getting frustrated

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cpc

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ive been goofing around with home recording for the last couple months on my computer with a basic setup, and im just sick and tired of it not sounding how it's suppose to. this may not be the right forum for this but i just need to vent, whenever i record vocals onto my computer it just doesnt sound like me, ive tried just about everything with no success. it seems to add an effect or make me sound like im behind a pillow or in a box or something. and i KNOW what my voice sounds like...this isnt right. i've listened to my voice recorded on tape, live through an amp during band practice, and through headphones on my mixer with loud volume and it's sounded right. i have my vocals mocked when people hear my computer recordings, but have them praised in person...im just going to give up on computer recording.

question- what other options of less-hassle...already set up recording methods are there for me to check into? such as a 4-track...a digital 4-track (or would this have the same effect) i'm going to miss not being able to do online collabs and store files as easy...but right now i just need a way to record my vocals normal sounding ..basic and cheap. i dont need it to sound like a 10,000 $ studio....i just need it to sound like me! anyone else have the same frustrating problem?
 
Need more details about your set-up. Like, ANY details!

If you're using a cheap onboard soundcard with a crappy mic, then of course it'll sound like crap.
 
Yes.

And it cost me about $75k to fix it.

Face it, even a $10k studio isn't that great a studio.

If you want just to be ablt to record your voice, go to the newbix section and look at a simple mic/ mic pre/ audio interface solution.

And then you have to think about monitoring.

But, not knowing what you are using now, I would guess that the newbie forum is where you want to reading up from. There's a lot of knowledge there, if you're willing to do some reading.
 
i use the same mic (sm58) that i use in band practice pretty much (pg48) through my mixer and into my soundcard. and my voice sounds fine in band practice to me and others, and it sounds fine through my mixer. so its not the mic, its not the mixer.

and i know, thats why i want to quit computer recording...im just going to leave anything worth recording to the professionals....but i would really like a way to record my vocals and song ideas how they are suppose to sound. would a 4 track or a digital track recorder be ok for this?
 
You should be getting acceptable results.

Again, more detail needed. What soundcard are you using? What sample and bit rates are you using?
 
im using the stock soundcard that came with my computer, 16 bit, realtek audio drivers.. the recordings are pretty quiet and clear..and fine for recording instruments, but when i record vocals it doesnt quite capture all of the dynamics, and it sounds like it adds an effect to my voice like im behind a pillow or a box or something, , its weird to describe...but it doesnt sound like me...and like i said i KNOW what i sound like, my ears are quite good...i know whats good and bad, i know whats on ppitch and whats not etc.

just to make sure i even recorded my girlfriends voice...talking and singing, and then upon playback it didnt sound like she normally sounds. i mean...you can tell its her/me...but its just "different" and "worse"
 
I'd say it's your soundcard. Consider upgrading to one that supports 24-bit audio recording. Stipulate your budget and there are folks here who can probably recommend something specific.
 
yeh , i was looking into that already, but i dont want to risk 200 dollars or so on somethign that may not even work. shouldnt 16 bit be good enough to get the job done? would a 16bit sound card cause my vocals to sound bad and different...i thought it would only make them sound less clear and noisier than a 24 bit...and noise isnt my problem.
 
Are you recording your vocals with headphones, or are you listening to speakers while recording? What your describing sounds like you might have an acoustic feedback loop. It might also be an electrical feedback loop, where the soundcard is recording your voice, playing it back a few milliseconds later due to your systems latency, and mixing the playback back in with the record signal.

Don't give up on computer recording, especially for arranging new songs. If you stick with it, you'll want to get a real soundcard, but I'm guessing you have another issue right now.

-RD
 
my problem occurs when i just record vocals too. with no other music playing...when i just record vocals the problem is present. i've tried recording both with headphones and with speakers. the volume on the line in is also muted so no volume comes out while i record.
 
"the volume on the line in is also muted so no volume comes out while i record."

If you are running your mic thru a mixer the mixer should be plugged into the LINE input and not the MIC input........................
 
Smurf said:
"the volume on the line in is also muted so no volume comes out while i record."

If you are running your mic thru a mixer the mixer should be plugged into the LINE input and not the MIC input........................
Click to expand...

notice how i said "line in" ?
 
IMHO, the SM57 tends to sound like you're singing in a cardboard box anyway. :D

How similar is your mic position when recording versus singing live? I have a sneaky suspicion that you put the mic on a stand when you record, but hold it in your hand when you are singing live. The difference in position can make a tremendous difference.
 
I guess you're going to have to post a dclip or two here so we can get an idea of what you;re talking about.
 
Dude Realteck is one of the worst soundcards EVER,i have it on my internet computer(this one) and even with doing nothing i have problems with it.

So my best bet would be to get a new soundcard,even if its going to soundblaster. :D
 
maybe it is my soundcard then...i guess it wouldnt hurt to risk some money on a new soundcard afterall...worse case scenerio my problem doesnt get fixed but i end up with a better soundcard

and i hold the mic both when recording and at practice, i'd post clips to show whats happening but i dont have any clips of me sounding normal to compare it to.

i appreciate the advice on this..i wasnt really even looking for advice i was just letting out my frustration but thanks none the less.
 
just as a side question... what would be the recomended mic placement for vocals on an sm58 for recording?
 
Have you tried bypassing the mixer and plugging your mic directly into the "mic in"? It seems to me that your getting the mic signal to the computer, which is much quieter than the line signal... That's why the instruments you recorded sound fine...


riznich said:
just as a side question... what would be the recomended mic placement for vocals on an sm58 for recording?
Click to expand...

Just don't hold the mic with your hands. And try not to move around too much. Find the position where your vox sound best and don't move... :)
 
would there be a noticable improvement with a usb interface such as the m-audio usb pre over my stock soundcard? and could i use audacity with this by any chance?
 
you'd notice a difference, yes. i'm not sure if you could use audacity, but i think if you want to get a little bit serious about recording you should step up anyway. i used audacity and my soundcard for a long time and i'm much much happier i've changed my ways now.
 
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