If you are experiencing these sounds, you will want to isolate the speakers from the interface and check the interface with a different playback system, such as headphones - this would verify where the noise is coming from. Check with support for your particular interface for any issues involving incompatibilities, and make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for your hardware and software.
The most common reasons for these sounds to occur include having the interface's "buffer" set too low, the presence of wireless or BlueTooth adapters running on the system, or a software incompatibility. Popping, clicking, crackling, or other similar sounds are usually the result of a software/driver issue with the interface.
If the noise follows a rhythm, such as a click every half-second, it could be the result of a damaged interface or improper driver install.The device's buffer or block size may need to be raised, or there may be an incompatibility issue. If the noise is random, then it most likely is an issue involving software setup and configuration.These sounds need no description, but there are two distinct variants of this noise: If headphones are not an option, you could record further away from the speakers so that feedback does not occur, or turn down the gain for the mic you are using. Solution:įeedback can be resolved easily by using headphones during tracking rather than your speakers this way, your mic will not pick up any audio from the speakers and you'll get a clean signal. You most likely have heard feedback on television programs, when an amateur band is setting up for sound check. As this occurs, a high-pitched whine or squealing sound may occur. Check with the support for your particular interface for more information on possible driver issues, fixes, and optimizations.įeedback is a phenomena that occurs when a microphone is placed too close to a playback speaker this causes the mic to capture the audio that the speaker is emanating, then play it back through the speaker, then capture it again - creating a feedback loop. Or, make sure you are using a quality power conditioner. Make sure your monitors/playback solutions are connected to a separate power source than your computer and other digital hardware.
Solution:ĭigital distortion is usually either caused by an issue with the audio interface, or the monitors being connected to the same power strip/socket as the computer. Often, they follow the processes of the computer being used for instance, if one opens a program on their system, this noise may alter along with this process. Please keep environmental noise in mind when recording.ĭigital distortion is noise accompanied by "grinding" or "buzzing" sounds that appear completely unnatural. Note: Highly sensitive microphones, such as most condensers, can pick up ambient noise in the room that may not be audible to you, such as air conditioning, outside noise, wind, etc. Check the levels of your interface, software, and speakers to make sure that nothing is being over-amplified. White noise is most often caused by the gain, or amplification, turned up too high at some point, either on the monitor, from within software, or from the audio interface. It is heard as constant, high-frequency "hiss" resembling the rushing of air or a television turned to a dead channel. "White" noise is noise that contains all, or most, elements of the frequency spectrum at random. Below is a list of the most common types of noise, as well as brief descriptors of their possible causes and solutions. It is important to figure out what type of noise you are experiencing in order to treat it properly. Noise is merely a symptom of some underlying cause, usually not a problem in and of itself. There are many types of noise, all with different meanings and causes.
Below are the most common reasons for your monitors to play back a noisy signal, as well as troubleshooting tips for how to remove noise. This article should help you troubleshoot your setup so that you can isolate the component causing the noise and act accordingly. The presence of noise in the playback stream has been a tricky problem since the inception of speaker technology.