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DaveJH

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I'm Dave, I'm a 21 year old student in the UK studying Engineering. I'm a musician in my spare time, though not as accomplished as I used to be. I've got grade 8 cello and drum kit and grade 7 piano, however after a wrist injury I have not played the cello and rarely played the piano. I play the drums from time to time. I now also play bass guitar (been playing for a couple of years, can read music fine and know my way around it well enough) and I play the 'standard' guitar. Here is a list of my current hardware:

Guitars:
Epiphone Dot 335 (semi-acoustic)
Wawrick 5 string Bass

Drum Kit:
DW full rock kit with a couple of extras on a Pearl rack with Sabian AAX cymbals.

Keyboard:
Microkorg

Extras:
M-Audio Midisport 1x1 for my MicroKork
M-Audio Fast Track (v1) for my guitar and mic (soon)

Amps:
Marshall Bass Amp (MB-B150)
Generic small practice amp

Being a musical family we have a few other instruments in the house (a couple of cellos, a couple of violins, a lovely full size Korg, a full mixer desk, proper speakers, some nice mics (somewhere), a 5 octave Marimba, Piano etc).

My instruments and equipment are mainly self funded, with the exception of the bass guitar (my 18th birthday present!) and the drum kit, alas the £5k drum set isn't mine, but the cymbals are!

I've also got a great computer, though without a dedicated sound card. Not sure I need one yet, if my recording ever gets serious enough I'll consider one but for now my computer is way better than probably need. Got a lovely triple screen set up for better multitasking. I've got the usual (audacity etc) and Reason 5. Again, all self funded (I've worked since I was 16).


Anyway, I think that's enough of an intro. I have a couple of questions. I'm looking for a decent mic for around £70-£80 for recording vocals and perhaps a little guitar and I'm not sure my Fast Track a) works and b) is any good. Any advice on either?

I've heard good things about MXL and Shure (SM57/8) but I'd appreciate some advice from those that have them. Please don't suggest I stretch my budget! I'm finally getting my classic mini cooper back on the road and am having to sell some stuff to afford a new mic!


Dave
 
Hey Dave, Welcome.

Nice intro! It's good to get a bit of background.

With regard to the mic, In that budget I'd normally push 57/58 all the way, because they really are great mics, but the fact that you're using a fast track worries me.

They're quite famous for not having a huge amount of gain. This can be a problem with dynamic mics.

I have an mxl 990 which is also in your price range. I don't think it's amazing, and I don't really use it often, but at the same time, it's not a bad wee mic.
The mxl would certainly lend itself to guitar more than a 57/58.

Have a look at the range. I believe mxl have a few mics in the <£100 bracket!
 
I'm sorry, we're full up with Daves.... can I call you Bruce instead? Easier for everybody.

So Bruce, a 57 is a standard cabinet mic, and would certainly do to get amplified guitar down. Question would be on the quality of sound you're creating in the first place out of a "generic small practice amp". Wouldn't worry about a 58 for now, but would save my pennies for a decent cheaper LDC for vocals... there are many options that others here would recommend.

Christmas is coming... get your order sorted - that's what parents are for.

Luck dude...
 
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Yes Bruce will be very fitting here. Is that OK Dave?
 
Steenamaroo said:
With regard to the mic, In that budget I'd normally push 57/58 all the way, because they really are great mics, but the fact that you're using a fast track worries me.

They're quite famous for not having a huge amount of gain. This can be a problem with dynamic mics.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've noticed a lot of people like the SM57s! What would you suggest in place of my fast track? I got it cheap on ebay (as I wanted to record my guitar easily) but I've actually never used it as I can't work out how! Is it better to record a guitar using a mic? And if so what interface should I connect the mic through?

Armistice said:
I'm sorry, we're full up with Daves.... can I call you Bruce instead? Easier for everybody.

So Bruce, a 57 is a standard cabinet mic, and would certainly do to get amplified guitar down. Question would be on the quality of sound you're creating in the first place out of a "generic small practice amp". Wouldn't worry about a 58 for now, but would save my pennies for a decent cheaper LDC for vocals... there are many options that others here would recommend.
Click to expand...

Another vote for the '57, looks like a good choice. The practice amp is awful, I got it for free though so I can't really complain. I should look into getting a decent one soon I suppose, I guess I thought I could record my guitar through my fast track and only need an amp when performing, perhaps I'm wrong to assume that?

Also, I'm quite a fan of Dave, but if you want something different you could use my latest nickname - Mutley. Apparently I look a bit like him. I don't think that's a compliment though.

moresound said:
Yes Bruce will be very fitting here. Is that OK Dave?
Click to expand...

As above :)
 
Hello and welcome to the forum!

seems you've got some useful advice already re: a '57!

When it comes to the guitar, you're unlikely to be able to get enough volume out of it acoustically to record with a 57, because although it says semi-acoustic, it's strung with electric strings and it won't resonate the way a full bodied acoustic does. If you try and record acoustically, you will probably find that you have to crank up the gain quite a lot and it'll be all hissy and noisy. With that kind of guitar it really needs an amp. Fortunately, most modern recording interfaces will have a mic input and a 1/4" jack input. You can just plug straight into the interface with a jack cable and get on with it!

Hope it helps!
 
DaveJH said:
Also, I'm quite a fan of Dave, but if you want something different you could use my latest nickname - Mutley. Apparently I look a bit like him. I don't think that's a compliment though.



As above :)
Click to expand...

Well, we already have a Muttley Bruce... so it'll have to be Bruce if that's OK Bruce....
 
Bruce it is then. But are you sure you haven't got a Bruce yet?
 
This place is wall to wall Daves........and there is only one Muttley. Having another would be like having another Greg or another Miroslav. Some names just don't happen twice.
Daves do though. Funny, there's not many Martins or Neills.
Which part of Oxford are you in ? My sister lives in Yarnton.
 
Welcome! You're lucky to have come from a musical family. Engineering huh? Sounds good. I studied anthropology and well for periods of time I was more like a bedroom guitarist studying in my spare time :D
 
Armistice said:
I'm sorry, we're full up with Daves.... can I call you Bruce instead? Easier for everybody.
Click to expand...

Perhaps this is really the second coming of Famous Dave...

DaveJH said:
I've also got a great computer, though without a dedicated sound card. Not sure I need one yet, if my recording ever gets serious enough I'll consider one
Click to expand...

The Fast Track is basically a dedicated sound card, so you should be good there. Well, at least until you feel like upgrading. But you should be good for now.
In a later post, you said you haven't figure out how to use it yet, so you should probably work on that. Any better interface will work more or less the same way. There are probably drivers to install for it, then you need to select it in your recording software... I don't have that interface, or use the same software, so I can't be much more help there. Have you put a lot of time into trying to figure this out already?

DaveJH said:
Anyway, I think that's enough of an intro. I have a couple of questions. I'm looking for a decent mic for around £70-£80 for recording vocals and perhaps a little guitar and I'm not sure my Fast Track a) works and b) is any good. Any advice on either?

I've heard good things about MXL and Shure (SM57/8) but I'd appreciate some advice from those that have them. Please don't suggest I stretch my budget! I'm finally getting my classic mini cooper back on the road and am having to sell some stuff to afford a new mic!
Click to expand...

I don't really know whether or not your Fast Track works. Does it show any signs of life?
It's an alright interface... As someone else noted, it's gain isn't great. But since you have it, I think it's a fine interface to try to start learning with.

At this stage in life, I would probably look for a cheapish MXL condenser instead of an SM57 or SM58. Without a decent amp, you would probably do just as well to plug in your guitar and use virtual effects instead of getting a 57 to mic the amp. Also, there is the problem with gain again. For a cheap mic, read around the microphone section on the forum if you haven't yet.

On the other hand, an SM57 or SM58 would probably be more worth keeping into the future... So it wouldn't be the worst investment.

Edit: I've always wondered why everyone links to audiofanzine.com, and now I see that it happens automatically.
 
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