Electric Guitar Noise/Feedback recording help

J

Justin Farrell

New member
Hey everyone, I'm new to this site and new and I'm having a big issue with recording guitars. I've been playing a long time, but I'm knew to home recording and pro audio. The main problem is, I'm getting a lot of hum when I use any kind of gain at all. I'm mostly trying to do real heavy metal guitars so it's a big issue. Here's a quick breakdown of the setup starting from the guitar to where I plug in next all the way to the computer. When I turn the gain off and use clean tones, there's nothing...but once I stop playing the guitar the hum is there with any kind of gain. Here's my setup right now:

1) Guitars ESP LTD EC-1000 with EMG 81 bridge, EMG 60 Neck pickups
Gibson Explorer with Seymour Duncan Dimebucker/Alnico II
2) Kirk Hammett Signature Dunlop Wah Pedal
3) Boise Noise Suppressor Pedal
4) Line 6 Pod 2.0
5) Pro Tools M-Audio MobilePre Audio Interface, connected via USB to
6) iMac Computer with Pro Tools MP 9 software

I've tried switching out cables, guitars, direct to the interface, direct to the Pod 2.0, everything I can think of. I've even tried using garageband instead of Pro Tools and still get the same results.

Again, thanks so much to everyone who has any help.
 
As with any electrical problem you have to isolate the component(s) that are causing the problem. Most likely it's a mis-matched impedance, if not a ground loop. Start with just the MobilePre and a guitar, add each of the pedals and the POD separately 1 at a time. Go from the Pod to your computer, try the pedals one at a time. Using which components where, where does the hum appear?
 
Hi Justin,
You might just be suffering the fate that many long term players find when they try recording, the fact that electric guitars are noisy beggars! (so are many guitar amps and there is really no excuse for that these days). Then there is the problem that computer recording is SO quiet that any noise intrusion sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb!

But yes, as has been said. K.I.S.S. Run just guitar/AI/computer. Does the hum change in intensity as the guitar is swung around? If so you are picking up stray fields from transformers, wiring. Wall rats and "line lumps" are terrible for this. The only solution is to keep your distance from interfering sources. Humbucker pups help but are the guitars screened? Is the bridge bonded to jack earth? (should be).

Expectation. You might know that the maximum recording level on a computer is 0dB FS (full scale) . You will be lucky in my experience to get guitar noise much lower than -75dBFS. Recording should be done at an average of -18dBFS and so a bit of noise is almost inevitable. Post recording EQ and other tricks can reduce the subjective effect as will mixing the guitar with other instruments....It is however a battle we all face.

Dave.
 
make sure ALL the gear is plugged into the same outlet. That'll mostly eliminate groundloops.
 
Justin Farrell said:
3) Boise Noise Suppressor Pedal
Click to expand...

Did you mean a Boss NS-2 pedal? If so, are you using the loop on it? It doesn't do shit if you don't run your pedals (in this case your POD) through the send(out) > effects device > return (in) and then output to your audio interface. I don't know much about PODS, but I own the NS-2. I doubt you are getting much high gain noise from your wah, so I would try to put the POD in the NS-2's effects loop if the POD doesn't already have an onboard noise gate/suppressor. I'm assuming by hum you are talking about high frequency hiss. If not, it could be lighting or grounding causing it.
 
Thanks for that tip on the NS-2, I'm going to try that when I get home first and if that doesn't solve it. I'm going to start from the beginning with the tips everyone else here has left...Just to verify, should I hook it up like this:

Guitar to Wah, Wah to NS-2 INPUT jack, SEND jack to the POD rather than the OUTPUT jack?
 
Man, I can't thank you enough. I did what you said and ran the NS-2 through the pod with the send/return and the noise is 100% gone. Everything is absolutely perfect. I spent most of my days playing through a Marshall stack with a footswitch and so new to this pro audio world, but you saved me here and put me in the right direction. Again, thanks so much!!!
 
Justin Farrell said:
Man, I can't thank you enough. I did what you said and ran the NS-2 through the pod with the send/return and the noise is 100% gone. Everything is absolutely perfect. I spent most of my days playing through a Marshall stack with a footswitch and so new to this pro audio world, but you saved me here and put me in the right direction. Again, thanks so much!!!
Click to expand...

No problem, man.
 
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