Starting over! please help

[TAK4!]

OK well im starting over and going with a sound card and recording straight to the computer.

My question is what do I need?

I know I need a sound card, but I want to use my Condernser mic (needs phantom). And as far as I know I cant find a sound car with a 3pin XRL w/phantom.

So what else whould I need? any kind of amp? program?

Also suggestions of brands would be perfect too!

Thanks,
Taka

 

[pandamonk]

You have many options, a couple are: buying an interface(soundcard) with good preamps with phantom power included(presonus firepod(fp10) has 8in 8out, firebox has 2in 6out), or buying an interface which has line inputs(m-audio delta44 or 1010), and having a stand alone preamp(m-audio dmp3). All my suggestions are quite well respected budget gear, although there are many similar products which do the same job/are preferred.

You have many options open to you, including programs. There are a couple good free programs(audacity), a couple that come bundles with an interface(cubase le), and good programs that cost(reaper good for $40, another others like sonar, cubase, etc).

 

[pandamonk]

Start off by answering a few questions:

1. Where are you(UK, US)?
2. What's your budget?
3. Do you have a decent PC?
4. How many channels do you need(drums can be recorded well with just 4)?
5. What are you looking for(interface and monitors)?
6. Do you have much/any experience?
7. Do you have any equipment now(esp recording equipment, mixers etc)?
8. What is your room(s) like(post a room plan)
9. Do you need isolation?

Any more info would be great...

 

[TAK4!]

1. Where are you(UK, US)? US (Hawaii)
2. What's your budget? well I have $100-150 (I have a mic already)
3. Do you have a decent PC? Yes
4. How many channels do you need(drums can be recorded well with just 4)? 2? I have the instrumentals all made just need to record vocals and mix.
5. What are you looking for(interface and monitors)? I guess interface.
6. Do you have much/any experience? hahaha well I have alot of experience with computers and programs, but im new to recording.
7. Do you have any equipment now(esp recording equipment, mixers etc)? I have a multi-track recorder, mixer w/pjantom, and large condener mic.
8. What is your room(s) like(post a room plan). Well my computer is in a corner or a room.
9. Do you need isolation? isaloation? I dont think so.


The reason why I want to start doing interface is because Im having a BIG problem with the drift when I mix my vocals and instrumentals together. I have to mix in vocals two words at a time. Very dumb...I did try everything from the net and other threads..

 

[pandamonk]

1. Where are you(UK, US)? US (Hawaii)
2. What's your budget? well I have $100-150 (I have a mic already)
3. Do you have a decent PC? Yes
4. How many channels do you need(drums can be recorded well with just 4)? 2? I have the instrumentals all made just need to record vocals and mix.
5. What are you looking for(interface and monitors)? I guess interface.
6. Do you have much/any experience? hahaha well I have alot of experience with computers and programs, but im new to recording.
7. Do you have any equipment now(esp recording equipment, mixers etc)? I have a multi-track recorder, mixer w/pjantom, and large condener mic.
8. What is your room(s) like(post a room plan). Well my computer is in a corner or a room.
9. Do you need isolation? isaloation? I dont think so.


The reason why I want to start doing interface is because Im having a BIG problem with the drift when I mix my vocals and instrumentals together. I have to mix in vocals two words at a time. Very dumb...I did try everything from the net and other threads..

I don't really understand, what is wrong with your multitrack recorder? Do you need an interface with preamps? Here is a few interfaces within your budget(Tapco link usb - $150, Presonus 1394 - $150, Tascam US-122L - $120, Tascam US-144 - $140, or you could get the behinger podcastsudio(inc. headphones & mic) - $180).

Ohh and get out of the corner if you can, that's the worst place to mix. Read this.

 

[TAK4!]

I don't really understand, what is wrong with your multitrack recorder?

Well when I record with the multi-track and transfer it to my computer and mix the vocals to music the drift is so bad, in order to sync the vocals with music I have to mix the vocals two words at a time. takes so long..

I did try everything to get rid of the lagg in vocals and music, but nothing worked. And people are telling me that if I just go with interface I wont have this problem.

Do you need an interface with preamps?

Can I use Phantom with out a pre amp?

 

[pandamonk]

Well when I record with the multi-track and transfer it to my computer and mix the vocals to music the drift is so bad, in order to sync the vocals with music I have to mix the vocals two words at a time. takes so long..

I did try everything to get rid of the lagg in vocals and music, but nothing worked. And people are telling me that if I just go with interface I wont have this problem.




Can I use Phantom with out a pre amp?

What do you mean by the drift? Is it latency? What multitrack recorder do you have, and can't you mix it on the recorder? If not, what about buying a mixing desk and outputting each track to its own channel on the mixer, and mixing in real time, recording the stereo output to your pc?

A preamp boosts the signal to line level(needed for recording), so i don't know why you'd want to use phantom without the preamp. I doubt it can be done without buying a stand-alone phantom power.

 

[Dani Pace]

Is your multi track prerecorded music on a 4-track tape deck? If so you will have trouble aligning the tracks due to the playback speed of the tape. Slight variations in playback speed will cause the tracks to start off together then drift apart as the track progresses. This happens most frequently when trying to seperate the tracks (recording them one at a time onto the computer) for remixing and mastering. If the recorded materal is a good mix you could upload it as a stereo track then add the vocals on additional tracks. Without knowing more about your set up, it is safe to say you still need some sort of preamp, the mic input on most soundcards is not sufficient for recording any sort of quality vocals, in fact the soundcards that come factory installed (Sound Blaster, Real Tek etc..) are not really made for recording, they will work but wont give you the quality recordings you are hoping for.

 

[TAK4!]

tape deck? like cassette tape? mines is a digital recorder.

I tried to put the music on the card than try and play it on my recorder as "track 1" and record the vocals on "track 2" but i dont know how to work my recorder and it doesnt play. I did read the manule but its very unclear about this kind of stuff..

 

[Dani Pace]

Let's start from scratch. What recording software (program) are you using? Do you have the correct "source" selected? (mic, line in, aux, etc..) Could you have the source muted on your recording master? Do you have the soundcard selected on the recording master? Are you using the right input on your soundcard? Does your software require you to "arm" or "enable" a track (or tracks) in order to record? Is your audio driver compatable with the software you are using? These are just the basic things to check with almost any recording program. You are still going to need a decent mic and some type of preamp in order to add decent vocals.

 

[TAK4!]

Oh no im not using a sound card. Im using a multi-track, mixer, and mic. But im having so much problems im thinking of converting to a sound card.

Many people tried to help but no one was able to help... idk whats wrong. Maybe im doing something worng?