help transferring live recordings to/from pc

[muse]

Hi! I'm new to MDs, live recording and computer audio in general...

I'm using a Sony MZ-R900 with a Shure M58 mic to record music lessons and occasional recitals. I am making practice CD's for my class as well as some personal recordings (just for myself, not anything professional). I have a SB Live sound card and an internal CD burner with Nero software.

All is going reasonably well with the recording end, although the acoustics of my living room are of course, not ideal! I am using only one microphone to record everything which makes mic placement tricky, even when I am at the university studio for class.

Here are my current stumbling blocks:

1) No problems recording to my PC with 1/8" stereo plug analog cables, but the sound is not as clean as I would have expected from the MD. I'm not satisfied with my amateurish attempts at various editing filters and it doesn't sound all that great by the time I burn it to CD. I've been told I am a perfectionist, but even with analog cables I shouldn't really lose much sound, right? I tested my sound card elsewhere on this site and didn't hear any noise.

2) My sound card is not digital, but since I have successfully recorded in through the analog cable, I assumed I could record out as well. Nope. I have tried through the green speaker and black line jacks. I know the cable itself and the line in on the MD are fine because I was able to record to it from a portable CD player with a line out jack.

A small home recording studio/upgraded dedicated audio computer are in my future, but for now I'm hoping to make do with my current set up. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[jontflesh]

You might look into a couple of things.
1st I would say get another soundcard. The SB live is really not set up for good audio recording. A Event Darla 24 or something along those lines will do great. They are a tad expensive though, I picked mine up for about 400.00. You will be able to x-fer it too the new puter you want to get for audio.
Are you using any type of pre-amp into the puter? There might not be enough volume going into it. You can also try to run the mic into your 4-track first and then into your puter.
You also did not really tell what you are using in the puter? What processor/mhz, Ram size are you running? What software are you using for the recording?


jontflesh

 

[micmac]

i don't know exactly what you're recording during lessons, but you might want to try recording with a different mic, for example a small stereo mic. the sound quality isn't super, but you'd get a stereo signal to work with. the sm58 is a great mic (mainly for live vocals), but works best when it's close to the sound source, we're talking anything from as close as touching mic to a feet or two away. i got the impression that you want to capture sounds a bit further away. or?

i use the same MD-player as you do, and i get an extremely clean sound. i just have to be close enough to the source, and be careful how i place the mic. sometimes, when the sound source is strong enough (at concerts and stuff), i don't even have to be close to get a decent sound with a small stereo mic. also, it's really small, which is convienient.

anywhere they sell MDs they usually sell these small mics. watch out though, some of these mics won't do a very good job. bring your MD and try it out on the spot.

hope this helps,

micmac

 

[muse]

Hi jontflesh and micmac, thanks for the replies!

I am recording voice and piano lessons in a university studio (I'm guessing about an 8' x 8' room.) I am usually singing, and can place the microphone on a stand just beside me which picks up my professor and the piano fairly well. Of course I can move the mic stand during the lesson, although I try to put it in a good spot and then forget it.

I am running a Pentium III 166 (I think 128 ram) with Wave Studio recording software from SB Creative Labs. I know I definitely need to upgrade to a digital sound card, but am hoping to use what I have for the time being. I've already been lurking on the studio board as well and appreciate your suggestions...

Now that I know how to adjust the recording level on the MD, the sound coming seems loud enough, just not as clean as I'd like. I'm ignorant about the particulars, but I can adjust the line in volume so the readings are just up to the red on the meter. I don't have any kind of pre-amp, either for the microphone or the computer.

Now when you suggest running the mic into the 4-track first and then into the computer... Do you mean for the original recording? I am open to suggestions, but I am using a portable MZ-R900 to record music lessons at my the studio, so I don't have access to my computer while I am recording there. I went with a portable MD and Shure M58 because the setup needed to be very portable and uncomplicated for class and it was recommended for decent sound. Currently, my piano at home is downstairs from my computer and would require an impressive amount of cable to record directly to it instead of the MD.

I can't upgrade immediately, so for now if I can use the equipment I have, I would be satisfied to be able to tweak the recordings just a bit and then send the wav files back out from the SB sound card to the MD or burn a decent sounding CD. I am assuming the sound card isn't fried because the Nero CD burner works. If I can record in to the sound card from the MD using an analog cable, why can't I record out?

an electronically overwhelmed muse