Help! Desperate home recorder.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spiritfolio
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Spiritfolio

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Hi there,

I have looked thru the "noobs" FAQ but don't know enough about what I'm doing to qualify an answer.

Basically I have set up a home studio to record some tracks. The room we are using isn't perfect but I will work on improving that as we move on.

I recorded 10 or so tracks mixing vocals and pre taped backing track recorded onto mini disc. Playback is terrible. I am aware of setting levels on the channels but my biggest query is the fact that the vocal and backing track sound so seperate. Kind of like they aren't mixed together at all merely placed on top of one another?

Am I missing a piece of equipment out?

Hope I have explained myself well enuf for some one to try and offer advice.

Thank you

Noobie
 
No in all fairness I had a heart attack at the state of what I heard. Would that soften them together???
 
Spiritfolio said:
Am I missing a piece of equipment out?
Click to expand...


It's hard to say whether you are missing a piece of equipment without knowing what you have.

For example:

How, and on what, did you record your vocals?

What did you use for mixing?
 
Spiritfolio said:
Kind of like they aren't mixed together at all merely placed on top of one another?
Click to expand...

They aren't mixed together. Mixing usually involves having access to all the tracks, not just a stereo backing track. You're always going to struggle to get things to sound good together. To some extent it will always sound like you've just placed the vocals on top, because that's what you've done... it's a difficult task.

Is this the backing track commercial release you're karaokying, or something that you've recorded yourself?
 
try recording the backing track to your DAW THEN mixing it with the vocal.......

fn' noobs.......sheeshhhh...:rolleyes:
 
gecko zzed said:
It's hard to say whether you are missing a piece of equipment without knowing what you have.

For example:

How, and on what, did you record your vocals?

What did you use for mixing?
Click to expand...

I am using dynamic mic into sound desk via XLR, IPad to play track into desk via stereo jack. Mixing desk is a spirit folio. I then use desk output into minidisc to record.
 
Is this the backing track commercial release you're karaokying, or something that you've recorded yourself?[/QUOTE]

Its a commercial release. Sounds superb until the vocals start!
 
So...I have to guess as you're not giving much useful information - as I said before: (a) it's hard to mix a vocal into a recorded and mastered stereo backing track (which it sounds like what you're trying to do) even if you're a good engineer - that's not the way music is created (b) you're probably using a relatively cheap dynamic microphone in an untreated room without much of an idea of how to record anything, let alone a high quality vocal track.

Sorry. Best I can do. Recording is difficult. It takes much practice and skill.
 
Sorry. Best I can do. Recording is difficult. It takes much practice and skill.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, one knew it wouldn't be easy and that I'd need advice etc but ultra surprised at the poor results. Like you say, trying to mix a pre recorded stereo track and vocals seems a little too much for me at this stage
 
ok . . . sounds like you are doing real-time mixing, i.e. you are playng the backing track through your mixer, singing along with it, then sending the mixed output to the minidisk.

This is a difficult (though not impossible) way of doing things. That's because you have no idea of how well the mix is working until it's recorded to disk and you play it back. The trick is adjusting EQ, reverb and other effects to make the vocal sound as if it is part of the original backing track, and this is a matter of trial and error with the method you are using. It is doubly difficult if you are not that familiar with these effects and how you can use them to advantage.

A method that is simultaneously easier and more difficult is to load the backing track into audio software on a computer, then record the vocals, then play with various effects. It is easier, because you don't have to guess at getting it right . . . you sing, then make it right after the event. However, it is more difficult because you need all the bits that go with that process, and then to learn how to use them. However, it is way more effective at getting better results.
 
gecko zzed said:
ok . . . sounds like you are doing real-time mixing, i.e. you are playng the backing track through your mixer, singing along with it, then sending the mixed output to the minidisk.

This is a difficult (though not impossible) way of doing things. That's because you have no idea of how well the mix is working until it's recorded to disk and you play it back. The trick is adjusting EQ, reverb and other effects to make the vocal sound as if it is part of the original backing track, and this is a matter of trial and error with the method you are using. It is doubly difficult if you are not that familiar with these effects and how you can use them to advantage.

A method that is simultaneously easier and more difficult is to load the backing track into audio software on a computer, then record the vocals, then play with various effects. It is easier, because you don't have to guess at getting it right . . . you sing, then make it right after the event. However, it is more difficult because you need all the bits that go with that process, and then to learn how to use them. However, it is way more effective at getting better results.
Click to expand...

Great advice, I was just going to mention recording into a DAW.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but I see a lot of people raving about reaper it's around $60.00. There is another called Ntrack that's about $50.00.
 
what mic is it, if its the £1 mic from poundland of course its going to be crap, Do you know what mic you have?
 
Thanks for your suggestions. I have changed to a condenser mic which has made the sound a little purer. I have put foam up around mic to give crisper sound. Have purchased an eq and graphic equaliser device and attached to desk. Like you say it's now just a case of mixing till happy but already seeing huge improvement.

When recording vocals along with backing track how would you isolate sound. I.e the singer currently hears track through monitors and vocal thru headphones (both out of desk), best way or am I missing something ?
 
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