Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 20, 2017 19:26:56 GMT
As some will know, I've recently dipped my toe into the bottomless ocean of mystery that is home recording. I've no intention of getting into mixing - a friend is going to do that for me - I just want to get a decent basic recording, for him to work on. I've had what my friend says are some decent results so far, but a recurring problem is extraneous noise from the guitar neck. I'm not talking here about squeaking noises from sliding along the strings. What I'm getting are more akin to creaking sounds, some of which are coming from the contact between the palm of my hand, and my thumb, on the back of the neck, and possibly some from the fingerboard itself. I'm being careful not to move on my chair, or shift the guitar in my lap - I'm sure the noises are coming from the neck. I've tried different guitars and some are worse than others. Of course, when you're not recording you probably don't even notice these noises but on slower songs in particular they're really intrusive when listening back to what, musically, might have been a good take. I realise I may have to face up to the possibility that this is just the result of sloppy technique... I've tried to play as cleanly as I can but, even when I can't hear it over the headphones while recording, when I play the track back over the speakers, there it is. I'm playing exclusively fingerstyle. My gear is budget level - a Rode NT1a and a Rode M3. Originally, based on advice in previous threads here, I had the NT1a about 15" from the neck/body join, and the M3 a similar distance from a spot a couple of inches behind the bridge. As the NT1a seems a much more sensitive mic, I thought its proximity to the fingerboard might be the issue. I switched the mic positions over and that seemed to help at first, but I've had a very frustrating afternoon today, making successive recordings of a not particularly difficult tune which, in every case, was compromised by these noises. Maybe it's just been an off day - I'm quickly learning that this can happen with recording! - but I wondered if, first, others had found this problem, and second, would further tweaks to mic placement help? All advice gratefully received!
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Feb 20, 2017 20:29:49 GMT
As some will know, I've recently dipped my toe into the bottomless ocean of mystery that is home recording. I've no intention of getting into mixing - a friend is going to do that for me - I just want to get a decent basic recording, for him to work on. I've had what my friend says are some decent results so far, but a recurring problem is extraneous noise from the guitar neck. I'm not talking here about squeaking noises from sliding along the strings. What I'm getting are more akin to creaking sounds, some of which are coming from the contact between the palm of my hand, and my thumb, on the back of the neck, and possibly some from the fingerboard itself. I'm being careful not to move on my chair, or shift the guitar in my lap - I'm sure the noises are coming from the neck. I've tried different guitars and some are worse than others. Of course, when you're not recording you probably don't even notice these noises but on slower songs in particular they're really intrusive when listening back to what, musically, might have been a good take. I realise I may have to face up to the possibility that this is just the result of sloppy technique... I've tried to play as cleanly as I can but, even when I can't hear it over the headphones while recording, when I play the track back over the speakers, there it is. I'm playing exclusively fingerstyle. My gear is budget level - a Rode NT1a and a Rode M3. Originally, based on advice in previous threads here, I had the NT1a about 15" from the neck/body join, and the M3 a similar distance from a spot a couple of inches behind the bridge. As the NT1a seems a much more sensitive mic, I thought its proximity to the fingerboard might be the issue. I switched the mic positions over and that seemed to help at first, but I've had a very frustrating afternoon today, making successive recordings of a not particularly difficult tune which, in every case, was compromised by these noises. Maybe it's just been an off day - I'm quickly learning that this can happen with recording! - but I wondered if, first, others had found this problem, and second, would further tweaks to mic placement help? All advice gratefully received! As you know I have also been recording (now complete ) and I had exactly the same problems. I used talc powder on my left palm which seemed to help a lot. It was a learning curve for sure. The mics even picked up the sound of my right little finger being removed off the top of the guitar, tummy noises and even slight mouth noises. I did some recording in the lounge and the mixing/mastering guy could hear the wall clock ticking which I could only hear with my ear 6" away from it. I couldn't hear it on the recording even with headphones on but he could. The difficult one for me was breathing and I had to let some go - well it is a home recording after all Good luck. P
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Feb 20, 2017 21:17:52 GMT
and even slight mouth noises. What we in the business call 'lyrics', Phil Taylor
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 20, 2017 21:42:19 GMT
Thanks Phil Taylor, I've taken the batteries out of every clock within 50 feet! Might give the talcum powder idea a try...
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R the F
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Post by R the F on Feb 20, 2017 22:07:49 GMT
Thanks Phil Taylor , I've taken the batteries out of every clock within 50 feet! Might give the talcum powder idea a try... ..or WD40?
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Feb 20, 2017 22:40:05 GMT
The mics even picked up...... tummy noises...... and I had to let some go..... P IBS is such a nuisance when recording - I empathise. Keith
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Feb 20, 2017 22:44:17 GMT
..... but a recurring problem is extraneous noise from the guitar neck. ..... Would you be able to post a short example of the kind of thing you mean, Richard? It may be that the rest of us would feel the noises to be acceptable or even normal. It is so very easy to be hyper-critical of your own efforts and to obsess over what are actually very minor and/or imperceptible (to others) problems. Keith
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 20, 2017 23:03:33 GMT
..... but a recurring problem is extraneous noise from the guitar neck. ..... Would you be able to post a short example of the kind of thing you mean, Richard? It may be that the rest of us would feel the noises to be acceptable or even normal. It is so very easy to be hyper-critical of your own efforts and to obsess over what are actually very minor and/or imperceptible (to others) problems. Keith Yes I may do that Keith. I'll think I'll listen again tomorrow to the two or three takes I kept from today's session - maybe they won't sound too bad with fresh ears. I do agree that we can be our own harshest critics, and I'm certainly not looking for a perfect, squeak free take - partly because I think if it's too clean it can sound sterile, and partly because I'm not capable of producing one! I'm also conscious that in many places the noises would be covered by the vocal track, so maybe all's not lost. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
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Post by scripsit on Feb 21, 2017 2:10:55 GMT
The problem is that mics pick up sounds that our ears 'tune out' in real life, because we are concentrating on what we want to hear (the music) and deliberately filtering everything else.
I've found the worst offenders to be computer fans, and large white goods devices turning on suddenly elsewhere in the house (refrigerator, washing machine, drier etc).
There are also birds just outside the recording room window, bored cats and significant others calling out to offer cups of coffee or tea, or demand that you do something useful.
I've got no solution to string squeak, which I suffer from badly. I find you have to consciously alter technique, lifting rather than sliding and so on, even when sliding is more efficient, and you eventually have to decide what level of scrape you will put up with.
I was really pleased with a recording of a very quiet and sensitive tune I did recently until I noticed a strange distortion in the very quiet parts. It took ages and a close listening with headphones to realise the 'distortion' was actually the intake of breath as I approached a difficult sensitive bit, and the sigh of relief once I was past it.
Kym
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 21, 2017 10:18:16 GMT
I was really pleased with a recording of a very quiet and sensitive tune I did recently until I noticed a strange distortion in the very quiet parts. It took ages and a close listening with headphones to realise the 'distortion' was actually the intake of breath as I approached a difficult sensitive bit, and the sigh of relief once I was past it. Kym Thanks for the advice and reassurance Kym. I seem to have managed OK so far with external noises (famous last words...) I recently recorded a song in a studio in the basement of a very large and substantially built Victorian house. There was a strange, faint sound on the vocal track that we couldn't identify for ages. Turned out to be the engineer's wife, photocopying her political party leaflets four floors above us.
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leitrimnick
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Post by leitrimnick on Feb 21, 2017 11:13:07 GMT
I was really pleased with a recording of a very quiet and sensitive tune I did recently until I noticed a strange distortion in the very quiet parts. It took ages and a close listening with headphones to realise the 'distortion' was actually the intake of breath as I approached a difficult sensitive bit, and the sigh of relief once I was past it. Kym Thanks for the advice and reassurance Kym. I seem to have managed OK so far with external noises (famous last words...) I recently recorded a song in a studio in the basement of a very large and substantially built Victorian house. There was a strange, faint sound on the vocal track that we couldn't identify for ages. Turned out to be the engineer's wife, photocopying her political party leaflets four floors above us. Hope the leaflets were on the left channel. On a more serious note, you may well have already done this but have you listened to each mic channel separately to see if one is picking up more extraneous sound than the other? Simply adjusting the gain on that mic might reduce the problem to acceptable levels. I sympathise with the problem, I should be recording today but the rain is too loud on the roof lights in my (tiny) music room so it will have to wait. Ah well, they say patience is a virtue.
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Post by lavaman on Feb 21, 2017 15:26:39 GMT
..... but a recurring problem is extraneous noise from the guitar neck. ..... Would you be able to post a short example of the kind of thing you mean, Richard? Keith Hi Richard, A short MP3 would be helpful. Iain
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 21, 2017 17:13:01 GMT
Definitely left leaning, leitrimnick. The noises do seem to be on both channels. lavaman and ocarolan - I have no idea whether this will work (and if it doesn't, perhaps someone who uses Box to post sound files here could advise what I should be doing!) but I've created a short extract from one of yesterday's tracks which, listening on my monitor speakers, contains some examples of the noise. NoisesI think I've tracked down part of the problem today actually - it struck me that I had my RH acrylic nails redone at the end of last week, and maybe they were creating some noise on the strings. I filed them down fairly aggressively and it definitely seems to have helped, but I've not had much time today for further experimentation.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Feb 21, 2017 18:17:44 GMT
Riverman - Richard - I just get my own files from your link, plus a note to say your item has either been removed or is unavailable to me. If you have placed the soundfile in a folder, make sure that you have chosen folder Access Type as "Viewer". Then when you have the file ready to play on your own screen, click the "Share" button top right to get the link to post here. Not sure if I've explained that very well really! Other offers welcome! Keith
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Feb 21, 2017 18:30:48 GMT
Sorry ocarolan, I wondered whether the fact that I could access it from the link was just because it was my link... Try again... Noises
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