How can I get rid of static noise?

[Insomnimatic]

Hey everyone, not sure if this is the right spot for this post but let's give it a whirl. I'm having an issue with my tracks when I'm recording my guitar. I have it hooked up through an interface into my DAW with some VST's added for effects.

ESP LTD MH-1000QMNT Guitar > Cable > Focusrite 2i2 Scarlett Interface > Mixcraft 7 DAW > Toneforge Menace VST.

The sound I am referring to can be heard in a track I am working on: http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/671279

The sound is not there when I am not using the VST. I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the way I'm using the sound gate but I can't figure out what to do differently. Thanks for any help.

[St0mpy]

Too much gain it sounds like, or there's too much drive/volume going into the vst.

[EagleGuard]

At 2/17/16 09:13 AM, St0mpy wrote: Too much gain it sounds like, or there's too much drive/volume going into the vst.

Agreed, sounds like the recording is way too 'hot' (in other words: too loud). Lower the gain, until it reaches proper recording levels (I think roughly around -18 db, from the top of my head), then adjust the fader until it reaches a proper level. If the gain is too high, clipping and distortion will occur.

A gate is just there to cut off any noise signal after you stop playing, not while you're hitting the notes.

[Insomnimatic]

Ok, thank you both especially for the explanation on how to fix it. I'll try to get the volumes right. I've been recording every song incorrect this whole time haha.

[frootza]

Say. "LEAVE NOW!"

That should work.

JK...

You'll have to work with the EQ. Try three band, and move into 7+ band Equalization techniques. I like pinpointing where the static is coming from and then dropping that EQ from the spectrum.

[EagleGuard]

At 2/17/16 01:59 PM, frootza wrote: You'll have to work with the EQ. Try three band, and move into 7+ band Equalization techniques. I like pinpointing where the static is coming from and then dropping that EQ from the spectrum.

Fixing it with EQ should only really be done as a last resort, though (and in many cases won't really fix it anyway). It's always better to fix it at the source, rather than trying to control the damage during post production. Keep in mind that EQ will not only alter the unwanted 'noise' signal, but also the signal that you'd normally want to leave unaltered.

[frootza]

At 2/17/16 02:36 PM, EagleGuard wrote:

At 2/17/16 01:59 PM, frootza wrote: You'll have to work with the EQ. Try three band, and move into 7+ band Equalization techniques. I like pinpointing where the static is coming from and then dropping that EQ from the spectrum.

Fixing it with EQ should only really be done as a last resort, though (and in many cases won't really fix it anyway). It's always better to fix it at the source, rather than trying to control the damage during post production. Keep in mind that EQ will not only alter the unwanted 'noise' signal, but also the signal that you'd normally want to leave unaltered.

Eagle is right,

However I've collabed with some people who just record directly from their iPhones and we've been able to remove a lot of the hiss with basic EQ techniques in ProTools.

[scientificcommunity]

Check your input and output levels at the VST. It's probably clipping a bit on the output. Did you notice whether your meters are hitting red on that DAW channel? Make sure you've got 'peak hold' set, and you'll see if a channel has clipped red at all during the duration of the track.

The sound is not there when I am not using the VST. I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the way I'm using the sound gate but I can't figure out what to do differently. Thanks for any help.

[TheLitch]

The way I usually deal with this is taking a parametric EQ to the track, fine tuning how wide a certain frequency is tweaked and raise its volume to the point where you can fine the hiss and its volume increases. The next step would be to keep that pitch and drop it out of the mix completely. This way your tone won't be affected and you'll decrease the volume of the hiss.

It's easy to get away with this if you're recording bass, drums, or electric guitars (especially when dealing with natural amp buzz which doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with it).