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Utah Man 
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
 Topic: eliminating "noise"Posted: February 01 2008 at 12:26 |
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got suggestions...tips ?
...not talking about audio noise during recording, but electronic "noise" : humming...buzzing...etc. what I have so far done to deal with it : 1. install high quality noise suppressing power strips. 2. got rid of my CRT computer monitor (that alone was a big help). 3. learned to tweak the EQ in my mixer before recording. 3. learned to deal with a fender telecaster single-coil pickups. 4. learned to effectively use the "hiss" removal feature in my software. ...but i still get noise. my audio interface is an internal M-Audio 24/96 . |
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Jaydubz
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 12 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 100 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 00:43 |
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What are you recording that's causing the noise? Guitar?
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"Music is the best." ~ FZ
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 22 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 21116 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 05:01 |
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The computer itself is causing a lot of electrostatic noise picked up by guitar pickups. One way to solve this is to get a notebook/laptop (which cause much less interference), another is to put some distance between yourself and the computer when recording, and to experiment with different angles (pickup in relation to computer).
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: December 24 2007 Location: Ukraine Status: Offline Points: 25210 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 05:41 |
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I record on a laptop as well, and I find you need to be at least 30cms away at the minimum, and it's good to combine this preventative measure with the pickup angle idea suggested by MikeEnregalia. Also remember that a good quality noise gate can be very effective, although the side effect of most noise gates is that they also reduce sustain of guitar notes. And if you haven't already, take a look at what single coil size humbucking pickups are available aftermarket. Some people feel they offer lesser tone, although many people are willing to sacrifice a bit of tone for significantly reduced 60Hz hum, but I myself prefer singlecoil sized humbuckers anyway, because they sound less edgy and generally somewhat smoother in frequency response, but that's my personal perference and I prefer the most modern tone possible, as well as practicality, rather than vintage purist tone. I myself lean towards Seymour Duncans, but of course Fender offer their Samarium Cobalt noiseless pickups, available aftermarket, which have significantly less hum than normal single coils, with a smoother frequency response. |
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 22 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 21116 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 05:47 |
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Noise gates are great especially in live situations, but for recording it's definitely best to try to eliminate noise at its source ... a noise gate - as Highes said - also removes parts of the signal you're trying to record.
Something you also could consider: The Line6 Variax guitar. It doesn't have any conventional pickups to start with.  |
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007 Location: Ukraine Status: Offline Points: 25210 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 06:02 |
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Well I myself have only had experience with the Stomp Box style noise gates, and they tend to steal a fairly noticeable amount of sustain and can rob you of noticeable amounts of high end as well |
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout Joined: May 13 2007 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 37575 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 07:45 |
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If the "noise" is 50 or 60Hz hum, then you have Earth or Ground Loop problems. Every piece of equipment
that has it's own mains cable will earth the equipment by that cable, so when you connect it to your PC you introduce a second path to ground (ie a loop) which will cause currents to flow in the return path, increasing hum.
You may need to invest in some Balun isolation transformers (eg a DI Box with a ground-lift switch) that will convert your guitar output into a balanced o/p that is less susceptible to pick-up. If you are not DI the guitar but are miking-up the amp speaker then check your microphone uses balanced (XLR) connections (again, a balun can help here)
Another source of hum is fluorescent lighting, including low-energy bulbs - this is easily identified as it is usually of higher frequency than mains hum - the only solution is to go back to old fashioned incandescent bulbs for lighting.
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What?
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29630 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 08:07 |
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How about some audio noise during recording to cancel out the electronic "noise" ? Interesting and complex suggestions by the posters above, but I think I've got your best answer for you right there.
Seriously, the best way to figure this out is to strip things down and build back up, one component at a time. Sounds to me like a component problem. And by components I mean even a bad cord could be a culprit. I've picked up radio broadcasts on my setup on occasions. And of course, nothing really interesting. At work we have one computer with a really cheap set of speakers that sometimes seems to catch a CB radio signal. It appears to be from somebody driving by as the office is really close to a busy road. Ah, the fascinating world of electronics. Then again, you could switch to totally acoustic instruments, where I think no instances of electronic weirdness have been reported. But then there's that problem of not being able to share with anyone who isn't around to listen to what you're creating... Edited by Slartibartfast - February 02 2008 at 08:23 |
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:25 |
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yes, but by experimenting I'm learning to eliminate whatever "background" noise exists along with the guitar signal. Processors: Zoom 2020 effects + Boss compressor. oddly, i get noise with the MIDI keyboard too. not a lot...but enough to bother a perfectionist like me... . |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:30 |
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you're probably right, but I wonder why a laptop would cause less than a desktop...LCD monitor instead of CRT? . |
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rileydog22
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 24 2005 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 8844 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:33 |
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Are you sure you aren't a Line 6 employee, Mike?  Now I'm curious, though: if it doesn't have any pickups, how does it make sound? |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:33 |
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with my telecaster, i sit and turn this way & then turn that way till the pickup hum stops. really weird I think. i don't have the $ or inclination to replace the pickups. . |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:35 |
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$ . |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:42 |
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This might be the problem source...
guitars: all my electrics are DI, acoustics are mic'd all cables are balanced type.
yea... took care of this issue. getting rid of the CRT monitor made a big big difference. |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:50 |
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Hey...green font color is my PA registered trademark y'know seriously...you're right & I'll try this...good idea. also I've tried to old trick of turning the volume up full, pushing the EQ high freq. up all the way, then turning this device off...then that device..etc. . |
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Utah Man
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 14 2007 Location: Utah Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 12:56 |
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Any of you guys have one of these or have seen them being used ? Furman Power Conditioners http://www.furmansound.com/. |
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 22 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 21116 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 13:09 |
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The Variax 300 is a very affordable instrument ... I'm not saying it's the appropriate solution for *your* problem, but maybe for others. My only problem with it is that it only has 22 frets ... |
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout Joined: May 13 2007 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 37575 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 15:22 |
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The PSU is the big difference and many laptop supplies use a two-pin (unearthed) mains lead, which reduces the earth-loop issue.
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What?
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007 Location: Ukraine Status: Offline Points: 25210 |
Posted: February 02 2008 at 21:53 |
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It does have pickups, MikeEnRegalia did state it does have pickups. Checking the Line 6 website, I cannot find anywhere in the specifications list exactly what kind of pickups are employed in the Variax, it simply states they are not of the traditional magnetic type. The Variax 600 and 700 come equipped with the L.R Baggs tremolo bridge, which I imagine have piezo pickups incorporated into them to help with the acoustic guitar models, but I cannot confirm that, and perhaps MikeEnRegalia can further educate us on the Variax.
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mystic fred
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 13 2006 Location: Londinium Status: Offline Points: 4252 |
Posted: February 03 2008 at 02:57 |
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the use of high quality signal and power cables might help - i had the same problem and it worked in my situation, though telecasters are notorious for buzz if used too close to the amp, you could test each unit and connection individually to detect where the hum is coming from, or clean all your connections with "deoxit" .
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eliminating "noise"
Topic Options
. I have heard much better things about the ISP Technologies Decimator Noise Reducer, while like all noise gates/noise reducers, reduces sustain and tone, does so less noticeably than say the Boss NS-2 and similar pedals. I Haven't tried out the Line 6 Variax, i always tend to find myself gravitation towards all the Jackson Dinkys and Soloists and Ibanez RG/S Series when i head into the guitar shops................
Jaydubz wrote: