Bass Guitar (PJ Pickup) NOISE!

[ecc83]

So sad and strange! There is no ATTACH FILE option provided after jumped in to advance option! Btw, android chrome browser is in action.

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Can't attach due to no file attachment option! ��

You say there is no way to attach files in Android Chrome browser? That seems odd and surely something wrong in the setup?
I put Chrome on another DT PC just last night (W7) but have not as yet tried to attach anything. I want shot of Fire fox and ulrimately Yahoo and BT who host my email address. For a price!! I shall ultimately be here under a new address.

Glad you are sorted tho'but.

Dave.

Sorry for the double post. This happened last night on another forum. Fire fox SNAFU?

 

[Guitargodgt]

I have a couple of Jazz basses and they are noisy, especially if you don't run both pickups full bore. Both have proper shielding, they are just susceptible to noise by nature of thier design.

 

[mactreouser]

I have a couple of Jazz basses and they are noisy, especially if you don't run both pickups full bore. Both have proper shielding, they are just susceptible to noise by nature of thier design.

Hi dude, can't you attached the noise sample mp3? Or, you are facing the same issue (no file attachment available) like me?

 

[mactreouser]

I was having a simple Bass Guitar recording today. No matter went thru DI Box or Direct line in to audio interface (Hi-Z), there was a consistently noise!

I did some test, recording on another USB Mixer, Used another DI Box, Cable in Balanced or Unbalanced, Ground Lift or Not, sprayed WD40 to those contacts ...Noise didn't go away!

Then, I tried to turn the volume knob and tone knob. When Straight/Single Coil knob turned all the way down, noise (doooooo...) disappeared! When I turn the tone knob all the way down, another type of noise disappeared (electric/dirty noise).

Hope to hear from you and your help are really appreciated!

** I would like to attach the Noise MP3 but I can't find the attachment option, hope you could lead me!

View attachment NOISE test (bass guitar).mp3

Finally, I'm able to proceed for the attachment! Just a trick, enable Full Site

 

[keith.rogers]

View attachment 103980

Finally, I'm able to proceed for the attachment! Just a trick, enable Full Site

Which noise are you hearing? The low frequency (AC hum territory) or the high pitch (1kHz area - CFL? bad USB convert?), or both?

When you say USB mixer and DI, what are the pieces that are different from the acoustic guitar test?

Are the USB mixers set to record at 24-bit?

It sounds like your bass is picking up something, because the noise content is always there, though it would be best to do the same test with a different bass for comparison.

This is the spectrum of just the noise component, i.e., after bass tones are silent (from audacity):

 

[WooolfSounds]

View attachment 103980

Finally, I'm able to proceed for the attachment! Just a trick, enable Full Site

The noise is low-level. It's a high-pitched tone, possibly stemming from a PC or a fan or something like that.

Does it become more or less if you move the bass around in the room? You can find the source that way (if it's electromagnetic(EM) interference). I believe chances are high that it's EM radiation on the pickup as the noise disappears when turning down the volume on the bass.

I think it won't be noticeable in a mix, the sound of bit-crushing or sample rate 'aliasing' while notes are sounding might be a bigger issue

Also if you still want to remove the noise from a recording , a narrow EQ notch can help as it sounds like a stable sine wave on a specific frequency.

 

[CoolCat]

wow that's a strange noise in the sound clip. Its more like a single freq used in ear tests?

or a feedback type single-freq noise. strange?


I checked my single coil vs p-bass humbucker and it was the normal noisy single coil, and the p-humbucker was dead silent.....but neither sounded like that TONE in your clip.

 

[mactreouser]

Which noise are you hearing? The low frequency (AC hum territory) or the high pitch (1kHz area - CFL? bad USB convert?), or both?

When you say USB mixer and DI, what are the pieces that are different from the acoustic guitar test?

Are the USB mixers set to record at 24-bit?

It sounds like your bass is picking up something, because the noise content is always there, though it would be best to do the same test with a different bass for comparison.

This is the spectrum of just the noise component, i.e., after bass tones are silent (from audacity):
View attachment 103981

Thanks for help!
Hum wasn't an issue to me, but the other noise that when I turned down the pickup volume it disappeared.

The Acoustic Guitar test that I mentioned was the same set of setup as the bass. Just grabbed the bass cable and plugged in to the acoustic guitar.

Yup, USB Audio Interface set to 24bit

 

[mactreouser]

The noise is low-level. It's a high-pitched tone, possibly stemming from a PC or a fan or something like that.

Does it become more or less if you move the bass around in the room? You can find the source that way (if it's electromagnetic(EM) interference). I believe chances are high that it's EM radiation on the pickup as the noise disappears when turning down the volume on the bass.

I think it won't be noticeable in a mix, the sound of bit-crushing or sample rate 'aliasing' while notes are sounding might be a bigger issue

Also if you still want to remove the noise from a recording , a narrow EQ notch can help as it sounds like a stable sine wave on a specific frequency.

Appreciate your help!

Stemming from PC or Fan ~~ I was far away even out of room but noise still captured. Erm... There was no FAN in the room (other than fan in the Mac)

Far or near, it's remaining the same. Exactly, when Straigh/Single Coil Pickup turned down, it disappeared. The noise doesn't picked up by the neck pickup.

"the sound of bit-crushing or sample rate 'aliasing' while notes are sounding might be a bigger issue" what does it mean and how to deal with?

Yup, I planned to scoop down the specific frequency! In fact, I'm afraid it might affected the color of the bass.

** as you see, it wasn't pickup broken?

 

[ecc83]

Rightmark Analyser give a clear picture of the noise, just a sniff above 1kHz.

The 50Hz hum is quite evident, this is after the playing and I presume the bass had been "parked".

No idea what it is I am afraid. Looks for all the world like a cheap, 16 bit converter running Windows. Not of course.

Dave.

 

[keith.rogers]

Appreciate your help!

Stemming from PC or Fan ~~ I was far away even out of room but noise still captured. Erm... There was no FAN in the room (other than fan in the Mac)

Far or near, it's remaining the same. Exactly, when Straigh/Single Coil Pickup turned down, it disappeared. The noise doesn't picked up by the neck pickup.

"the sound of bit-crushing or sample rate 'aliasing' while notes are sounding might be a bigger issue" what does it mean and how to deal with?

Yup, I planned to scoop down the specific frequency! In fact, I'm afraid it might affected the color of the bass.

** as you see, it wasn't pickup broken?

I went back and read your initial response to my question about whether the wiring/lighting in the space you're in is clean, and I'm not sure I got a straight answer. Is the circuit free of CFLs and dimmers?

If it's happening when you move out of the room, then I'm guessing the noise is either in the wall plugs, PC or interface power supply, or entering the guitar cable/componentry that is still in the room (and not shielded well enough), and not via the single coil pickup itself. The pickup is just failing to cancel out that noise...

 

[Guitargodgt]

Fender American Jazz bass. Direct recording through a BBE Bmax preamp. Clips goes both pickups, bridge only pickup, neck only pickup, both for a short time again at the end.

 

[mactreouser]

I went back and read your initial response to my question about whether the wiring/lighting in the space you're in is clean, and I'm not sure I got a straight answer. Is the circuit free of CFLs and dimmers?

If it's happening when you move out of the room, then I'm guessing the noise is either in the wall plugs, PC or interface power supply, or entering the guitar cable/componentry that is still in the room (and not shielded well enough), and not via the single coil pickup itself. The pickup is just failing to cancel out that noise...

Did you mean "Ground Loop Issue" ? I'm just wondering, for that's not Buzz, Hum even Hiss! That's why I've no idea what and how to proceed the experimentation/troubleshoot.

Now, Mac & Playback Mixer are Grounded (3 Pins Socket) Audio Interface with 2 Pins Socket (originally). If really caused by the Audio Interface, it supposed having the same noise issue when I plugged in my Acoustic Guitar, wasn't it? But, it was clean and clear! Surprise or shock? ?

Additional, I brought the bass to another room with another set of recording set, same noise issue appears!

 

[CoolCat]

wow...so it is the Bass it seems.

if the acoustic guitar is clean, same cable, same interface and same pc & mixer, same outlets....the odd dog out is the bass.

do you have another bass around?

like ecc83 graph, that tone about 1khz is like some tone generator, 1khz... pretty loud.

what will you do next?

 

[mactreouser]

wow...so it is the Bass it seems.

if the acoustic guitar is clean, same cable, same interface and same pc & mixer, same outlets....the odd dog out is the bass.

do you have another bass around?

like ecc83 graph, that tone about 1khz is like some tone generator, 1khz... pretty loud.

what will you do next?

Yup dude, exactly Tone Generator likes! ?
I have no idea what to do before suggested by some better idea!
So, it was the pickup problem?

 

[CoolCat]

Do you have the ferrite chokes on your USB cable?

 

[mactreouser]

Do you have the ferrite chokes on your USB cable?

Nope! What can I do? Possible to DIY?

 

[CoolCat]

you can probably find one in a junk drawer around here...they come free with a lot of stuff.
its something to try but probably nothing.

the test data you have points to the Bass pickups due to the same USB cable works fine with your acoustic/electric guitar.

probably.... never mind on the chokes...

 

[mactreouser]

you can probably find one in a junk drawer around here...they come free with a lot of stuff.
its something to try but probably nothing.

the test data you have points to the Bass pickups due to the same USB cable works fine with your acoustic/electric guitar.

probably.... never mind on the chokes...

Will try to look/search around!
So, as you meant, it perhaps the pickup problem?

 

[RFR]

It's sounding to me like what has changed is your ears. You are now hearing what has always been there.

The p bass pickup is to some degree hum cancelling. The jazz bass pickup is not. It's ALWAYS going to pick up noise of some type. Count your blessings that it's not a big single coil like a p90.

You're running a bunch of gear that may be magnifying noise, and you may have power issues and other things in the ac line that are generating noise as well.

Sometimes just plugging into a different outlet can help dramatically.

So for solutions.
Maybe some kind of power conditioning strip, maybe moving locations and plugging into different outlets.
A noise gate would help.

Or the simplest solution. Not use the jazz bass pickup pickup.

Good luck.