recording band practices -- HELP!!!

[1234jonjon]

Hello...I am new to this forum.

My band has been recording directly into a laptop with a dynamic mic into the input and using a freeware program to record our practices in MP3 format. It has been helpful for us to record, however, in order hear these recordings, you have to turn your volume on your computer all the way up....and still it seems quiet. We have attempted all that we could through the tweaking the control panel and adjust the input volume without any improvement. We have done the same with the programs input volume. I surmise that there might not be enough to "power" the mic and might be better off with a computer mic.

We don't currently mic the amps or drums, only our vocals are on our mixer. We have a rudimentary pa (powered speakers) that began to distort with the amps mic'd. Technologically, I don't fully understand mixers all that well, but I think we were overloading the submaster -- so we've been playing it safe and putting only vocals on the mixer. Until we can get enough money for a better PA. Long story short, I don't think we can record from the board.

So what can we do to improve the quality of our recordings....without breaking the bank...How should we record our practices/gigs?

Check out my band's website, there are samples of what I'm talking about:

www.untildawnband.com

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rokket]

You have a lot of options available to you that won't break the bank:


Multitrack Recorders

Audio Interfaces

Analog (cassette tape) Recorders

 

[smtcharlie]

Hello,

I think that you'll get some better advice if you list exactly what kind of board and mic's you have.

Seems like getting one low-cost condensor might do the trick for you, like a Studio Projects B1 or one of the low-cost Marshall mic's. You'll have to hook them up to something with phantom power (which your board probably has). And it might be tricky to use your board for live vocals and a totally separate chain just for recording, but it can probably be done if you have Aux channel(s).

In this day and age, I'm sure that you can get something set up pretty inexpensively. Heck, there are even USB microphones now that don't require a mixer or pre-amp of any kind!

Good luck,