Are they’re any simple and/or cheap tricks one can do with a microphone to enhance the recording of low frequency sounds. I can get a condenser mic with a computer to detect the low frequencies but recording to play for someone is a different story. It’s the bass and beat from a noisy neighbor e game. The sound detected is clear enough to see the pattern on the graph, a beat every 3/4 of a second.
Are there some simple or basic things I can do with the mic to enhance those sounds like positioning the mic a different way or putting a cover over it. Would putting the mic in a metal can or put at it the end of paper towel roll up against wall or ceiling help.
Should note can feel the vibrations from the sound track even at lower volume.
Or do I need to adjust play back features more in audacity?
Thnx
enhance the recording of low frequency sounds.
Totally, but it may not help your particular problem. You can mount or lay your microphone on a board.
That’s Pressure Zone Configuration (it’s a real thing). It increases the sensitivity of the microphone, in general doesn’t interfere with the characteristics, and evens out the bass response.
Of course it’s a given the board can’t make any noise by itself. I sometimes use a smaller version of this on some folded over towels to keep it from picking up desk or floor noises.
Doesn’t have to be a formal microphone, either. Here’s my phone on a board so I could record some voice work.
That’s Studio B (my garage).
Koz
Thnx.
Excellent. I was told lay it on top of a desk or something but you can’t move those around. I do have wood stools larger than the mic and might have access to some boards. Was told try to get it out of the rubber clamp used in the stand because it’s designed to get rid of excess or garbage noise. I’ve tried partially placing it loosely in the clamp.
Pressure zone configuration I’ll research that.
Thanks again!
Since you’re doing all this in Windows, you might check and make sure Windows isn’t trying to “help you” with your recording. Audacity doesn’t apply any effects, filters, or corrections during recording, but Windows might.
It’s less likely but possible that your microphone came with a software pack and those can have filers and effects.
Dig down into the Windows Control Panels - Sound and see if there are any enhancements, tools, or other effects running. In general, there shouldn’t be. I got a computer at work once with Windows “Cathedral Effects” running by accident.
Those are the more normal problems. There are some evil ones, too. Do you like to record Youtube or internet music or shows? The settings to do that can screw up plain, ordinary microphone recording. For example, if you’re on a laptop, you could be recording your microphone and the laptop built-in microphone at the same time.
Koz
This might go better if we knew what the microphone was…
Koz
You were right about the Windows filtering out a lot of noise. It was set to ‘reduce other noises by 80%’ so I put ‘do nothing’. Also I am using an Element condenser mic em-91cu with a basic desktop stand. Trying to keep costs low for now.
Should add should I record through a windows media player app directly? I’m still looking for those settings or even if I have it. Always did as little downloading as possible which is catching up to me now
Thnx again
There’s a couple of more hoops to jump through.
The EM-91CU (really Mackie) is a side-fire microphone. Speak into the side grill facing the upside down heart. That’s if you were announcing. To get Pressure Zone to work, you’ll have to mount it upside down with the top of the microphone touching the wood.
It still only receives sound from the side with the heart. The sensitivity of the microphone doubles (if the board is large enough) and the bass tones get better.
Now all you have to do is figure out how to mount it like that without it falling over. Even more exciting if you intend to move it around.
And no, you don’t need the rubber band spider to hold it up. That’s to keep microphone stand, desk, and floor noises from getting into the show as you read your audiobook. That’s the least of your problems.
I did the sums once. The perfect board is two feet (600mm) on a side. Larger doesn’t get better. Smaller and you start losing the volume boost and most important in your case, the bass notes.
You can’t cheat and put the microphone off center. Directional microphones get their magic by comparing the front and back sound. If you mess with just one of them the sound quality goes off.
Ok, so I have your ad. “Having trouble with noisy upstairs neighbors? Call 123NoiseToys!!”
Koz
It gets better. I was in line at FedEx (back when you could do such things) and someone stood in with a purse size music player that had stunningly good sound. I think this is the magic of high quality compression drivers as opposed to tiny speakers. My svelte, chic Macbook Air has far better speaker sound than my older, larger, and much heavier Macbook Pro.
So when we sort what that product is, that’s what you sell to the customer to play the upstairs sound to the landlord.
Koz
Funny you mention turning it upside down because I’ve just begun to experiment placing it low because I can feel vibration at my feet. Also I think a lot of sounds go down the hollow walls(not concrete). I’ve been trying to keep the metal molding/strip on the mic in the center of the sound to no avail.
I’ll let you know how that works out. I got ‘a’ board today for ‘emergency’ use(not square yet) if they start up today. They have started as late as 130/2 am. Don’t always feel like a recording engineer at that hour so I’ll experiment on similar sounds to be ready-I leave audacity open with mic plugged as much as possible now.
It is surprising how different devices play louder than others. I got a tablet that out does this computer and competes with older speakers that used to come with most computer bundles.
Thanks again
The official process for Pressure Zone has the sensitive element right up against the board. That’s why that rock band microphone works so well. The Crown company apparently still makes this series. If you do it right, it makes a terrific microphone for the center of a conference room table. Try not to park a book or ledger on it by accident.
The sensitive element in your microphone is just down from the top.
Putting the microphone on its side will mess up the left-right directional sound, so the only way left is park it on its head.
Koz
