Any pro tips for combating noise (In situations where you should expect noise)

J

JCBitB

Inspired
Hey guys, I was just wondering if you had any tips for getting rid of noise when you have every reason to expect noise. I'm using single coils (in a Suhr, well grounded, good electronics etc) with cranked NMV amps that would absolutely be buzzing like a fridge if it was 'real' a tube rig. Let's just say Fractal's authenticity is on full display :tonguewink:

problem is I'm leaning really hard on the gate, and it's all being multiplied by my delays as well. Almost sounds like I've got a bad sample of ocean waves underneath my tone. The building I use this rig in is very old, with old wiring and lighting, but I assume my only real option there is a power conditioner and a ground loop switch. I do currently have the ground loop switch on my headrush FRFR112 in the position that is quietest.

Really, I don't know the first thing about combating noise, so don't assume I've already tried something that seems obvious to you. You won't hurt my feelings if I come out looking dumb, I'm used to it :tongueclosed:
 
I also have a very noisy environment. Lots of hum, buzz, and hiss across the whole frequency spectrum. Sucks, but I cannot change my environment, so I found ways to deal with it.

First, I try to minimize noise at the source:
  • turn off anything that doesn't need to be on, including computer monitors, wireless routers, even light bulbs.
  • Walk around your studio, with the noise gate off (you want to hear the noise), and use your guitar as an antenna. Sweep the guitar through 360 degrees as you walk around, and hunt for the spot(s) and orientations with least noise.
For me, that helps, but it doesn't get rid of all the noise. I only do studio work, so the end recorded result is all I care about.

Thus, my solution (which won't work if you need realtime noise reduction), is to record everything DI, run those audio files through a denoising application (an offline process), and then reamp the clean files.

Personally I use iZotope RX (Standard has everything you need) for this, and have had fantastic results.

When tracking it's noisy, but then after processing with RX and reamping it has the potential to be dead silent, even with high gain patches and single coils. I don't even use a gate unless I need the way it shapes the amplitude of the transients.

I have toyed with the idea of building a Faraday cage, but as of yet that was just a little too Doc Brown for my liking. Maybe one day, though.
 
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Yeah this is for an old church unfortunately. I appreciate the advice, and I'll definitely take a stroll to see if I can find a sweet spot with no noise but I do have designated zones where they expect me to remain.

One thing I'm apparently going to have to do is change my volume pedal for an expression pedal and control a filter block instead of the input at the axe. I tried this a LONG time ago either on an Ultra or when I first got a II and I remember the control not being anywhere near as smooth, but Fractal just keeps plugging away and improving things so it's time for a re-exploration. At least it will cure my issue of aggressive gate choking when I'm trying to play very softly in the background

Thanks so much for the suggestions, and good luck on your faraday cage!
 
On one (kitchen sink) preset I use multiple gates for a SC rig where INPUT1 Gate is set to -80dB, etc.

Then later I split my signal path post-amp out to some parallel delays, and just before those I place additional gates (set to taste) in front of those delays respectively.

This keeps those great FAS delay and reverb trails pseudo-pristine, while helping with squashing amplified emi, etc.

I don’t get rid of it all, and you hear it in iso when you play, but in mix context is fine.

That’s one of my gate solutions but generally I don’t have a ton of EMI/RFI. And guitars are well built/wired.

See if you can find the big items first ... simple is best in troubleshooting. It can take some persistence. Above us just one approach on using gates, nothing more.

Good luck!
 
stevetwist said:
Thus, my solution (which won't work if you need realtime noise reduction), is to record everything DI, run those audio files through a denoising application (an offline process), and then reamp the clean files.

Personally I use iZotope RX (Standard has everything you need) for this, and have had fantastic results.

When tracking it's noisy, but then after processing with RX and reamping it has the potential to be dead silent, even with high gain patches and single coils. I don't even use a gate unless I need the way it shapes the amplitude of the transients.
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Dude, I am in the same boat and am going to give their 10-day trial a try. It’s only $129 for the Essential bundle which includes de-hum. If it works well enough for me I am so getting it as it’ll make my recording life so much easier, less stressful and sounding more solid. Your suggestion to run this on the DI is genius. 🙏

@JCBitB thanks for posting this question!
 
Hey JCBitB,

Yeah, that's tough that it's for a live venue. Something else which came to mind that might be worth some experimentation is to try using EQ early in your signal chain (before the amp block) to lessen the worst offending frequencies.

Hum usually exposes itself as 50/60 Hz (depending on the mains frequency) plus its harmonic series, to lesser degrees (120, 180, 240 for 60 Hz). You could try a notched EQ at those frequencies - though I have a vague feeling that Fractal have already put in some secret sauce regarding this, in the noise gate/inputs, because you have to set your mains frequency in the global settings.

For higher frequency buzz/hiss, you can sometimes use EQ to help reduce (but not remove it). Starting with using the tone pot on your guitar - rolling off the high frequencies can do a lot to reduce hiss. Obviously this changes your tone, but you can then adjust amp settings and post EQ etc. to taste. For playing live, that might help tame the noise a little, at the expense of tone.

If low frequency hum is your main culprit, humbuckers will help, over single coils, if you're able to change guitars/pickups for that venue. I believe some pickup manufacturers make single coil sized humbuckers that are voiced to still sound more like a single coil pickup. I have also heard that active pickups are less prone to noise, but have not used them myself.

The thing with humbuckers that I have found, however, is that they (by the nature of how they work), are much better at reducing low frequency hum, than higher frequency EMI related hiss. I have found that single coil sized are better than full size for hiss - I believe this is because the coils are closer, and therefore there is less of a phase difference between the noise picked up by each pickup, higher up the frequency range - but they still only help a little. So, if your issue is with hiss, rather than hum, I wouldn't bother with humbuckers as I doubt it will help much.
 
finalformdc said:
Dude, I am in the same boat and am going to give their 10-day trial a try. It’s only $129 for the Essential bundle which includes de-hum. If it works well enough for me I am so getting it as it’ll make my recording life so much easier, less stressful and sounding more solid. Your suggestion to run this on the DI is genius. 🙏

@JCBitB thanks for posting this question!
Click to expand...
RX De-hum is ok for hum reduction, but I personally find RX Spectral Denoise to be far more useful. Unfortunately Spectral Denoise is only included in Standard or Advanced, not in Elements. Wanted to mention that in case anyone else is reading this thread and wants to try using something like RX. Thanks!
 
Depending on the venue, if ground noise is evident, I've had to change ground loop settings, on the back of my AXE, amp and DI Box.
I've had great success with the input noise gate, (recently switched to a gate block, after amp, using side chain to input 1).
My start settings are -40, 2, 10, 20. These settings keep my sustain, smooth fade, and eliminates the noise that is present in my high gain presets.
 
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