A couple of issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter Molle
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Molle

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Hi,

I'm pretty new to audio recording and just got my audio interface set up today. My mic is running through my AI (Creative E-MU Tracker Pre) and into my DAW (Logic X) great, but when I plug my electric guitar into the audio interface a lot of background noise appears. I've tried making sure the cable probably inserted in both ends, but it doesn't change anything. I'm not currently running my guitar through a direct box but i plan on buying one soon, would this change anything?

Does anyone know how what might be the issue?
 
Not familiar with your interface. Does it have an "instrument in"? Or are you plugged into the "line input"?
 
8710.webpIt has two I/O with pre amps and phantom. I've tried both inputs which are combined XLR and Jack inputs (with jack and in middle and XLR around it if you know what I'm talking about). It also has two 'inserts' that seem to be regular jack inputs. The inserts don't seem to provide any signal to the DAW when i plug my guitar in to one of them.
 
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Yeah, you do not have instrument in, thats why the noisy low signal. You need a I box to change signal levels to the correct levels your interface wants to see. An electric guitar cannot drive a line input unaided.
 
Are HiZ inputs not for direct guitars? It should work fine into those.

Make sure you're plugging the guitar in with the regular quarter inch to quarter inch cable, no adapters.

If it's still noisy try a DI box that converts from hiZ to low impedance microphone XLR.
 
I know this is a really stupid question, but are you sure you're using an instrument cable?

Hi-Z is for guitars. Be sure to set your gain so the -12 lights are flashing when you play. That should be about the right level for your guitar.
 
The -12 light never lights up when I'm playing. I don't know what to change other than the volume control on the guitar it self and the pre amp gain adjuster, I think the only solution might be a DI box to convert the signal. Wouldn't a DI box be beneficial sound quality wise anyway?

Thanks for the responses :)

And yes I'm using a standard instrument cable.
 
You mentioned Logic, are you using a mac? If so, try another computer or get the optional power supply. Some macs do not supply enough current through the USB port. This usually shows up as a problem with a condenser mic, but maybe not always.

You should be turning all knobs up on guitar and interface. Can you describe specifically what the noise sounds like or perhaps post a clip?

A DI box might help, but in reality, you shouldn't need it for guitar. Have yuou contacted Creative?
 
Probably not. The DI box will just turn the guitar down so that you need even more gain at the interface. Can you describe the noise at all? Is it a hiss or a buzz? Exactly how loud is it compared to the sound from playing the strings? Guitars are inherently noisy.
 
Wouldn't it be weird if the usb supply could supply power for the AI and Phantom but not the guitar? I am recording on a Macbook Pro, but I don't have the power supply, since I got the interface from a friend who had lost it. - I have not contacted Creative yet since i wasn't sure it was the AI that was the problem.

I have made a small test recording for you since it's hard for me to describe the noise in details. The first 6 clips (all the same theme played twice) were recorded with my acoustic western guitar, but with the same plug in (it has a cable output like normal electric guitars). The first 3 ones were with the most neutral digital amplifier (Acoustic Picking) i could find, and the next 3 ones are with an electric guitar digital amplifier but also very clean setting (Clean Room). Throughout the test recording I've set the pre-amp to 0 on the first recording, halfway up on the second and 3/4s on the third.
The last 6 clips were recorded with my electric guitar, but with the exact same composition of pre-amp adjustment and digital amplifiers (I don't know what else to call it, but it's just a setting that alters the sound of the recorded guitar)

Since i can't post the URL (forum prevents me) i'll have to ask you to go to Soundcloud (.com) and search for "Mathias Mollerup". I will be the first user to pop up, and i've uploaded the noise test here.

I've noticed that the -12 starts flashing when the pre-gain is really high (around the 3/4s), don't know what that tells you.
 
:facepalm:

OP-Chances are you're just picking up noise from something close by.
It doesn't happen with the acoustic because it uses a mic - Not EM pickups.

Electric guitars pick up interference - They just do, so move away from anything with a transformer.
Turn off anything you don't need, including lights and especially dimmers.

If that's no good, try another electric guitar to rule out a wiring problem with your own.
 
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I tried turning off all the power switches in the room, which actually helped quite a bit. There's still some noise (especially if I use a distorted digital amplifier), but I guess there'd always be with my relatively low grade equipment? - I don't have access to another electric guitar off the bat, and I don't think I know anybody who would lent me theirs, so I guess I won't be able to test whether my guitar is making it worse or not (I'm using a Gibson SG Special)
 
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Ok, fair enough
If you can't get another guitar set everything up so you can hear buzz, then move the guitar around.
Mute the strings but keep the volume up. Use your guitar as a 'scanner' and listen for changes in noise.

Keep in mind, it's probably something close to where you normally play guitar.

Assuming the guitar wiring is sound, I bet you'll find a desk lamp/screen/something that's causing most of the interference.
Using an amp for distortion will always bring out the buzz so don't worry too much about that. Just worry about finding the source.

My motu 828 has a transformer built in and sits at about waist height in a rack. I have to move back a few feet to play e-guitar.
 
Soundcloud search returns nothing. Can you get some idea of the relative levels on your DAW meters? What's the reading when not playing compared to when you are?

If it's normal passive guitar noise then it has nothing really to do with "low grade equipment". If you plug an antenna into an amplifier, and the amplifier plays back what the antenna picks up, is it because the amp is doing something wrong?

It is possible that there's a wiring issue in your guitar, but that would normally be enough noise to make playing the thing almost impossible. Does the noise change when you touch the strings or the bridge? Does it change as you move the guitar around? Have you tried a different instrument cable? It is a good idea to try to find the worst noise sources in your studio and move either them or your guitar.

You also might try shielding the control cavity if your up for it.
 
Molle said:
I've noticed that the -12 starts flashing when the pre-gain is really high (around the 3/4s), don't know what that tells you.
Click to expand...

Having it around 3/4 up isn't significant in itself. What matters is you getting the right level into your interface. If it needs to be all the way up, then turn it all the way up. And if it needs to be all the way down, then turn it all the way down. The manufacturer put the -12 lights so you can set it to where it needs to be. Keep the -12 flashing or steady on, but do not let the Clip light up. Put the knob where it needs to be to accomplish that.

About the noise: Sounds to me like it's the guitar. It's picking up interference from something. Maybe you're too close to your computer or maybe there's a bad solder connection or component. This past summer I replaced the cable jack on one guitar because it wouldn't stop buzzing. You don't think things like that could fail, but they do.

Steeno is giving good advice on how to find the cause.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll find the problem.
 
The noise doesn't change when I touch the bridge or strings, however if I touch my computer with one hand and the strings with the other, the noise disappears (almost entirely). I've placing the computer and the guitar in the far ends of the corners of the room, but the noise stays exactly the same.

With the pre-amp turned all the way down and all the power sockets turned off, my DAW measures the interference to about 1/3 of the meter as constant noise. (If you wanna find the noise test, that however was recorded with the power sockets turned on, go to soundcloud and paste " /mathias-mollerup/guitar-noise-test " after it and you should have the complete link)

So generally I need to find and eliminate sources of noise.?
 
If touching the computer chassis and touching the strings more or less completely eliminates the noise, and moving around the room makes no difference, I'd be inclined to think it's a wiring issue.

Difficult as it may be, you need to get a known-to-work electric guitar and try it out.
If there are no problems, take your own guitar to a tech and get the earthing sorted out.
 
arcaxis said:
I had an issue a while back that slips my mind of all the details, but what it amounted to is that the USB connection in the computer
Click to expand...

This is a situation I've been in before.
With me it's always been with laptops, and it's usually 99% 'remedied' by running on battery.
As you describe, though, a long term solution was to find some way to manually mains-ground the interface.
I didn't have the problem with mains powered interfaces - Only bus powered ones.

I did the same jack trick as you as a test, after which I made a mains plug to TS jack, wiring only the mains/shield. (UK has a ground pin - Don't try this at home)

Having said that the symptom was buzzing all the time - Not just with guitars. I'd get it with mics etc too.
In my experience using the wall wart for the interface made no odds since it's isolated from mains ground anyway, just like the laptop transformer.

Having said having said that, OP, if the noise goes away when you touch certain things, there's almost certainly some sort of grounding issue so anything (safe) is worth trying.
 
Molle!!!
Do NOT EVER go around "grabbing things electrical to diagnose faults! ESPECIALLY when you are pretty sure there IS a fault! Ok, there was probably little danger in this case but...Get out of the habit P...D...EFFING Q!!! One day, some place, the ground differences will be 115volts (or if you are REALLY lucky, a proper 230 volts)

As to the noise, I agree looks a s tho' you have a duff cable somewhere, my bet would be the guitar cable.

Dave.
 
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