Garbage Can Audio

[jonpais]

Can anyone tell me why my audio track sounds like I'm talking into a garbage can? I'm using a new Blue Yeti mic set on cardiod pattern, speaking just a few inches away from the mic. Thanks!

Duh! I just realized that my project is set to 48 Khz, the voiceover is 44.1 Khz. But I’ve got audio in my clips recorded at 48 Khz...

 

[Anaconda_]

Well, since no one else is pitching in. Without meaning to be rude, it's pretty bad.

I'm not sure if it's just the compression you've used or maybe there's a denoise/pass filter put on? 

I'm by no means and audio specialist, and don't know any of the terminology, although I'm trying to work on that. With that in mind, I can hear a kind of high pitched garbling sound throughout the recording, the best I can equate this to is what you can sometimes hear on a corrupt mp3. 

Did you do anything in post to the audio other than levelling? If so, maybe provide an untouched recording? Have you treated the garbage can in anyway? 

Check out The Booth Junkie on YouTube, he has some incredible budget voice over booth solutions, and I've been working on building my own. If you like I can send you some examples and a description of my setup later today? Like I said though, I'm far from an expert, just trying to get the best sound I can out of the limited knowledge I have haha.

[IronFilm]

Levels too high?

[jonpais]

@Anaconda_ @IronFilm Yeah, I hear that high pitched garbling in the background too. My levels are below -12. I’ll try another with gain set even lower, but maybe my room acoustics just suck. 

[fuzzynormal]

Quick test: record that line under a blanket.  If it sounds a lot better, it's a baffling issue and you're recording in a room that's too live.  Deaden it a bit.

[Anaconda_]

Yes, try the blanket trick, and also try without the garbage can. I'm not sure about the Blue Yeti, but the backside of most mics isn't that responsive anyway, and having open space behind them can sound a lot better. The bin could also act as a trap for certain frequencies. 

To my ears though, the most off putting parts of this sample don't seem to be the room, but more in how the audio's been processed somewhere along the line. It's like digital artefacts, audio moire or something.

That said, it's all about the process of elimination, so start with the blanket haha. 

[Bioskop.Inc]

It's the room you've recorded it in - the sound is bouncing off the walls etc..

Try turning down the recording levels & get really up close to the mic, like cm away. Also, check if your mic has different settings on it so that you just record through the end of the mic & not out the sides too. If not the blanket trick to deaden the sound will work.

[andrgl]

It's also a pretty shitty mic. I use it for my VO but have to record under a blanket + carpet and process the hell out of it in audition. Still ends up sounding off, lacking bass and with this weird reverb, though I get tons of comments about having a great ASMR voice. :P

[maxotics]

Isn't that a USB mic?  Would mean the analogue audio gain is set electronically within the mic?  I have a Shure XLR to USB where I can change the mic's gain (Shure SM7B).  There are no markers/gauge, but if I set it to 10 it gets distorted, but fine from 9 down!  Weird.  Anyway, tells me that the USB interface can create havoc so I (you) want some control.  Is that right, others who have more experience?  Sounds like he should invest in a dedicated Mic to USB interface.  Can one really trust an all-in-one USB mic?  My experience is no.

Also, neither one of us are young, so don't be offended   Are you sure you were at -10db and not +10db   Yep, I've done that too!

 

[jonpais]

@maxotics For sure, I had the gain set too high.

@andrgl Whatever your opinion of the mic, it's capable of much better sound than I recorded.