Sybil

A de-esser plug-in targets specific audio frequencies connected to sibilance in the human voice and mitigates their impact on the overall sound. Sibilant sounds come from pronouncing words with “s, f, x, and sh” in it. A de-esser plug-in is a specific type of compressor that can identify and attenuate unwanted high-frequency noises in words while leaving the rest of the vocal harmonic characteristics untouched.

Sybil comes with a set of powerful controls that lets you manipulate the audio signal throughout its spectrum: ​Threshold​, ​Compression​, ​Attack​, and ​Release Time​. Furthermore, the ​High Pass​ Frequency​ control lets you isolate the unwanted sibilance before applying all the other effects, meaning the compressor won’t impact the other frequencies of your track. First, locate an area in your track where the sibilance is evident and play it in a continuous loop as you adjust the settings of the de-esser plug-in. Regulate the ​High Pass Frequency​ and ​Threshold controls until you’re satisfied with the result. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the ​Gain Reduction Meter: if you’re doing things right, you should see a considerable gain reduction when reproducing the sibilance. Next, adjust ​the Compression​ control to choose the level of gain reduction when the audio signal exceeds the threshold. Finally, regulate the Attack​ and ​Release Time to regulate how fast the effect will enter and leave the audio signal affected by sibilance.