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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: jeromejello on November 16, 2008, 12:32:28 AM

Title: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: jeromejello on November 16, 2008, 12:32:28 AM
so i am tracking out a recording and notice a wierd, rapid, sound between some of the songs.  it appears to continue through one song and stop at some point after another song.  When the music is playing (at least when its playing loud) i dont seem to notice it, but i am assuming it is still there.  I am guessing it is going on for 9 plus minutes.  It begins about halfway through the show and i dont notice anything in the quiet parts before or after.  it appears to be just on the right channel.  it is evident on my original file before adding volume, dithering, and normalizing.

i haven't done a check here at the ranch, but it will probably be my sunday activity unless some one tells me it is a cell phone/ac unit/fan or something like that.  fwiw, running akg 461>sd 722 and had no problems the night before with same setup.

the only thing i can remember about the night that was odd (and it started at the beginning of the night) was my stand was kinda vibrating/shaking... which i just attributed to the wood floors and dancing.

thanks in advance ts wizards
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on November 16, 2008, 12:52:46 AM
I listened and have no idea...  But from the sound and the length you describe, I'd say its a cell-phone in the vicinity of your rig...

Terry
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: J.T.L on November 16, 2008, 11:17:05 AM
That is what it sounds like when I get my cell too close to my car amp.
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: sml42 on November 16, 2008, 02:10:14 PM
sounds a bit like 60Hz mains hum to me.

ground loop? (was any of your gear powered via mains or were you running off battery?)

if there was a loose connection / broken wire, your cables could act as an antenna and pick up any mains interference... just a thought

best regards,
stephen
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: Ekib on November 16, 2008, 02:53:29 PM
A friend of mine had that exact same noise at one concert. His recording had the same buzzing sound. We were standing next to each other , both taping and using the same gear. I guess it must have been a cellphone or something like that.

I would suggest you copy and paste the left channel ( like I was telling about in another thread ). So at least you have 2 listenable channels.
You can do this analog do if you have the right cable.
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: digifish_music on November 16, 2008, 04:56:19 PM
sounds a bit like 60Hz mains hum to me.

ground loop? (was any of your gear powered via mains or were you running off battery?)

if there was a loose connection / broken wire, your cables could act as an antenna and pick up any mains interference... just a thought

best regards,
stephen

Agreed, unless you were in a 50 Hz country then it sounds like 50Hz mains noise :) Were there any fluorescent lights or light dimmer switches or stage lighting rigs nearby? Was the show powered by a generator? It sounds like the broadband interference caused by electrical sparking/arcing in some equipment running at mains frequencies.

Actually I just had a detailed look at it and it is at about 47 Hz and is mainly in your right channel. There is also a stange 2.5 Hz oscillation in the same channel.

digifish
Title: Re: wierd sound in recording - any ideas?
Post by: George on November 18, 2008, 11:49:30 AM
i bet its a cell phone.  I had the same thing happen to me several years ago when I taped MMW and Holly Palmer at the Hilton Hotel in NYC.  The buzzing just kept going and going....