unwanted hissing sound

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 13th, 2012, 1:41 pm

Hello Fellow readers,Ladies and Gentlemen MCs:

I am looking for you, the one who can teach me how ,if it is possible, to abandon that continuous hissing sound in my tracks. I was so happy to have found librivox.org,because I realize that reading in this way, makes me so content. But, I am having a constant problem with an unwanted hissing sound. I believe to be my old desk pc, but nomatter how I follow advice of covering it with blankets, covering my mic from it, I still get that tedious sound, therefore, my tracks are not acceptable. Please SOS. I've done the amplification + noise removal, but it doesn't work for some reason.
DW

Post by **KiltedDragon** » June 13th, 2012, 1:43 pm

It could be a lot of things. Could you post a sample here for us?

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 13th, 2012, 2:14 pm

http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/mb/inthenursery_027_miller.mp3

Hi KiltedDragon:
So kind of you to reply. Above find the sample. It is about 1.20 duration. It is one of the sections I am re-working on at the moment.
I appreciate your help very much.
DW

Post by **KiltedDragon** » June 13th, 2012, 2:29 pm

The hiss sounds more like a microphone and/or connection problem to me. As Anne said in the other post, try posting a short recording with nothing done to it. Also review the advice given you in the Listeners Wanted thread as you seemed to have had it working at one time.

Post by **TriciaG** » June 13th, 2012, 2:33 pm

Here's the previous iteration: http://upload.librivox.org/uploads/mb/inthenursery_027_miller.20120613160131.mp3

What did you differently between this and your last test recording? That didn't have that much static.

It doesn't sound to me like your computer. It sounds like the headset. Is there any chance you could buy a USB microphone?

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 16th, 2012, 7:28 am

: http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/mb/inthenursery_027_miller.mp3
Hi guys:
I am sorry it took me some time to post reply. I was honestly trying to figure it out,and doing a better track.But I'm the worst detective ,and I have no idea what I did. But, I think it was me who did something. Because you are right, and at one point, it worked well. I honestly don't remember what I touched. The duration of the above track is 1:07, and all I did to it was amplify, for if I didn't you wouldn't be able to hear it, just in case you wanted a very raw track, I posted another one without alteration whatsoever. And maybe, you are right about being the mic instead of the pC. For now, I can't expand my budget,the kind of mic I have, is a one ear logitech that comes with two plugs one green, one orange.

http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/mb/inthenursery_027_miller.mp3

Post by **TriciaG** » June 16th, 2012, 10:21 am

FYI, when you send two files, you must name them differently. The link will only take you to the most current one.

However, I have pulled the first one off the server. Here's the link: http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/mb/inthenursery_027_miller.20120616102540.mp3

Let's start from the beginning.

The most current one (the original without edits?) is WAY too quiet. You need to increase your input volume on your computer before you can do much with it - that will probably help with the static, instead of just amplifying what you have, because amplifying will amplify any background noise, too.

You should aim for your wave forms to peak near the 0.5 mark, like this:

Make sure the microphone slider in the Audacity window is all the way up. Also, have you increased your input volume in Windows yet? Here's a link to instructions: http://wiki.librivox.org/index.php/Audacity_1-2-3#Volume

First, try that and post the results.

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 17th, 2012, 7:12 am

http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/tg/donnawintertroubletrack.mp3
Hey TriciaG:

I looked at all my volumes. The one on the monitor, the one on the keyboard, the one in the little speaker at the bottom right, and the one in sounds,speech and audio, and the one inside audacity, I checked they were all raised up. Puzzling. I still see my track very low, in the 0 line. I didn't amplify it,so you can see it raw. The duration is only 11.5 ,after watching everything, I changed one thing and then did another track ,here is what I changed: Inside the Sounds,Speech and audio there another little window called Recording Control there I changed the check mark from MIcrophone to Line 1 or 2. I didn't observe any changes in the track, but I posted as track2 below. Very Grateful for your kind help .
DW
http://upload.librivox.org/share/uploads/tg/donnawintertroubletrack2.mp3

Post by **TriciaG** » June 18th, 2012, 7:33 am

Very strange. If you've maxed out the volumes in all these areas, it shouldn't be so low.

One question: Did you move the slider on the left side of your track up (the one that has the - and + signs)? If so, move that back to the middle. That affects playback volume, not the recording volume.

I thought of another (perhaps dumb) question: is the mic plugged all the way in the mic spot? If it's sticking out a little bit, it won't pick up all the sound.

I'm wondering if your microphone broke - if a wire inside of it has broken, and so the sound isn't getting to the computer. I don't suppose you know of anyone with a microphone you could borrow, to test the mic itself and see if that is the problem?

YouTube · Post by **Darvinia** » June 18th, 2012, 10:52 am

One thing comes to mind. Is the correct microphone selected in the Audacity drop-down menu? I've had problems with that in the past, where Audacity decides to make its own choice from some line inputs and my mic.

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 18th, 2012, 4:12 pm

Hey, thanks for trying to help:
I thought you guys have bandoned me on ship. I checked the plugs were all the way into the holes. And I checked the three - and+ areas on audacity and put them in the middle, for they were all the way on max. However by playing with the mic, I discovered the hissing sound minimizes when I hold the mic right across from my lips, but this causes another unwanted effect, which sounds like echos. I am doomed

Dont forget me,
DW

Post by **KiltedDragon** » June 18th, 2012, 5:38 pm

Really sounds like the problem is the microphone. As suggested, maybe you can find a friend with one you can borrow and see if that makes a difference.

donnawinters400 · Post by **donnawinters400** » June 19th, 2012, 10:14 am

Barry, I think you might be on to something. An unexpected kind person have volunteered with surprising me generosity, and might send a better mic my way. I hope to make many usable tracks soon.
THanks,
DW