What is the best audio software that will eliminate the annoying "noise" that is captured when recording with a MIC?
Removing Noise
Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/Removing Noise Check your sound drivers, as they may have a setting for noise reduction there. Even the onboard ones do that now.
I do all my audio recording in Nero, which might sound a bit odd, but I find it surprisingly good and easy to use too.
I do all my audio recording in Nero, which might sound a bit odd, but I find it surprisingly good and easy to use too.
What sort of "noise"?
The best solution is to capture audio sans-noise in the first place. For example, sitting next to your PC while recording audio is a bad idea as even a cheap mic will pick up noise from your PC. If you're talking about constant 'white noise' then its likely that you have your mic input level turned up too high.
Get a decent cardioid microphone if you're capturing serious audio and need a professional job. An omni mic is not going to cut it for this type of work, except in a pro studio environment.
The best solution is to capture audio sans-noise in the first place. For example, sitting next to your PC while recording audio is a bad idea as even a cheap mic will pick up noise from your PC. If you're talking about constant 'white noise' then its likely that you have your mic input level turned up too high.
Get a decent cardioid microphone if you're capturing serious audio and need a professional job. An omni mic is not going to cut it for this type of work, except in a pro studio environment.
The best solution is to capture audio sans-noise in the first place. For example, sitting next to your PC while recording audio is a bad idea as even a cheap mic will pick up noise from your PC. If you're talking about constant 'white noise' then its likely that you have your mic input level turned up too high.
One easy way to cut out the PC noise while still using a computer to record is to use a laptop instead, if you have access to one. Orders of magnitude quieter than a normal desktop PC when it comes to fan noise and the likes.
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Or just buy a pop shield.
As for general hiss... Removing that is difficult even with professional software af far as I know. I've tried a hiss removal plugin for Sound Forge and it was hard to use and did a crummy job.
You might be getting hiss because you have a crummy mic, or a crummy video card, or because your PC is too loud, or there is too much ambient noise in the room, or the sound card is adjacent to the video card in the case. Or you might think you have hiss but it's really your speakers which suck.
Or just buy a pop shield.
As for general hiss... Removing that is difficult even with professional software af far as I know. I've tried a hiss removal plugin for Sound Forge and it was hard to use and did a crummy job.
You might be getting hiss because you have a crummy mic, or a crummy video card, or because your PC is too loud, or there is too much ambient noise in the room, or the sound card is adjacent to the video card in the case. Or you might think you have hiss but it's really your speakers which suck.
You can use Audacity. It has a noise removal filter which can measure the current ambient noise and then you can adjust for how much you want to remove so as not to ruin the sound.
I bought a recordable minidisc player for capturing voice-overs etc.
I can go anywhere to record stuff, then just plug it into the PC when i get back.
I can go anywhere to record stuff, then just plug it into the PC when i get back.
I use some headphones to hear everything I record (they don't have the noise when playing music) I have a pretty good $100 sony MIC, that is way better than the cheap ones. Still, I get some white noise. I do use a laptop to record audio :) I'm going to order sound forge if there is no cheap solution. I don't need the "pop shield" :)
Try running the laptop on battery power and remove any other devices, most mic noise is because the digitising circuit is not properly isolated from the power supply which is why even cheap USB mics will produce a far better signal to noise ratio than the most expensive mic plugged into the average PC sound card. A USB based sound card may give you the best of both worlds.
Still can't beat a Shure SM58 in terms of cost and quality, imho.
How are you recording?? If you're saying you can't hear a hiss during recording, but you can hear it during playback, then you definitely need to adjust your mic input level.
As SSwift said there are numerous factors that can affect overall sound quality. Its nigh on impossible to say without knowing exactly how you're doing it.
How are you recording?? If you're saying you can't hear a hiss during recording, but you can hear it during playback, then you definitely need to adjust your mic input level.
As SSwift said there are numerous factors that can affect overall sound quality. Its nigh on impossible to say without knowing exactly how you're doing it.
I'm running the laptop on battery power. I can hear a hiss during recording, I can during playback too (I said that there is no noise when I hear music/mp3s). I was able to remove a whole lot of noise because the sound card had a MIC boost. I still hear a hiss.
Example:
http://www.alldevs.com/media/noise.wav
Pardon the 1.5 MB download (didn't convert to mp3)
Example:
http://www.alldevs.com/media/noise.wav
Pardon the 1.5 MB download (didn't convert to mp3)
Shure SM58 is not the best choice for home studio vocals. It's a dynamic mic. You need a condenser for home vocals.
If you're plugging a dynamic mic straight into the computer, it's gonna be hiss city.
If you're plugging a dynamic mic straight into the computer, it's gonna be hiss city.
stay away from electro smog when recording. Monitors can produce a huge noise, even with good microphones. Try to turn off/unplug every device that is not required.
As for postproduction noise cleaning I would suggest to use one of MAGIX products, be it an explicit noise removing tool, or eg. MAGIX Video Deluxe that comes with excellent Noise removers too.
It allows to remove noise by filters, as well as by reference samples: you may define parts of the sound as noise reference, the software will then use it to intelligently remove noise.
It allowed me to make cristal clear dialogs from very noisy sounds with weak voices.
Cleaning Lab:
http://site.magix.net/index.php?21391&&exsp=613a353a7b733a333a22474944223b733a323a223139223b733a373a226261636b504944223b693a3438323b733a333a22554944223b733a343a2232383035223b693a303b733a303a22223b693a313b733a303a22223b7d
Or maybe you better buy the Movie Editor for only a little more:
http://site.magix.net/index.php?28992&&exsp=613a353a7b733a333a22474944223b733a333a22313233223b733a373a226261636b504944223b693a3438323b733a333a22554944223b733a343a2233333838223b693a303b733a303a22223b693a313b733a303a22223b7d
And no, I'm not working for MAGIX.
As for postproduction noise cleaning I would suggest to use one of MAGIX products, be it an explicit noise removing tool, or eg. MAGIX Video Deluxe that comes with excellent Noise removers too.
It allows to remove noise by filters, as well as by reference samples: you may define parts of the sound as noise reference, the software will then use it to intelligently remove noise.
It allowed me to make cristal clear dialogs from very noisy sounds with weak voices.
Cleaning Lab:
http://site.magix.net/index.php?21391&&exsp=613a353a7b733a333a22474944223b733a323a223139223b733a373a226261636b504944223b693a3438323b733a333a22554944223b733a343a2232383035223b693a303b733a303a22223b693a313b733a303a22223b7d
Or maybe you better buy the Movie Editor for only a little more:
http://site.magix.net/index.php?28992&&exsp=613a353a7b733a333a22474944223b733a333a22313233223b733a373a226261636b504944223b693a3438323b733a333a22554944223b733a343a2233333838223b693a303b733a303a22223b693a313b733a303a22223b7d
And no, I'm not working for MAGIX.
Strange nobody has mentioned the audio interface yet - one of the most important factors! If you're using a bog standard soundblaster card - there's no way you're going to get a clean recording - the signal to noise ratio is just too high! Even a top of the range soundblaster is not professional quality... If you want to do good quality recordings, you need a good quality soundcard, you can pick up a good soundcard for about £50 second hand (M-Audio range, ESI Waveterminal range)
The second thing you'll need is a good microphone - a £10 headset jobby is not gonna be good enough! Markd was quite right suggesting a condensor mic - much higher quality than a dynamic mic (but you also have the added headache of phantom power). And the pickup pattern doesn't matter too much (omni, cardioid, hyper-cardioid). When you're recording - throw a blanket over your head (like a ghost) - should keep out unwanted noise...
As for noise removal software - you have to spend a lot of money to get something that works well - the Waves X-Noise plugin is the best around, but only available in a suit of plugins costing £much.
I have the plugin though - feel free to email me some clips and i'll remove the noise for you ;)
The second thing you'll need is a good microphone - a £10 headset jobby is not gonna be good enough! Markd was quite right suggesting a condensor mic - much higher quality than a dynamic mic (but you also have the added headache of phantom power). And the pickup pattern doesn't matter too much (omni, cardioid, hyper-cardioid). When you're recording - throw a blanket over your head (like a ghost) - should keep out unwanted noise...
As for noise removal software - you have to spend a lot of money to get something that works well - the Waves X-Noise plugin is the best around, but only available in a suit of plugins costing £much.
I have the plugin though - feel free to email me some clips and i'll remove the noise for you ;)