Fucking hell

[Oamlhtw]

Your shitty forum software won't let me post any threads.

EDIT: Great, as soon as I'm pissed off it lets me. Thumbs up.

Allow me to cut to the chase: I need to know some techniques on getting clean vocal and acoustic intrument recordings while using either a preamp for my PC or a stand alone multitracker.

Peace, love and thank-you.

 

[RezN8]

Can you provide some more details? Do you already have a mic? Which preamp? Soundcard?

Without knowing any more details, it's hard to help, but let me start by saying the best place to start is a good sounding room.

 

[Jahn]

Your shitty forum software won't let me post any threads.

EDIT: Great, as soon as I'm pissed off it lets me. Thumbs up.

Allow me to cut to the chase: I need to know some techniques on getting clean vocal and acoustic intrument recordings while using either a preamp for my PC or a stand alone multitracker.

Peace, love and thank-you.

I'm not certain about technique, but I just tried this last night and the end result satisfied a couple of audiophile folks-

1)Shure SM57 with 2ft Mogami XLR cable.
2)M-Audio DMP3 preamp. about 11 O'Clock on the gain, no cut filters, no phantom power needed.
3)Mogami balanced 1/4 TRS cable out to my EMU 0404 soundcard. It splits into dual mono 1/4 TS terminations, but no need to do that, as this is a mono signal.
4)From the computer, I use Audacity, don't use any eq or mods or anything (it adds signal noise) and just hit record. If I need more volume, I use the gain on my preamp.

That's it! It should come out pretty clean in .wav, and feel free to convert it to MP3 using any number of mp3 conversion software.

 

[mshilarious]

You can edit your thread title, ya know . . .

Your question is very broad. However I would consider these three basics:

1) A good sounding room. Very important for acoustic instruments. Generally, that means large and quiet. A reflective floor, like hardwood, is nice, as is an absorptive or high ceiling. Walls should be a mix of reflection, diffusion, and absorption.

2) Proper mic placement. Waaaay too much info for one post. Start here:

http://www.shure.com/pdf/booklets/mics_for_music_studio.pdf


3) Proper gain staging. This means setting the correct level at your preamp so your preamp and your soundcard/converters/interface are happy. Generally, the rule is not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

 

[Oamlhtw]

Forgive me for how broad my question was.

What I'm looking for is information on what types of areas to record in. Some people have suggested bathrooms in the past.

Some of you have given me some good answers. Thank-you, I apreciate it. I don't have access to any fancey studio or sound rooms, but I'm still looking to get something semi-profressional recorded.

 

[RAMI]

Thread title of the week?

 

[gummblefish]

Swearing, calling the forum shit, being ambiguos....your gonna fit in here just fine..welcome!

 

[Jahn]

Forgive me for how broad my question was.

What I'm looking for is information on what types of areas to record in. Some people have suggested bathrooms in the past.

Some of you have given me some good answers. Thank-you, I apreciate it. I don't have access to any fancey studio or sound rooms, but I'm still looking to get something semi-profressional recorded.

A bathroom is really reflective and the reverb in there sounds unnatural to me. Plus, there's not enough air in there for an acoustic to really "breathe" if that makes sense. The room I record in has hardwood floors and about 500 square feet of open air with just a normal jumble of things along the wall. It works, and my mic captures the natural decay of my guitar quite well, while still placing my vocals in the forefront (that's all mic positioning btw).

 

[fraserhutch]

Your shitty forum software won't let me post any threads.

That was just our newbie initiation filter at work...