This document discusses noise in audio recording and strategies for reducing it. It defines acoustic noise as unwanted sounds from the recording environment and electrical noise as random unwanted data produced by recording equipment. To reduce acoustic noise, the document recommends isolating the recording space, moving away from loud sources, and using a directional microphone. For electrical noise, it suggests using fewer pieces of equipment, short cables, balanced cables, and high quality products. The overall message is that preventing noise during recording is better than trying to remove it during post-production.

1. by Bartolomé Barrero

2.  1. Presentation
 2. What is noise?
 3. Acoustic noise
 4. Reducing acoustic noise
 5. Electrical noise
 6. Reducing electrical noise
 7. Final considerations

3. Hi,
My name is Bartolomé Barrero and I‟m a 38-years-old
internet professional from Madrid (Spain).
I‟m studying “Introduction to Musical Production” to
improve my professional background as well as a
personal interest (hobby).
You can follow me on twitter at @bbarrero

4.  In common use, the word noise means any unwanted
sound.
 In physics and analog electronics, noise is a mostly
unwanted random addition to a signal. High noise
levels can block, distort, change or interfere with the
meaning of a message.
 In signal processing or computing noise can be
considered random unwanted data without meaning;
that is, data produced as an unwanted by-product of
other activities.

5.  Acoustic noise is the noise of the space and
everything that comes into it.
 While recording, we have to remember that we are in
a determined space, so we want some of the sound of
the room, but always looking for a clean recording.
 Acoustic noise are sounds, particularly loud
ones, that make it difficult to hear wanted sounds
(our recording).

6.  Listen carefully to the "room tone" to identify acoustic
noise.
 Move away from noisy sources such as windows or
fans.
 Create an isolated space for recording.
 Turn off noisy sources like A/C, fans, heating, TV and
appliances.
 Choose a directional microphone to isolate the source
from the noisy environment.

7.  60/50 Hz hum and/or crackle.
 Every piece of gear does make some kind of electrical
noise and in recording you want to avoid this as
much as possible.
 Every piece of gear has something called „self- noise‟
which you can find in product‟s manual.

8.  Use as few gear pieces as possible (the fewer number
of things the signal is going through the noise floor
is reduced).
 Use short cables (longer cable means more noise
picked up).
 Use balanced cables (XLR or TRS cables to prevent
noise from being picked up).

9.  Turn off appliances and light dimmers (hum from
them can get to our recordings).
 Use high quality products.
 While recording, try first to move the mic closer to
the source when you need more gain, instead of only
turning the gain up.

10.  Besides all these strategies, we do have some tools in
the post production process that can help us reduce
the noises, but it's better if we don't rely on these
tools.
 Remember that it's better to have a good recording
than to try to fix it in the mix.
 Reduce noises before recording, not after!

11. Hope it helped a bit.