help please with home recording set-up

  • Thread starter Thread starter r.j
  • Start date Start date
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r.j

New member
Hi

I am totally new to this and really appreciate any help.

I am wanting to record my vocals whilst singing to backing tracks.

I have the following gear

1. Rode K2
2. Mackie VLZ 1402 Mixer
3. Zoom Handy h4n recorder

I am finding the zoom is producing background hiss. I have played endlessly with the levels.

I am about to buy a quality preamp - probably the Daking Mic_Pre One. Then I will do away with the H4N and bypass that altogether.

My questions are:

1. Should I then buy an Audio Interface (without a preamp as the Daking will provide the preamp)

2. How would I hook everything up so that I can listen to my vocals and the backing track whilst recording only the vocals? For instance where would the headphones that I will use get plugged into?

If you can suggest any other alternatives that would be great. I have not bought the Daking yet but I have heard great reviews about it.

I am so appreciative of all help offered!

All the best
Colin
 
Stop.

What is your PC, and what DAW software do you intend to use are two important questions.

Any recording chain ends up at some point in a PC courtesy of analog-digital converters and other then the H4N... which you are getting rid of... you don't have that functionality.

Frankly you'd be money ahead taking a week off to read Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio before doing anything more whatsoever.
 
Hi Colin
I'll work on the presumption that you have a computer with recording software somewhere in the scheme of things.

Even without the new preamp, you can use the XLR mic inputs on the mackie desk right now to supply phantom power to your K2.
Use your mixer as the main audio in and out routing 'hub' (this is what mixers are for).
Plug the audio outputs of the computer into one of the stereo input channels of the desk.
Set up one of the Aux sends as the feed to your computer audio interface's input for software capture.

Power up the K2 and set an appropriate mic level going into the desk.
Arm a recording channel of your software with the input device being whatever the cable from the Aux send is plugged into
Turn the dial for the Aux send that is connected to the computer audio interface IN and set the recording level appropriately according to the level meter in the software.
Make sure that the record-enabled channel's output is also going out the same outputs as the rest of the recorded tracks in your song (we'll keep it simple for the moment and won't mess about with separate monitoring channels).
Plug your headphones into the headphone socket of the mixer and you should be able to hear both the music and your voice.
To hear more of your voice in your headphones, raise the fader of the mixer channel the mic is plugged into - this will increase the volume getting sent to the mackie mixer master buss and phones.
If the recording level is too low, play around with the gain pot and the aux send which sends the mic signal to the computer.

Hope this has helped - very quick reply as its Christmas and I have family duties to attend to once I leave the office.

Best wishes!
Dags
 
i am so sorry! I My DAW is Audition CS6 and my PC is i5 6g ram. Thanks so much for your help.
 
Hi, if you are using mixer then what Dags has told is very good for you. If you are recording one track at a time and you need a pre-amp and interface to join into the computer then buying a good interface with pre-amp will be good in my opinion instead of Daking Mic_Pre One...like :
(if you have firewire port)
Lexicon FW810S Firewire Audio Interface
Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP
(if USB ports)
M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R USB Interface
Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 USB Audio Interface

If you want to use Daking Mic Pre One then you'll need a good AD converter which I dont have idea. But you can use it through the above mentioned interfaces too but the Daking's signal will be mixed with the interface's generated signal too so you wont find the pure Daking's sound. Although it will be very hard to differentiate.

If you use the above mentioned interface then:
(Guitar, mic) -> Interface ->Computer(USB or Firewire port) ->Audition(choose the device) => Record

Your headphone and monitors are to be connected in the interface's designated ports.
Once you select the device in Audition, the in-out bus will be activated for the device then you can record and listen the backing track at the same time.

Good Luck.
 
Hey R.J., Based on what what you stated your mainly recording vocals? First thing is to identify what you will be recording mainly and the use of your interface. If you mainly doing vocals I would look into a more simple but very dynamic interface as in the Apogee Duet 2 or the Apogee One
Not taking anything away from the previous interface suggestions above but they seem to have multiple I/O more for recording bands and multiple instruments. If you do plan to record bands in the future as well as vocals in the present 4-8 Ins & Outs would apply. The Focusrite, FastTrack, Duet 2, Lexicon ext. would be solid choices.

Might want to stay simple and save money for other things such as a new DAW not saying anything is wrong with Audition but something along the lines of Reaper $60 IMHO would be more suitable when you get into DSP and plugins, things that you would need to treat the vocal once that sound is captured well. You computer is already well suited for a full featured DAW.
 
jaynm26 said:
Hey R.J., Based on what what you stated your mainly recording vocals? First thing is to identify what you will be recording mainly and the use of your interface. If you mainly doing vocals I would look into a more simple but very dynamic interface as in the Apogee Duet 2 or the Apogee One
Not taking anything away from the previous interface suggestions above but they seem to have multiple I/O more for recording bands and multiple instruments. If you do plan to record bands in the future as well as vocals in the present 4-8 Ins & Outs would apply. The Focusrite, FastTrack, Duet 2, Lexicon ext. would be solid choices.

Might want to stay simple and save money for other things such as a new DAW not saying anything is wrong with Audition but something along the lines of Reaper $60 IMHO would be more suitable when you get into DSP and plugins, things that you would need to treat the vocal once that sound is captured well. You computer is already well suited for a full featured DAW.
Click to expand...
Well, I don't know who you are, but say hi to Jaym for me. :D :D :D
 
RAMI said:
Well, I don't know who you are, but say hi to Jaym for me. :D :D :D
Click to expand...

LMAO!!!!! What was that a "cudo's: form the RAMI - "THE GREAT!!"....I will definitely say hi to Jaynm aka "Jacob" for you when he come back. This is Solomon aka, Solnm just signed on here to post some good advice for a change..CHEERS!! and Merry Xmas RAMI aka RAMI "The Great".
 
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