do u have a pop shield
good voice production
is vital breath thru nose as much as poss to avoid to much airy sound

Post an example of the hissing.

I know what the problem is.

You need to move away from Baltimore. Everything is charming but the sound there.

Actually, I went to Pikesville high school for my last two years of high school in the early seventies. And I know that's what the problem is. So I also left Baltimore. I only go back for the corned beef at Attman's. It's the only reason to go to Baltimore, like I did earlier today. Mmmmmm and don't forget the pickles!

Now about your other problems.

First, get out of the closet. It's all right if you're gay. I know plenty of folks like you but most have moved to Greenwich Village.

That hissing might be rattlesnakes!!?? You know, in the mountains of Skyline Drive which is close to Baltimore, they have the highest amount of rattlesnakes in North America! I found that out because I camp there often. But I haven't camped there as much since finding that out from the now late Steven Irwin.

It's also possible that you may have sprung a leak? You might want to check that opening behind you? It's a frequent source of problems in my control room. Or it really could be that awful Sound Blaster (hint hint, it's really the sound blaster). You NEVER NEVER WANT TO USE THE MICROPHONE PREAMP IN A SOUND BLASTER. You're also most likely using a $5 Taiwanese made multimedia microphone. Which is the only thing that will plug into the microphone input of a sound blaster. BIG NO-NO. Sterling microphone? It's not designed to plug into a sound blaster. Nothing made out of Sterling is. This is the beginning of your first real audio lesson. Simply because, I used to know what I was talking about until I came here. That's why move away from Baltimore. Because I don't know what I'm talking about there. That's why move to Washington DC like Roberto Gonzalez. But I really can't remember why?

I know this is tough to accept especially when you've paid at least $12 for your Sound Blaster card. But this is precisely the reason why there are so many other entry-level pro-sumer audio cards available for under $100. (yes, yes, I know Sound Blaster makes cards for over $100. I hope you didn't buy any of those either? They're not real but merely imitation sound cards with a higher price) Those entry level sound cards from Guitar Center, are designed to accept an inexpensive Shure SM57 with a foam pop filter, available for under $80, or the SM58 with the nice metal ball for a little over $100. Total investment, under $200. Wow! That's a lot of dough for someone just starting out. I know. We've all been there, done that.

In a worst case scenario, you could purchase an inexpensive entry level microphone preamp for around $50 at Guitar Center in Towson or somewhere else around the Beltway. Then, a lesser expensive Shure SM 48 microphone. Total investment, about $100 and you can plug this into the line input, the green one, into that Sound Blaster card. The green line level input isn't anywhere near as horrible as the microphone input but still not quite up to snuff. But if that's all you have, it's doable for the line input.

With the above mentioned set up, you'll gain more of a professional sound that will be minimally acceptable for a newbie. And with that entry-level soundcard will come some real honest to God usable professional software. We aren't talking shareware here.

Obviously, you should not be terribly concerned about equipment specifications blah blah as it's really not applicable to what you are trying to accomplish right now. Simply because, you really can't afford anything else so why worry?

I could actually play you some recordings I made when I was 14 with a couple of inexpensive Electro-Voice 636 omnidirectional dynamic microphones on piano and a $3.98 Sony dynamic microphone for the vocalist. All unbalanced, with 1/4" connectors, directly into a Sony reel to reel that would probably embarrass a lot of people here. It's amazing and I still listen to that recording to this day and am totally proud of it. How did I get 3 microphones into 2 inputs? Simple. It was all done passively with about $3 in parts from that newfangled store called Radio Shaft, along with my first soldering iron.

Still living in the past
Ms. Remy Ann David

Remy,

I love it, but I still want to hear the hiss!!!

(Is Radio Shaft any relation to Sky Crap?)

Edit> Sky Crap (Skycraft) is a used electronic parts dealer in Orlando. Sorry, vague reference there...