Tifstorey said:
Basically, ive wrote a track, and the lyrics are to be whispered in, but when i started doing it, the overall sound was very low, not suprising i know. I turned up the input full on, and the channels were up on high, but it was still very quiet. I tried to normalize it after, but it sounded HORRIBLE. had static and everything over it. Im using a Presonus Firebox with pres, and im using a Rode NT3 mic. Any ideas?
Just listing a few thoughts I might think would I be faced with the same problem - at the risk of just telling you what you already know.
1. Try to get an amplification of the mic signal that allows you to make full use of your sampling depth (meaning that the peaks actually reach 0dB). This minimizes shot, thermal and quantization noise of the converter stage. If your micpre doesn't deliever the necessary gain (don't know the Firebox, but it has this strange specification "Gain: 45dB (+12 dB digital gain boost)", which for me hints at something which happens post converter - which is bad. 45dB of gain may not be sufficient in your situation).
2. Make sure your recording environment is quiet, both acoustically and electrically. Meaning put the DAW in the next room, and turn off any other noise sources nearby (refrigerator? heat pump?). If applicable, schedule so noise from the street etc. is at a minimum. Ensure that there is no EMI happening (cables ok? turn off CRTs in the same room etc.).
Just to make sure, check whether you're using phantom power and not the microphone's battery. I do not know about the NT3 specifically, but using 9V fed from a battery decreases the SNR of any microphone I know.
3. Use a destructive EQ or low-noise dynamics processor before going into the converter if applicable. This might pose a problem, as the Firebox doesn't seem to have inserts. Again, you might need another micpre.
4. Experiment with different microphones. Look for a low noise floor in combination with high sensitivity. Rode's other products (see NT-1A) are among the best in this category. See if you can borrow one for the take.
5. Experiment with speaking techniques. There are ways to get a whispering sound and still be quite loud. If you know someone in this area, a professional theatre actor might either be able to coach you or speak the take for you.
Among the options listed, 5. might actually give the biggest improvement. 2. is also something which can be realized fairly easily and without any monetary cost involved. See the other mentioned options as things you might try if 5. and 2. don't work for you (and try it in the order 1 - 4 - 3).
Rainer
