BIG recording problem! Please help!

T

TORUS

New member
Hy guys..
I have a Aardvark 24/96 card in my PC..My problem is in the recording setup of the vocals..
Aardvarks' have good preamps so I decided to record my RODE NT1 directly thru mic-in1 of the card..
But..
I have a big problem with clipping of the vocal sound..When I put in the mic, there are 3 gain level which I can choose..
mic1,mic2 and line..
When I choose mic1 with 32db it is optimal, but when the singer raises his voce it is clipping hugely!!
When I minimize the input gain he's not hearing itself in the headphones ( it's poor) ..
I play the music from the 1,2outputs of the Aardvark and the singer is listening thru headphones and sings his part..
What should I do to avoid clipping?
When I minimize the gain, it isnt showing the red light but it's still distorting the tones when singing hard..

What's my problem and how to solve it?
To do some rewiring in my patch in Aardvark?
How to limit the input gaain signal?

Please help..
I'm desperate..:((


TORUS
 
you cant adjust the input level by what they are hearing in headphones...you have to go by the input meters....have the singer sing while you adjust the input level....have him sing as loud as he is gonna and get it where the level maxes around -1-2 db.....when you get that level set, set the output level to where he wants it at.....
 
You need an external compressor. Ofcourse I have no idea how you insert a compressor into a soundcard.

Keijo
 
Gidge, help..

Gidge, tell me what recording setup to make?

How you regulate the gain input?

How to make everything sound good in headphones?

What to do in the patchbay?

When the loud notes are sung, there is a big distorsion..

How to record with an real-time effects" Is it good?



Thanx

TORUS
 
hi,

set the gain to an optimal level and increase the output level of your headhone amp or amplifier. If this makes the music too loud, then reduce the level of the instruments and keep the voice level the same. This way, the singer can hear himself without clipping the pre.
 
TORUS,
I got your e-mails. Lets see if this works.

Here's how I've got the "patch bay" set up:
patch.jpg


My multitracker's main output bus is directed to 5,6 out on the AARK, which sends it to both the Monitor jacks on the back, and the headphone jack on the front. I switch off the monitors (power switches on front of the monitors) when tracking vocals.

How I usually track:
panel.jpg

I use analog 3 In (don't know why #3...) for my mic (Studio Projects C1), set it at MIC1, and anywhere from 36 to 41 on the gain depending on if I'm 'singing' or 'screaming' and how close I'm getting to the mic. I normally bypass the compressor and EQ. Rec FX is not on. I then use the sliders under input channel 3 and Playback 5,6 to control the relative levels between the mix and the mic, and the Monitor fader to control the overall volume. In this setup, the input trim (knob at the top) controls the signal level going to the computer, the fader (at the bottom) controls the level going to the monitors and headphones. The signal meter is 'pre fader', meaning it shows you the signal level going to the computer. You need to be careful you do not cause the peak light to go on. If you do, you'll need to start over, reducing the level on the input trim at the top.

Alternately (using the compressor, and EQ) (I don't usually do this):
panelcomp.jpg

Here the Rec FX button IS on. Very big difference here!!! The meter is post fader, showing the level of the compressed/EQ'd signal going to the computer, and the fader WILL affect the level of the signal that is being recorded!!! You are much less likely to peak with this setup, but the compressor and EQ will 'color' your sound.

Queue
 
Thanx!

Thanx a lot Queue..
I used the patched connected like this:

All outs ( analog 1,2, 3,4, and 5,6) connected with MONITOR L,R..

I will connect like you've said and see the difference..

But something worries me also..

When the singer raises his voice I get a slight distorsion even when it's not peaking ..What's could be the problem? I saw some threads that some other HR-ers had this problem..
Could it be the pre-amp or my mic? or the room?

2. I am using Cubase as sequencer..Tell me: How shoud I set up the input gain of the Cubase vocal track when recording? How to setup an optimal gain?

3.I didnot understand this from your text:
I switch off the monitors (power switches on front of the monitors) when tracking vocals.
What monitors, which switch and why you do this?

4. It seems that I'm doing something wrong.. Here's my chain.. I have Dynaudio BM6a monitors and my whole setup goes thru my Spiritfolio F1 mixer.. I've used 2 channels of the F1 for the output of the Aark..Formally, I use the mixer only for listening thru..
And I get the signal from mixer's headphones for the singer.not from the Aark ( because the level was too poor and I didnot know how to raise the headphone gain)..So, now, I dont know how to regulate and to mix the signals of the tracks and the mic input and to mix them well..
I suppose that's why the singer is not hearing him well.. How to setup those gains perfect for hearing?



Thanx guys again
TORUS
 
TORUS,
I'm not using a mixer at all, just the aark, and the aark software mixer. Because both my headphones and monitors are connected to 5,6 out on the aark, I cannot control them independently. I have to turn off my monitors when doing vocal tracking.

In your first post, you said you are plugging the mic directly into the aark. If you aren't using your mixer's preamps, why don't you go ahead and try to plug the headphones into the aark, and adjust your settings as I instructed? The distortion you are getting may be from the way you are routing the signal back to the mixer from the aark.

Queue
 
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