The #11 Key to Clean, Professional Audio: The Hidden Factor That Can Make or Break Your Audio

We’re now at Key #11 in your journey to clean, professional audio — and today we’re talking about one of the most misunderstood aspects of audio editing:

This is something that confuses beginners and even experienced users.

Most people find a random order in a YouTube tutorial and just start following it. But without understanding how audio effects work as a chain, they get stuck.

Either the audio doesn’t improve… or worse, it starts sounding worse than before.

Why the Effect Order Matters So Much

Audio effects work like a domino chain — the output of one becomes the input of the next.

Each effect modifies the audio data in some way. So if you apply an effect in the wrong order, the next one may not have clean or useful data to work with. It won’t perform as intended.

In short:

This is why two people using the exact same tools can get completely different results.

A Safe Effect Order to Start With

If all this sounds too technical, just remember this:

There’s a safe, beginner-friendly order you can start with:

1. Normalize

2. Noise Reduction

3. EQ

4. Compressor

5. Normalize again

This order works well for most voice recordings.

And yes, this order can evolve as you get more advanced. For example, you can swap steps 1 and 2 — some people prefer to reduce noise first, then normalize. That’s totally fine.

I recommend starting with Normalize first simply because it brings the volume to a comfortable listening level — making it easier for you to judge the rest of the audio.

What About More Effects?

Eventually, you’ll go beyond the basics and start using effects like:

• De-clicker

• De-esser

• Limiter

• Exciter, etc.

So where do those fit?

A simple rule of thumb is:

Why? Because a compressor can make those issues louder.

But — sometimes you won’t hear those issues until after compression. So in those cases, you can go back and apply them after.

It’s flexible. But the safest path is:
✅ Start with a proven order
🔁 Then insert other effects as needed, based on what you’re hearing

Don’t Just Memorize — Learn Why

It’s not enough to just copy settings. You need to understand:

• What each effect is doing

• Why does it come before or after something else

• How it interacts with your specific voice and environment

This is why I always tell people:

I’ve created pre-built processing chains (presets/macros) for both Audacity and Adobe Audition, so you don’t have to guess.

These are based on years of helping voice artists, narrators, and content creators.

• In Audacity, they’re called Macros

• In Adobe Audition, they’re called Presets

You can use them to instantly improve your sound — and use them to learn.

Study how the effects are ordered, what settings I’ve used, and how small tweaks change the outcome.

Want Something Tailored to Your Voice?

If you want to go deeper, I also offer custom EQ and presets built specifically for:

• Your voice

• Your microphone

• Your room and setup

Everything — from my presets to my courses — is bundled at a discount in:

» The Audacity Bundle
» The Adobe Audition Bundle

Both bundles include:

• Full step-by-step video courses

• My complete macro/preset packs

• Custom EQ personalized to your voice

• And everything is designed for voice-over, audiobooks, podcasts, and content creation

I See This Mistake in Live Calls All the Time

In my 1-on-1 consulting sessions, effect order comes up constantly.

People feel frustrated because they’re following “all the right steps” — but their audio still isn’t sounding clean.

And 9 times out of 10, the issue is that the effects were applied in the wrong order.

Once we fix the chain, the results speak for themselves.

If you want to simplify this and get professional results faster, check out the bundles — or reply to this email to ask which one is right for you.

Talk soon,
Akhtar (Master Editor)