I hadn't recorded any music in a while but I needed to record "Unchained Melody" for a client. My "studio" is simply a USB microphone plugged directly into my computer and some pretty nice software to complete the package. I use the mic for other endeavors too, like online lessons and, most recently, recording tutorials for students. So I removed the mic from the mic stand and attached a small tripod so that it could set on my desk next to the computer. My office/studio is too cluttered as it is, so getting that stand out of the way helps.
Although I had practiced the song a lot over the past couple of weeks, I made a mistake a few notes in. No problem. After forty plus years of recording I've come to expect to make mistakes on the first few "takes" before I settle in. My routine to listen to it and confirm that my levels are okay and that there are no hidden problems.
This time there was a problem. A big one. I had a background noise that I couldn't explain. Kind of a hum and hiss combined. (Had my computer sprung a leak?) My office is just a room in my house so there is always some ambient noise in my recordings, but this far exceeded the norm. I had to find the cause and make it go away.
I thought perhaps the USB buss was the culprit, so I moved the mic cable. But there was no change. Then I thought it might be the cable itself, so I wiggled it around to see if that made a difference. Nope! I tried rebooting the program, then rebooting the computer, readjusting the levels, etc. Nothing seemed to make a difference. I actually have three different recording programs, so I left the one I was using and tried another.
The program I originally used is a simple program. Let's face it. I'm not recording the Beatles, Beach Boys, or Chance the Rapper. The other programs get progressively more complicated and I just don't need all of those whistles and bells to record a solo guitar. But I spent all of my free time that day until 1:30AM trying to learn those programs so I could record. But the noise was still there.
I began again the next morning and worked until lunch before I took a break. After lunch I was going to take a short nap, but I couldn't get the problem out of my head. Suddenly I had an idea. A microphone is supposed to hear everything. Kind of like a nosey neighbor. So I sat in front of my computer, lifted the mic off the desk and pivoted away from the computer about five feet. Yep...you guessed it. The noise went away. It was just picking up the gentle whir of the computer.
I would like to say that it's a rookie mistake, but that would insult rookies everywhere. So I've decided to tell everyone so I might shame myself into never making the mistake again. I sometimes wonder if God uses people like me as an object lesson for regular folks.
I posted the recording on my FaceBook page. But for those who haven't heard it and would like to here's a link:
https://soundcloud.com/rhumphrey223/unchained-melody