Background noise/Live cover recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chummy
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Chummy

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Hey guys, my equips are as follows:


-Behringer C-1 XLR compressor Microphone, with Apex pop filter

-Lexicon Alpha Sound card, connected to my win7 PC laptop (HP firm) computer

- Pro audio Starvoice PM-6 mixer, which is basically a cheap plastic Mackie VLZ copy. 6 Channel mixer.



I plugged my Mic into Channel 1 mixer, turned on Phantom power. Then, my mixer goes through to my Lexicon Alpha via the main out>line in (2 cables) and then the Lexicon > computer via USB connection.



Here's a recording I made via Windows movie maker webcam capture (using the Lexicon in/out).

For some reason I am getting ALOT of background noise so I have to reduce volume levels and then you can barely hear anything. My mixer has a slider and also a GAIN knob in the Mic channel, the Lexicon has Line1 instr' and Line2 Mic. Also it has output level. I just messed around with my options not knowing which one should I turn on/amplify/reduce whatever. All this equips and for what? Sorry for my blabbing :smileyhappy:



Here's a recording I made with all the stuff. My goal is to reduce background noise and up and volume level. Hope you'd help me guys. thanks.
 
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Only google info on that mixer was in strange languages. Your basic problem - cheap mic into cheap mixer into cheap interface. Get a decent audio interface with built-in phantom power and mic preamp and you will notice a difference.
 
If by "background noise" you mean room noise, you might have forgot to change the audio input settings on Windows Movie Maker. I know you said that you used the Lexicon in/out, but maybe it wasn't applied in that WMM. I've done quick little recordings like that before where I thought it was correct, but wasn't. If that isn't it, try to get your levels set in order: Put your fader at unity and adjust gain up. If your signal isn't hot enough, you be amplifying noise into WMM.

Hopefully that helps. If not, you probably have a problem with your pop filter.
 
Thanks to everyone who replied.

Thing is, I noticed some strange things. For instance, when I sing or even SCREAM (just to test) at the mic even from a close distance the led light bar in the mixer barely goes up. To fix that I have to up the gain then it is okay but I get a strong static noise. Also, my headphones are connected to my computer's headphone jack because IDK where to connect them to (I can also connect them to my Lexicon but then I hear a strong static noise in my headphones and also other things going on in the room such as mouse clicks etc.)

I'm beginning to think that the problem is not in my audio equipment (I was at an acquaintance's house and he uses like 10$ mic with obviously bad quality but no static background noise hooked up into his Karaoke box) but rather in my Win7 settings. I can't find any Microphone boost option to disable but I bet there's something there I'm missing. I'd thank you if you help me to get my settings right...

In playback devices there's no Lexicon Alpha... Only in Recording devices BTW.

:O
 
You've just messed up the gain settings, you can't just mess around to do it, and if you wear headphones when you do it, you should hear the results. On your little mixer, plug in the mic, turn phantom on and then raise the channel gain until the led flashes on the loud peaks, then back it off slightly till it doesn't. Then set the output fader to o on the scale, about ¾ ish. Then on the lexicon raise the input gain to give a decent level without distorting, you should see this on the lexicon and the computer software meters. If you want to playback through the lexicon then I'm surprised there isn't a lexicon driver showing on the computer, but if you manage to record at least you are recording decent quality. You have probably got the gain too low on the mixer so it has to be too high on the lexicon, that's where the noise is coming. I did not listen to your track because no way am I downloading something from a Dropbox that doesn't make the file type obvious and needs a code typing in. No doubt legit but I don't mind playing music, but I don't download from unknown sources, too risky.
 
Fair enough Rob,

I think you're right and that may be the problem. I'm at work right now so I'll check it out when I'm home and update.

While recording and playing back, where should I hook my monitoring headphones? I tried mixer, Lexicon and computer jack with the computer jack being the best for my knowledge but again I am probably doing something wrong.
 
Hey guys I reinstalled Lexicon Alpha's drivers from their site and did what rob said, and also hooked my phones to the Alpha and it WORKED!!

I know that my setup is cheap, especially my Mic (and my mixer).... so I do notice that when recording... I bet it's my cheapo mic doing its cheapo job. I might be thinking of upgrating my setup like mjbphotos said.

Thank you peeps :)
 
There is nothing at all wrong with the C1 mic. price for price it can do very well, and hold it's own. It's rather nice, actually, for recording 6 string steel strung guitars - it seems to do that quite well, and it's also a pretty good drum overhead.
 
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