Audacity effects on Mac

TomFuller

New member
I'm new here, and new to recording. Using Audacity on my Mac, singing to Sibelius accompaniment that I composed. All is going well, except for the sound of my voice. I uploaded the mpeg accompaniment, then I recorded the vocal with it. Playing it back, accompaniment sounds perfect but my voice sounds either flat (like the guy singing "Winchester Cathedral") or like I'm in a cathedral. or a tin barn. Wonder if anyone can help me on effects settings, especially reverb. Using a $100 Shure mike, so the quality is okay. Thanks. --Tom in Texas
 
When you click on the reverb effect, it should bring up a dialog with options and settings. What are those all set to?
 
Here are the default Reverb settings. Wups...tried to attach a screen shot, but it didn't work. Settings are: Room size (%): 78, Pre-delay (ms): 20, Reverberance (%): 58, Damping (%): 99, Tone low (%): 100, Tone high (%): 50, Wet gain (dB): -12, Dry gain (dB): 3, Stereo width (%): 70. As a rule, any fiddling with these makes it sound even more like I'm lost in a cavern, or singing over a transistor radio.
 
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I have never used GarageBand. If it will upload mpegs and allow me to record vocals with them...and if it's easier to control the Effects, I will. I just heard Audacity was the best, and so I learned it.
 
I have never used GarageBand. If it will upload mpegs and allow me to record vocals with them...and if it's easier to control the Effects, I will. I just heard Audacity was the best, and so I learned it.
It may or may not be "easier" because that depends on what makes sense to you. It is a "real" (if dumbed down) DAW, so you'll be able to add an effect while you are actually tracking, and hear how it sounds as you monitor in headphones. And then, after you've tracked and listened, you'll be able to modify it to your (or GarageBand's, perhap's) heart's content without having to undo/redo. You might at least give it a try.

I've honestly never heard Audacity described as "the best" for mixing. It's a good and capable editor, and you can mix, but now that I'm used to working in a DAW (I use Logic these days), I find it only useful for some limited kinds of edits on things I don't want to bother creating a Logic project for.

N.B. There's a minimum # of posts required here before you can post attachments or links.
 
Ok. I'll be glad to try Garageband. I am willing to learn anything. I have tried all kinds of different configurations on Audacity Effects, including endless fiddling with the Equalizer. I can never get a clear, true recording on the voice, with fidelity. Thru the headphones it sounds great. But playing it back, the quality diminishes. Seems that the default settings are about as good as it gets. The more adjusting I do the worse it sounds.
 
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