should i quit?

[cpc]

alright, some of you may already know my story. well im pretty new to computer recording. i thought i could just simply record vocals into my computer and have them sound fine. i then found out this wasnt the case.
i recorded through an sm58 into my soundcard (with a preamp to get the signal loud enough) and upon playback i was not happy with the results. they just sounded different then how they were suppose to. i then did some research and saw it could be my soundcard and mic still. so i bought a condenser mic (shure beta 87a, so i could use it at band practice and live too, which i love so far) and borrowed a m-audio mobile pre from a friend....and i still dont get the results or performance i'm capable of and it doesnt sound like it's suppose to!.
i sound how i am suppose to when i record to casette...so i thought i'd record my casette recording to my computer to compare...and upon playback it made my casette recording not sound how it's suppose to! i KNOW something is wrong...either with my computer or just lack in knowledge with computer recording. but i am completely stumped.
i sound find recorded to cheap casette or live...but when i record to computer i sound off. should i just quit and leave recording up to the professionals? or does anyone have any ideas? i would really like to continue doing recordings on my computer...but i need it to sound like it's suppose to! i dont want recordings of me that im unsatisfied with. this is all just making me frustrated and disapointed.

all i know is

record onto casette and live-sounds how im suppose to
record onto computer- doesnt sound right

 

[chessrock]

Yes, you should definitely quit.

 

[Kasey]

go analog.

 

[scrubs]

Do you have a sound clip for us? Telling me that it doesn't sound "right" is not enough information. What doesn't sound right about it?

 

[cpc]

go analog.

i've thought of that many times, and for my bands we do this and go to a studio to get our demos done, but if there was anyway to figure out what was wrong i would much rather be able to record on my computer for my personal recordings because of the online capabilities of posting songs/downloading songs etc.

any ideas of what could be wrong? i have no idea

 

[cpc]

Do you have a sound clip for us? Telling me that it doesn't sound "right" is not enough information. What doesn't sound right about it?

i cant even really explain it, it sounds clean and quiet. no problems there.

but it seems like when i record to my computer it adds an element to my voice that makes it sound..."not serious" if i had to describe it. thats why i cant record anything serious on here like i want to , because it makes it sound like it isnt serious. almost like it sounds like theres something in my throat when im singing, or im singing behind a wall or something. you can tell it's me...but its just not how im suppose to sound.

 

[cpc]

all i know is it doesnt sound how it is suppose to. and im trying to see what could affect a recording to sound wrong besides what i've tried already.

heres a quick clip i just did.

it might be hard for you to see the problem though because you dont know what im suppose to sound like to compare it to. i recorded this EXACT clip to computer and to tape when i sang it. on tape it sounds deeper, richer, and serious....just like how i sang it. but on computer it sounds...not serious.

 

[Dogman]

all i know is it doesnt sound how it is suppose to. and im trying to see what could affect a recording to sound wrong besides what i've tried already.

heres a quick clip i just did.

it might be hard for you to see the problem though because you dont know what im suppose to sound like to compare it to. i recorded this EXACT clip to computer and to tape when i sang it. on tape it sounds deeper, richer, and serious....just like how i sang it. but on computer it sounds...not serious.

That just sounds bright. You probably just need to use some eq, and then maybe add a bit of reverb to make it sit more evenly with the music. Also, try some panning with the music, to give the vocals a spot in the middle, not right on top of the music. It will take some work, but it doesn't sound like an issue with tracking the voclas. Just a matter of mixing.
Ed

 

[cpc]

so are you saying its because of my inexperience with computer recording rather than my equipment? because with the same mics i think i sound fine live and such..but somehow it turns to that when it gets recorded onto my pc. do you think i should try out different mics for recording or should i research and learn how to mix better. any reccomendation to what kind of eq could improve my problem? the clip i posted wasnt really my best singing performance by any means, i was just posting a clip so people could see the effect i was talking about. sorry, but i am a newbie in a newbie forum.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

The vocals sound somewhat pitchy and hesitant, and are definitely not sitting properly in the mix. It's also hard to tell from only an 8 sec clip, but it sounds like you pulled out a lot of low-end from the voice (or possibly boosted the mids) - it's got a harsh strident quality to the sound.

 

[cpc]

ah i know, the thing is i never do anything to the recorded vocals, besides maybe small compression or reverb. even when its not set to music and a'capella it sounds weird, out of place, off, not serious, whatever words that describe it. it just happens somewhere between my mouth and playback on my computer

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

You should post a longer clip of just the vocal...........

 

[brandrum]

You might wanna learn how to sing first.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

You might wanna learn how to sing first.

Well - that is a possiblity too -- I alluded to that above, myself, but it was only an 8 sec clip, so until I heard more, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt!

 

[cpc]

haha i knew id get smart ass remarks by people that cant read after posting that clip. "thats not how i sound, thats why im asking for help"


i would be the first person to admit if i couldnt sing, i wouldnt waste my time with this. i sing in bands, people think i sound good..i think i sound good. i record myself to tape, people think i sound good, i think i sound good. i record myself to computer , i dont sound good. try reading. dont frustrate me more.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Seriously, I'm not being a smart-ass - post a longer clip (30 secs or so) of just the vocal.... also, you said you recorded it to tape as well, get a tape clip into the computer and post that as well.... without hearing the difference that you say you notice, there's no way for me to help you figure out what could be causing it!

 

[cpc]

Seriously, I'm not being a smart-ass - post a longer clip (30 secs or so) of just the vocal....

i was calling the other guy a smartass. sorry, i will . i thought a small clip that showed the effect i was describing would be enough. im almost positive it's not me being a bad singer. im wondering what could be causing the bad recordings that dont sound like me if me being a bad singer wasnt in question. thats why i didnt want to post a clip, because i know they sound bad, that is my problem, you think i dont understand this? and i know i'd get smartasses saying "you cant sing you suck" .

 

[brandrum]

haha i knew id get smart ass remarks by people that cant read after posting that clip. "thats not how i sound, thats why im asking for help"

so you're saying your equipment makes your voice sound off pitch?

 

[cpc]

i also said earlier that i've taken a good sample of me singing from tape, and converted it to my computer with my setup to end up with the exact same effect sound that doesnt sound like it should.

 

[cpc]

haha i knew id get smart ass remarks by people that cant read after posting that clip. "thats not how i sound, thats why im asking for help"

so you're saying your equipment makes your voice sound off pitch?

no i dont think it's my equipment, if you would read once again.

1-i think its something with my computer or software or lack of experience with computer recording

2-this is not my best singing performance by far, i just wanted to post a clip of the effect i was talking about so you could get the idea because it was requested