Recording Equipment Help

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wreckn'rob

New member
I just got into this home recording stuff and decided to go and buy some equipment on a whim. While I have been doing it for 10years on hand held mics without interfaces and preamps I decided to try and showcase my "talent" with equipment that is a little better. I bought a Samson co3u condenser mic, a M-audio Fast Track interface and M-Audio Audio buddy preamp connected with monster cables. When I record the tracks though it just does not come across as studio quality or anything I would even want to burn to a CD. I'm using Virtual DJ and Wave audio (had Nuendo 3, but could not figure it out). I know I'm missing some other equipment but I've heard budget setups that sound awesome. I forgot to add that I am also recording in a booth that Iconstructed. My question is do I need a mixer or a compressor or do I just need to switch to a different program to record? I am not happy with how the vocals sound as of right now, so any help is appreciated.
 
Like most noobs (and I don't mean that as an insult), you're skipping steps hoping you can fix bad recordings with software and/or equipment. The most important parts of the recording chain are your source and your monitors. By source, I mean talent, room acoustics, mic placement, etc. A "booth" is probably the worst place to capture a sound in. If you want "studio quality", keep in mind that in "real" studios, if they even use a "booth", it's probably the size of most home-recorders' entire "studio" space.

My first piece of advice would be to get rid of the "booth".
 
When me and my friends started doing this a year or so back (I know I'm no pro) we learned something. We learned was just because you have software doesnt mean that it will sound professional. Its all in the mix...and if you can learn a mastering program (we havent yet) even better. I've heard a lot of people complain about theier sounds because they expect so much from thier programs and equipment...they think its supposed to sound like radio quality. Dont get me wrong you can get some VERY nice tracks from regular mixing but most people starting out (includeing me) thought that the $80 program was all you needed, but to get radio quality...it usually needs to be mastered.

Just my 2 cents hope it helps...and if I'm wrong on somehting just correct me.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Doesn't the Fast Track have a mic preamp? Why are you using the Audio Buddy?
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I could be wrong, but I think only the Fast Track Pro has it and I don't have the pro. The vocals were coming out weak so I opted for the audio buddy preamp, that I got off a friend. It significantly amped the vocals.

Thanks for the advice..

I went with a booth as a couple co-workers were using one and there recordings sound so crisp. They however are using a little more high end equipment though and protools.
 
Kellerman said:
When me and my friends started doing this a year or so back (I know I'm no pro) we learned something. We learned was just because you have software doesnt mean that it will sound professional. Its all in the mix...and if you can learn a mastering program (we havent yet) even better. I've heard a lot of people complain about theier sounds because they expect so much from thier programs and equipment...they think its supposed to sound like radio quality. Dont get me wrong you can get some VERY nice tracks from regular mixing but most people starting out (includeing me) thought that the $80 program was all you needed, but to get radio quality...it usually needs to be mastered.

Just my 2 cents hope it helps...and if I'm wrong on somehting just correct me.
Click to expand...

It all sounds like good advice to me. I'm kinda lost when it comes to the engineering part of this and most people I know that have some know how on the topic, well their time is not free........


This forum seems to be filled with knowledgable people so I'll stick to this. I've been lurking for quite some time on this site.
 
Kellerman said:
When me and my friends started doing this a year or so back (I know I'm no pro) we learned something. We learned was just because you have software doesnt mean that it will sound professional. Its all in the mix...
Click to expand...

...and the mix is all in your tracking. If you get good tracks down on disc, then mixing becomes a cakewalk.
 
wreckn'rob said:
I could be wrong, but I think only the Fast Track Pro has it and I don't have the pro. The vocals were coming out weak so I opted for the audio buddy preamp, that I got off a friend. It significantly amped the vocals.
Click to expand...

Maybe they changed it but the non-Pro one I see on their site has an XLR input on the front. Unless you have a particularly low output mic it should be able to apply enough gain to get a proper recording level. Speaking of which, what level are you recording at, in dBFS peak?
 
wreckn'rob said:
...I bought a Samson co3u condenser mic, a M-audio Fast Track interface and M-Audio Audio buddy preamp connected with monster cables.
Click to expand...

Sounds like relatively standard home audio equipment. A quick GOOGLE shows these items are pretty popular and have good ratings from other people, so lets assume its not the equipment unless there is a defect.

wreckn'rob said:
...When I record the tracks though it just does not come across as studio quality or anything I would even want to burn to a CD...
Click to expand...

What do they sound like? Too loud and distorted? Not loud enough? Is there noise? Your problem is very general, can you post an example of a single track, perhaps a vocal, that you dislike we can listen to?
 
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