Artifacts in recorded file but not during tracking?

[cheeserandyburg]

I've been having this issue for some time now.

 

I'll finish recording a bass track, guitar track, drums (midi) whatever else, and then I'll throw on vocals. I'll finish the tracking process and when I'm sitting down monitoring to what I have so far; whether it be through headphones or monitors, I'll notice high freq artifacts on the vocal track(s).

Sometimes it'll happen on acoustic (guitar) tracks.

I've had similar issues on plugging direct in (elec. guitar) in the past as well (Which were posted on here before. However, in those cases the freq artifact/sound was slightly different)

 

Here's the puzzle. How come I'm hearing this POST recording and not DURING recording? I'd catch it if it was happening during, and I'm 100% sure it isn't happening during tracking. In addition, it happens completely randomly and its only noticable during monitoring post rec.

 

I've so far tried looking into;

1) plosives, sibilance but that's not the issue here.

2) Buffer = not a problem

3) Duplicating the problem = can't

 

 

What are the possibilities for this?

 

Deep down I'm thinking two things, MH drivers (once again) or whatever data is getting recorded onto disk is somehow becoming corrupt along the way.

[David Nahmani]

How come I'm hearing this POST recording and not DURING recording?

During recording, are you listening to software monitoring? Or are you monitoring through a mixer, through your audio interface...?

 

I'll finish recording a bass track, guitar track, drums (midi) whatever else, and then I'll throw on vocals. I'll finish the tracking process and when I'm sitting down monitoring to what I have so far; whether it be through headphones or monitors, I'll notice high freq artifacts on the vocal track(s).

Sometimes it'll happen on acoustic (guitar) tracks.

 

So on the acoustic guitar tracks, do you hear it immediately after the recording when you're attempting to record the vocals? Or do you not notice it during the vocal recording, then once you sit down to listen to the whole thing you notice the artifacts on the acoustic guitar tracks?

[cheeserandyburg]

HI David,

 

During recording, are you listening to software monitoring? Or are you monitoring through a mixer, through your audio interface...?

 

During recording I AM using software monitoring. Not noticing any artifacts whatsoever.

 

 

So on the acoustic guitar tracks, do you hear it immediately after the recording when you're attempting to record the vocals? Or do you not notice it during the vocal recording, then once you sit down to listen to the whole thing you notice the artifacts on the acoustic guitar tracks?

 

Yes. As soon as I'm done recording an acoustic track at times I'll notice something is off about it and then have to redo it. Other times I'll only notice it once I lay all the other instruments down. Sometimes I realize something is wrong during mixing. It jumps out like a glitch/artifact. I then have to then solo all the tracks in Logic and isolate the problem. More times then anything, its on vocal/acoustic.

 

Another thing to mention is, this is only present when using the Interface. I've used my mic with other gear and never encountered it. So I know its not the mic.

 

Here's an example from a older vocal track (2011) that had it occur:

 

https://www.box.com/shared/0f4nguksj4

 

Happens 1.5 seconds in from the beginning. High freq, click/glitch.

 

After contacting the guys at MH and letting them analyze that audio strip (in AIFF format), their words were "its not digital, definitely analog and happened at 13Khz."

[David Nahmani]

The little blip at the beginning of the word "the"?

 

Definitely analog they say.... well what is your analog chain in front of the MH? Mic into MH? Or is it more complex? And still that wouldn't explain how come you don't hear the blips during tracking but do hear them upon playback.

 

Have you tried recording a digital source with your MH?

 

At some point one thing that would sort his out is to borrow/rent/purchase-and-return another interface, ideally another MH, same model, and see if you can replicate the problem or not. That's the best way to locate the culprit in your signal chain.

 

FWIW I have never had any such issue with my ULN-2.

[cheeserandyburg]

The little blip at the beginning of the word "the"?

 

Definitely analog they say.... well what is your analog chain in front of the MH? Mic into MH? Or is it more complex? And still that wouldn't explain how come you don't hear the blips during tracking but do hear them upon playback.

 

That's it! Right after, "the". I can't wrap my head around the fact its analog. It doesn't sound analog in nature to me for some reason. I know they analyzed the file, used spectra foo, zoomed in, etc, but I still have some gut feeling its digital.

 

The chain is; mic into either into channel 1 or channel 2 ULN2. Nothing else, nothing more. If I'm doing electric guitar, I'm going DI, either channel 1 or channel 2 and using the amp sims in Logic.

 

An interesting thing about Logic and sound in general with this MBP-ULN2 setup is.... Occasional there is a "cut out". Very brief. For example if I'm working on a project (whether it be small or bigger in nature) the sound will cut out for a split second and come back. This never happens during recording, but I do run into it from time to time.

 

Have you tried recording a digital source with your MH?

 

At some point one thing that would sort his out is to borrow/rent/purchase-and-return another interface, ideally another MH, same model, and see if you can replicate the problem or not. That's the best way to locate the culprit in your signal chain.

 

FWIW I have never had any such issue with my ULN-2.

 

Never tried recording using the digital source. It's always used with either input 1 or 2. Either a condenser, a shure Sm57, or DI electric guitar.

 

I'm aware that you use the ULN-2 and never talked about issues, which is why this is so strange to me.

 

I'm also the only person (in the internet community that I know of) that has to use the April, 1, 2010 driver version. The newer drivers were/are unbearable to work with for me (constant drop outs and issues)

 

I think I may have to spend and waste some extra money on renting another interface or another ULN2 this year from the local music store and try to duplicate this issue. The problem is, it happens so randomly its hard to catch until listening to the mixes.

 

Thanks for the advice.