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ZoelVazra

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Right now I have the following setup.

Shure SM58 to Mackie 14-channel mixer through XLR.
Main output of Mackie mixer to Line6 GX though 1/4" mono cable.
Line 6 GX connected to computer through USB.
I am using POD Farm for preamp and compressor.
I use Cubase for recording.

My problem is:
I do not get a fully satisfied sound. Is there any way I can improve my setup?
 
open-a-can-of-worms.webp

Hi Zoel
I don't know if you're going to get a satisfactory answer to your question because there are waaaay too many variables here.
Maybe have a think about:
What sound were you shooting for?
Do you believe a modest set of home recording equipment can get you that sound?
Do you have the necessary recording and mixing skills to enable you to achieve the sound you are after?

Maybe work with what you have for a while and discover what you *can* do with the gear.
Then research the areas where you think that it lacks and make a list of documented methods others have used to overcome the limitations. Based on this you can fire targetted questions at the forum contributors to help chip away the confusion you have with your setup, recording, mixing and overall sound you are able to achieve.

Google is your friend. There's a million pages out there to help you learn about recording and mixing, most are more helpful than this reply is going to be.
Once you educate yourself about the process of capturing and manipulating sound and, most importantly, applied your research to your own recording and mixing projects, you'll find that you will learn *why* you cannot get the sound you are after and you might then have several avenues to follow to help you achieve the desired sound.

That's about all the help I can offer.
The rest is up to you.

Best wishes in your journey of discovery!
Dags
 
ZoelVazra said:
Right now I have the following setup.

Shure SM58 to Mackie 14-channel mixer through XLR.
Main output of Mackie mixer to Line6 GX though 1/4" mono cable.
Line 6 GX connected to computer through USB.
I am using POD Farm for preamp and compressor.
I use Cubase for recording.

My problem is:
I do not get a fully satisfied sound. Is there any way I can improve my setup?
Click to expand...

There are any number of ways, but you haven't articulated what the problem is. What does "not get a fully satisfied sound" mean? What are you recording, for a start? What don't you like about the sound you're getting? Can you post a clip so we can hear what the issue is?
 
Thank you

Thank you for your replies. My main problem is that when I record vocals it remains different than music track. Music track is okay for me but the vocal dont mix together. Is it because I used 1/4" jack to connect mixer to Line 6 GX, or is it Line 6 GX that is not good for vocals. And another question is that someone told me that using RCA cables is better than 1/4" cable to join mixer to interface. Is it true so that I can get a RCA to USB interface.
 
Hi Zoel
Actually, an RCA cable is even worse for connections of this nature. A balanced TRS (stereo jack) cable from mixer to interface may help with reducing cable hum during audio transfer if that is an issue.
But from the sound of it the problem you perceive is to do with how the vocal sits in the mix.
[insert another can of worms being opened]
There are all kinds of reasons why this could be the case, but if you're happy with the quality of the vocal as it is recorded then it is simply a mixing issue which can be solved to a certain extent by EQ, compression, volume and FX.
If you're not happy with the quality of the vocal as it is recorded through the GX then you're going to have to do something about replacing the items in your recording chain: mic > preamp > converter.
In all honesty, you might be better off firstly getting a different audio interface which can process audio without having to go through the POD GX and have the GX purely as a guitar amp/FX device feeding into an input channel for when you want to record guitar.
Running your mic through your Mackie preamp & desk as you are currently doing and using a better quality A/D converter to capture that sound might give you enough of a lift in vocal quality to enable you to feel more comfortable in placing the vocal in the mix.
After that it is a matter of gaining mix experience to find ways of blending the vocal with the music.

Best wishes!
Dags
 
Thank you Dags,
Which A/D converter you suggest to get a better sound?
 
Hi again.

I can't really say which is going to be best for your situation. Have a think about what you need in an interface, mainly the number of physical inputs you might need in the foreseeable future. It is always a good idea to get something a bit more expensive with better specifications than what you need right now so that you don't suddenly find yourself limited by your equipment again. EG; if you only need 1 input right now, get an interface with a minimum of 2 inputs. You then can start experimenting with recording stereo tracks later on without the need to buy another interface. Or get one with 4 inputs so you can really get stuck into multi-track recording.

Do some research into USB and Firewire (if you have firewire connections in your computer) interfaces and see which ones fall within your budget. Then start narrowing down your choices by looking at what features each offers. Read user reviews on what they think of it, what issues have arisen and if the fix for the problem is within your means. You should then end up with maybe 2 or 3 suitable devices to really look hard at.
Then wait for a sale then see which of the three is the cheapest or has the most add-ons :)
(That's what I do, anyway)

When you have a converter that you know is not causing you any problems with capturing your audio signal, if your mixes still aren't up to scratch then you need to
start looking at your mixing technique and maybe your recording technique. Practice, practice, practice! Experience with mixing and finding solutions to your problems will make you a more competent engineer.
You'll also start discovering the limitations of whatever equipment you start out with (usually the cheapest available for many of us) and you'll then know *why* you might need something different.
Before too long you'll have the same gear-lust the rest of us have where we simply *must* buy audio gear because we know we have a need for it...or could find a use for it even if we don't need it right now :)

Good luck mate!
Dags
 
Given that you did not specify the Mackie model number...

Each analog out/track that you'll be using needs a analog input on your soundcard, so the soundcard you purchase will be dependent on your budget and the number of inputs you'll require.

For example on the low end of the marketplace a M-Audio 1010LT (I'm not recommending this by the way, I just have experience with it) provides two XLR inputs (mic/line switchable) and eight unbalanced RCA inputs.

Once you've decided how many analog outputs off your Mackie you need to route then you get to decide connectivity (the 1010LT is a PCI card so no laptop!), whether or not it needs MIDI, whether or not it needs optical connectivity, etc., and... of course... how much money you have. You'll have more flexibility if the Mackie outputs can be switched between mic and line level. Things can get really expensive, really fast.

Luck.
 
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