Members Misha Posted April 10, 2012 Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 I was playing around with my Zoom H1 and got a lot of hiss. I think it comes from my computer or maybe from the heater in the room. If I remove the hiss, I remove good audio datas too... The best I could do was this: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11563216 Otherwise: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11563411 How do you "clean" your tracks? (Which software, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted April 10, 2012 Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 Firstly, turn off the computer. Secondly, turn down the gain until the hiss goes away. You may have to move the microphone closer and/or sing/play louder. Oh - and fresh batteries always help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted April 10, 2012 Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yep- what Kwak said. I turn off everything, even the heater. The noises around us all the time our brains mask out. But the recorder doesnt do that, evry little background noise jumps right to the front. The best thing you can do is keep the instrument so much louder than the back ground that that the noise becomes unnoticable. You do that by turning the gain down and placing the microphone as close to the thing you are recording as possible. Sometimes background noise is transmitted through a hard surface. If your computer is on a table, and the recorder is sitting on the same table, then the computer noise is transmitted right into the recorder at a much higher volume level. Placing a soft material under the recorder can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted April 10, 2012 Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 +1 I also hear "slapback" which is essentially an echo off the hard surfaces in the room. Choosing a room with carpeting and curtains will take a bit of that away. I also like to use a mic stand with a telescoping boom so that I don't bump it with the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 10, 2012 Author Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 Thank's Kwak and Totamus, I'll try to record again when I'll get back from the office tonight and pay attention to the details that you both mentionned. Sometimes background noise is transmitted through a hard surface. If your computer is on a table, and the recorder is sitting on the same table, then the computer noise is transmitted right into the recorder at a much higher volume level. Placing a soft material under the recorder can help. Yep, I think this is exactly what happened. The "slapback" that Kwak is talking about might be due to my voice hitting the desk than coming back in the body of my guitar because I was just in front of my desk, not a good thing either. Also,I make noise with my right foot on the floor and the Zoom catches it. I have a footstand to be more comfortable but I'll need to put a carpet under. I just got the Zoom H1 and it is the cheapest. It records well, particularly for 50$ (used). I bought the accessory pack for it. It includes a foam to cover the mics but I think it also reduces the clarity of the recording. The little stand is practical (probably even more if I don't put it besides a noisy computer...) It's hard to record a track, put it in a recording software, then record another track and sync it with the first one, though... But... since I sold some gears, I'll do with what I have now. Maybe it's not a bad thing, because I have to learn to play and sing at the same time! At the end of the day (year), going back to the basics might be constructive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted April 10, 2012 Members Share Posted April 10, 2012 If your floor hisses, perhaps you have had a bit too much wine and have trodden upon le chat? Kidding aside, what the others have said. In addition to turning off everything in the room and adjusting the mics, I will suggest using the best cables you can afford, with lots and lots of shielding to prevent unwanted electronic noises that are always present, such as electromagnetic interference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 too much wine That concept is a myth. I have the H2. Not sure how different they are, but I've never had a fun time trying to record anything directly into a computer. I turn everything off and just record into the H2, then upload into the computer. Seems to work well. If I get a hiss, it's from one of my disapproving cats. Your recording actually sounded very clean to me. The guitar was just a bit quieter than I'd have gone for. Maybe you need to play around a bit with the positioning of the H1 mic. Or did you do git and vocals as separate tracks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Bartus Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 If your floor hisses, perhaps you have had a bit too much wine and have trodden upon le chat? Hasn't anyone warned you about recording in a den of snakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 . . . Your recording actually sounded very clean to me. The guitar was just a bit quieter than I'd have gone for. Maybe you need to play around a bit with the positioning of the H1 mic. Or did you do git and vocals as separate tracks? ^ I'm glad I'm not alone. I was hesitant to reply earlier but I must need better speakers (I have a small pair of harman/kardons) or maybe better ears. Both recordings sound fine to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 11, 2012 Author Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 If your floor hisses, perhaps you have had a bit too much wine and have trodden upon le chat? Kidding aside, what the others have said. In addition to turning off everything in the room and adjusting the mics, I will suggest using the best cables you can afford, with lots and lots of shielding to prevent unwanted electronic noises that are always present, such as electromagnetic interference. Well, maybe too much apple cider... but not yesterday when I recorded my track! (Saturday night! ... But I was due! I've been too sage for too long! Too bad you weren't there. I'm sure we would have had a lot of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 11, 2012 Author Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 That concept is a myth. I have the H2. Not sure how different they are, but I've never had a fun time trying to record anything directly into a computer. I turn everything off and just record into the H2, then upload into the computer. Seems to work well. If I get a hiss, it's from one of my disapproving cats. Your recording actually sounded very clean to me. The guitar was just a bit quieter than I'd have gone for. Maybe you need to play around a bit with the positioning of the H1 mic. Or did you do git and vocals as separate tracks? The H2 is better. Better DAC and better mics too. (Not absolutely sure about the latter.) You have to turn off the H1 before you can transfer files to a computer. There are more options with the H2 and the H4n but for the price, the H1 does a good job. I recorded a jazz trio playing live at a cafe last week and the sound quality was good. For the price it sounds much, much better than a voice recorder. I have one of these little things and it loses the upper and lower range of frequencies drastically. Guitars sound terrible with that and even my (low) voice is cut! I don't know if the H2 can act as a soundcard (audio interface), I think the H4n does. I know that the guitar was quieter, I recorded both voice and guitar at the same time. This is something I don't do usually, but I want to be able to do it. A part of me think that to do it, someone should know the guitar part by heart, another part tells me: nope! You rather have to see it as several things to do at diverse moments of an interval! (I'm curious about how you, guys and gals, see it, btw!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 11, 2012 Author Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 Deepend, I noticed the "ground noise" only when I switched from my computer speakers to headphones. One track has been cleaned using Cool Edit Pro 2.1, not the other. The one that has less noise also has less of guitar and voice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 I know that the guitar was quieter, I recorded both voice and guitar at the same time. This is something I don't do usually, but I want to be able to do it. I don't often record, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. But seriously... When I do record, I prefer to play and sing at the same time. Feels more natural to me. Ideally, I'd have separate mics set up for guitar and vocals. But I just haven't been able to make this work. I have the mics, but have never owned an interface I could actually make work with GB. So I bought the H2 as a simple solution. Because I don't do any "serious" recording and don't do any multi-tracking, it works well for me. Re. positioning, I often play at my desk. I get decent results when I position the mic right in front of me at the edge of the desk, but angled toward approx. the 14th fret. I'm backed off the desk (so as not to bang my guitar against it) and hunched over a bit, so the vocals are more prominent than the git, but don't overwhelm or drown it out. Mic Gain is on Medium. Maybe JT will chime in somewhere. The guy knows a ton about recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benzem Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 My laptop's power supply creates big noise so to keep it quiet I run an ext to another circuit in my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted April 11, 2012 Members Share Posted April 11, 2012 Well, maybe too much apple cider... but not yesterday when I recorded my track! (Saturday night! ... But I was due! I've been too sage for too long! Too bad you weren't there. I'm sure we would have had a lot of fun! Yes, we would have had much fun! I hope someday I can visit you! I don't remain sage for very long, not with my stressful job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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