Recording @ home

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wolfchild
  • Start date Start date
W

Wolfchild

New member
Hi everybody!

It's my first post here and I would like to know your opinion on how I can get the most of home recorded vocals on the minimum possible budget :)

The ideia: I will be recording vocals over digital music that I will be writing on midi in guitar pro and then sample/ add effects/ mix on acoustica mixcraft. This is an hobbie and supposed to be as low cost as possible, but of course I want to get it to sound as good as I can (considering the limitations).

I basically have a laptop PC (Windows 7 64bit) and a Shure SM58 mike.
I've been browsing for the best low cost way to plug my SM58 to my PC and came across 3 possibilities: Buy an XLR/ USB adapter cable, buy an XLR/ 3.5mm jack adapter, or buy a pre-amp with a USB digital out (or even a pre-amp, line out and 3.5mm jack adapter, but somehow the previous version seems a better choice).

I've read that the USB connection used on an analog source will create noise due to the voltage on USB ports (not sure and also, my mike does not use phantom power); I also fear that using an unbalanced 3.5mm in for a balanced mike is like wiring a high quality stereo with low end cables.

The pre-amp choice seems the most obvious to me, but I'd like to be sure it's worth it (even though the pre-amp I'm considering is the "budget" Tube MP Project Series with USB, which is about 80€ or 100USD). Do you think it will make the difference to be worth getting it? Also, I haven't sung live in a few years now, but back in the day, most gigs my former band played used to have weak PAs so I ended up with low amplification on vocals (and being a baritone did not help to get my vocals stand out over the guitars as well), so would this pre-amp also be a good choice to use instead of these cheap PAs inbuilt pre-amps, in case I will sing live again in the future? I mean, would the input sound on the amplifier make the difference so that I would not need to sing so high and tire my voice?

Also the low frequence filter and the limiter seem to me as something that could be useful to improve the sound. I'll be recording at home, I don't have any special room, so I'll also need help in a few tricks to improve a bit the acoustics, but I'll leave that to later so I won't clutter this post too much.
 
Choice #4 is your best bet. That would be an audio interface. Forget using your internal soundcard for anything. There are many that will work for under $100. Way better quality sound and more flexibility than trying to use what you have in your PC.
 
I tought of that, the advantage of the preamp would be a possible live use, IF my theory is correct :) A Two-in-One solution :)
 
Also, i'm not sure about this, but since the preamp outputs digital signal though USB, will the PC actually use the soundcard in recording? (I might be speaking jibberish, I'm a rookie when it comes to recording ;))
 
A preamp is just something that adds gain to a microphone, to get it to line level. Live use? No man, if you want to hear yourself better at rehearsal, invest in a better PA. A preamp is definitely not going to improve things there. A basic interface for recording, will give you decent preamp quality. Way better than a PC's built in. Until you know what it is you are looking for as far as preamps, don't even bother spending money there. In fact, there is maybe one preamp that I would recommend under $500. I would stay away from the ART unit myself. I own 3 ART preamps, and they only get used for scratch tracks. Nothing better than my interface has to offer. Ignore the 'Tube' reference. It means nothing at that price point. Maybe some distortion, but nothing actually good IMO.
 
Wolfchild said:
Also, i'm not sure about this, but since the preamp outputs digital signal though USB, will the PC actually use the soundcard in recording? (I might be speaking jibberish, I'm a rookie when it comes to recording ;))
Click to expand...

Well, your PC is only dealing with digital information. The conversion from analog to digital, is done within an interface. This is the main reason it is better than the built in A/D converters in your PC, or in the super (er) crappy inline USB mic converters.

Forget about anything you have heard up to this point. Get a USB interface. Start looking at the 'Sticky' posts at the top of the forums here, do some research, and decide what it is you need now, as well as the future, before you make any purchases. Don't waste money like I did when I first decided to get into the home recording thing.
 
But won't a preamp "raise" the volume from the mic, even if I sing in a lower volume, therefore allowing me not to push my voice so much? Most of the times we'd use the venue's PA (for vocals and drums only, guitars would use their own amps, we're talking small venues here), so besides the cost of a good PA there's also the difficulty of using it. I found myself frequently straining myself by screaming to have my baritone voice stand out over the other instruments. For a USB interface, within that budget, what would you recommend?
 
The tube mp is not going to help you with anything. I have a mbox mobilepre as my first guy. it was about 125 or so. 2 in and 2 outs. Just through the mic to there and boom. The second input is good if you want to recording like a guitar or keyboard or another vocalist with you. It comes with an easy to use version of protools that has some good sounding plug-ins. for that price you get everything you need.Unless you go about 500 you wont get a decent preamp and you would want a better mic to go along with it.

Stick to a simple thing like the moblie pre. Learn how to record nice and see where you go with that. Then movie up from there IF NECESSARY.
 
Also, and if I'm getting this right, the preamp with USB will convert the analogue to audio, the same as the inbuilt PC A/D converter or the USB interface, the difference being the USB interface chipset is more lightly to produce better quality digital sound than ART's preamp chipset, right?
 
Wolfchild said:
But won't a preamp "raise" the volume from the mic, even if I sing in a lower volume, therefore allowing me not to push my voice so much? Most of the times we'd use the venue's PA (for vocals and drums only, guitars would use their own amps, we're talking small venues here), so besides the cost of a good PA there's also the difficulty of using it. I found myself frequently straining myself by screaming to have my baritone voice stand out over the other instruments. For a USB interface, within that budget, what would you recommend?
Click to expand...

Well, yes and no. That is what a preamp does, 'raise the volume' to a level that can be amplified by a PA or whatever. It will not make you 'louder'. In a live situation, it is the limitations of the PA that will screw you. There are also things you can do to improve your technique, that will be beneficial as well.

I would recommend you purchase in ear monitors, or a mixer/power amp/monitor for live situations. With small venues, it is usually the stage mix that is poor. I used to bring my own drum mics/monitor and send the feed from my mixer to the house PA, when it was known to be lacking in quality. Even then, there was no fixing a sh**ty PA.

Regarding the interface, what is it you wish to do? One track at a time? 16?
 
@Stephenmodel, but that is just for recording right? I might be trying to get 2 things bundled in one but actually be looking for something that does not exist lol.
Anyway, for now I actually need a device to record with, the extra amplification is/ was just an interesting extra (if possible) for an hypothetical future live gig. But if that occurs, a preamp will help me or in the end it's all up to the PA's power? I mean, if I "scream" I can hear my voice (up to the point when the amp clips the volume of course), wouldn't a preamp be useful to increase the line signal that goes into the PA so that I could sing lower (therefore emulating that I was singing on a higher volume)?
 
@jimmys69, but in a way raising the volume and sounding louder are not similar? I know my voice won't sound more powerful from it, but shouldn't it sound "louder". I know there are techniques, I had singing lessons for some time, but still this extra boost ("shortcut" as well if you like lol) would be nice if they actually made my job easier ;)

Since I'll be recording voice over sampled MIDI (or maybe voice and bass guitar, but if I do play the bass lines I won't be playing at the same time I'm singing), and this is a solo project/ hobbie, I thing for now a 1 track at a time interface is what I need ;)
 
A preamp is not going to help you to be heard as 'louder' through a PA. A louder PA will do that.

As a basic rule, it takes 10 times the power of an amp to give double the volume. This also involves speakers/drivers that can handle the power. Moving air by means of more drivers pushing the sound is another consideration.

The level that you introduce to a PA system, is not going to change it's ability to make you louder. There is another thing to consider. If you can be heard when screaming, yet your voice is quiet otherwise, then a compressor will likely help you. Keep in mind though, in a small space, feedback will likely be an issue, as the mic still picks up the room sound. Controlling you vocal level with a compressor happens after it reaches the mixer.
 
Wolfchild said:
@jimmys69, but in a way raising the volume and sounding louder are not similar? I know my voice won't sound more powerful from it, but shouldn't it sound "louder". I know there are techniques, I had singing lessons for some time, but still this extra boost ("shortcut" as well if you like lol) would be nice if they actually made my job easier ;)

Since I'll be recording voice over sampled MIDI (or maybe voice and bass guitar, but if I do play the bass lines I won't be playing at the same time I'm singing), and this is a solo project/ hobbie, I thing for now a 1 track at a time interface is what I need ;)
Click to expand...

Then I would recommend something simple for recording. I have had good experience with the Tascam US products, but that is my limited experience. The Lexicon Alpha is something that could be useable, though once I went to the Tascam US1641, I realized the preamps were not very clean, and the drivers caused some issues.

I am sure others here can give better suggestions, though your first step, is to get away from anything internal. You need to get an interface. An external preamp is something that you will not find you need, until you know why you need it. I know it sounds kinda abstract, but it is true. When you know, you will understand.
 
So, if I had a compressor, where exactly did I need to plug it?
 
Thanks, I'll take a look at the Tascam products, I'll let you know how it goes ;)
 
For live use? Insert on your input channel to the mixer. For recording, forget the hardware compressor altogether. It is best done withing the DAW.

I can't/won't even start to recommend a compressor for this purpose. In fact, I would rather see you invest in a monitor system, before paying for a compressor that will only hinder your vocal technique.
 
US 200 would be my advice for you. Again, I am biased, because this is what worked well for me. It does not mean that my advice is the best.

Do some research man.
 
Would be something like a TC-Helicon Voice Tone T1, right? (sorry I can't post links yet)
 
Thanks, I will do some research, but will always be nice to have opinions from more experienced people who used/ are using the gear ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top