Re: [TCLUG:8753] Sound recording/editing

[Phil Mendelsohn <mend0070@tc.umn.edu>]

Brady Hegberg wrote:

> However, when I tried to use it to record through the sound card I ended up
> with noticable hiss.  I don't know if it's a software or hardware issue but
> does anyone have any suggestions for cheap or free programs to use for
> recording?  I might just have to splurge for something like Sound Forge on
> Windows but I'd much rather use Linux both for stability and well, like
> most people here I'm just trying to avoid windows.

This is almost certainly a hardware issue, but it may not even be your
soundcard.

You should be sure that you have your gain staging set up properly. 
Make sure that the output of your tape deck (or whatever) is all the way
up, but not distorting.  Then try and make sure that any stages of gain
(i.e., soundcard input level adjustments) are as low as you can have
them. 

If your signal to noise is low to start with, you'll never improve upon
it.  Every amplifier that you run through will not only turn up the
signal, but it will turn the noise up with it.

Unfortunately, software control of your soundcard probably doesn't give
you a way to know where unity gain is, so the best thing to do is start
with it at the bottom and just take it as high as you have to -- but no
further!

I'd be happy to answer any further questions, if this doesn't straighten
it out for you.

Phil Mendelsohn
Chief Engineer
Hotdish Mastering

-- 
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