Little electric clicky noises recording DI bass

[JAPOV]

Seems to me, if it was a static problem, you'd be able to make the click sounds just by lightly touching any metal part of the bass.
Having to play specific notes screams "frequency" issue...
I'm thinking interface.

 

[Monkey Allen]

You've got a gremlin in the works. The waveform has lots of nasty little miscoding in it - the ones that line up with starts of notes are just more obvious - but they seem to be random bits of noise, or VERY steep jumps in the levels - and speakers cannot cope with these nor the electronics so the little clicks are the harmonics from the very sharp almost square wave start.

Cause wise? probably not levels, because those clips were modest in amplitude - so probably either a dodgy driver, which could always be removed or updated as a start, or a proper hardware fault - but that would be rare, I think. If you plug the DI output into some other device that would either click or not click. Not clicking points again to the AD process but if it did click, then if it's an active DI - could that be the problem? I don't think it's static, despite sounding like it - but the waveform suggests something else. If both pickups do it, discount the bass, and look for electronics.

Ok, thanks for this. I'll have to carefully read your comments and digest them and then see if I can do some troubleshooting with regards to your points.

I had a listen. Now I’m doubting the static theory being the cause of the clicks.
(Although, shielding the p/g is still a good idea)


So now, it feels like we’re in the twilight zone episode.


I remember back in the earlier days of cellphones weird stuff happening.

I’d be working while listening to the stereo and would hear some strange electronic noises coming through the speakers.

Then 2 seconds later my phone would ring. I started noticing this being quite a regular phenomenon. This would do this with any visitor’s phones as well.

So fast forward to late 2023. A buddy stops by with the latest iPhone in tow, as he always does. A walking loyal Apple advertisement he is.

But let’s get to the point. We’re checking out a new guitar of his........and wait for it......

I hear a ticking noise coming through the amp!!! Twilight zone stuff.

He says, “oh, that’s just my phone” and moves it away. The ticking immediately stops

So in closing, I don’t know what your clicking problem is, even though I thought I did yesterday.

I do know, in this time and space, we are bombarded with all kind of electronic garbage floating around.

Just food for thought.

Yeah, there's lots of interference around these days and electronic garbage. Not being able to consistently repeat the clicks makes it really hard to get to the bottom of what's going on. I'd hate to think my RME Fireface UFX 2 is faulty. I checked the drivers and flash stuff and it's all up to date and current. So the search for answers continues.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Seems to me, if it was a static problem, you'd be able to make the click sounds just by lightly touching any metal part of the bass.
Having to play specific notes screams "frequency" issue...
I'm thinking interface.

Right, but it isn't really specific notes. If I gave that impression that's my bad. Sometimes I feel like if the fleshy part of the hand connects two strings then that's a cause...but yeah...not repeatable. I've DI'd this bass numerous times and got through sessions where the clicking doesn't occur or is very infrequent. Other times it's prominent to the extent that you can't record. Many times I'll do a passage and go listen back and I hear some of the clicks. I'll delete the take and re-do it until I get a take with no clicks. But yeah, sorry if I misled there on the 'specific notes' thing. That's not really the case.

 

[Ujn Hunter]

Do you have any other way to record that bass direct that isn't the RME Fireface UFX 2? Just to rule that out?

 

[Monkey Allen]

Do you have any other way to record that bass direct that isn't the RME Fireface UFX 2? Just to rule that out?

Yeah I do. I have an RME Babybface but not installed on this PC. I have it hooked up to a laptop. I could try recording through it DI.

 

[rob aylestone]

The thing that leads me to doubt static is the fact that most clicks are aligned with notes. Static would be random - there are a few random impulses, but most happen on the transition of no sound, to sound. Touching the strings can be a discharge point, but it's hard to not have a ground path with your left or right hands. Like when we have a buzzy guitar with no hands touching - your left or right hand easily initiates grounding. My view of the waveform suggests a big jump in digitised levels from silent to loud when the notes are 'twanged'. mis-sampling errors. Digital values taking a huge sudden hike.

 

[Monkey Allen]

The thing that leads me to doubt static is the fact that most clicks are aligned with notes. Static would be random - there are a few random impulses, but most happen on the transition of no sound, to sound. Touching the strings can be a discharge point, but it's hard to not have a ground path with your left or right hands. Like when we have a buzzy guitar with no hands touching - your left or right hand easily initiates grounding. My view of the waveform suggests a big jump in digitised levels from silent to loud when the notes are 'twanged'. mis-sampling errors. Digital values taking a huge sudden hike.

Yeah you're making a lot of sense. I guess I should head on over to RME and post a thread on their forums. By the way, I'm always very impressed by fellas like you taking the time to throw audio clips into your DAW for a look-see. Appreciate that!

 

[rob aylestone]

First thing is to make sure you're on the latest drivers and stuff? I guess it could also be maybe linked to buffer size? but that type of click is usually randomly placed?

 

[TalismanRich]

Like Rob, I looked at the waveforms but it's really tough to find those really small crackles in the middle of the wave. But it was easy to see a couple before the first note was even picked, which I would think is something induced. I'm assuming that these are the clicks I am hearing. At that point, the waveform is nowhere close to a condition that one would expect missampling. It's not close to clipping.

Strange......

 

[Monkey Allen]

First thing is to make sure you're on the latest drivers and stuff? I guess it could also be maybe linked to buffer size? but that type of click is usually randomly placed?

Yeah, all latest updated stuff. And buffer size is nowhere near low. I'm looking into the possibility of some kind of USB port snafu. But this issue existed on my old laptop too. Which would mean if it is USB related that'd be 2 bad USB ports in a row on 2 different machines producing the same problem. Unlikely? Maybe. The room I record in is 8x9ft with many, many...many audio cables etc for all my studio gear. Some kind of interference? Not sure. I've made a thread at some bass forums and at RME. Haven't had the time to look into stuff lately. But will get back to it soon enough.

Like Rob, I looked at the waveforms but it's really tough to find those really small crackles in the middle of the wave. But it was easy to see a couple before the first note was even picked, which I would think is something induced. I'm assuming that these are the clicks I am hearing. At that point, the waveform is nowhere close to a condition that one would expect missampling. It's not close to clipping.

View attachment 135326

Strange......

Hey Talisman. Thanks for looking into the wav. So by "induced" what are you getting at? Your point about not being close to missampling. Interesting. And no, the recorded track was well under clipping. I think it may have been -18dbfs or something. Don't quote me on the figures but when I recorded the examples I was well under clipping. Not even close.

 

[TalismanRich]

I've had crackles due to excessive level, and the waveforms look nothing like what you have. In the middle of the wave, the wave can "invert" with some AD converters, so it looks like the signal suddenly goes from 100% to -100%. It looked like this:

Your spikes don't look like this, and the level is miniscule compared to what I got with severe clipping. So when I say "induced" it refers to things like static, not anything in the AD/DA process. Now, the fact that it shows up with two different computers (and assuming you've used different cables) seems to rule out anything AFTER the output of the interface. Could it be something internal to the RME. Unless your computer was incredibly slow, I don't see it as being a buffer issue, and you can eliminate that by cranking up to 256 just for a test.

So, now we're narrowed down to a defective RMI, a defective guitar cable, or something in the guitar itself. I'll try to record some static from one of my guitars and you can let me know if you think it sounds and looks similar.

 

[Papanate]

So, now we're narrowed down to a defective RMI, a defective guitar cable, or something in the guitar itself. I'll try to record some static from one of my guitars and you can let me know if you think it sounds and looks similar.

Right - if it was a defective RM or Guitar CableI it would do it on all the strings - it is probably the Bass - and somehow he is touching the strings to the pickup or making some contact on the strings.

 

[mark skinner]

From the wavforms posted , it seems to me like you don't even have to be playing it to get those clicks. I would just start recording and start doing things like wiggeling the jack , turning off and on anything in your room that could be introducing interfearence. Try different wall sockets etc.. Try the bass on your laptop with the baby face . A lot of things could be causing it and one by one should be eliminated . Good luck. ms

 

[TalismanRich]

Well, Monkey, I failed. I pulled out the guitar that always gave me the most grief, and couldn't get a hint of static out of it. It might be because I've used the dryer sheets on it in the past, or the fact that I'm running a humidifier that is drinking about 2-3 gallons of water a day, and the humidity right now measures 47% here in the basement. Maybe it's both, but I played for 15 minutes with my fingers scraping on the pickguard and never got a crackle!

If it does crop up again when the weather gets dry I'll give it another shot (it's in the 50s now and rained 2 of the past 3 days and more is supposed to come).

 

[Monkey Allen]

Will get back to this when I can. Thanks Talisman and others. I'll be back.