Topic: acoustic show hiss problem

[pepper]

I recorded an acoustic show last night and got more hiss than i expected.The first set seems to be fine,but the second set is suprisingly hissy.As it was a cocktail bar and there was a bit of noise,i put the mic next to the speaker,and obviously set my levels pretty low.Seems like they must have been too low as there is a lot of hiss,and its a shame as it could have been a listenable recording with neXt to no audience noise.I have no experience with trying to improve this kind of problem,as ive tried and always made it sound worse.Has anyone( preferable in the uk) got enough experience with this kind of thing to give it a go??.Any help is appreciated.Il try and post a sample so you can hear how bad it is.

[pepper]

Here is a sample.....can this recording be saved??

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5792155&q=hi

[bhakti]

just a suggestion, but sometimes, the actual PA gives out a LOT of hiss at a close range, but you may not notice it from the seating area... i found if you put you ear right next to a live speaker with nothing coming through at all, there tends to be hiss... that might be the hiss factor there... not sure why it was worse in the 2nd set... maybe more instruments on stage, therefore more hiss from each channel through the PA?

bhakti

[pepper]

i recorded the 1st set a little further backwhich is why it sounds better,but it has more background noise form the venue.So then I thought id try and record a bit closer so thats when i moved the mic next to the speaker.I expect il get another chance to record this local singer but,was just a bit letdown by the result of the 2nd set.If i take into consideration that there is some hiss from the speaker that will account for some of it.Thanks for your reply and shining some logic on this.

[heath]

i can target hiss pretty easily.  if you'd like to send the whole thing I can give it whirl as my time today at work is fairly open.  maybe put it on yousendit or something....

[guysonic]

i recorded the 1st set a little further backwhich is why it sounds better,but it has more background noise form the venue.So then I thought id try and record a bit closer so thats when i moved the mic next to the speaker.I expect il get another chance to record this local singer but,was just a bit letdown by the result of the 2nd set.If i take into consideration that there is some hiss from the speaker that will account for some of it.Thanks for your reply and shining some logic on this.

Also consider choice of deck, and the input settings used for a particular model can effect recorded noise. 

Some decks are naturally noisy especially if using MIC input set on HIGH sensitivity and with turning down recording level adjustment at <1/3 of the full scale maximums indicating there's too much 1st stage preamp gain being applied for your choice of deck's input.  Like if using mic input set in high instead of maybe more appropriate LOW turning up the manual adjustment nearer to or at full maximum

Don't know your model of deck or settings used, but if using AUTO level adjust setting, consider this often makes wrong input settings/excessive noise troubleshooting more difficult to recognize and correct.  Even if noise is not a problem, using auto rec level is convenient, but also inserts dynamic effects you might not want.

My site has a section describing appropriate input settings found on DAT/MD/most minidecks that influence getting clipping distortions, but same advice in finding correct manual recording settings also helps eliminating noise issues on some noisy input recorders. see this at: www.sonicstudios.com/tips.htm#dattip

[pepper]

Its 399 mb,so i dont think yousendit will be able to cope with a file of that size will it??.

[heath]

might not....let me think about how we could get this thing to me.

[heath]

this says no size limit:

http://www.sendthisfile.com/

[pepper]

Its gonna take quite a while but im sending it now.Its done 12% so far and has taken 33 minutes.

[heath]

cool.  i'll give it a listen when done. 

[heath]

any progress?

[bugg100]

i can target hiss pretty easily.  if you'd like to send the whole thing I can give it whirl as my time today at work is fairly open.  maybe put it on yousendit or something....

+T for being a good guy!

[pepper]

34% 

[heath]

wow.  that's seriously slow for a mere 399MB.  What kind of connection you running?

[pepper]

Ive given up,could be here for days trying to send it

[yug du nord]

It may change the dynamics a bit (not sure about that though), but you can use a software program to try to eliminate the hiss.  If you can find a program that is intended to clean-up vinyl recordings or something of the sort.  There are professional programs(expensive) or consumer programs(not as expensive).  You might be able to pick up a consumer program at a "big box" electronics store.  I use "Magix Audio Cleaning Lab".  It's an older version...  they have newer versions out.  But it works well for some applications.  In the U.S., they sometimes carry it at "big box" stores such as Best Buy.  I would bet that you could eliminate the hiss with that program.  Could the hiss be the "line level" of the instruments? 

[DaveG73]

No help from here pepper, but if you both (you and heath) do bittorrent and use the same client I believe it is possible to set up a private torrent which might prove a little faster than upping to a (fake) FTP deal.

There are a lot of If's and Buts in that idea tho.

Good Luck.

Dave.

[guysonic]

File fixing IS PART the subject of this thread, and the editing help from several members    making TS a great place.   

But wait! There's more! The other part at least to me is finding the cause.

Hard to believe I'm only one finding the solution part important Or maybe I space out,  totally missing 'we've already' found the cause' part? 

Maybe after file fix efforts near completion, and if the recording's noise truly appears excessive AND likely hardware/settings related, suggest further discussion on the CAUSE AND EFFECT part in helping fellow taper.

Otherwise, good chance TS guys have permanent nice-guy job fixing files made using identical mic/deck/recording settings. 

Since many here do not record purely acoustic or low level amplified session/live music venues, a newbie taper and those fixing files may not know normal noise range using low costing gear  ; might help to have comparisons. 

Suggest page on my site with scores of  purely acoustic performance 'raw' (encoded directly to MP3 recordings) using one type of mic, but notes clearly describing all types of cassette, MD, DAT, Flash deck systems over the past 22 years. 
Suggest scrolling down age finding acoustic performances similar to type being fixed, then download for easy comparison. If wanting to know (if I can recall) deck input settings used, please feel free to PM me a query stating recording's name, and best to copy notes into PM showing deck model + accessories list.

Find food for comparison at www.sonicstudios.com/mp3_2slp.htm

[heath]

File fixing IS PART the subject of this thread, and the editing help from several members    making TS a great place.   

But wait! There's more! The other part at least to me is finding the cause.

Hard to believe I'm only one finding the solution part important Or maybe I space out,  totally missing 'we've already' found the cause' part? 

Maybe after file fix efforts near completion, and if the recording's noise truly appears excessive AND likely hardware/settings related, suggest further discussion on the CAUSE AND EFFECT part in helping fellow taper.

Otherwise, good chance TS guys have permanent nice-guy job fixing files made using identical mic/deck/recording settings. 

Since many here do not record purely acoustic or low level amplified session/live music venues, a newbie taper and those fixing files may not know normal noise range using low costing gear  ; might help to have comparisons. 

Suggest page on my site with scores of  purely acoustic performance 'raw' (encoded directly to MP3 recordings) using one type of mic, but notes clearly describing all types of cassette, MD, DAT, Flash deck systems over the past 22 years. 
Suggest scrolling down age finding acoustic performances similar to type being fixed, then download for easy comparison. If wanting to know (if I can recall) deck input settings used, please feel free to PM me a query stating recording's name, and best to copy notes into PM showing deck model + accessories list.

Find food for comparison at www.sonicstudios.com/mp3_2slp.htm

i guess the reason why i choose to focus on the solution rather than the cause is because it's my job.  However, you raise a good point that we should also look into the root cause of the problem.  Pepper, feel free to PM and maybe you can mail a cd?  If not, no biggie.  Just curious at thihs point to hear the noise.

h

[chrish]

bias soundsoap should take care of your problem. look at the link for a great tour of the program. hope it helps!

http://www.bias-inc.com/downloads/videos/soundsoap2/movie.php