Real Desire to Record but Need Real Help

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thevo711

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I am trying to do some basic home recording. I am lworking with two guitars and two microphones(there are 2 of us playing and singing). Currently I have a Dell 4300, with a SoundBlaster Live sound card. I have a Samson MDR6 mixer. I have run the guitars and the mics through the mixer(MDR6) and can listen to everything perfectly through the headphone jack on the mixer. I own Cakewalk Home Studio 2002. I have used a Y cord (2 RCA to 1/8") to go from the mixer to the sound card. I mix the sounds using the mixer, it sounds perfect through the headphones which are attached to the mixer but when I play the guitar or sing into the mics and the sound goes to the computer and registeres on Cakewalk I am always at the peak on the volume meter. I have to turn everything way down so as not to have the sound record at too high a level. When I play back what I have recorded it sounds ridiculously muffled. Basically I can not get clear sound when I record on Calkwalk. Obviously I am missing something, so please be kind and let me know where I need to start. New soundcard ? new ???

Gratefully, Vo
 
You want more than a SoundBlaster for recording. And three syllables, one word... MONITORS. Mixing through headphones doesn't work. Somebody who knows their shit will be with you shortly to offer up some suggestions and what not, but try searching on the forum to find some similar posts.

Welcome to the forum!
 
Thanks, I can use all the help I can get. Will an upgrade to a SoundBlaster Audigy Card work or am I in the wrong ball park altogether. I am looking for basic things, not too expensive.
 
same problem

Ive had similar results with intruments clipping also. I also have Sound Blaster Live, and i believe that is the main problem. I could be wrong though....im just getting into recording myself. Im getting an audiophile 2496, hopefully that will help out with the issue.
 
If you don't understand what's going on, getting another soundcard won't help. The SoundBlaster is not pro equipment, but you should be able to do very decent-quality work with it. It is certainly not "the main problem" in the issues you are mentioning here.

First, make sure that you are going into the Line In on the Live card, not the Mic In.

Adjust the levels on the Line In via the Windows mixer, not in Cakewalk:

http://www.cakewalk.com/support/lessons/windowsmixer.asp

If that doesn't clear up your problems, maybe it's more subtle than that... let us know what happens.
 
Well lowering the volumes via the windows volume controls has helped a bit, although it is still close to peaking, clipping.

Unfortunatly when I plug the mixer into the sound card via the Line in I do not register any sound on Cakewalk ? The only input that seems to ,register sound, or work is the mic in.

What next ? What do you recommend to take it to the next level. What do I gain from a "pro" audio card. Which one is recommended. Are monitors needed ?

Thanks for all the help
 
heres another idea

buy a compressor! behringer makes some that are under 100 bucks. i bought a compressor thinking it would help a bit and it helped a ton. hell look into getting a compressor before you get another soundcard
 
I answered my own question. I finally figured out why the line in was not working. Yea !!!!!! I found the answer on this forum.
You need to do the following: ( I had no idea there was a recording properties.
START>ALL PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>ENTERTAINMENT>VOLUME CONTROL>OPTIONS>PROPERTIES>RECORDING>OK>select LINE IN

Anyway I am still wondering what I should be looking into next. I know I have a lot to chew on here but any ideas or suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks again.
 
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