I have been recording songs for the past year or so with sonic foundry.
I have cooledit but i dont really know how to use it all that well.
unfortunetly, all of the songs i've created have too much static in them, i have enough songs that have the potential to make my first EP.
if anyone can give me advice on what to buy, some kind of recording device that isnt so costly, that would be the best for my guitar recording.

also, i've created a guitar song that is 14 minutes and 17 seconds, im going to post the lyrics up on the letters section, give me advice on how to improve this song if you can. i would give the time signatures for the song, but there are too many changes of the timing for me to remember at this moment...

If you are using editing software like Vegas or Acid, then your problem is with the recording input. Get a soundcard, an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 for $150 and you will have no more problems with static.

The problem may be one of latency. How much RAM do you have?...processor speed, hard drives, etc... Usually you can make latency adjustments in whatever software you're using. Also, in some audio apps, you can choose which mode/driver your soundcard uses. In Sonic Foundry/Sony apps, you usually have Microsoft Sound Mapper (whatever Windows is set up to use), Direct Sound, Windows Classic, and then maybe WDM and ASIO. ASIO is the best, but you probably don't have ASIO drivers for your card. WDM would be second best, but you might not have these either. Windows Classic is the worst and would almost certainly result in latency issues under all recording circumstances.

Another thing, if you're monitoring your recording, that'll also introduce latency. Basically, all cards have some level of latency, it's just whether or not it becomes audible.

maybe his definition of "static" is clipping?

unfortunetly............i dont know shit about computers and...clipping? i dont know anything about recording as well; all i know is that the static is taking away so much of the sound that i want to hear.

paraflux i hope what you say is true, christmas is coming up...
paraflux you also mention something about my recording input, when you say that i guess you mean my mic?... im using the mic that is inside of my montor, could that be a problem as well?

Yeah.

Buy a Shure SM75. They work alright as a vocal mic, and they're a great instrument mic.

That probably is the problem, and I'll hop on the clipping bandwagon now.

If it is in fact clipping, you can get rid of it by turning your input down via the Advanced button in the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel.

deviated wolf, did you mean the shure sm57 mic? i cannot find an sm75.
does this mic take out static?

That's the mic, and no, it doesn't take out static. No mic, in terms of functionality, takes out static. The static you're experiencing is either clipping, latency, or some other reason most likely related to your mic sucking.

clipping means that you are overloading the microphone. You just need to turn the input level down (gain).

gain...thats a familiar word; is it sort of like distorting more than static making? if so then i guess i wont have to buy anything after all.

gain, is like the level of output, i guess. The level that you are allowing the microphone (or instrument) to send a signal to the pre-amplifier (in this case, the pre-amp is your sound card).

If you simply double-click the little speaker icon in your taskbar (near the clock) you will be able to change the gain on the mic. But how you do so is dependant on your sound card.

The universal way is Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices -> Advanced -> Options -> Properties -> Recording -> "Ok"

Now you will see the microphone level. It'll be the only one selected right now. Just turn that down, until it doesn't distort. In that same window drop down Options -> Advanced Controls, now click on advanced for the mic, and turn off the +20db boost. This will probably fix the problem, and prevent you from having to find the g-spot.

After the +20db boost is off and it still distorts, then you'll just have to turn down the mic level appropriatly.

i followed your step by step instructions, i must say you are a good instructor ;]

thanks, so that worked?

took out the majority of the static, a better mic should eliminate the rest of it.
i can hear all sorts of things in my recordings now, that i couldnt before.

maybe i can be of some help too

open cool edit pro
hit the red record button
click ok
hit options-> windows recording mixer.
start clanging on your axe and look at the wave form.

the wave form should NEVER be a solid block, it should be spiky at the tops and bottoms with no real bulkiness to it.... keep sliding down the respective "volume" bar until your waveform looks to be a good medium size but is not clipped off or bulky looking.

if you are using line in of course this is where you will click the line in box or the microphone box or cd player, which i have no idea why you would need that.

now take your track and highlight a small section at the beginning before you started playing..... a small small section, 1-2 seconds long.

go to effects-> noise reduction - >noise reduction.
click "get profile from selection"
click CLOSE not cancel.. CLOSE.
click anywhere on the track and hit ctrl-a (select all)
go back into noise reduction.
click OK.

it should do wonders at getting rid of any excess noise you have, however the more you crank up noise reduction the more it can potentially fuck with your tone if you need to take excess noise out.
mine is at FTT size 4096 pts.
the bar is at high.
reduce by 40 db
precision factor 1
smoothing 1
transition width 0

these are detailed step by step instructions, you won't have a hard time at all getting used to using cool edit pro....

you can also load up your noisy tracks and try using noise reduction using the method i used (selecting a quiet part where nothing is playing to isolate the noise) but DO NOT SAVE OVER YOUR OLD TRACKS in case it fucks them up..... make backups i would recommend.

and likewise these songs should be backed up no matter what on a cd or on the internet or both

you said you use the mic in your monitor, i did that for awhile, a good way to do it is turn your volume on your computer all the way down, record, then when you listen turn it up. also try to keep your amp as quiet as possible and as close as possible.