vocal recordings

  • Thread starter Thread starter mark24
  • Start date Start date
M

mark24

New member
I've just started recording at home on pc for the first time, I'm using a aiwa minidisc with a stereo mic(sony ecm-717) and sending it straight to "cool edit" on the computer. All my music is acoustic based and I've found this method to be ok thus far. All the vocal tracks I've done, have come out ok (for what I want)too. The problem I have is that now, some of the songs I've recorded, even though their stil acoustic, require a little more "umph"
in the vocals. This is where I come unstuck. The vocals,
even with the recording level of the MD turned way down and standing a metre away from the mic, I get a "clip" effect
and breaking up of the vocals when going for the higher/louder parts of the track. I realize I can keep going further away from the mic until it doesn't, but then the vocals sound too far away and contrast with the rest of the mix. I've tried a normal mic(shure sm58) straight to the sound card, but again, it sounds crap compared to the rest of the mix. Is there anything I can do or do I have to bite the bullet and buy some exspensive recording equipment?
Thanks for reading, and thanks even more if you can help.
 
Mark24,

Is the input gain on the recorder or soundcard turned down? It sounds like this is too high. Turn it down and you should be alright.

Rev E
 
Try Rev E's idea first and if it doesn't work, take a look at my story below.

About 3 years ago, I used to record with a cheap grey mic that came with my computer! I always got a decent sound out of it, though. But, one day I was raising the volume of my voice so much, that it clipped and distorted the recorded sound. No matter how many times I backed off from the mic when singing or how lower the gain was, I always clipped the signal.

Then I discovered compression and I was able to control the level of my vocal performance and have been using it ever since. My voice is hard to control, but with just the right amount of compression, I am able to get a solid sound.

If you have to buy a compressor, you can spend anything from £40 and up.

Adam.
 
I second the compressor. You don't have to spend a great deal of money to pick one up. A RNC (really nice compressor) can be had under $200. http://www.mercenary.com/
 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the advice and all options are currently being investigated. Compression....hmmmm
 
you need a mixer

You need a mixer

you cant send a sm57 straight into a sound card. it sounds like crap. you need to raise the line level of the mic. A mixer has a preamp that will do the job, and come with a lot of effects to help. like an equalizer, panning, "volume" (that will allow u to hand change volume. and you could get a cheap but pretty good for the job mixer for about $80. the behringer 602a mixer. and the cool thing about it what you will need is that when you want to record with two mics or more at the same time, you wont be able to accomplish that unless you get a multi input sound card (around $300 for a 4 input). but a mixer, (in this case the behringer 602a which has 6 inputs) allows you to plug in the mics, change volume, pan, eq and then have stereo outputs. then you could buy a little adapter from radio shack that takes two cables and make them into one male end that you could plug straight into your soundcard. (about $3 for the adaptor. hope this helps


jack

ps- your sound will be a lot better through a mixer
 
I have the Behringer MX602a mixer! it's pretty good as a beginning mixer and it should definitely help you get the right results in no time at all. Alternatively, look at the model above, MX802a, that has a couple of extra mic preamps that will serve well.

Adam.
 
kikling is right. Only MIXER is the solution.
I have an Alesis Studio 24 mixer and TerraTec EWS 88MT soundcard. I use Shure SM 58 and AKG C4000B microphones with no problems at all. Sending the acoustic sound directly into your soundcard is not a good idea at all.
 
i second the nt1 idea, great mike.. if u cant afford a mixer , i hear some of the stand alone preamps are great.. For what your probly using it for it might be best to invest in one really good preamp instead of 6 or 8 reasonable ones. I hear the joe meek are quite good ... Im using a behringer 2462A and as i havent had the pleasure of using any other preamps this seems fine for my projects. But ive talkled with some pro studios who swear that preamps make the world of difference , and i kinda see what they mean , cos i just cant get that warm accoustic sound with what im using , well im getting kinda warm anyway..... But deffinetly check out the single preamps , ive heard there great.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top