Crazy fan sounds

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flyin' Brian
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Flyin' Brian

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When Recording with computer based programs seem to be picking up the sounds of the computer with my mics. How can I get rid of this without paying for new parts?
(Maybe it sucks that My mics are so sensitive! HA!)
Flyin'
 
what kind of soundcard do you have? on my "home" machine, I have an ESS Audio, cheapo card, I get the same thing sometimes.

ametth
 
Some bands would kill to have the sound of crazed fans on their recordings... :)
 
I agree drstawl, I have to import a "fan" track from a CD!!!

Hey dude, you just need some better isolation. Try having someone else push "record" and move the mic away from the computer.

Ed Rei
Echo Star Studio www.echostarstudio.com
 
i took some old couch cousions, and cut the foam inside them to fit around my computer. I left the back and front open of course, but ive really notcied it takes away alot of the fan noise and the hard disk grinding sound. Of course it looks like poopy but it did help!
 
I guess if you can't get those couch cousins to get off their ass and get a job, cutting them up and using them as acoustic insulation is the next best thing.... :)
Seriously- someone way back posted the link to a manufacturer of bullet-proof heavy-duty amazingly silent fans for use in computer cases. If that's too intrusive, sonusman has the best solution.
 
Sortof on topic. I just bought a really cheap wireless keyboard, like $28 Canadian, so next to free US. If you know all the keyboard shortcuts, you can get quite aways a way from your computer and still have control. Another thing I've been doing lately: When doing multiple takes and retakes of a part, I hover the mouse over the record button, turn the monitor off and then click the mouse button without moving the mouse. If I don't like the take, hit CTRL backspace, gone. click the mouse again.. no need to wait for the monitor to fire up... maybe I'm lazy.

Emeric
 
drstawl:
I don't know if I just have a bad case of the sillies or what, but your cousins commment is the 2nd thing I've read in this forum today that has made me fall out of my chair laughing.

Emeric:
I find myself using the same mouse position/monitor off combo quite a bit when I'm recording my neck position single coil. My monitor makes that thing hum like a bumblebee.

dmc
 
What Iuse is affordable downloadable programs such as Wave Clean (you can find it on C/Net Downloads). It does a good job for me of eliminating that subtle background scuzz that sneaks in. There are other programs that do the same thing; check the downloads at Shareware, Sonic Spot, Harmony, etc.

If cleaning out the background sound causes an unacceptable reduction in your audio quality, you can fix it with DirectX FX if you have them (compressors, equalizers, sound gate, etc.)

It also helps to use a good mic - I use, upon recommendation of this forum, the Shure SM58. It has a short pick-up range - you have to be close to it for sound to register, thus the fan noise and other background stupdidity doesn't get in.

Hope this helps.
 
I also run into a lot of background computer noise, my hard drives are bit loud.

I have someone building me a box made of drywall, lined with styrofoam with a sliding door on the front, and the back open for ventilation. The plan is to place this whole box over top of my tower. I'll let you know if it works.
 
Flyin' Brian... no sign yet of my high-tech custom-built drywall and stryofoam noise eliminator.. Will have to get him working on it, again. Will update.

Emeric
 
Emeric:
That sound's like a Bob Vila solution. I like the idea though. I've tried different mic positions and that also seems to work but I'm still getting a low droning sound that would probably be absorbed with a little "doghouse" for my tower. You should market those.
Thanks Man,
Flyin
 
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