LOSING MY MIND-hiss when talking

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hi Guys, sorry for the newb question but I am really losing it here. Ready to throw it all out and start over.
My setup: Rode Procaster > Yamaha USB mixer > Windows 7 > Audacity

The problem: It all sounds great EXCEPT you can hear a slight background hiss when I am speaking and for maybe a half-sec after. During pauses it’s dead silent.
It sounds weird to hear the shhh sound with every sentence and then silence. I usually normalize and do noise reduction but the hiss/dying hiss at end of a word is still there.
Any help please. I am really losing it.

2

It’s possible that’s Windows sound processing trying to “help you.” Auto Noise Reduction can be one of the tools.

You don’t have these specific problems, but this is where to find the Windows settings to turn it all off.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#enhancements

Fair warning, if you find the Windows tools and turn them all off, you may (probably) have performance tracks where instead of pulsing, the noise never goes away. Post back if you have that. Do Not dive reflexively for Noise Reduction.

We can help you manage that, but getting rid of the noise pulsing is the first job. There’s just nothing like fighting the computer during a performance.

Koz

3

OMG Kozikowski I think that fixed it…thank you thank you thank you…I can’t thank you enough.

4

If the problem isn’t Windows enhancements, it could be the settings on a noise-gate built-in to your Yamaha mixer.

5

it could be the settings on a noise-gate built-in to your Yamaha mixer.

And, as above, if that’s the case, defeating the gate will not make the noise go away. It will probably leave the noise there all the time (which may be less of a problem than the pulsing).

Koz