Recording a Cello

[leoholt]

Hello all,

first post here, go easy

I've been composing on Ableton for a few months now, and decided that it's time to go ahead and invest in a microphone. I play the cello, so that is what I intend to record 99% of the time. I don't know anything about recording, so I'll tell you all what I want to get out out of this, and you all tell me what I need to get! Basically, I want to get the highest audio quality possible (dur!). I often drop the tunings of my lower strings, to a low A or even E. In other words, the microphone has to have a really good range, because I will be playing everything from very low notes to high melodies in the violin range. I want it to be a condenser microphone, because I want to get the best possible volume levels out of it. Since I work with ableton, the microphone will be recording into my computer. Maximum price range is $600-$700

On a related note, I've heard that I need to get some sort of processing device that I can plug the mic into, that leads to my computer. I also use a midi keyboard which currently has horrible latency, but apparently this device also gets rid of that lag? Sorry I can't remember the name....

can't wait to hear from you all!

 

[PaddyGordon]

I'd buy 2 and record it in stereo (put a mic at the neck, and one at the body and pan left and right)

2x Shure SM27's is what I'd go for personally, although if you can afford higher end stuff then look at telefunken/neumann.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Hello all,

first post here, go easy

I've been composing on Ableton for a few months now, and decided that it's time to go ahead and invest in a microphone. I play the cello, so that is what I intend to record 99% of the time. I don't know anything about recording, so I'll tell you all what I want to get out out of this, and you all tell me what I need to get! Basically, I want to get the highest audio quality possible (dur!). I often drop the tunings of my lower strings, to a low A or even E. In other words, the microphone has to have a really good range, because I will be playing everything from very low notes to high melodies in the violin range. I want it to be a condenser microphone, because I want to get the best possible volume levels out of it. Since I work with ableton, the microphone will be recording into my computer. Maximum price range is $600-$700

On a related note, I've heard that I need to get some sort of processing device that I can plug the mic into, that leads to my computer. I also use a midi keyboard which currently has horrible latency, but apparently this device also gets rid of that lag? Sorry I can't remember the name....

can't wait to hear from you all!

Hey hey, welcome to the boards

i'm guessing you mean some sort of audio interface to connect the mic's to and then connect to that to your computer via either USB or Firwire. there are soooo sooooo sooooo many options and there's a shed load of info if you search the forums so i'd suggest have a read and see what you think. most audio interfaces contain preamps to turn the mic signal up to a useable level and then an analogue to digital converter to convert the mic signal into something computer can read. some of them also offer phantom power which is essential for working with any condenser mic's.

mic's for cello; Condenser mic's tend to be more sensitive, ribbon mic's tend to be smoother, and dynamic mic's tend to sound more solid IME. as paddy said two mic's would give you a lot more scope of sound. i've recorder a fair few cello's and string quartets and cello is always the toughest one imo as it has such a wide frequency range and depends alot of what the player is performing. i've had a lot of success combining ribbon mic's and large diaphragm condensers (LDC's), and on a budget there's a lot of choices but often require a bit more research to find some you're really happy with. the last cello i recorded with an Apex 205 ribbon and an sE2200a with the 205 aimed at the where the neck starts to overhand onto the body about 4 foot back and the 2200a looking at the bottom left "f" hole at the same height as the f hole about 2 foot back.

the one thing i will say is that you need a good sounding room to really make it sing. i've recorded in completely dead spaces before and found myself with a really flat strings sound, and no amount of reverb seemed to make it really sing. if you get the cello sounding nice in the room then even a dirt cheap pair of mic's can do an ok job at capturing it.

bare in mind i'm in the UK so my prices are in £'s, but on your budget (which converts to about £350 - £500)

focusrite 2i2 audio interface - £120
apex 205 ribbon mic - £79
sE2200a - £160

that's purely my opinion and what i've used to great success in that price range. there's sooooo many options, and it may be that one slightly more expensive valve condenser may work better (the rode NTK, avantone CV12, and Apex 460 are all good in your price range and cover a very wide frequency range)

 

[witzendoz]

I would only ever record cello in mono with 1 mic. I find any decent large diaphragm condenser can record cello well, but obviously the better the mic the better the cello sound but over the years I have recorded cello with an Old model Rode NT1, an old model Rode NT2 and an AKG C4000B, all of these recordings are on albums.

I place the mic out front of the cello about 300 mm to 500 mm in line with the strings just above bridge height maybe bow height. However what is even more important than the mic is the quality of the cello and the acoustics of the room that you are recording in as cello can have some low end issues if the instrument is poor or the room is poor.

The recording device is another whole topic, but there are a ton of them out there all within the price bracket.

Cheers

Alan.

 

[leoholt]

Hey hey, welcome to the boards

i'm guessing you mean some sort of audio interface to connect the mic's to and then connect to that to your computer via either USB or Firwire. there are soooo sooooo sooooo many options and there's a shed load of info if you search the forums so i'd suggest have a read and see what you think. most audio interfaces contain preamps to turn the mic signal up to a useable level and then an analogue to digital converter to convert the mic signal into something computer can read. some of them also offer phantom power which is essential for working with any condenser mic's.

mic's for cello; Condenser mic's tend to be more sensitive, ribbon mic's tend to be smoother, and dynamic mic's tend to sound more solid IME. as paddy said two mic's would give you a lot more scope of sound. i've recorder a fair few cello's and string quartets and cello is always the toughest one imo as it has such a wide frequency range and depends alot of what the player is performing. i've had a lot of success combining ribbon mic's and large diaphragm condensers (LDC's), and on a budget there's a lot of choices but often require a bit more research to find some you're really happy with. the last cello i recorded with an Apex 205 ribbon and an sE2200a with the 205 aimed at the where the neck starts to overhand onto the body about 4 foot back and the 2200a looking at the bottom left "f" hole at the same height as the f hole about 2 foot back.

the one thing i will say is that you need a good sounding room to really make it sing. i've recorded in completely dead spaces before and found myself with a really flat strings sound, and no amount of reverb seemed to make it really sing. if you get the cello sounding nice in the room then even a dirt cheap pair of mic's can do an ok job at capturing it.

bare in mind i'm in the UK so my prices are in £'s, but on your budget (which converts to about £350 - £500)

focusrite 2i2 audio interface - £120
apex 205 ribbon mic - £79
sE2200a - £160

that's purely my opinion and what i've used to great success in that price range. there's sooooo many options, and it may be that one slightly more expensive valve condenser may work better (the rode NTK, avantone CV12, and Apex 460 are all good in your price range and cover a very wide frequency range)

A lot of great info here! I'm gonna dissect it a bit:

The audio interface is exactly what I was referencing. Am I correct in thinking that it will eliminate the latency in my USB keyboard? I am running a gaming computer (quad core 3.4Ghz, 12GB DDR3) so the computer shouldn't be an issue. Also, if I get the interface, is there any point in getting a nice sound card? I am currently just using my motherboards onboard sound card.

I am not going to have a lot of options as far as recording spaces go, as I want to record where my computer is, and it is a desktop. My room is about 17x22 feet (rough guess). It's obviously not designed for recording or anything, so that could be an issue. THAT BEING SAID, I am going to study at Berklee this fall, so I am sure I will be able to use their recording studios with my microphone (I won't be able to use their equipment since I'm not studying MP&E).

What would be the specific advantages of the valve condensers that you listed over the ribbon and se2200a?

Thanks,

Leo


EDIT: If any of you could provide links to recordings that you've made, that would be fantastic. I would like to be able to actually hear what you're talking about

 

[Justsomeguy]

A lot of great info here! I'm gonna dissect it a bit:

The audio interface is exactly what I was referencing. Am I correct in thinking that it will eliminate the latency in my USB keyboard? I am running a gaming computer (quad core 3.4Ghz, 12GB DDR3) so the computer shouldn't be an issue. Also, if I get the interface, is there any point in getting a nice sound card? I am currently just using my motherboards onboard sound card.

I am not going to have a lot of options as far as recording spaces go, as I want to record where my computer is, and it is a desktop. My room is about 17x22 feet (rough guess). It's obviously not designed for recording or anything, so that could be an issue. THAT BEING SAID, I am going to study at Berklee this fall, so I am sure I will be able to use their recording studios with my microphone (I won't be able to use their equipment since I'm not studying MP&E).

What would be the specific advantages of the valve condensers that you listed over the ribbon and se2200a?

Thanks,

Leo

in an attempt to answer in order;

i don't see how the interface will cut down the latency on your usb keyboard, although i am slightly confused by the question. are you using the usk keyboard to play software instruments in your DAW?

with the room, i'd say trust your ears. if you think it sounds nice in your room then there's no reason why your can't record reasonable results. i recently did a session in a tiny bedroom (about 6m x 4m) that came out ok. it wasn't my first choice of rooms but the player was pretty insistent and i'd rather have a happy and comfortable performer in an okish room than a crappy, uncomfortable performance in a great sounding room. however, if you can play around your house find the room that your feel makes your cello sound great and, although it can be a royal pain, move your desktop in there. even if you have to move it back and forth it'll be worth it for good recordings

Valve mic's in general terms often offer a warmer, richer sound in comparison to standard LDC's which can help strings sound fuller. however, some valve mic's are much more subtle in their valve tone so that they can be used as a more all round mic. in this case it's worth thinking do you want to use the mic's for anything else (i.e. vocals, acoustic guitars, violins/viola/other strings?).

Valve mic's, as a condenser type mic, have more high frequency response in comparison to ribbons. however, ribbon mic's sound smoother and you can EQ back in some high end with relative ease. there are even a newer range of ribbon mic's with extended high frequency response which are getting rave reviews for their use on strings and acoustic guitars (but cost considerably more than most)

As a side note, someone posted this a while back on a different forum and i found it very useful in terms of mic placements

 

[leoholt]

in an attempt to answer in order;

i don't see how the interface will cut down the latency on your usb keyboard, although i am slightly confused by the question. are you using the usk keyboard to play software instruments in your DAW?

with the room, i'd say trust your ears. if you think it sounds nice in your room then there's no reason why your can't record reasonable results. i recently did a session in a tiny bedroom (about 6m x 4m) that came out ok. it wasn't my first choice of rooms but the player was pretty insistent and i'd rather have a happy and comfortable performer in an okish room than a crappy, uncomfortable performance in a great sounding room. however, if you can play around your house find the room that your feel makes your cello sound great and, although it can be a royal pain, move your desktop in there. even if you have to move it back and forth it'll be worth it for good recordings

Valve mic's in general terms often offer a warmer, richer sound in comparison to standard LDC's which can help strings sound fuller. however, some valve mic's are much more subtle in their valve tone so that they can be used as a more all round mic. in this case it's worth thinking do you want to use the mic's for anything else (i.e. vocals, acoustic guitars, violins/viola/other strings?).

Valve mic's, as a condenser type mic, have more high frequency response in comparison to ribbons. however, ribbon mic's sound smoother and you can EQ back in some high end with relative ease. there are even a newer range of ribbon mic's with extended high frequency response which are getting rave reviews for their use on strings and acoustic guitars (but cost considerably more than most)

As a side note, someone posted this a while back on a different forum and i found it very useful in terms of mic placements

View attachment 72033

Yes, I am using an Alesis WX49 USB keyboard, which I connect to my DAW (Ableton 8 + VSTs). Currently, I experience about a second of lag. I have played around with buffer size to almost no avail. Ableton is only showing 25% CPU usage, so that couldn't be the problem. What do I need to buy to reduce this lag? A soundcard? Or will the audio interface somehow solve the problem?

Back to the mic....while in the short term I only have ideas for the cello, I am very likely to try recording other things in the future, such as vocals and guitars. But I will mostly expect any collaboration artists to have their own equipment, so this mic setup is really 99% geared towards the cello.

A note on frequencies (not sure if this helps at all). I sometimes tune my cello all the way to a low A (A1), which is about 55Khz. On the high end, I would estimate that I will go as high as ~2000hz (C7). I have a very nice, robust sounding cello and I like the sound of it in my room. It's hard for me to judge from text descriptions alone, but I think I would prefer the richer tones of the valve mic over the "fullness" of the ribbon, as I think I will be able to compensate for that to some degree with reverb and other effects. My goals are really to get beautiful, singing tones up top, but also record the booming frequencies in good resolution down below. Witzendoz seems to think mono is the best option, whereas you and Paddy seem to be vouching for 2 mics. Could someone please explain what the advantages/disadvantages of both setups are?

Cheers,

Leo

 

[Justsomeguy]

Yes, I am using an Alesis WX49 USB keyboard, which I connect to my DAW (Ableton 8 + VSTs). Currently, I experience about a second of lag. I have played around with buffer size to almost no avail. Ableton is only showing 25% CPU usage, so that couldn't be the problem. What do I need to buy to reduce this lag? A soundcard? Or will the audio interface somehow solve the problem?

Back to the mic....while in the short term I only have ideas for the cello, I am very likely to try recording other things in the future, such as vocals and guitars. But I will mostly expect any collaboration artists to have their own equipment, so this mic setup is really 99% geared towards the cello.

A note on frequencies (not sure if this helps at all). I sometimes tune my cello all the way to a low A (A1), which is about 55Khz. On the high end, I would estimate that I will go as high as ~2000hz (C7). I have a very nice, robust sounding cello and I like the sound of it in my room. It's hard for me to judge from text descriptions alone, but I think I would prefer the richer tones of the valve mic over the "fullness" of the ribbon, as I think I will be able to compensate for that to some degree with reverb and other effects. My goals are really to get beautiful, singing tones up top, but also record the booming frequencies in good resolution down below. Witzendoz seems to think mono is the best option, whereas you and Paddy seem to be vouching for 2 mics. Could someone please explain what the advantages/disadvantages of both setups are?

Cheers,

Leo

in terms of the usb keyboard, from your description i can't see where or what the problem would be, but software instruments and midi peripherals are really not my area of expertise so i'm afraid i can't really help you, although i can't see how an audio interface would help, although it may in terms of monitoring the signal which seems to be the problem you're having.

tbh, any mic you get that will record a cello well should do a half decent job at guitars and vocals so even if the people you're collaborating with don't have any gear it shouldn't be a huge problem

55hz - 2000kHz (plus harmonics so at least 4000kHz upwards) is covered by a wide range of mics, although the bottom end is where the main area to look out for will be. some mics naturally roll off lower frequencies whereas some have very solid low end response. when you're looking for mic's have a look at their frequency plots to see how well they should react (although take them with a pinch of salt as they are, essentially, marketing material)

the mono vs stereo thing comes down to preference alot of the time. i normally start on most acoustic stringed instruments with one mic pointed at where the neck meets the body between 1 and 5 foot back (the bigger the instrument, the further back it goes). a lot of the time you can get a great, solid sound from this one mic and just moving it around until you're happy will normally work fine. however, all acoustic instruments create a range of tones depending on where you point the mic and sometimes a second mic can be great to capture/fill in the bits that the one mic is missing (often either real low or real high end). although i often use two mics, i blend the two and send them to a mono bus so it's not really stereo, more one mic for the bulk of the sound, one to thicken it up.

Valve mic's are certainly more all rounders and within your budget it may be looking at (assuming you're also getting an audio interface);

Rode NTK
Avantone CV12
Apex 460 (and if you can find a modded one grab it with both hands!)

and although not valve, i do strongly recommend having a listen to;

rode NT1a and NT2a
sE2200a and sEZ3300
AKG C3000 and C4000
Blue Spark and Blue Baby Bottle

they're much cheaper and, as allan said (and i agree) you can get great cello recordings with any of these

 

[leoholt]

in terms of the usb keyboard, from your description i can't see where or what the problem would be, but software instruments and midi peripherals are really not my area of expertise so i'm afraid i can't really help you, although i can't see how an audio interface would help, although it may in terms of monitoring the signal which seems to be the problem you're having.

tbh, any mic you get that will record a cello well should do a half decent job at guitars and vocals so even if the people you're collaborating with don't have any gear it shouldn't be a huge problem

55hz - 2000kHz (plus harmonics so at least 4000kHz upwards) is covered by a wide range of mics, although the bottom end is where the main area to look out for will be. some mics naturally roll off lower frequencies whereas some have very solid low end response. when you're looking for mic's have a look at their frequency plots to see how well they should react (although take them with a pinch of salt as they are, essentially, marketing material)

the mono vs stereo thing comes down to preference alot of the time. i normally start on most acoustic stringed instruments with one mic pointed at where the neck meets the body between 1 and 5 foot back (the bigger the instrument, the further back it goes). a lot of the time you can get a great, solid sound from this one mic and just moving it around until you're happy will normally work fine. however, all acoustic instruments create a range of tones depending on where you point the mic and sometimes a second mic can be great to capture/fill in the bits that the one mic is missing (often either real low or real high end). although i often use two mics, i blend the two and send them to a mono bus so it's not really stereo, more one mic for the bulk of the sound, one to thicken it up.

Valve mic's are certainly more all rounders and within your budget it may be looking at (assuming you're also getting an audio interface);

Rode NTK
Avantone CV12
Apex 460 (and if you can find a modded one grab it with both hands!)

and although not valve, i do strongly recommend having a listen to;

rode NT1a and NT2a
sE2200a and sEZ3300
AKG C3000 and C4000
Blue Spark and Blue Baby Bottle

they're much cheaper and, as allan said (and i agree) you can get great cello recordings with any of these

I had a feeling I would get buried in possibilities that being said I really do appreciate you looking at this challenging scenario and giving me such fantastic feedback.

I looked through all the mics you just posted, and the Rode NTK seemed to get the best reviews by far. I did some searching on my own as well, and it seems that there is a general consensus that the Shure SM57 is great for recording low, distorted sounds (when I go down to the low A's and whatnot they will often be distorted and grungy, for a guitar-like feel). At this point, I think with budget in mind and what not, I might get the Rode NTK for the general purpose, and have it somewhere in front of the cello lined up with the left F hole, and then keep the Shure in the back and have it EQ'ed so that it is mainly providing the bass backbone.

This is the best idea I've come up with after a couple hours of amateur research and deliberating, let me know what you would think of that.

 

[witzendoz]

If you are thinking of getting a NTK which is a great mic, I would pay the extra amount and get a K2 as the K2 is basically a NTK with switchable patterns and you may find using the omni pattern would be nice.

Alan.

 

[witzendoz]

I just thought of another cheaper option for you, I reckon a Rode NT1000 would sound pretty good on cello, a NT1000 has the same capsule (apparently) as a NTK but no switching and no valve. These sell secondhand for about $200 as they don't seem to have a fun club. I have 2 of these and they are a dark horse of microphones, they punch well above their price.

Alan.

 

[leoholt]

Witzendoz, I looked at the reviews for the NTK, and got veeeeery interested. It really sounds like it has the versatility and quality I am looking for. That being said, if I dropped $700 on a mic, I would be forced to get a pretty low-end audio interface. Would you recommend doing that, or getting an NT1000 and a high end audio interface? What exactly are the advantages of "switching" and a valve?

Also, I found a used K2 on ebay for $450, apparently in excellent condition from a trusted seller. I tend to avoid ebay/buying used in general, but I think I read somewhere that you can't return mics? Basically I'm wondering if there are any disadvantages to buying a used mic if it's in good condition.

 

[witzendoz]

Witzendoz, I looked at the reviews for the NTK, and got veeeeery interested. It really sounds like it has the versatility and quality I am looking for. That being said, if I dropped $700 on a mic, I would be forced to get a pretty low-end audio interface. Would you recommend doing that, or getting an NT1000 and a high end audio interface? What exactly are the advantages of "switching" and a valve?

Also, I found a used K2 on ebay for $450, apparently in excellent condition from a trusted seller. I tend to avoid ebay/buying used in general, but I think I read somewhere that you can't return mics? Basically I'm wondering if there are any disadvantages to buying a used mic if it's in good condition.

If you buy a second hand Rode, there is a (I think) a 10 year warranty on the capsule regardless if its second hand. They recently fixed one of my second hand NT1000's (capsule fault) free, and payed the return postage. Can't fault that service.

I assume you are in the USA? So a K2 for $450 seems a good price, will they guarantee it works on arrival? Also found a place on ebay US selling a brand new NT1000 for US$270. At that price if you wanted to trade up later you would get a fair part of your money back.

The advantage of switchable patterns is that it changes the sound, sometimes recording in omni opens up the sound, I record acoustic guitars in omni (if not other instruments are playing at the same time). Figure 8 is good if you want to reject sound from the side but still get the openness of omni, example: if recording while also singing. And cardiod rejects the sound from the sides and rear handy when the room acoustics are not good or there are other instruments are playing.

If the budget is limited, I would grab the NT1000 and buy a good interface for the computer, if you can stretch it buy the K2.

Cheers
Alan.

 

[Justsomeguy]

If the budget is limited, I would grab the NT1000 and buy a good interface for the computer, if you can stretch it buy the K2.

I always forget about the NT1000 mainly as i just don't see them about very much but i've heard great things about them.

The K2 for $450 would be an awesome deal and, as allan said, the extra polar patterns does open up a lot more opportunities for micing, especially if the rooms at berklee are as good as i suspect they are.

The SM57, while a studio staple, may work but as a dynamic mic it would give quite a flat sound on stringed instruments ime. it also has a built in roll off below 150hz which you can compensate for using proximity effect but you'd need to the mic within 2 or 3 centimetres of the cello for this to really take affect. it's certainly not unusable on strings but if you want a dynamic mic that'll get down really low something like the AKG D112 may do a better job.

I was quite an avid anti-ebay guy for ages but some great sellers have restored my faith in it somewhat so if you can pick up the K2 for $450 i'd say jump on it! if not, the NTK would do just as good a job and although it doesn't have the extra polar patterns it probably won't limit you that much as 8 out of 10 times cardioid works just fine.

What interfaces do you have in mind?

 

[leoholt]

Well, after much deliberating, I think I am going to settle on the NT1000. It's hard to tell theoretically, but I feel like right now I can't justify the extra ~$200 for basically more polar patterns. If I don't end up liking it, there is a 14 day return policy, so I can always trade it back, or trade up for the K2.

Now, to the audio interface. You guys have hinted that this is an equally broad field....and once again I know nothing about it! After about 5 minutes of reading, here is the info I will give you guys to help the decision making process: I only need the bare minimum inputs/outputs....seems like 2/2 is the standard? It should be USB, because my current desktop is USB 3.0 compatible, and more importantly I will be getting a laptop soon (so I assume that rules out the PCI option). Other than that, all I really know is that I want to be able to record into Ableton 8 with the highest quality audio possible. Since I will only be putting $270 into the mic, I can put up to $200 into the interface. One last thing....currently I have a 5.1 receiver that is connected to my computer via a S/PDIF wire (the receiver is connected to both my 5.1 speakers and headset). Now....should I connect the audio interface directly to my receiver? Or should it run to my computer, and then have the computer connected to the receiver? If it's the first one, then it needs S/PDIF compatibility.

Also....I just want to make sure that I won't need any other electronics to make this work. I have a bad history of dropping my maximum price limit on new gear, only to find that I need some $200 gizmo to make it function. Once I buy the microphone and the audio interface, accessories aside, will I be completely setup to record?

 

[witzendoz]

In the price range have a look at the Presonus or Tascam gear, just check that they are USB and have Spdif, there are a lot that do. There are also quite a few others out there and someone will recommend them.

I would connect the interface directly to the receiver amp, this will work correctly for monitoring while recording and overdubing. You know if the interface did not have spdif you can connect via the rca outs/ins. It's not in the recording chain it's only for monitoring.

Did you get the mic from the place on ebay?

Cheers

Alan.

 

[Justsomeguy]

Good choice and it's nice to see some companies still do refunds/returns on mics (some UK companies have stopped doing it which makes me sad, especially when you can't easy get anywhere to check the mic's before you buy that easily)

Presonus, tascam, and focusrite all make great interfaces in your price range. for something with usb, SPDIF, 2 preamps + 2 line ins, and 4 outs the Focursite 8i6 would be my first suggestion (don't know much it is your side of the pond, but its £199 in the UK)

i've no idea about the 5.1 thing so i'd trust alan's advice on that

in terms of extra gizmos' to make it work, and without stating the obvious, it is just purely the accessories you'd need; a mic stand, at least one xlr, possibly some headphones just to monitor yourself whilst recording as if you monitor yourself recording through the speakers you may pick up the speaker sound on the mic, and an SPDIF cable. you shouldn't need any crazy little extra gadgets to get it to work

 

[leoholt]

On a school computer, I'll check the models out when I get home.

However, I feel I need some confusion cleared up. Will this audio interface be processing ALL of the audio from my computer, or just the inputs (i.e. the mic)? When I play videogames, for example, will that audio be processed by the interface? I guess I'm a bit confused on how the signal progresses, and what is doing what. I do have a headset by the way, a very nice Sennheiser studio headset, so speaker-monitoring won't be a problem.

EDIT: I notice that the 8i6 has a midi input....would it be logical to connect my midi keyboard to that, or would it make more sense to have it connected via USB 3.0 to my computer?

 

[Justsomeguy]

However, I feel I need some confusion cleared up. Will this audio interface be processing ALL of the audio from my computer, or just the inputs (i.e. the mic)? When I play videogames, for example, will that audio be processed by the interface? I guess I'm a bit confused on how the signal progresses, and what is doing what. I do have a headset by the way, a very nice Sennheiser studio headset, so speaker-monitoring won't be a problem.

EDIT: I notice that the 8i6 has a midi input....would it be logical to connect my midi keyboard to that, or would it make more sense to have it connected via USB 3.0 to my computer?

You should be able to choose whether the interface does ALL the computer audio or just the specific input's/playback on the card. For example, on my mac, i have my interface set up for use in Logic 9 but iTunes, Safari, games etc still play though the inbuilt speakers, but i can have them all go through the interface if i wanted. however, i've not used a PC for audio in a very very long time but i don't see why you shouldn't be able to do the same.

is your midi keyboard USB out or MIDI or both? tbh, i'd use the midi on the interface but only because it'd save me a usb slot and usb in's are prime real estate on my machine, but either way should be fine

 

[leoholt]

You should be able to choose whether the interface does ALL the computer audio or just the specific input's/playback on the card. For example, on my mac, i have my interface set up for use in Logic 9 but iTunes, Safari, games etc still play though the inbuilt speakers, but i can have them all go through the interface if i wanted. however, i've not used a PC for audio in a very very long time but i don't see why you shouldn't be able to do the same.

is your midi keyboard USB out or MIDI or both? tbh, i'd use the midi on the interface but only because it'd save me a usb slot and usb in's are prime real estate on my machine, but either way should be fine

Gotcha....just put in the order for the interface, but me mum is making me wait 2 weeks for the microphone as it is a graduation present....grrrr! Thank you so much everyone for all the help, I am glad it was such a painless experience considering how complex this field is. I will be sure to let you all know how it turns out!