E-drums too hot

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DrummerboyX

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Hello guys I'm new here just joined and hoping someone can help. I have a Yamaha DTXtreme E-kit and I'm recording with a very basic set up, basically Phone jack out o the module into the Mic input on my Laptop, an HP Elite book. I'm using Audacity to record with. I'm not new to drumming but I'am new to recording and don't have much of a budget to improve upon. Anyhows my problem is this. I have my phones on the module split off, one line my headphones the other goes to my computer. When I record I have to turn down the volume on the E-drum Module almost all the way or it comes out too hot and (reds) out in Audacity. I turn it down so low I can barely hear what I'm playing. I have tried turning down the volume in my sound card and in Audacity with no results. My mic volume is set to 30% and my Mic setting in Audacity is set to the same. I thought this should be plenty. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Why are my drums going in too hot unless they are turned down so low I can't hear them? Shouldn't I be able to turn up all the way or almost there, and control what comes in with my sound card? I have owned an older Yamaha set too and never had this problem before, however I was using a different laptop at the time, one that had a line in, unfortunately this HP does not. Can anyone help?
 
Does your card have a line input? The mic input is going to be amplified and a headphone output puts out a very strong signal, which is why you are having a problem.

Turning down he inputs in the software doesn't solve the problem because you are clipping he converts on the way into the computer. The signal is already mangled by the time it gets to those volume controls.

Isn't there a line output on your drum module? That would be the output to use because its volume should be independent if the headphone volume.

This is one of the main reasons for getting a sound card that is designed for recording. A recording standard (audio interface) will have line inputs that are designed to accept this type of signal level. The mic input on the computer is designed to plug in one of those cheap mics so you can talk on skype.
 
No, it has no line input, yea unfortuantely I didnt think of that when I bought this HP. I actually thought I was making an upgrade from an Acer, but my Acer did a better job than this thing does. Unfortunately the Acer screen died. I guess I will invest in a cheap usb interface, other wise I won't get a stereo sound coming out of the line on my Module as there are rights and lefts. I found a nice looking Behringer one for 59.99 I think I can swing that. Wasn't aware that the mic line was so amplified. Thanks for your help!
 
DrummerboyX said:
No, it has no line input, yea unfortuantely I didnt think of that when I bought this HP. I actually thought I was making an upgrade from an Acer, but my Acer did a better job than this thing does. Unfortunately the Acer screen died. I guess I will invest in a cheap usb interface, other wise I won't get a stereo sound coming out of the line on my Module as there are rights and lefts. I found a nice looking Behringer one for 59.99 I think I can swing that. Wasn't aware that the mic line was so amplified. Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

Don't "invest" in a "cheap" interface. Get a decent one - they're not all that much more, really...

And if you're a drummer, I assume you may have a real kit somewhere that you may want to record properly some day? Take that into consideration in terms of the number of inputs...
 
^^^^ This ^^^^

Don't waste money on cheap garbage you'll only throw out because you're disappointed with it.
 
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