Help with recording voice-over audio near noisy computer fan

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jplaforest

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Hi, I have a small YouTube channel and am always trying to find ways to improve the sound quality of my videos. I've had decent success using a super cheap lapel microphone when recording in a noise-free environment, but when I'm showing something on the computer, the cheap lapel picks up too much ambient noise.

I'm wondering if something such as a Rode M3 would be better suited, or is there anything else in the 100-150$ range that would work better?

I use a Zoom H4n as my field recorder and USB audio interface, depending on where I am shooting. Video is from a Canon T2i. Editing is done with Adobe CS 6.

I am able to do some noise reduction in Adobe Audition CS6, but if I remove too much, I also lose some sound quality, so I'm looking for a hardware solution that won't break the bank.

Thank you in advance!
 
There are several things you can try but you should consider them all to be damage limitation.
The only real solution is to isolate the noise from the environment.

If you can get those fans to turn down somehow that'll help.
If it's a desktop PC you could look into 'silent' fans or better yet, watercooling.


Dynamic microphones can be helpful because generally they are more resistant to plosives.
That means you can get closer to them, turn the gain down, and effectively reduce your signal to (ambient) noise ratio.

Microphone polar pattern makes a difference. I don't know what your lapel mic would be, but a cardioid pattern mic with the computer at the rear (null point) will be better than having the computer in the patterns peripheral, or than using an omni-directional mic, for example.

Reflection points come into play too. Assuming you put the laptop directly behind a cardioid pattern mic, you'll still pick up pick up reflections from your body, nearby surfaces, the rear wall, etc.

Obviously you can't soundproof around your computer because soundproof = no air moving and no air moving = hot.
What you can do is put up some kind of dense diffuser/absorber in between the computer and the mic.

As I say though, the best solution is to just run a long cable and get the mic out of the room.
Not always ideal, but that's the only foolproof plan.
Again, If it's a desktop, maybe you could have the tower in a different room, and run extensions for monitor, keyboard and mouse?
Something to think about.
 
Hi Steenamaroo, thank you for the quick reply.

To clarify, I use a desktop computer when it comes to those voice-over videos. It currently is at about 3 feet to my left on the floor, and I put a thick cardboard between the computer and where I sit. (thankfully the side with no fan is towards me, so the cardboard isn't blocking any airflow.

As you mention, throwing a blanket on the computer would fix the sound, but the computer wouldn't last very long :)

Water cooling is something I would definitely consider in my next computer, which may not happen for another year or two. If I could fix the problem with a different type of mic, then I could apply the same fix to multiple noisy environments, but if it wouldn't help that much, I'd have to consider going with water-cooling.

I tried a Shure SM58 microphone which doesn't provide a high enough signal to be useable. I get my peaks at around -20db, and regular talking at around -30db, so I need something stronger to push through the noise.
 
Am I the only one that sees a big elephant in the room in the form of an obvious answer?

Is there no way that you can move your computer so that it isn't 3 feet away from your mic? This is so obvious that I'm wondering what I'm missing here. :eek:
 
Rami's right. If it's as close as a few feet move the computer as far away as you can.
Think about it. Even 6 feet would make a massive difference.

Turn the gain down on the mic and get it closer to your mouth too.

These things alone should really help out.


Stoopid elephant!!! :p
 
Get closer to the mic. If you halve the distance you add 6dB of gain to the desired signal without increasing the bleed.

Put the source of the noise in the null of the mic. Look up the polar plot of your mic.

Use a more directional mic (super- or hyper-cardioid) and put the source of the noise in the null of the mic. Very directional shotgun mics are commonly used in film and video.

Regarding the SM58, the amount of bleed is related to the relative distances (desired source to mic vs. noise source to mic) and the polar pattern, not the overall output level of the mic. If you're recording in 24 bit (which you should be doing) there is sufficiently low digital noise floor for the signal to be usable though -30dBFS is a bit low. The ratio between signal and noise doesn't change with gain.
 
Yes, you can move the computer further away. But you have to double the distance to get it down by 6dB and reflections in the room will reduce that figure.
 
As far as moving the computer out of the room, for some of my videos, I record audio while doing video screen captures. If I move the computer out of the room, I would have to move with it, and the microphone with it, which would create the same problem in a different room :)

As far as being closer to the SM58, I tried the mic-eating technique I see some signers do, and even by touching the mic, its still too weak when using the Zoom H4n.

Moving the computer further away would be very difficult, because it is already as far as the cables will allow it to be. Further than that, and I would have to extend my speaker, monitor, and power cables, and about 8 USB cables that wouldn't reach where they need to.

And yes I'm recording in WAV96kHz/24bit.

I will try playing around with mic placement if I could get the computer in the null section of the pattern.

But from what I'm getting from you guys is that basically a new mic will most likely not solve the problem I'm having, its really the computer I have to address?
 
jplaforest said:
As far as moving the computer out of the room, for some of my videos, I record audio while doing video screen captures. If I move the computer out of the room, I would have to move with it, and the microphone with it, which would create the same problem in a different room :)
Click to expand...

So, you're saying your computer SCREEN is making noise???? Seriously, man, move the tower out of the room, or at least further way from you, and keep the screen in the room with you. Again, I can't believe I had to actually type that.
 
Allright, by eating the SM58 and pointing the back of it towards the computer, I am able to get some good audio. By munching it and pointing the side of it towards the computer, it produces acceptable audio. Now the problem I have is that if I record video of myself, I would have a microphone in front of my face, which wouldn't work with what I have in mind. If I move the SM58 even 6 inches away, I start getting a lot of noise again. I know most video production companies use shotguns and place them a few inches outside the camera frame, wondering if it would do the same thing as the SM58 though if I place it a foot or two away from me? Do shotguns really isolate sound from noise that much better, or just barely?
 
RAMI said:
So, you're saying your computer SCREEN is making noise???? Seriously, man, move the tower out of the room, or at least further way from you, and keep the screen in the room with you. Again, I can't believe I had to actually type that.
Click to expand...

Hi RAMI, as I replied before, if I move the tower any further away, I would get major cable issues. I have maybe 3 feet of cable on my keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, external drive, etc. If it were that easy, I would've moved the tower to China to make sure I don't hear it. I guess connecting to it through RDP from a laptop in another room would not be entirely impossible, but would increase the complexity and cost of the project by heaps, and add many new variables which could go wrong.
 
There's no other answer man.

Like I said, there is a list of things that may help but each one of them is a compromise.

If you can't work with the compromise, you need to invest in long cables or water cooling.

Sorry man; It's that simple I'm afraid.
 
jplaforest said:
Hi RAMI, as I replied before, if I move the tower any further away, I would get major cable issues. I have maybe 3 feet of cable on my keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, external drive, etc.
Click to expand...

How about....oh, I don't know........maybe only moving the screen away from everything else, instead of moving everything else away from the screen.

Am I on Candid Camera or something? OK, haha, you guys got me. :eek:
 
"Every time I touch my lit stove, I burn my hand"

"Well, then don't touch your lit stove".

"Yeah, but if I move the stove, I'll have to cook in the living room".

:D
 
A shotgun mic would offer some improvement but at a high cost. You can get extensions for all the necessary cables for a lot less.

Another approach would be to use a decent quality headset mic. I'm not talking about the ones gamers use but the ones professional musicians use.
 
jplaforest said:
I know most video production companies use shotguns and place them a few inches outside the camera frame?
Click to expand...

Most video production companies use equipment that is designed for the purpose. They can place a microphone wherever they like without having to worry about noise.

If you are thinking about doing lots of this voice-over video stuff, you need to start thinking along the same lines, i.e. minimising your ambient noise.

Others have already mentioned options, but they are basically either:

1 reduce the noise coming from your PC, i.e. get silent fans, for example;

2 remove the PC from your work place, i.e. get extension cables for monitor, keyboard and mouse, and shove the box somewhere else.
 
gecko zzed said:
Most video production companies use equipment that is designed for the purpose. They can place a microphone wherever they like without having to worry about noise.

If you are thinking about doing lots of this voice-over video stuff, you need to start thinking along the same lines, i.e. minimising your ambient noise.

Others have already mentioned options, but they are basically either:

1 reduce the noise coming from your PC, i.e. get silent fans, for example;

2 remove the PC from your work place, i.e. get extension cables for monitor, keyboard and mouse, and shove the box somewhere else.
Click to expand...

I would add:

3 get closer to the mic

The OP has already proved that it works and the only objection is the visual disruption. A nice headset mic would solve that. But a quiet environment allows more flexibility in mic choice and placement.
 
I'll ad to the the use of extension cables. Typically, a USB interface will have issues with a cable longer than 15 feet or so. Keyboards, mice and monitors do not show as much intolerance of the cable length. I have a 30' VGA cable into my drum room, with no issues. My Logitech wireless mouse works perfectly at the 30' distance. You could just move your PC and interface, and run a longer mic cable to it. It seems you have a basic setup, that will not involve performing adjustments on your interface, so just moving it seems the best answer. Just placing it in another room behind a door, or just further away, will give you much better control of the noise.

Please explain why you get more noise when 'showing something on the computer'. Is it a different computer/laptop than the one you are recording/broadcasting from? A monitor should not make noise itself.
 
RAMI said:
A wireless mouse and keyboard are $20. Total. For both.
Click to expand...

Yeah, at any used computer store, you may even be able to get them for $10. The batteries cost more than that. The only more expensive piece, is the monitor cable extension. I think my 30' one was $40 at Micro Center.
 
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