question about how to get the best mic quality

[thesockrawker]

hey, i have been recording using audacity, the free source program that i got on the web. i have a digital reference mic (not the best i know) . To record onto the pc, i have been running the mic through my pa system (peavy 300 watt) tape in/out into the mic jack on my computer. the guitars and instruments sound decent but the vocals need help. I guess i am sort of a newbie, at vocals at least so i was hoping for some tips on how to make the vocals sound better. I was talking to my friend and he said i should compress the audio. so i guess im wondering if there is anything that i could do on the program or accessory-wise that will make the vocals sound good. thanks : )

 

[distortedrumble]

seems to me that you've done the best you can with what you have. i know you dont want to hear (save up and get this...) but theres only so much you can do with that mic and using the pa system as a mixer. i dont think this is something audacity can help too much although I've never used the program

 

[treymonfauntre]

yea there isn't gonna be much you can do in audacity unfortunately. its time to start saving up those paychecks

 

[Richard Monroe]

One thing you can do is plug the tape out from the mixer into the *line in* not the mic in. That's a -10dBV *line* output. Then start saving for a real mic, a real mixer, and a real soundcard.-Richie

 

[artCROSS]

Does n-track come with compression plugins? If so, that may be your best bet, as it's fairly inexpensive. You can get comfortable using that, and if you're serious about recording, start saving and upgrade (including your hardware).

 

[dgatwood]

I used to do fairly good recordings with the mic preamp in a modestly high grade audio casette deck and the built-in sound on a PowerBook. I went back and did a little editing on those recordings recently (replaced a few spots in the vocals, and made it match with a slightly different mic after almost 8 years... not too bad). There's surprisingly little difference in quality between that old setup and my Delta 1010LT. Not zero difference, mind you, but a lot less than I expected....

To keep things on the cheap for now, first, get at least a half-decent pre. Find a TEAC cassette deck with a bad transport that somebody has lying around, shove some cardboard in to hold the record tab sensor lever up while you push the record button, and go from there....

Next, chuck the reference mic. Try to snag yourself a used Shure 565SD on eBay for $20-30 or so (or any of the other low-impedance Unispheres, really). A lot like an SM58, but a little more even upper midrange response. It makes a nice mic for vocals and brass, IMHO, and you should be able to get one for not too much money.

Finally, download Ardour. It's an open source multitrack app. Relatively good, from what I've seen, though I don't know if it runs on anything other than Linux and Mac OS X. No idea.