Recording Issue, What am i missing?

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BrotherLewie

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Hey, guys im new to this website and to recording at home and have a few issues in how to get the basics of recording.
My aim is to record an acoustic drum kit to make drum covers and post them on youtube. Im working with 4 mic's an interface and a copy of cubase 5.1.2.
My set up is,

Laptop spec : Compaq Cq61
Windows 7 sp1
processor: pentium dual core t4200
RAM : 3g
System type : 64-bit

Audio interface : Akai EIE pro
Snare mic : sure sm57
Base mic : AKG D112
Overheads : SE 0022 A
Software : Cubase 5.1.2
Amp/speakers : Yamaha RX-V590RDS
2 x Big speakers (very old but best things ive ever heard!)

Now i have all the equipment plugged in, each microphone pluged into the 4 ports on the akai pro and the akai connected to my laptop. The correct drivers are installed and cubase updates installed.

With cubase loaded and the 'VTS'' arranged with 4 mono inputs and the 'device steup' hooked up to Akai EIE Pro ASIO DRIVER
it is seeing 4 in and 4 out (as it should do im guessing?) now ive checked all this and im thinking its right, when i come to the main screen of my new project i cant work out how to get the 4 mics to record individual tracks 1 for each mic.
Does anyone know where im going wrong or what im just simply not doing?

hope you can help, cheers lew
 
Not familiar with Cubase, but surely on its Input options menu you should be able to select the 4 USB signals from the Akai. Then on each track you select which of hte 4 inputs you want.
 
BrotherLewie said:
..it is seeing 4 in and 4 out (as it should do im guessing?) now ive checked all this and im thinking its right, when i come to the main screen of my new project i cant work out how to get the 4 mics to record individual tracks 1 for each mic. ..
Click to expand...
Not in Cubase either but it looks like a missing step is to set up the recording tracks to each see one of the four inputs.
 
ive managed to get each mic recording separately in each track but i now have the problem that once i have recorded something and then played it back the audio is very crackly sounds like a rustling paper effect on and recorded sound. Any ideas?
thank you for the reply's so far :).
 
The first check is how the Akai plays back commercial tracks, a basic CD. Next, rip a track from a CD ( WMP will do it or use Audacity and export it to the desktop as a 16bit .wav)
Now play that .wav in Cubase. If it sounds bad check the Akai's Control Panel and jack up the latency to maximum. If it STILL sounds bad try playing the track in Audacity.

Still crap? Uninstall the Akai's drivers, download a new set and try again.

I have read a few comments about driver issues with the EIE. I was mad keen to buy one when they were first announced but Akai pissed about for so long getting a decent review done and have never released any cogent specifications so I bought a NI Ka6 instead. BEEEEYOUTIFUL!

Dave.
 
I was reading another thred and had the idea to change the lantancy settings and it records beautiful. thanks for the help dave you got some good advice :)
any tips on making it sound 'professional' ?
 
BrotherLewie said:
I was reading another thred and had the idea to change the lantancy settings and it records beautiful. thanks for the help dave you got some good advice :)
any tips on making it sound 'professional' ?
Click to expand...

You are very welcome Lew'.
"Pro" sound? Ask a professional! I am but a mere technician who helps a musical son. (I am also registered deaf so my judgement is pretty naff! Actually I am back to the Audiology Dept on Thursday to get fitted out for stereo!)

But advice? I usually bang on to any noob that will listen... Learn to solder, some basic 'tronics (Ohm's Law as such) and decibabble.

Dave.
 
Well ive got that side covered, im an electrician haha.
 
BrotherLewie said:
Well ive got that side covered, im an electrician haha.
Click to expand...

Yes, well that's a good grounding in a related field but I hope you will not think me impertinent when I say "audio" electronics is a bit special.

I have known several very clued up computer people that are lost when it comes to sorting out a soundcard and MIDI is a mystery to them. Electronics engineers can be ***t hot on missile guidance systems but totally clueless about dbu, dBV and operating levels.

Dave.
 
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