What am I doing wrong ????

  • Thread starter Thread starter PoorBoyRecordings
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PoorBoyRecordings

PoorBoyRecordings

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I have been working on mixing skills and it is getting somewhat better but, I am doing something wrong. All the recordings are distorted on anything I play them on at about 50% volume and above. When recording and mixing down I keep all the meters as close to 0 decibals as possible, etc., but can't figure the distortion. I have tried everything .... different tape, different mixers, mic's but nothing stops the distortion. Any help would be appreciated. I am using all analog equip. with the exeption of CHF software's Wave Mixpad to convert to mp3 and try to clean up the recordings a bit. But even the tape sounds distorted the same when I play it through the stereo system. :confused:
 
I suspect you're recording the individual tracks too hot. Get your levels down, leave enough headroom in the master (peak at about -15 db, yes the volume will seem pretty low to you but you'll thank yourself later...). Do not put compressors or limiters on the mix before mixdown. Open the mix as a project after mixdown and treat with compression and a limiter to make it louder.
 
Any idea's what is causing the distortion Rami, Joey. I have tried everything I know to do.
 
It's a bit difficult to diagnose remotely.

What device are you recording onto?

Before you get to the mixdown stage, when you playback tracks just recorded, are they distorted?

If so, what are you recording and how are you recording it? The fact that meters are near or below zero doesn't mean anything if the signal is distorted before it even gets to the meters.
 
gecko zzed said:
It's a bit difficult to diagnose remotely.

What device are you recording onto?

Before you get to the mixdown stage, when you playback tracks just recorded, are they distorted?

If so, what are you recording and how are you recording it? The fact that meters are near or below zero doesn't mean anything if the signal is distorted before it even gets to the meters.
Click to expand...

I am recording to a Teac A-3340S through a Teac/Tascam Model 5B soundboard ... no eq'ing or anything special to the initial recording. Though the mixer the played back recordings have no distortion. I mix down to a Teac CX-650R cassette deck and that sounds ok. It is after I copy it to computer and save as mp3. This is where the trouble really begins. Any speaker, stereo ( on tape and CD ), etc is distorted. I use sure SM-57 mics to mic the cabs, etc. I have tried different mic placement i.e. closer, farther away, 2 mics. I think that about covers everything. :(
 
gcapel said:
So this could still be a a/d conversion problem. When you "copy" or record the stereo mix from the teac to the computer what are the digital levels you see on the computer? They could possibly be to high or your having some sort of harware problem with the teac CX-650R (output) or your computer interface.
Click to expand...

I keep the digital levels just below 0 dec. And the cassette deck, I copied the recordings back to the tape deck just as a check and it was ok, and copied from the cassette deck to another one and that was ok. It has me very puzzled :confused:
 
poor_boy_record said:
I mix down to a Teac CX-650R cassette deck and that sounds ok. It is after I copy it to computer and save as mp3. This is where the trouble really begins. :(
Click to expand...

So this could still be a a/d conversion problem. When you "copy" or record the stereo mix from the teac to the computer what are the digital levels you see on the computer? They could possibly be to high or your having some sort of harware problem with the teac CX-650R (output) or your computer interface.
 
poor_boy_record said:
...It is after I copy it to computer and save as mp3. This is where the trouble really begins. .... :(
Click to expand...

I keep the digital levels just below 0 dec.
Click to expand...

I think this is where your problem lies. What are you using for your a/d converter? What software to record into the computer and convert to MP3.

Try lowering your level here as JoeyM suggested earlier. Maybe not quite as low because this is now a mixdown.


(and thanks for adding my song to your playlist. Best compliment ever!!!)
 
Chili said:
I think this is where your problem lies. What are you using for your a/d converter? What software to record into the computer and convert to MP3.

Try lowering your level here as JoeyM suggested earlier. Maybe not quite as low because this is now a mixdown.


(and thanks for adding my song to your playlist. Best compliment ever!!!)
Click to expand...

I use NCH's Golden Record to copy the taped music to the computer, I stated that wrong to someone earlier. It changes the music to digital and I can work on it with another one of their programs to add or take away efx not wanted etc. and then save as mp3. I know, a lot of work instead of just going digital but I kinda like my " New Old " stuff :)

Hey, hey. My pleasure adding your song. I was thinking about get a song from everyone here who has one on whatever the site's name is ( geez I am forgetful sometimes due to a stroke I had 2 1/2 years ago ) and putting them all on one CD. Guess I should ask everyone about that one though, huh ? :D
 
poor_boy_record said:
I use NCH's Golden Record to copy the taped music to the computer, I stated that wrong to someone earlier. It changes the music to digital and I can work on it with another one of their programs to add or take away efx not wanted etc. and then save as mp3. I know, a lot of work instead of just going digital but I kinda like my " New Old " stuff :)

Hey, hey. My pleasure adding your song. I was thinking about get a song from everyone here who has one on whatever the site's name is ( geez I am forgetful sometimes due to a stroke I had 2 1/2 years ago ) and putting them all on one CD. Guess I should ask everyone about that one though, huh ? :D
Click to expand...

i won't fault you for staying analog. Too bad you can't share vinyl across the internet. That would make a lot of people happy.

And no problem with putting my song on a cd so long as you don't try to sell it!!! :D

peace.
 
Chili said:
i won't fault you for staying analog. Too bad you can't share vinyl across the internet. That would make a lot of people happy.

And no problem with putting my song on a cd so long as you don't try to sell it!!! :D

peace.
Click to expand...

Aww, even if I acted as your agent and made you a mil or two ? :D
 
What's your input device - the built-in soundcard? That may be the problem
 
poor_boy_record said:
Aww, even if I acted as your agent and made you a mil or two ? :D
Click to expand...

HA!!! We all know there's no money in CD's. It's all in the shows and touring. And that's something I'm not about to start at ~47 years old.

I apologize for side-tracking the thread. Back to the original topic. I'm not sure what the NCH's Golden Record is about. Guess I could google it. But, it sounds like you're bringing into the computer too hot.
 
Chili said:
HA!!! We all know there's no money in CD's. It's all in the shows and touring. And that's something I'm not about to start at ~47 years old.

I apologize for side-tracking the thread. Back to the original topic. I'm not sure what the NCH's Golden Record is about. Guess I could google it. But, it sounds like you're bringing into the computer too hot.
Click to expand...

I will try with the volume lower and see if that works. From what you all have told me here that sounds like it is the problem. Thx
 
mjbphotos said:
What's your input device - the built-in soundcard? That may be the problem
Click to expand...

Yes, I am using the computer's built-in sound card. I don't want to invest in a good recording sound card because I just do recordings for myself for the fun of it and a new learning experience for me. I am 56 and been a musician since I was 15, but the last few months I have been trying to learn how record and mix some halfway decent recordings that even I could stand to listen to :) The reason for not buying a good soundcard is I am using old analog equipment, i.e, reel-to-reel, soundboard, tape deck, noise reduction, etc., etc. But agree with Chili and someone else who told me the same thing ( can't rememer his name ), I am recording from the tape deck to computer to hot. I'll lower the volume from the tape deck to computer and see if that helps. And thx to everyone for helping and giving me advice and suggestions. I really do appreciate it.
 
Problem fixed

Thx to all who helped me. I was recording to "hot" . I lowered the recorders output volume to the computer and now things sound good, well better. No distortion.
 
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