Quiet recordings, I need them louder, but not distorted!!!

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Self-Titled

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I managed to get a 4 track with a tape deck for free and when using it with my band going through the our PA system we can get some decent recordings.

However, when I want to put it on CD, I use the line in on my Sound Card (Sound Blaster 128 - very poor, I know) to record it using Nero Wave Editor on to my computer. The recordings that I have made have been slightly muffled which I kind of expected, but also they are quiet.

If I turn up any of the line in levels on my computer, or the four track levels past a certain level then the Wave Editor equaliser goes into the red and the resulting recording is extremely distorted. And anywhere under this level the recording is far too quiet.

What would solve this problem? should I get a better sound card, better editing software, or is there something I can do with out buying anything new?


Cheers for any help.
 
Get a better soundcard NOW.

I prefer anything by M-Audio myself.
 
The last step in a recording is Mastering. You need to use EQ to reduce anything that is eating up your headroom (often bass) and probably add some compression or limiting.
 
As a SoundBlaster PCI 128 owner myself who has tried to use it for recordings, I have experienced the same thign you have. Buy a new card, really. It is not meant for taking any signals into it. Even the M-Audio Audiophile is better than this piece of junk.
 
I hate to break it to you but you should have posted this in the newbie section. Anyway, anything in the red digitally will be distorted. If it goes beyond 0 db it is peaking and will create digital distortion, which is ugly. As Tex stated, mastering is the final step. Since you are only sending in a stereo track (left and right) you really don't have any mixing to do so mastering is it. You can try running a limiter at -6 db then try maxmizing with compression to bring it hotter. Believe me, you will not be as loud as your favorite Disturbed album until you get your stuff professionally mastered. Good tracking and mixing are key elemnts as well.

In your situation, I would (depending on how many in your band) put drums on track 1, vocals 2, guitar 3, and bass 4. Then recod each track into your favorite multitrack program (N-Track is very cheap) and mix it there. You wouldn't belive the difference you can make by even splitting it from 1 to 4 stereo tracks! Have fun!
 
Cheers everyone I'll look into the new soundcards that you said. And try using something like N-track. Sorry about it being in the wrong section, I did wonder but this section sounded most like my problems.

Cheers again.
 
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