Beginner home studio recording questions

[blucube]

PC Specs
Q6600 @2.4ghz
6GB 1600DDR2

Gear
Tascam 1800
2x Shure 57
1x MXL 990
M-Audio BX5a Deluxe Studio Monitors
AKG Acoustics K-240 headphones

DAW
Reaper

So I've been recording with this setup for a little under a year now. Mainly just recording acoustic guitars, Mic'd with the 57's or an electric through a tube amp also mic'd with 57's. Recently, I've been trying to lay down some vocal's, using the MXL 990 with myself and another musician. The other musician is MUCH more vocally talented and experienced than I am recording vocal's and I think I ran into some problems / questions.

1. Tascam 1800 is supposed to have Zero Latency Hardware monitoring. There still seems to be a bit of delay coming from the singer relaying back to the head phones. (Is there a setting that needs to be adjusted here? Could this possible be caused by the AKG being semi open and allowing outside sound in vice versa?). Also... the voice in the headphones can sound kinda "metallicy"... where when played through the monitors still sounds fine though...

2. While monitoring the vocals and playing the track through the headphones only, it's HARD for the vocalist to hear themselves... the music track is just either way too loud or the vocals aren't coming through loud enough for one reason or another. Any suggestions here?

3. I've been trying out how to pull my sound together a little better possible using a signal/multieffects processors such as the Lexicon MX200 (or the other verions MX300 etc). For instance, I cannot give the vocalist "confidence reverb" and not have it actually be an FX on the DAW. Asides, this causes WAAAAY too much latency when done like that. So I was looking to a box similar to the mentioned Lexicon's above. Looking to improve recording vocal's here mostly, but the entire sound all together. While keeping 0 Latency w/ Hardware effects etc etc...

4. Also, I'm really curious between the different versions of the Lexicon MX200, 300, 400 etc all have different connectors... in conjunction I was sort of scratching my head on how to set those up on the Tascam 1800... kinda looked like it depended on what you were trying to do...

A. Can I give confidence verb? (heard but not recorded) with the Lexicon?
B. Can I give confidence verb w/ zero latency (recorded or not recorded) w/ the Lexicon?
C. If I got a Lexicon and a Compressor would this pull my sound together quite a bit?

Hopefully this made sense... I appreciate ANY tip's here.

 

[Txema]

blucube
I'm not the one using the equipment, but I'm the one who set it up.
If I'm not mistaken you can modify the latency in the Tascam driver. You need to do it before opening your DAW.
There haven't been complains using the same mic and interface, playing a recorder track while recording the singer. I think you need to mess with the volumen of the track being played.

 

[mjbphotos]

I've got a US-800, but I assume it works similarly. Open the software that installed with it. Up at the top there is a 'config' drop down for latency. You can also use the mixer in the software to adjust what the overall volumes of mic and computer are in the headphones.

 

[blucube]

Thanks for the replies. In addition I did a little research today on a few boxes I would like to pick up regardless... though, I was curious how they would hook up... like how to set the loop up, what cables I'd need with these boxes... (assuming TRS or something like that)... and also if I'd be able to pick and choose how it sounds during monitoring vs. recording... (send verb to the headphones while recording... but is recording the raw voice with out verb if that makes sense)

TASCAM US-1800 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface

BBE MaxCom Dual-Channel Compressor

Lexicon MX300 Stereo Reverb Effects Processor with USB

Behringer ULTRAGRAPH PRO FBQ1502 EQ with Feedback Detection

 

[ecc83]

Just a couple of observations.

There is no such thing as "zero latency" the delay in a PC can't be beat. This is a "trick" whereby the input of an AI is shunted over to the output and you are thus listening to the signal BEFORE it goes thru the processors and by definition can't be "EFfected". There are AIs with built in DSP FX but I do not think the 1800 is one such? People vary greatly in their tolerance of latency and if the Tascam won't go low enough to work? That's it.

One solution to giving the vocalist confidence verb is a small mixer with built in FX, after all you do not need a "Abbey Road" grade reverb just for an "ego" boost! A mixer might also give the singer more control of his/her level ref the music but appro to that, are you sure you are not tracking too hot?

Dave.