'live' living room recording help?

[AbuseTheMuses]

Hello. I'm new here. I am not much of a sound engineer, I just learn the very basics a bit at a time to do what I need to do. I am a singer/guitarist/drummer/bassist who records out of necessity because I live in a very small town with no musicians except old dudes who want to play cover songs from their teenage years, or country-cover bar bands. I am from a big city and moved out here because my GF goes to college nearby here, so I am in a predicament I have never been in before... I have to record all by myself to make the songs I want. I have no problem playing all the instruments along to overlay bass and drums, but I have a severe psychological rift when it comes to singing and playing guitar.

Here's the problem: I have to sing while I am playing the guitar, and amplified like I would be at a band practice. Otherwise I just can't get 'into' it. Headphones don't work, overdubs to a pre-recorded guitar track don't work. I just can't 'feel' it unless I'm jamming away at a decent volume and singing away in my real voice through a real PA system volume.

Right now I use a Roland KC350 mixer/amp/PA for all my amplification, I run my dynamic vocal mic through a little compression, EQ, and a tad of reverb all from a little multi-pedal, and I run my guitar through a small multi-effect/amp-simulator pedal. I like the sound as it is in the room, and I can adjust my levels between the two well enough to where it sounds good in the room. But when I record it (I use the built in condenser mic on the Zoom PS04, which has always been clear doing accoustic gtar + vocal)) it doesn't have the same power in the playback as what I hear in the room when I am playing/singing it through my PA/cabinet.

Is it the room which is the problem? I would think that the mic is picking up exactly what I'm hearing, so should be playing it back the same, wouldn't it? Then I thought, its maybe a matter of it being mono, while I hear in stereo?

If so, what can I do as far as a cheap way to get a flat response stereo recording? Are there any room mics made for cheap that give the closest possible to a flat, undoctored signal? Perhaps one of those handheld 'stereo' recorders with the XY mics built in?

If it helps, my recording equipment consists of my Zoom PS04 palmtop studio, and a Korg CR4 cassette 4 track with 4 inputs but no EQ, and it has built in monitor speakers. My only mics I have currently are a dynamic tascam 'all-purpose' mic, and the built in condenser on the palmtop recorder. The Zoom recorder has internal EQ, effect sends, mastering algorhythms, but none of that helps much if I can't get my guide track (guitar + vox) to sound thick enough in the first place. I have no problem overlaying bass and drums with headphones, it's just the guitar + vocal I have to do 'live' in order to express myself right.

My music is very stripped down and minimalist (Husker Du, White Stripes, BlackRebelMotorcycleClub, Built to spill, etc.) and I like the recordings raw feeling. But the recording can be raw in feeling yet still not sound all muddy and lo-fi. I want the best sound quality I can get with my little ghetto recording setup in my living room, but I want to retain the unpolished feel of playing it live and un-overdubbed. I know I could get better sound quality running everything through headphones and amp simulators, but I don't think the expressiveness would be right.


Sorry to be so verbose: in summary:

I can't sing expressively and play expressively with headphones on, I need noise alive around me. I can't separate playing guitar and singing I have to do both at once to get the 'feel'. This is not a problem with balancing the levels I just do that on the amp (it has a 4 channel mixer).

I can't make my recording sound like what I hear despite using a completely flat, uneffected 'bypass' setting on my recorder input.

What can I do?

 

[mjbphotos]

You are limited by the built-in mic - try moving the recorder around in relation to the speakers of your PA.

 

[grimtraveller]

I have no problem playing all the instruments along to overlay bass and drums, but I have a severe psychological rift when it comes to singing and playing guitar.

Here's the problem: I have to sing while I am playing the guitar, and amplified like I would be at a band practice. Otherwise I just can't get 'into' it. Headphones don't work, overdubs to a pre-recorded guitar track don't work. I just can't 'feel' it unless I'm jamming away at a decent volume and singing away in my real voice through a real PA system volume.

I have no problem overlaying bass and drums with headphones, it's just the guitar + vocal I have to do 'live' in order to express myself right.


Sorry to be so verbose: in summary:

I can't sing expressively and play expressively with headphones on, I need noise alive around me. I can't separate playing guitar and singing I have to do both at once to get the 'feel'. This is not a problem with balancing the levels I just do that on the amp (it has a 4 channel mixer).

I can't make my recording sound like what I hear despite using a completely flat, uneffected 'bypass' setting on my recorder input.

What can I do?

You've outlined a few things here that there many others on this site can answer far better than I because of their technical knowledge and experience, but I am struck by some things you say. It strikes me that you're defeating yourself with the stance that you've taken.
On a few occasions you mention what you 'can't' do. I don't mean to seem in any way condescending but each of your 'can'ts', I read as a 'won't'.
I do agree that there aren't any diehard rules in this craft of ours, but there are a variety of tried and trusted practices. I think we should at least be open to try and keep or try and reject or try and modify and while I dig original approaches, even the pioneers of original approaches change as they hear and think about what others may be trying. There was a time for example, when someone like Dylan wouldn't even tell his musicians what key they were in, he'd just say 'follow me and do your thing'. It produced some great versions of songs and albums but that was 40 years ago. As idiosyncratic and uncompromizing as he was, he was open to change and trying different and new things. He changed. Same with Miles Davies - for 20+ years he went into the studio and recorded a certain jazz way. As he opened up more to rock, his whole approach adapted. Indeed, the history of recorded music is jam packed with artists who have been prepared to adapt and overcome their biases and weaknesses. Are you ?
I remember in live settings having to teach myself to stand and play guitar because for the first five years I played, I'd always sat down. I also remember having to teach myself to sing and play at the same time. As you practice and try different things, you may well find yourself being able to do things that you currently say you 'cannot' {or will not}.
While there is much debate on this and even a wide spectrum of opinion on those that agree, I've found that there is a universe of difference between playing live {even in a band practice}and recording and things like 'feel' are a state of mind. Why, for example, should you have no difficulty in laying down bass and drums with phones but say you can't when it comes to guitar or singing ? It's almost as though you're saying that bass and drums are unimportant in the 'feel' stakes.
One thing you could possibly do with is a leap of imagination and some firm decision making - think 'I will' rather than accept 'I can't'. You can track your vocals and guitar separately. Most do at some point - even if they only do it once. As for the actual sound you're aiming for, experiment.
I'm not having a go at you and kicking someone when they're down, I'm trying to encourage you to try a different approach.