0551 – Mic Muck-Ups Solved!: Hiss

2022.07.05 – 0551 – Mic Muck-Ups Solved!: Hiss

Hiss (or: ‘static’)

This is usually caused when levels are set incorrectly during the recording and so the mic is picking up and boosting the ambient noise of an almost-silent room. It may also be down to a poor-quality microphone or one that has been damaged, or if the mic/line setting on a recorder (or on a connection built into the lead) is set incorrectly – in which case choose the alternate switch. The good news is that this kind of interference is easier to fix in most audio editing programs than some of the others listed here. Isolate a small part of the recording that is only hiss (and not speech or any other noise) and the program will then be able to remove that frequency from the rest of your interview. Remember to do this with the raw material, or you will have to repeat the process for every single edited section!

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