Hand on microphone?

[intomusic]

Hiya guys,

I record using a condenser mic and all is fine but I've noticed I can get the sound clearer if I'm holding the mic in my hand round the shaft. It seems to stops the hum or feedback. I've searched the forum about mic static and am not sure whether this is what I have or not. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Obviously when I record my guitar I can't be holding the mic so wondered whether this was a common problem and what people did to lessen the hum. It's a tiny hum and doesn't bother me really - I end up covering this sound with my track anyway but I guess it's best to get the track as clean as possible.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

intomusic

 

[Yonce N Mild]

Some type of grounding issue? Do you have to be holding it or does the hum go away if you just touch it? What mic is it?

 

[didgijimmy]

lighting and all sorts of electical loads will also set the little buggers off

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Intro:

I'll just mention an item I ran into this very day. I doing some music from my Yam Synth. As I was practicing some ideas, I noticed a "Buz-Fuzz." Then, it stopped. Then in lightly started humming or buzzing or whatever--NOISE!

In about 20 minutes of checking, I removed three 1/4 inch cables and tossed them. They were usable; however, they were not quality stuff that I had used random. The "better" cables were up and running and much better. No buzz/hum.

You might check all your cables on a rainy day and either toss the older types or check to repair.

Green Hornet

 

[doulos24]

I can get the sound clearer if I'm holding the mic in my hand round the shaft.

could you make this any easier for me ill be good though and not say what im thinking

 

[Chili]

could you make this any easier for me ill be good though and not say what im thinking

I was hoping it wasn't going down that road.

Definitely sounds like a grounding problem. You shouldn't have any noise like that. As already mentioned, check your cables.

 

[WhiteStrat]

His desription of "hum or feedback" might indicate something other than an electronic issue altogether. The canister (metal case) of the mic might be vibrating and ringing sympathetically with the voice. Some mics with too much of a cavity--especially without any bracing or other contents that would dampen it--can do that. It can lead to what we would describe as a boxy sound in some bigger, cheaper condensers. (Think MXL 990). If this is the case, the hand on the mic would dampen those sympathetic vibrations and tighten up the sound.

Or not...

Just an idea.

 

[intomusic]

Yeah I thought my use of wording was dodgy for this forum

It's just a Behringer C-1 and it works fine aside from a little hum that I can make disappear by touching the shaft. Yonce N Mild, if I just touch it, the hum goes away. Is this then because it's a cheap mic? My cable is a Lynx Professional XLR cable and is brand new.

Hmm, grounding/cable/interference. Cheers guys, stuff to look into.

intomusic

 

[nate_dennis]

I am very likely way off in "left field" here, but I thought I'd throw it out there . . . could using a shock mount rather than "hard clip" fix something like the "sympathetic ringing?" I'm still newer to all of this and trying to put all the pieces together. What do you all think?

 

[WhiteStrat]

Yeah I thought my use of wording was dodgy for this forum

It's just a Behringer C-1 and it works fine aside from a little hum that I can make disappear by touching the shaft. Yonce N Mild, if I just touch it, the hum goes away. Is this then because it's a cheap mic? My cable is a Lynx Professional XLR cable and is brand new.

Hmm, grounding/cable/interference. Cheers guys, stuff to look into.

intomusic

I am very likely way off in "left field" here, but I thought I'd throw it out there . . . could using a shock mount rather than "hard clip" fix something like the "sympathetic ringing?" I'm still newer to all of this and trying to put all the pieces together. What do you all think?

Nah...I'd say based on his further desription, he's definitely dealing with an electrical/electronic sound--not a musical vibration.

 

[didgijimmy]

and the fact that when he touches it it goes away would suggest a grounding issue to me. When touching it he is the ground, and the charge transfers through him to mother earth. But seriously lights and all kinds of shit can do this, I notice it all the time with my guitar pickups.... o and computers are very notorious as you may already know. good luck