I can’t get my noise floor to -60 and I’ve tried quite a few things here. My recording space is about 3ft x 3 ft and has acoustic foam all around. I’m using a Blue Yeti mic and what I’m trying to do is get my floor down so that I can audition for VoiceBunny and ACX. I’m going to attach some unprocessed audio for anyone who can, to check out and listen to, in the hopes that someone can help me out. I’m fairly new to VO and with the exception of doing radio commercials/PSA’s, are venturing into a new field. I’m open to any and all constructive criticism and help.
RM2.wav has a terrific amount of odd noises between the words.
Go into Windows control panels and make sure all the enhancements and other recording tools are turned off. I can hear auto noise suppression in there as well as volume pumping. Windows can cause all of that.
More serious problem can be caused by conferencing, communications, chat, or Skype. Do you use any of those? Skype in particular applies voice processing tools in the background, sometimes leaves them there and doesn’t tell you.
Speak into the front of the microphone in Cardioid setting.
It’s a side-fire microphone. You don’t speak into the narrow end. I’ve seen people using it wrong and that can cause tonal and echo problems.
IMO “RM2.wav (1.28 MiB)” is not “unprocessed audio”.
Some sort of noise-reduction has been applied.
Like Koz says, either Windows audio, or another layer of audio-enhancement is responsble, (not audacity).
[ The creaking is almost as if you were hand-holding the mic in that test ]
Thanks for the feedback. Here is a sample of audio I recorded after I made the suggested changes in Windows. I’m still hovering at around -48 to -45. Is there anything else I can do to get this lower? I have a carpeted floor, acoustic panels, bass traps, etc. Any other suggestions?
Are you hand-holding the microphone? That’s what it sounds like. Put it down on the table on a towel or other pad. If you need to get it higher, use a roll of paper towels (of you have one).
The high noise-floor is mainly electrical hiss, rather than audible noise in the booth.
It may be possible to reduce that faint electrical hiss noise by experimenting with the gain (knob) settings on the Yeti mic, & mic gain in Windows audio.
If that does not solve the hiss problem, post-production Noise Reduction will be required.
All Noise-Reduction is not of equal quality: Windows audio < Audacity < store-bought NR plugins.
I also recommend the free version of the Couture expander plugin: it pushes the noise-floor down.
(as with Noise Reduction, just use sufficient to achieve the desired result & no more).
Maybe the chair/booth is making the creaking noises as you move.
A test recording where you move without speaking could help identify where the creaks are coming from.
We’re making a big deal about this because even if we solve everything with software patches and adjustments, you have to remember to apply all the patches to everything you produce, forever. Much better to find out where the noises are coming from and fix the hardware or room.
If you have a simple Yeti stand on your desk, it’s possible you’re picking up noises from the floor or noises from the apartments below you. Those can be hard to find but can be fixed with the book and towel method.
On the other hand, you could be a hyper person who can’t sit still for more than ten seconds at a time. Quiet, studio reading may not be for you.
Thanks Trebor…I appreciate your input here and I’m going to try the plug-in you suggested. I’m not a hyper person at all so I can do the studio readings without problem. I’m using the same studio that I did all of my radio commercial work so I know I can do it. Here’s the audacity script you requested Koz. I made the change of putting a moving blanket on the floor, adding 3 books, and placing the mic stand on top of that per the diagram you included here and I did a quick noise floor test before I recorded this. The lowest I was able to get was around -51 so it looks like I’m headed in the right direction. This may very well be some electrical hiss however, I don’t have anything in the booth with me exception for a small silent light and the mic. Let me know what you think
I boosted your two second Silent, Room Tone segment.
This is the segment that’s supposed to be you motionless and holding your breath. I expect only the gentle shshshshs of the microphone noise.
I can hear you breathing and moving around and it sounds like somebody is assembling a Ikea credenza back there.
You’re going to need to control your studio a lot better than that. All of these noises are louder than the normal background microphone hiss and worse, they don’t lend themselves to easy noise reduction. I can make the microphone hiss go away but dropping that hammer on the floor is a lot harder.
Meeting noise at home is not easy, but it can be done. I shot a ACX voice test using this setup moved into my quiet bedroom.
That’s a Zoom sound recorder.
I still have to miss the metrobus going by—it shakes the house—but my test meets Audacity ACX Check and ACX Technical Quality Control just with simple Audiobook Mastering tools. No noise reduction.
I’m using the same studio that I did all of my radio commercial work so I know I can do it.
You may have been able to announce to production earlier, but I suspect it may have been with background music or other editing tricks. You can’t do that with Audiobooks. It’s just you, the microphone, and your studio for several hours.
If they catch you applying too many effects they will bounce you for it. They hate distractions and they count funny sounding voices and noises as distrations.
Same studio but probably not the same mic and/or recording-chain.
I wasn’t suggesting the hiss was interference from another device,
it’s inherent-noise which all electronics have to some degree.
(Mics & pre-amps with “low self-noise” cost top-dollar).
With noise-reduction & expansion (couture) the noise floor can be brought below 60dB …
But there’s a lot of popping, and there’s an unpleasant resonant quality like the mic-body is resonating like a tin can.
If you have the option try another mic and/or stand-alone* recording device, if the objective is paid-work.
[ * It’s possible to hire stand-alone recording devices by the week ].
To dig deeper. What’s the computer and where is it? What’s the possibility you’re not recording your Yeti? That’s the kind of noise you might get if you’re really recording your laptop built-in microphone. It’s omni-directional and might record sound from all over and not just straight in front.
My computer is an HP laptop and I have it outside of my recording space. It’s completely separate from where I’m recording altogether. My wife was doing something downstairs when I recorded the audacity test…that was the “hammer” you heard. I don’t believe I’m recording the mic itself but then again, anything is possible at this point. I only have the one mic right now so I’m trying to make due until I can get another. I’m open to inexpensive suggestions if you have any. I’m going to try the scratch test now. What specifically am I looking for? Trying to see what direction the mic is recording from? I’m not certain I follow what’s supposed to happen with this test. I love the result of the Couture plug in however I can’t use that initially when trying to audition for platforms like VoiceBunny or ACX correct? Reason being, they want samples of unprocessed audio to ensure my setup will produce a quality product. Get me right if I’m wrong here
