Microphone Not Loud Enough

M

Murgy91

New member
Hey guys, so far when ive been recording ive had to turn up the track on the mix by about 3 - 4db to get it to the sound level i want, Im using

Audio Technika At2020 Microhone

Through A

Roland UA-25 EX - A/I

im not sure if i just like things to loud, but to get the vocal to be there so to speak i always end up turning the vocal up, especially while recording so i can hear myself properly. Im using Logic Pro 9 as well.

Ive turned the Sensativity up on the A/I but if i remotely try to sing something not soft it peaks,

if you watch this link
Bring Him Home - Les Miserables 27th - Live Manchester - YouTube

at about 3:30 on the Let, thats about my voice at 2/3 power...

so any tips on what to do?

be much appreciated..
 
The recording signal level should peak at about -12dBFS on the meter. Adjust everything else (backing tracks, headphone output) accordingly.
 
Is that video just an example of your voice?
The problem is during recording, right?

If so, BSG is bang on. Always aim to have your recorded tracks peaking well below 0. -12 is a good reference.

If it doesn't seem loud enough, then you need to bring everything else down in your software and turn the monitors or headphones up.
 
Murgy91 said:
maybe i just like it to loud...
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that. But remember, there's no such thing as "loud", really. "Loud" is a relative term. If you turn everything else down, your vocals will be "loud" compared to everything else. That's how you should look at it. If you want more overall volume after that, just turn up your monitors/headphones.
 
Final mix volume would be addressed at the mastering stage, but do remember it's much better to send an ME a mix with 12db of 'space, than it is to send a mix that's already peaking 0.0 or close to it.

Best of luck.
 
seems to be when im belting or even remotely belting it just shoots right up still.. if i turn down the sensativity though the quiet bits are barely registering..

at the moment the sensativity knob on the AI is set to about a quarter :/ ?
 
Murgy91 said:
seems to be when im belting or even remotely belting it just shoots right up still.. if i turn down the sensativity though the quiet bits are barely registering..

at the moment the sensativity knob on the AI is set to about a quarter :/ ?
Click to expand...

Barely registering on what?

If your peaks are at -12dBFS and your quietest parts are 30dB below that they are still about 100dB above the digital noise floor.

How's your mic technique? Do you back off from the mic when you get loud?
 
Some great tips above! I would also suggest you bring the level of your other channels down to where the vox are at, especially if you have recorded at much 'hotter' signal strength in your gain structure. I have a a tendency to initially mix 'hot' and then create problems down the track and as such i struggle to get the VOX loud enough :)
 
Watch loud singers perform. Hey usually back away from the mic, or move their mic hand back when they are belting. It's not about volume in your recorder it's about capturing the difference in the voice that belting causes. You can move the vo,ume about in the mix.
based on the id you also need to address essing in your amplified voice. The essing/sibilance happens most when you've the mic close in & it is emphasised by the reverb.
there are a bundle of tricks to emply like back off, singing across the mic, singing beside the mic and de esser programs all of which make the experience more comfortable for the listener.
Basically you have a show/musical theatre voice and in good ol' thaetre the mics were suspended from above or set up at stage front and you projected into the space for them to pick up. You might try backing off as well as using a 2nd "room" mic that's gated to open when you get loud.
 
It doesn't matter how loud the vocals are whilst recording as long as you get all of the vocals. You don't want things turned up so much that parts of the vocals are clipped. Generally it want to read between -3 to -6. You can always turn it up and add plugins to beef the vocal sound afterwards
 
ive started recording the quiet (er) bits first then on the belt bits move away, i do generally tend to move the mic but mine seems to be abit more sensative so i just stand quite a bit away.. think im gonna enrol on a course so i actually understand rather than guess..... thanks for your help guys :) got it registereing at about -2 , -3 when im belting and seems to be ok so far! :)
 
"Volume"

You can basically ignore how "loud" things are until you're dealing with the master fader. This is especially true if you're working in 24bit recording. nothing really needs to be at 0 db until the end. Once you get to the master fader, you can add gain, limiting, or compression to bring the whole song up to 0db.

Also, ignore how loud it sounds on your DAW. Bounce it to itunes and its not gonna be any louder than any of the songs on there, and most likely if it hasn't been mastered, it will be quieter, even if it seems really loud in your DAW.
 
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