Recording guitar - white noise

R

Rosario

New member
Hi guys. I got a problem when recording my acustic guitar. I noticed some white noise on my recordings, that is he strongest around 4-5kHz. It is happening when the recording is on, no matter if I play the guitar or not. I tried to record "nothing" (set the mic Shure57 plugged to Focusrite Scarlett Solo interface through XLR cable) in my room, central point -> started recording in DAW) with my speakers unplugged and it still occurs. Here's a sample of what I mean:

Zippyshare.com - untitled.mp3

Lowering the mic gain on the interface does nothing, cause I need to make it louder later in the DAW and the noise is still hearable (i tried to record on ~ -12dB, and even -40dB. Any soulutions? Just in case, I use Windows 8.1

Gear: Shure SM57 -> DieHard XLR-XLR cable -> Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Interface with proper drivers installed. Recording in da house with no acoustic treatment, but it's pretty well separeted from any outside noises.
 
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I'm assuming that you have the gain pretty well cranked to get a decent level.

The problem you are having is caused by the low level output of the 57. Acoustic guitars tend to be quiet sources, so using a quiet mic and a cheap-ish preamp is going to get you this noise issue.

Basically, the signal coming from the mic is too close to the self noise of the preamp in your interface.
 
Farview said:
I'm assuming that you have the gain pretty well cranked to get a decent level.

The problem you are having is caused by the low level output of the 57. Acoustic guitars tend to be quiet sources, so using a quiet mic and a cheap-ish preamp is going to get you this noise issue.

Basically, the signal coming from the mic is too close to the self noise of the preamp in your interface.
Click to expand...

The interface shows the "healthy green" level on the mic preamp diode only when I set the knob almost all the way up (when playing the guitar). But I get that annoying noise even when I set the mic preamp quite low (half the way) and let the air do the job (not playing anything, just pressing the record button)... So would buying a condenser mic, pressing phantom and setting much lower mic gain solve the issue? By that I mean, the guitar would be louder, the preamp-self noise would be lower due to the lower gain?
 
Rosario said:
Zippyshare.com - untitled.mp3
Click to expand...

that link doesn't work for me. can you just upload the file here?

i have a focusrite and imo the one problem with cheap gear is that as you bump the gain they don't handle it well. but without hearing the file i don't know if that's the issue, but farview is usually right about things. if that's actually the problem you can get something like a fethead inline preamp to get more clean gain.
 
Most likely, yes.

The noise you hear is the noise of the preamp. As you turn the gain up, the noise comes up. Even if you record at a lower gain and turn it up later, you will turn the noise up.

The only answer is to get a mic that puts out more signal, so the signal is much louder than the noise.
 
I made a test... I was recording and turning the gain down at the same time. The noise is noticable when the gain is beyond 3 o'clock. Any lower position causes no hearable noise.

@up
I noticed it. When I record at low gain, it is obvious that the noise is there, by it's very low. Any digital increments are done for all of the sounds, including noise ;/

@Nola
Reuploaded. Unfortunately, can't see any attachement button on the site ;O
 
Farview said:
The only answer is to get a mic that puts out more signal.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't a fethead help him out? it's +20db clean gain before the focusrite

That might be a better buy than a new mic since he can use it on all his dynamics, especially if he gets a ribbon down the road.
 
Rosario said:
I made a test... I was recording and turning the gain down at the same time. The noise is noticable when the gain is beyond 3 o'clock. Any lower position causes no noise.
Click to expand...

that sounds completely normal and matches my experience with the focusrite preamps, and i think generally the issue with cheaper preamps.

let's see what farview says, but i got a fethead, and to me it helps things out. though, it does cause impedance issues that change mic character.
 
That would be good, but it's hard to get any fethead's gear in my country ;/ any substitues?

@Nola
Poland
 
Rosario said:
That would be good, but it's hard to get any fetheads gear in my country ;/ any substitues?
Click to expand...

which country are you in?
i think cloudlifter is popular, but it requires its own power source. i like the fethead b/c it's less clutter. you can order a fethead from nohypeaudio online. that guy is great and makes good ribbon mics, too.
 
Rosario said:
Can you give any link/info about the fethead preamp model that I would buy? Important, has to be USB
Click to expand...

you would just need the standard for a dynamic mic.

Triton Audio Products, Hand Made in Holland - Available at NoHype Audio

The impedance on the fetheads tend to "open" the mic up a bit, so keep that in mind. So on a ribbon mic it would be a little more high end/less dark with a fethead in-line. That's been my experience. Research them a little. I think youtube has videos.
 
It would be good, cause my mic and guitar make the sound more dark, so I need to boost around 11kHz to get the tone a lil bit brighter.

I'd have to plug it into a mixer/interface with another cable, right?
 
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Rosario said:
I'd have to plug it into a mixer/interface, right?
Click to expand...

No, it plugs right in between your xlr cable and the mic. The fethead will be plugged into your mic. The female end will go into the male end of the mic, and the other end goes into the xlr. What plugs into the interface is the other end of the xlr cable.

Check out videos about it on youtube to see if it will work for you. here's a video, but there are a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNOkuqMwhcY
 
Thanks for your advice. I'll consider bying it, but don't feel good with spending more money ;D I'd be pleased with getting any substitue for focusrite scarlett solo with lower noise, but that would be hard to achieve, I guess... Even a condenser mic... would not be suitable for my room ;/
 
Nola said:
Wouldn't a fethead help him out? it's +20db clean gain before the focusrite

That might be a better buy than a new mic since he can use it on all his dynamics, especially if he gets a ribbon down the road.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure i would suggest a $90 fix for a $70 mic and a $125 interface. For $90 you could get a cheap condenser that will just work (probably better) in this situation.

If you had the 57 on a raging guitar amp, you wouldn't have this problem. Recording a quiet thing with a quiet mic is the actual problem here.
 
I haven't bought a mic in that price range for decades, I will have to defer to someone else. That being said, I'll bet all of the mics in that price range are essentially the same mic with a different brand name on it.
 
Yea I'm thinking about AT2020. Today I sent back my shure and am waiting for a response if I can get AT2020 instead. It sound pretty good with my guitar (checked on youtube)
 
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