine-tuning the center and sharpness settings.

9. Phaser

The Phaser effect in Premiere Pro creates a sweeping, swirling effect by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum, then modulating them over time.

This free audio effect works by duplicating the audio signal, then shifting the phase of the duplicate and mixing it back in with the original.

This creates a sweeping, oscillating effect that can add interest to music tracks, sound effects, or voice recordings.

It is also great for adding a unique, psychedelic sound to your audio.

Here's how to use the Phaser effect:

1. Apply the Effect: Navigate to the "Effects" panel, then go to "Audio Effects" > "Stereo" > "Phaser". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Phaser effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Here are the main controls:

• Rate: This controls the speed of the phasing effect. Higher rates will result in a faster, more intense effect, while lower rates will create a slower, more subtle effect.

• Depth: This controls the strength of the phasing effect. Higher depths will create a more dramatic effect, while lower depths will be more subtle.

• Feedback: This controls how much of the output signal is fed back into the input. Higher feedback levels will create a more intense, resonant effect.

• Phase: This controls the phase offset between the left and right channels. Adjusting this can create a wider, more stereo effect.

• Mix: This controls the balance between the original and phased signals. A higher mix level will result in a stronger phasing effect, while a lower level will let more of the original signal through.

10. Pitch Shifter

The Pitch Shifter effect in Premiere Pro allows you to change the pitch of your audio without changing its duration.

This free audio effect can be useful in a variety of situations, such as changing the pitch of a voice to make it sound higher or lower, tuning an instrument, or creating special sound effects.

Here's how the Pitch Shifter works in Premiere Pro:

1. Apply the Effect: Navigate to the "Effects" panel, then go to "Audio Effects" > "Time and Pitch" > "PitchShifter". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Pitch Shifter effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Here are the main controls:

• Transpose Ratio: This control allows you to adjust the pitch of the audio clip in semitones. A positive value will raise the pitch, while a negative value will lower it.

• Cents: This control allows you to fine-tune the pitch adjustment in cents, which are smaller units than semitones. This can be useful for precise tuning adjustments.

• Precision: This control allows you to adjust the precision of the pitch shifting algorithm. Higher precision will result in higher audio quality but will require more processing power.

• Formant Preservation: This control allows you to preserve the formants of the audio clip, which are the characteristic resonances of the human voice. This can help to keep voices sounding natural when the pitch is adjusted.

11. Bass

The Bass effect in Premiere Pro enhanced the depth and richness of your audio.

This free audio effect boosts the lower frequencies of your audio, adding warmth and substance.

Here's how the Bass works in Premiere Pro:

1. Apply the Effect: Navigate to the "Effects" panel, then go to "Audio Effects" > "Filters and EQ" > "Bass". Drag and drop this effect onto the audio clip on the timeline that you want to adjust.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once you've applied the Bass effect, you can adjust its parameters in the "Effect Controls" panel. Here are the main controls:

• Boost: This let's you increase or decrease lower frequencies. Boost specifies the number of decibels by which to increase lower frequencies. This effect is available for 5.1, stereo, and mono clips.

Adobe Premiere Pro's array of audio effects equips every video editor, filmmaker, and content creator with everything needed to create professional and immersive soundscapes.

Remember that the key to great audio is knowing how to use these tools subtly and effectively.

After all, audio editing, like any art, is all about balance and finesse.

We hope you’ve found this article on the Top FREE Premiere Pro Audio Effects | Best Audio Effects in Premiere Pro to be useful and practical.

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