I made a recording using my PC and a (relatively) cheap mic. There are nasty annoying high overtones in it.
I would like to ask if anyone has seen this kind of problem. I recorded it using Audacity (on Linux) using the default sample rate (44kHz, I think). Do you think a better mic will help? Perhaps a different recording rate?
I have the 20dB mic boost set, but I still need to “normalize” the clip to get the volume up. The artifact is still in it before I do that.
Here is a link to the sound clip: http://thepub.granitefallsmfg.com/newone.mp3
This is an original tune (I play badly, but that is not the problem) on one of my old B-flat instruments. I cannot hear the problem when playing, only in the recording.
Wow, I see what you mean. It sounds like what’s happening
is some sort of aliasing… as if your soundcard or your mic
can’t capture certain frequencies so it translates them into
other frequencies that it can capture. If your mic is meant
for voice, then it will probably have a low frequency cutoff.
I’d try a new mic first, maybe one with a preamp. I got one
at a used music store for $20 that’s pretty good.
If that doesn’t help, you may want to update your soundcard
driver (maybe you need a newer version of ALSA</a](http://www.alsa-project.org/">ALSA</a)>?) or
upgrading your sound card.
have you tried to record another instrument? what kind of soundcard and mic do you have? (I ask this because not every mics are good. I think it’s not problem of the sample rate or resolution (normaly 44.100/16bit). I propose some posible cause of the hiss:
1-soundcard
2-software (try if you can some other like wavelab)
3-mic (bad quality)
4-proximity to the mic (being too much near may do the wind of the flute become noise in the recording, in order to avoid this you should use an anti-pop filter)..
Really nasty noise you got there.
The noise is too high a frequency to mains
hum. Sounds like you might have the input
incorrectly selected.
Be sure the mike is plugged into the MIC
input and NOT the LINE input!!! And that
the sound cards INPUT selector is correctly set.
A good mike should not cost more than
$25 at most say a Behringer dynamic or
such. If you intend any recording get one!
If you have several of the sound card inputs
selected and the volume up on them - the card
will pick up digital HUM/noise from the PC.
Try switching off/disabling all but the Mike input.
Your bog basic sound card should give you more
than enough gain on just about any Mike.
You might have a dud sound card - if other things
fail - - see if you can borrow one and try it out.
Thanks to everyone else, too. I have some things to try now. First, I am going to be sure that I have it plugged into the right place on my PC. <> I will prolly buy a mic and if that does not fix it, I will blame the sound card.