Trouble On My Levels!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dranom
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Dranom

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Okay here is the deal. I have a TASCAM 16 channel digital mixer, I have the audio card, and Acid 3.0 all the good stuff to get a recording.
My question is, everytime my band tries to record a demo we can not get good levels we have to crank up our computer speaker to hear what we have recorded. Then try again but we crank up the channel, trim, and digital output, but then its about the same loudness but distorted. We turn our levels down and we get the same, we have to turn up the speakers all the way to hear anything. The computer is a great one I know the problem does not revolve from that. We click on the little speaker in our task bar to turn the line input up and we are just having all kinds of problems. Can anyone tell me how I can get a good level? Also is it better to go direct input right from our pedals into the mixer, or is it better to mic up our amps?

Derrick
 
It sounds like you are recording mic level signals.
Are you using any preamps? . If so, you might just need to switch at the input site from mic to line levels
Try just the guitar, single track.
Use a DI box or preamp to your line in, make sure any switch is set to line level input. If you record using mics, make sure you are at mic inputs. Your levels should be better.
 
We just run: guitar to pedal, to mixer, to computer. Do we need a power amp?
 
Name the gear you have, what mixer, what soundcard?
How are things hooked up?
 
is it just with guitar direct that you have the problem? or also with microphone recording?
 
Just a thing....

This is just a guess, but maybe there should be an amplifier between the mixer and the computer.... ?
 
We are having problems on vocals drums everything.
We run out from stero outputon the mixer into our sound card on the computer. It's Videum sound card its for Audio or Video.
Then we just hook up our guitar etc. just like we were playing on our amp, but we plug it into the mixer.
 
Have you got level indication (VU's) on you mixer? If you do, what does it tell you?

Also, find out from your card spec what the card's input sensitivity is. Its obvious you have an inbalance there.

By the way, plugging the guitar direct into the mixer might not be such a good idea, you really need a direct box, if its an acoustic one, or a pre-amp / line output if electric.
 
If it's the TMD1000, be aware there are only 4 pre's on it. You probably know this. What soundcard is that you mentioned (I'm not familiar with it) and how does your board connect to it? Are you using the digital outs (SPDIF) to your card? With that board, you may have to get a special cable from TASCAM for it to work properly. I have one sitting in my control room that does not get used at all. It can be a little flaky.

Also, you're using Acid for your multitrack recording? I thought it was a looping program, but I could very well be wrong. If it's for multitrack, it shuold have input meters, if so, hit them hard. You may also want to download N-Track and give it a shot. I know it has good meters that will help in getting a hot signal.

One more thing. Are you using PC speakers? It can be very hard to judge levels on PC speakers.

H2H
 
OK. I looked up Vidium and I think your problem is right there. Looks like those cards are for streaming broadcasts over the internet and not for multitrack recording. My guess is that it is not set up for the levels coming from the mixer.

H2H
 
We are having problems on vocals drums everything.
We run out from stero outputon the mixer into our sound card on the computer. It's Videum sound card its for Audio or Video.
Then we just hook up our guitar etc. just like we were playing on our amp, but we plug it into the mixer.
 
I see then I may just need to get a new audio card. I will try that, if that don't work I will come see you guys again. Thanks for all your help.

Derrick
 
Don't... run an amplified line from your guitar amp into your sound card or your mixer input it will cause you trouble.
 
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