I’m having a little bit of a struggle trying to make a good recording. And by good I just mean not full of static. I’m using a SoundBlaster !Live card, I think, and a labtech AM-22 microphone (just found in a box in the attic where it came from I can’t remember). Using that mic with Microsoft sound recorder seems to have less static, but I’d like to try Audacity. But with Audacity it seems like it’s just full of static and when I tried the filter it made the recording useless. Do I need a better sound card? Are there tips/tricks involved? Do I need better software? etc… Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh, BTW I want to try Audacity because I’d like to record two tracks; one flute, one whistle.
Hi Grixxly, you should be able to get a reasonable-ish sound from your gear. It is difficult to narrow down what is causing the static or give sensible help without more info. What operating system are you using ? Maybe if you could either post a clip of what the sound is like or email it to me I can help - btw all of my recordings are done via a PC at home so it is possible.
Just to reassure you, you should have no problems with the SB Live card. I have used a Live Value on plenty of recordings (including the ones I sent you) and have had no problems with the quality. If you must spend your money, I would investigate a better mic. I don’t know of this Labtech model but I see you can get it for $10
Having said that, static or background noise is usually more a product of the signal path. Your PC monitor may be causing a lot of noise - try altering the mic position relative to the monitor or switching it off during recording. Check that the input level on the Windows volume control thingy is up high enough as well. You may be recording at too low a level (too close to the noise floor, thus utilising a very poor signal to noise ratio) and simply jacking up the noise when you replay it.
I don’t have much experience with Audacity - others may well chip in, it certainly seems to be a capable programme by all accounts.
I know diddly about my sound card and my microphone is a cheapie from my prior computer (a Packard Bell - that should tell you the quality of the mic), but my Audacity recordings are fine.
So, I’d make sure the connection plug is clean, there is no lint/dust in the plug-in hole, and double check the “microphone in” volume on Audacity (I’m not at home so I’m not sure how audacity labels it).
Other issues I’ve had when recording involved the location of the microphone - your monitor could cause background noise, I have an older electric clock which I don’t notice but it is picked-up by audacity.
I also have had problems when trying to change settings on a recording after it has been recorded. Are you recording with the standard settings that are there when you open Audacity?
One of the big sources of static sounds in recordings is from electro-magnetic interference on your mic cable. Make sure that it does not come near any other wires or electrical devices on its path to the PC, especially wires that carry power. You’ll notice that a lot of the cabling for different types of wire and cables to do with your PC are very thin. They are under-insulated, so are easily affected by any type of interference given off by anything else electrical in the room. If you’re not averse to spending a bit of money, and you plan on doing a lot of recording, you might want to consider a pro- or semi-pro quality mic. These usually start at $150 (and go up to $3K ).
