0552 – Mic Muck-Ups Solved!: Interference and Hum

2022.07.06 – 0552 – Mic Muck-Ups Solved!: Interference and Hum

Interference and hum

This is another kind of distortion, usually from external factors such as air-con units, mobile phone signals (not phones ringing, but when a phone is searching for a carrier), fluorescent or neon lights, computer monitors, fridges, electrical cables and so on. Move away from them or turn them off if possible, put cell-phones into ‘airplane’ mode and uncoil cables. The interference may also be caused by one of the cables you are using, perhaps connecting your mic and the recorder, in which case get it checked out soon in case of a potential fire or electric shock. Hums or buzzes caused by these issues are usually throughout a recording so even more problematic to fix than the others listed here, but you may be able to isolate a second or two of the hum by itself and then instruct an audio program to remove that frequency throughout the recording (although doing this will also remove that frequency from audio that you do not wish to affect). One more thing: some types of electrical hum will not be heard as you monitor a recording but only when you listen back.

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