Subject:background thumping..

Posted by: mabillings

Date:8/27/2002 9:23:55 AM

I am new to using SoundForge. I am using SoundForgeXP 4.5. When I do a voiceover for a documentary that I am doing I get a soft, rythmic thumping in the background. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance..

Subject:RE: background thumping..

Reply by: vanblah

Date:8/27/2002 12:12:52 PM

First determine what the thumping is. Is it a fan? Is it the AC? Is it the hard drive? Is it an old lady in a rocking chair?

If it's the computer (hard drive, fan etc.) Try moving away from the computer. If it's AC try turning it off. If it's an old lady in a rocking chair you may want to use a little tact when asking her to stop rocking. :)

Subject:RE: background thumping..

Reply by: mabillings

Date:8/27/2002 12:26:58 PM

After a little experimenting I notice that when I increase the sample rate the quicker the "thumping" is. Maybe that will help clarify it. Just to clear it up it is not ambient background (i.e. lady in rocking chair).

Subject:RE: background thumping..

Reply by: rraud

Date:8/27/2002 1:23:35 PM

Thumping noises in the low and low-mid frequency range are usually air born or mechanically induced. Clicking type noises could be computer generated glitches. I assuume your not hand-holding the mic.... A mic on a table stand will pick up very gentile finger taps and make them sound like Godzilla when the record gain is cranked. Use a shock mount.
Anything else would be a guess without hearing it.

Subject:RE: background thumping..

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:8/27/2002 3:37:58 PM

mabillings, since the thumping rate increases with higher sample rates, i'm going to guess you're picking up the sound of the head in your hard drive ticking away from track to track. It's one of those sounds that you tune out completely when sitting next to your computer, but a recording will pick up loud and clear. How far is your mic from the computer? Can you move farther away? Can you put the computer behind some sort of sound absorbent barrier?

Subject:RE: background thumping..

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:8/28/2002 3:43:33 PM

This maybe uncorrectable. First of all, are you using a laptop? If so, then see first statement. Next you may have to look at other sound card options, like an external USB sound card, to move the inputs away from the thumping sound within the laptop.