Room noise using a condenser mic

[plyr44]

I am usng RiffWorks, TonePort Gearbox and a condenser mic for acoustic guitar and drums, and a dynamic for vocals.
How do I decrease the background room noise and hissing sound? Is there a filter to use during recording? Do I change the mic levels on the TonePort? Or is there an after recording effect or filter that I can apply?

[vad1er]

I have the same problem.. try checking the hardware box in riff works and don't use gearbox or any vst but just record as is through the hardware... and tell everyone in your house to be very quiet..

[rhynoclemmis]

Depending on your "room possibilities" you could cover the walls in one corner of a room with damping material that can be found in musician's stores or even those paper trays eggs come in. If you use that corner to record, the damping will swallow secondary, unwanted noise.

When recording you should (I've been told so and came to be completely convinced) use a diaphragm-type mic instead of a dynamic. Dynamics are good for performances or rehearsals, but give a strange tone characteristic - like cupping your hands and singing. It just feels a little cut-off around the edges, simply because it's the mic's job not to pick up background noise (like other instruments...).

[scott]

I am usng RiffWorks, TonePort Gearbox and a condenser mic for acoustic guitar and drums, and a dynamic for vocals.
How do I decrease the background room noise and hissing sound? Is there a filter to use during recording? Do I change the mic levels on the TonePort? Or is there an after recording effect or filter that I can apply?

Try using the 'Gate' effect on GearBox.

[gatorjj]

Hi plyr44, not to state the obvious but condensers are usually pretty sensitive and thus will pick up things like computer fan noise, wind from a fan, air conditioning or forced-air heat. I don't have a Tone Port or know what type of mic you have but would hope the internal noise level would be low enough in both to not cause you problems.

You might want to identify what the main source of the noise is and if you're using a cardiod condenser see if you can point the rear of the mic in the direction of the noise to reduce it. The noise probably will still bounce off the walls and will show up but hopefully you can get it down to an acceptable level.

J.J.

[sinfreealex]

If your TonePort has a "trim" knob on it I would adjust it till the room noise is reduced. I have a POD X3 Live and a condenser mic. I just turn the trim down till the background hiss is toast. Works great. If don't have this knob, then the suggestion above about using the Noise Gate will work best.

[plyr44]

Hey thanks for the reply's. I guesse for the most part i didnt realize how sensitive my mic was, and ill pay attention to what all of you have told me.
Thanks

[Rotund]

I am usng RiffWorks, TonePort Gearbox and a condenser mic for acoustic guitar and drums, and a dynamic for vocals.
How do I decrease the background room noise and hissing sound? Is there a filter to use during recording? Do I change the mic levels on the TonePort? Or is there an after recording effect or filter that I can apply?

Try using the 'Gate' effect on GearBox.

Thats what I started doing and it works very well. The Gate or Threshold setting in Gearbox or now Podfarm which has many new vox settings.