Take heart

ecc83

Well-known member
all you recording newbs! It IS possible to make very acceptable recordings with very basic equipment and with little or no technical knowledge.

Attached is a recording my son has done in his flat in France using a fairly cheap USB microphone positioned about a mtr from the guitar. That distance is the reason for the low level. something that bothers beginners but it really does not matter so long as,..

The room and system noise is low. The room is not SO badly damped that is sounds like an Olympic pool. He is fortunate to have a good sized room with a high ceiling and though sparsely furnished, there is enough absorbent, at least it sounds quite pleasant to me?

Now, do not suggest people just buy a USB mic and expect to build songs no, I would always recommend an audio interface and a separate microphone, a vastly more versatile system (he has that as well anyway) but, IF cash is tight and you want to put down some ideas or even use recording for self criticism, a USB mic and a PC will do very well.

Must go to bed, face the flack the 'morrow!

Dave.
 

Attachments

  • 2020-09-14 Mozart variation01.mp3
    5.6 MB · Views: 100
Thanks Gecks!

The piece is "Mozart Variations by Fernando Sor Op 9" Son said he has only sent me the first half because he can't play the other part yet!

The USB mic is the widely available Citronics CUC3. He has two other microphones, an SM57 and a BM-800 super cheap LDC. The Shure he likes the sound of for acoustic guitar but says he has to have it SO close to get a decent level* he clouts it! He does not like the sound of the BM (but they are a useful mic if you can afford nothing else)

He also says the Citronics can sound a bit 'spiky' if closer than a mtr but of course that brings up one of the many disadvantages of USB mics. The only way to control level is distance for most of them (Hmm? You CAN frigg about with Windows Sound levels but that could lead to excess noise?) The 'harder' sound of the microphone is, I suppose, due to its very low cost. My old mum used to say "You get nothing for nothing and very little for a tanner" !

Son says he is going to repeat the recording with the BM-800 and we can compare.
He is waiting on a Mackie LDC (got a good rep in SoS Aug 2020 but I can't find the mag for the model number!) but they are back ordered and not expected til mid October.

*The Shure goes into a Behringer UMC204HD and although that struggles for level with ac' git at a mtr is very usable with a dynamic for speech at say 100mm. The BM goes into the 204 as will the Mackie.

Right! The Mackie LDC is the EM-91C $80 and comes with a shockmount and XLR cable, just what the Dr ordered for the budding newb?
Ok yes, it will use a fairly generic Chinese mic capsule but the SoS report said it was really rather good on voices for the money. NOT going to shift the Rodes and SEs of the mic world but very acceptable.

Dave.
 
I can definitely hear the 'room' in that recording, but it is not unpleasant for a finger-played part. Easy to EQ some 'body' to the guitar.

An SM57 can have enough volume for recording guitar - with a decent preamp. I know that Behr are better than they used to be, but I remember when I picked up a 12 channel Behr USB mixer many years ago, brought it home, and then had to crank the gain almost to max (with subsequent noise) with an SM57 to get any kind of usable signal into my computer. I brought the Behr back to Guitar Center the next day and got a Mackie (still have it) that did much better.
 
I can definitely hear the 'room' in that recording, but it is not unpleasant for a finger-played part. Easy to EQ some 'body' to the guitar.

An SM57 can have enough volume for recording guitar - with a decent preamp. I know that Behr are better than they used to be, but I remember when I picked up a 12 channel Behr USB mixer many years ago, brought it home, and then had to crank the gain almost to max (with subsequent noise) with an SM57 to get any kind of usable signal into my computer. I brought the Behr back to Guitar Center the next day and got a Mackie (still have it) that did much better.

Now! It just goes to show how people's hearing can differ. I first heard that clip on my home hi fi sytem. Arcam 6 50W amp an a pair of 20yr old Fidek speakers. Sounded 'like guitar' to me and there was certainly enough 'bottom heft'. Similarly on AKG K92 cans. However I have just come from my 'stoodio' and played it on the Tannoy 5As, rather brighter, in fact some parts sound positively 'Mandolinlike'?

"You can't please............"

I am not surprised a mackie mixer beat an old Berry but the 204HD does have quite good pre amps. I shall see how he likes the Mackie LDC but if he would really like to try the '57 I shall spring for a Fethead.

Dave.
 
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