I have a Creative Audigy sound card and a very simple Dialog microphone. I'd like to record voice, not in the professional quality, but just to be able to hear it clearly.

But if I record it with arecord, the output is to noisy, it's hard to hear words. I tried to use audacity, but it's too professional for such a simple task, and also I had some problems with it.

Is there a not too professional sound recording program, but wich is able to remove some of the noise?

Hi, I use Audacity sometimes to do voice recordings.

When I first started I found that the soundcard mic input was
inadequate for the task and also suffered from low level, noisy recordings.

What you need is a microphone that has a battery in it (a condenser mic)

so the signal is amplified some before it gets to the computer.

There are other ways, but this would be the cheapest solution.

This would/should work no matter what program you use.

If you would like to use audacity, get the ladspa plugins (effects and sound processors)

You may be able to clean up the recordings, but a rule of thumb....

A bad recording will not make a good recording.
(That could be said another way, but I refrain from profanity here.)

Do a web search for "Audacity Tutorials".

It can be done.

regards Glenn

Thank you! I'd like to be able to chat with a person, having a microphone on the table between us, without need to bend to the phone, just to sit and chat and be able to hear the words in the record afterwards. Will it be possible if I by a new microphone?

Hi, I think you may need better hardware, or Mic, as you suggest.

If you get a mic for this task, get one that has a battery, 1.5volt, usually AAA or AA size.

That will give you better sensitivity, enabling you to pick "room sounds".

Also when you have recorded the signal, "normalize" (U.S. spelling) the signal to bring the loudest peaks up to 0dB. That will also bring up any noise too, but you should be able to hear the recording better.

Audacity can do this.

It is easy to spend money on this problem, but I think you can do it cheaply if you need to. I have b4.

Cheers, let me know how you go, please, regards Glenn

ps. also check for "mic boost" in your mixer program, and when you record, leave your speakers off, or turned right down to deter feedback (and funny echo sounds)

audacity is nice , BUT it dose take some time to get familiar with is . I also use it to grab sound strait of the sound card . The bbc and others DO NOT like having there sound files downloaded .

Hi John VV, love your Celestia Maps. Thanks. GW

Thank you!
Is b4 your microphone model?

Do you mean by 'mic boost' just that the mic channel is fully open in mixer program or some extra boosting? I couldn't find any extra boosting in KMix. What mixer do you use?

Hi, for Mic Boost, kmix or some such, it's generally a check box (switch).

It is generally a soundcard software switch, if your card does not have it, it will be greyed-out, or not there at all.

I don't have a mixer that controls my external hardware (Edirol UA25EX).

I do use alsa and pulse apps to check the levels,
but once set I do all the other "pre-amp" levels from the
Behringer mixer and the UA25EX front panels.

"b4", sorry leet speak leaking in there, must have been tired,

I mean, "before", previous to this.

I use a Sure-sm57 and some others, but I have a small Behringer(Xenyx-802) mixer now to
control the levels before(b4) the signal gets to the computer hardware.

Avoiding Feedback, mic and speaker....
If you leave the speakers turned up while you record some of the signal is regenerated back through the mic, is amplified and sent to the speakers again, where it leaks into the mic, gets sent to the pc and around and around it goes, forming a positive feedback loop that may squeel or cause chattering.

If you need to listen while you record use headphones or move the mic to a place where the feedback is nulled. (not so easy sometimes.)

Cheers, Glenn

b4 = before. I see )

Oh, I think your hardware is quite high-level. Is it necessary to use such high-level hardware?

Well, that depends on your experience and what you want.

And of course what works with GNU/Linux and what you can afford.

See how you go, Time will tell.

A new mic won't be wasted.

My equipment is not really high level when you consider what there is available.

This is a very low budget system. (that kicks arse)

regards Glenn