Buying Microphone

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shy23

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Hi guys, Im totally new in buying a good microphone, hope any of you could provide me some info about it. But here it is.

I got Yamaha dgx-620 that I plug through my dell computer, and using propeller heads record/reason i get my sound through my speakers.

I sometimes do instrumental pieces, but I also sing sometimes along with playing the piano.

My question is... Am I going to buy one microphone, or two (one for vocal and one for playing), and what types of microphones would me suitable for me?? (yea i want as good quality as possible)

Also... according to my equipment, Is there any obvious (yeah im new to this) wrong method im using in my setup, and I could fix on a relatively easy way?


thanks in advance

Shy23
 
Is the piano in question real / old school? Or is it just a midi controller of sorts? If it's real, you'll likely need two mics just for the piano. Depending on how close / how much room you wanted in the mix. If it's not, you might not need any mics for the piano.

What's the budget? Mics can range from $50 to infinity and beyond(not including stand, pop filter, shock mount, cable, pixie dust, ....).

What's the intent? Just messing around or some commercial purpose?
 
Well... i think the piano is like 2 years old. So far i can just plug it to the computer (via usb), and play it via propellerheads. Thats the only option for me via the computer.

Its nothing too serious at the moment.. but once i've piled up x many songs.. it would be nice to be able to record them in good qualities (if from 1-10 being crap to professional... like 7-8)

if i'd neet two mics... how would I deal with that.. do i need to buy additional external sound-card to my laptop?

budget is like... up to 200 bucks.

the piano is like.. basic usb, grand piano, not like pro midi keyboard.. i dont use any of the piano features once i plug it in the computer. All i do is mix the sounds via softwares... but at least im able to play the piano via the computer :P
 
So no mic(s) for the piano then. I have a keystation 49e myself. But mainly as a note input device, than to actual play. Since some midi software doesn't give very good manual entry methods without an actual keyboard. Some don't give ANY methods except for a keyboard.

What vocals? Acid rock, country, opera, ??? Male? Female? Do you want to sound like you, or something more flattering? You could use any mic really, SM58? Or you could get something more popular SM7b, EV RE-20? Perhaps not for $200 though. MXL V67g seems popular and cheap-ish. But it's not just a mic in most cases, you'll need a microphone preamp if your interface doesn't already have one. And other things, stand, pop filter, cable, ....... If you need all that PLUS the mic, well, that doesn't leave much for the mic.
 
Shadow_7 said:
So no mic(s) for the piano then. I have a keystation 49e myself. But mainly as a note input device, than to actual play. Since some midi software doesn't give very good manual entry methods without an actual keyboard. Some don't give ANY methods except for a keyboard.

What vocals? Acid rock, country, opera, ??? Male? Female? Do you want to sound like you, or something more flattering? You could use any mic really, SM58? Or you could get something more popular SM7b, EV RE-20? Perhaps not for $200 though. MXL V67g seems popular and cheap-ish. But it's not just a mic in most cases, you'll need a microphone preamp if your interface doesn't already have one. And other things, stand, pop filter, cable, ....... If you need all that PLUS the mic, well, that doesn't leave much for the mic.
Click to expand...

Well, I like just ambient, soft kindof music, radiohead? :P Male voice. Well... i prefer having it as original as possible, but other features would be just a bonus. 200 bucks for just the mic, ill spend some more stuff on accessories.
So if i'd buy SM58.... all i need is my mic-input into the cpu? or do i need to buy any additional sound-driver/card? (preamp?) :P

I prefer playing the piano through a software.. cuz the speakers on the piano arent the greatest.
My idea was just to buy some decent mic, That i can plug to teh computer, using some kind of software/record player that gave me the best possible quality :))

I think my main issue... is that I dont really know the best way of setting those things up. My budget is a big higher than 200 bucks.. i just figured 200 bucks must be enough for a decent microphone :P

thanks in advance
 
Yo shy! Welcome to the board! First- that's not a piano. A piano is a thing which is made out of wood, with strings. It doesn't plug into anything. Your keyboard apparently has a USB output, and it may or may not have a round socket labeled "midi out". Let us know that, because whether your keyboard is midi enabled will affect your options on how to record it. In any event, it will not require a microphone to record it- no wood, no strings, no real sound=no mic. As far as the vocal mic goes, basic beginner options are a dynamic mic or a condenser. They are different, and some will prefer one or the other to start. For an entry-level dynamic, standards include Shure SM58 and Sennheiser e835. Behringer builds a pretty good one dirt cheap ($20 new)- XM8500. For a cheap condenser, I like the Marshall Electronics MXL V67G mentioned above- about $100, or Studio Projects B1- about $130. I'd buy the XM8500 and the MXL V67G. That would give you 2 flavors for your palette for about $120. One or the other may work better for you.

Here's the problem- Real mics *don't* plug into a computer. The "mic" input on your soundcard is designed to use a specialized computer mic which essentially, is wicked cheap and sucks. Secondly, your soundcard has a nearly useless preamp that sucks. So- you need a computer interface, which real mics can be plugged into, which provides one or more preamps, phantom power (which is required for condenser mics like the V67G), and an analog to digital convertor, which converts the mic's signal to a digital signal and sends it to the computer, usually by USB, sometimes by firewire. The interface essentially bypasses the cruddy soundcard, and becomes the soundcard for the purposes of recording. It also gives you a headphone output for monitoring, and outputs for some kind of speakers for playback.
If you need to record the keyboard and vocals simultaneously, you can send a line out from the keyboard to the interface. If it doesn't have a dedicated line out, you can use the headphone jack. If you have 2 USB ports available on the computer, depending on your recording software, you *may* (or may not) be able to record the keyboard by one USB and the vocals, using the interface, to the other USB.
If your keyboard has midi out, an interface with midi capability may be a bonus, allowing you to use the keyboard as a midi controller, accessing everything from better piano sounds to drums.
Here is an example of a 2 channel interface with midi. It should be just what the doctor ordered:

M-Audio Fast Track Pro | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Here are the mics I mentioned:

Behringer XM8500A | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

[url=https://en.audiofanzine.com/dynamic-microphone/shure/sm58/user_reviews/]Shure SM58-LC | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders![/url]

Sennheiser E835 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Marshall Electronics MXLV67G | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Studio Projects B1 | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders!

Hope this helps- Richie
 
The main issue with mics that just plug directly into your computer is that you cannot monitor what you're recording while you're recording. So if you are tracking with headphones, you can't even hear yourself for the most part. Which can and will affect your performance, and therefor affect your recording. You need something with multi-tracking abilities, which likely means a soundcard / interface in addition to a mic. And if you're picky, the noise floor of what came with / in your computer will likely drive you bonkers. Which an interface helps to solve. But you can be out some serious cash to get that last 15dB of noise floor subdued. A Zoom H4 might address your needs as a mic and an interface. You can even multi-track with it as a stand alone device. Perhaps not ideal depending on your desires, but an option.
 
As an addendum to what Shadow 7 said- The Zoom unit he references, H4, is a 4 track digital recorder which is *also* a computer interface. The bad news- the H4 is delicate and has a variety of reliability issues- particularly bad buttons/switches that don't hold up to frequent use, as well as some gain staging issues that limit its applications. The good news- it was upgraded to H4n, a device that does everything the H4 did, but has none of the H4's "issues". I cannot recommend the H4, but I own and use the H4n, and it is a very useful unit, which has given me no problems in a year and a half of frequent use.
It doesn't have MIDI, but it does have a fair pair of built in stereo mics, the ability to accept two channels of outboard mics or line inputs (with phantom power), can run on batteries, is wicked portable, and can function as a self-contained recording device, or a USB powered computer interface. I have never regretted owning it. If you read some on-line user reviews of the H4, you'll understand why it was upgrasded to the H4n. The H4 is pretty much discontinued. I think Samson got tired of fixing them. Here are the 2 units:

Zoom Handy Recorders: H4 Handy Recorder

[url=https://en.audiofanzine.com/pocket-recorder-multitrack/zoom/H4/user_reviews/]Zoom H4n | 8thstreet.com | Call 1-800-878-8882 | Free Shipping on most orders![/url]

Good luck, Richie
 
Hi there guys. Thanks for the replies. That was really heavy for me to read (well at least lots of new terms.. but im gonna get into it :P)

As far as i know.... my keyboard has only MIDI available via USB and can send/receive from a pc with a supplied driver installed, so no MIDI output as you mentioned.

I understand all that you said about the condenser and the dynamic microphones, but I got kinda lost when u started talking about the cpu interface. I checked the first link you posted with those 2 channel interface. but I guess this is for a keyboard that has MIDI input/outputs.

So the computer sound-card is not useful for a microphones of these types and depending on the microphone I go for, i need a specific type of pre-amplifier (which is the external device i use to plug to my usb), and via the pre-amp i can plug the mic/headphones... right?

Im thinkin (well if i understand everything correctly), Since I manage to connect my keyboard and play through a software (propellerheads reason/record in my case) can't I just go for either condenser or dynamic microphone with their approperiate pre-amplifier... would I need anything else?

Something like this:
1)Plug my Keyboard To my computer via USB
2)It's then detected by the computer with an approperiate driver.
3)By using some sort of software, i can then play the keyboard via the computer (such as propellerheads record/reason)
4)plug the pre-amp to another usb (isn't it just a basic driver thingy and should be detected aswell by my computer?)
5)plug microphones/headphones to the pre-amp?

I apologize if I look stupid here .... I just want to try to get this right before I start buying stuff :P

Shy
 
Yo Shy! You almost have it. The fact that the interface I recommended has MIDI is just a bonus that might come in handy later when you get a MIDI-enabled keyboard. You still need an interface, not a preamp, although the interface has preamps *in it*. And yes, you should be able to plug the keyboard into one USB port, and the interface into another, for vocals, as long as the software can recognize 2 USB inputs simultaneously. If it can't, it's no big deal. Your keyboard also has analog output, either by a line out, or a headphone jack, and you can send that to channel 2 on the interface. In the end, it doesn't make that much difference whether the keyboard does the A-D conversion, or the interface does. A preamp, by itself, doesn't plug into your computer any more than a mic does. The preamp raises the weak mic level signal to line level. That's all it does. Then you need an analog to digital converter (A-D for short) to turn it into X's and O's so the computer can understand it. An interface has preamps *and* A-D conversion, as well as some kind of monitor chain, for headphones while recording, and for speakers during playback. Your keyboard, in effect, has its own interface. It has a preamp and an A-D converter, so it can go direct to the computer by USB. There are some preamps that have digital output also, so they are really a form of interface, but they are the exception rather than the rule. You still need an interface, and 2 channels is more versatile than one. There will be some bumps in the road before you get all this stuff to talk to the computer the way you want. There is a learning curve, and we'll be there for you. So get an interface and at least one mic, and go to work. Let me know if I am making sense. Good luck-Richie
 
so....

Check if my software handles two or more usb's at the same time

buy interface .. with at least two channels

and buy the mics

keyboard to cpu via usb,
interface aswell to the computer

if the software doesnt handle the double usb, then just get a line from the headphone jack on the keyboard and connect to the interface

connect mics and headphones and all that to the interface

and done? :P
 
Check if my software handles two or more usb's at the same time
Click to expand...
Since your keyboard is merely transmitting midi info over the usb, there will be no conflict.

Your software will most likely just see a midi interface when you plug the keyboard in, there will be no conflict with any kind of interface, its a whole different animal.

dont let this get more complicated than it really is! ;)
 
It seems like the M-Audio Fast Track Pro interface is roughly $250, since im not located in the states..

Do you have any other brands of interfaces that might suit me?
 
Edirol UA-25
Emu 0404
various tascam and other brands. Lots of options. You don't have to go with M-Audio, but they generally end up being a safe bet. Not to imply safe, just better than a few of the others.

Your keyboard transmits midi events via USB. You can capture just the events of the keyboard and convert them to a WAV file. Which will integrate well with almost any audio software for multi-tracking from another source. This is the preferred way IMO. As synthesizing while you sing might be too demanding on your hardware. And if you capture the raw midi, you can render out the WAV at it's highest quality. Plus edit it before rendering for best results.

An interface will be a completely different set of hardware. It should function as a microphone preamp, and a soundcard. So all you should need besides that which is the interface is a cable and a mic. Plus a stand, pop filter, and other things if you desire. But mics like the SM58 are designed to be hand held (or stand mounted) and come with a filter (grill) that doesn't need a lot of that other stuff. If your keyboard has a midi output port, you can use that as input to some interfaces with a midi cable. Which can be less demanding on the computers resources, although you might still find yourself keeping things simple for best results. i.e. one thing at a time.
 
Hi guys!

I finally had time from school to go into buying the equipment i needed..
I got the m-audio fast track pro and I know where to get the Behringer XM8500

However, the condensers I did not find, but the shop guy recommended:
AudioTechnika AT2020
AKG Perception100
Stagg PGT80
Behringer B1

Any thoughts?

Shy
 
You're worrying about it too much. The Stagg I've never used, but the other 3 are all cheap Chinese condensers. It's like worrying about your brand of popcorn. Personally, I would choose the AKG, the Audio-Technica, or Studio Products B-1 in the ultra-cheap category. But it's not because of the mics. It's because they are *companies* I would rather deal with than Behringer, not because of their business model per se, but because of the support-after-purchase they don't provide. Too bad you don't have cheap access to MXL. Also too bad there isn't a dirt-cheap Rode, but they are made by Australians who expect to be paid-something. Their customer service and support rocks, at least here, in the U.S.A. Rather than sweating it, just buy a cheap mic, and get on with the bloody recording. If you stick with this for any time, there will be lots of mics. I'd Look for a used Oktava MK319, and make sure the switches work. I bet you can find them in Europe on ebay. That is what *I* would do in your position with your money. If you are set on a brand new mic, the Perception will work fine. You can simply get better mics pre-owned.-Richie
 
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