beginner question

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rlimon

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when i plug my keyboard into the soundcard and record audio, does the sound that the cmoputer makes while on affect my audio recording sound, or does the sound card only hear my plugged in keyboard, and not the computers fan or whatever it is.

i'm trying to determine my hissing sound on audio recordings.

thanks
 
If you are plugged right into the sound card, with no microphones hooked up, the fan noise etc. *should* not be the problem....

The monitor on your computer may be interfereing with the keyboard somewhat. If the sound vanishes when you move the keyboard away from the monitor, then that's the problem. (It's possible that the fan could do this also, even without mics involved; electric motors always emit some radio waves.)

The hissing may also be the noise floor of the keyboard (if it's a cheaper model), the "natural" noise it makes when "on" but not being played. Maybe the level of the keyboard is too low (volume boost on low signal will raise all background noise also)--or too high (the keyboard's noise floor comes through).

Unfortunately, hiss can come from myraid sources (and often from more than one source at a time!). You might have to futz around a bit to find where it's coming from.

How loud is this hiss? Many "pro" recordings have detectable hiss on them-- it's just REALLY quiet.
 
hissing

thanks for the posting. the hiss is loud enough that it annoys me. could it be my soundcard? i think i have an COXANT Riptide??? i'm thinking of the audiophile if it willl eliminate hissing. i have a n1 keyboard, pretty solid keyboard, directly plugged into soundcard. it's on a stand, so i don't think that is a problem. interference with my monitor...it is in front of my monitor, but my keyboard is plugged into the soundcard, so i don't understand how that could be a problem?

i try playing with windows volume settings putting line-in as low as i can to avoid hiss and mute everything else. i do have the main volume turned up so i can hear it through my speakers which come from my soundcard. could my speakers be causing the noise? they are not top quality. maybe i should try plugging headphones into keyboard and then testing out levels?

hope to hear from u or anyone else
thanks
 
You really need a good recording sound card for best Signal to Noise ratio. That is most likely the reason.

Just to be sure though:

1. Turn your keyboard volume up to about 85%
2. Turn up the line in as high as it can go without clipping (hitting the top of the meter)
3. Adjust your main volume to a suitable listening level.

What is your keyboard? If it is a 'home' keyboard and not a pro recording keyboard it may be a little noisy also.

Make sure your cables are as short as possible, try not to use adapters if you can, make sure your cables arent crossing over any power lines or curled up all around your computer.
 
If you are putting your input line levels as low as they will go--that's probably part of your problem. The opposite is what you should be doing. The inputs should be as high as you can get them without redlining. That way your signal is high enough to cover the noise floor. Hope this helps. :)
 
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