What do I need more?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Keloo'
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Keloo'

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Hi guys!

I want to make a VOICE RECORDING HOME STUDIO and I already got few devices:
- Audio-technica Cardioid Condenser Microphone AT3035
- Professional Tube Mic Preamplifier ART TUBE MP
- Audio-technica Professional Monitor Headphones ATH-M20.

I also have a new laptop Sony Vaio: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T7200 2.00GHz, 2046MB DDR2 SDRAM 533MHz, 160GB HDD 5400rpm, Windows Vista(TM) Business 32-bit Operating System.
I have as well a P4 2.2GHz Desktop PC (256 MB DDR2 333MHz, 80GB HDD, onboard Audio Card, Windows XP SP2 Operating System), which I used it until now, but I'm rather thinking to not use it being old and noisy.

I tried to record (on the Desktop PC) but the voice is very low and the playback covers it. If I switch the volume level higher on the mic tube preamplifier I get a lot of noise, breath etc. I used Magix Music Maker Generation 6 DeLuxe as a software to mix the voices and the playbacks, I mixed the voice, I tried to clear out the noise but I don't like it.

Now... can you help telling me what I need more to be able to record voices on playbacks?
I think I would also need a professional audio interface (even an external one) for anyone of my computers. Maybe a mixer too???

Thanking in advance to all of those who will want to help me with this mess!!!

PS: Please don't laugh, I'm new in this field!!! ;)
 
Keloo' said:
Hi guys!

I want to make a VOICE RECORDING HOME STUDIO and I already got few devices:
- Audio-technica Cardioid Condenser Microphone AT3035
- Professional Tube Mic Preamplifier ART TUBE MP
- Audio-technica Professional Monitor Headphones ATH-M20.

I also have a new laptop Sony Vaio: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T7200 2.00GHz, 2046MB DDR2 SDRAM 533MHz, 160GB HDD 5400rpm, Windows Vista(TM) Business 32-bit Operating System.
I have as well a P4 2.2GHz Desktop PC (256 MB DDR2 333MHz, 80GB HDD, onboard Audio Card, Windows XP SP2 Operating System), which I used it until now, but I'm rather thinking to not use it being old and noisy.

I tried to record (on the Desktop PC) but the voice is very low and the playback covers it. If I switch the volume level higher on the mic tube preamplifier I get a lot of noise, breath etc. I used Magix Music Maker Generation 6 DeLuxe as a software to mix the voices and the playbacks, I mixed the voice, I tried to clear out the noise but I don't like it.

Now... can you help telling me what I need more to be able to record voices on playbacks?
I think I would also need a professional audio interface (even an external one) for anyone of my computers. Maybe a mixer too???

Thanking in advance to all of those who will want to help me with this mess!!!

PS: Please don't laugh, I'm new in this field!!! ;)
Click to expand...
How do you have it connected? Are you going from the preamp to mic-in? It should be line-in. Hopefully this sorts your problem. Also, a higher quality interface would help. How many channels do you need?

It also sounds(pardon the pun) like it could be your technique, if your hearing too much breath. Maybe step back a little from the mic, and sing louder.
 
Yes, from the preamp it goes in mic-in. If I will change it to line-in would I have to make some setting in Control Panel?
Thanks!
 
Keloo' said:
Yes, from the preamp it goes in mic-in. If I will change it to line-in would I have to make some setting in Control Panel?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Well, if you don't have a physical line-in(probably on the laptop) then there should be an option to change mic-in to line-in. Maybe in control panel, yeah. Have a search for it. If you can't find it, try google.

EDIT: If you do have line-in and meant, would you need to change the settings, i don't think so, although make sure line-in is not muted in the volume panel thing :confused:.
 
pandamonk said:
How do you have it connected? Are you going from the preamp to mic-in? It should be line-in. Hopefully this sorts your problem. Also, a higher quality interface would help. How many channels do you need?

It also sounds(pardon the pun) like it could be your technique, if your hearing too much breath. Maybe step back a little from the mic, and sing louder.
Click to expand...

I tried to record stepped back a little, but then the volume level of my voice is low again. I am almost screaming on the mic and nothing. I must tell that in the headphones sounds ok but when I am listening from the speakers it's bad.
 
pandamonk said:
Well, if you don't have a physical line-in(probably on the laptop) then there should be an option to change mic-in to line-in. Maybe in control panel, yeah. Have a search for it. If you can't find it, try google.

EDIT: If you do have line-in and meant, would you need to change the settings, i don't think so, although make sure line-in is not muted in the volume panel thing :confused:.
Click to expand...

I have line-in on the Desktop PC. The laptop doesn't have.
 
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Just turn up the volume of the voice track and/or turn down the volume on the music track.
 
Keloo' said:
Should I buy an external audio interface for better results?
Audio Kontrol 1 is good? I saw it today into a store but I was afraid to buy it cause I saw the XLR 1/4" TRS Mic-in looked different than my mic's XLR 1/4" jack.

Here's the picture of the front panel of that interface

http://www.nativeinstruments.de/ind...> | </A>&md5=31c60fb598202688e22c8d6268436c09
Click to expand...
A new interface would be better, but you don't NEED it. I've never heard of audio kontrol. I think that it could just be that the track you are singing to is too loud, and vocals are too quiet. This could be because the track has been compressed to get the most volume out of it. When you record, are you adding gain so that the loudest parts almost peak, or are you leaving lots of headroom?
 
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pandamonk said:
A new interface would be better, but you don't NEED it. I've never heard of audio kontrol. I think that it could just be that the track you are singing to is too loud, and vocals are too quiet. This could be because the track has been compressed to get the most volume out of it. When you record, are you adding gain so that the loudest parts almost peak, or are you leaving lots of headroom?
Click to expand...

I swithched the mic into the line-in and I recorded, but when I recorded I had to change on MONO cause it was on STEREO first and it didn't sound good. On MONO it worked better. It is good to record on MONO?
I didn't add gain to the playback.

If I want to use the laptop I think I will need that new interface, cause, as I said, I have Windows Vista operating system on it and I don't know how to change the mic-in to line-in.
 
Keloo' said:
I swithched the mic into the line-in and I recorded, but when I recorded I had to change on MONO cause it was on STEREO first and it didn't sound good. On MONO it worked better. It is good to record on MONO?
I didn't add gain to the playback.

If I want to use the laptop I think I will need that new interface, cause, as I said, I have Windows Vista operating system on it and I don't know how to change the mic-in to line-in.
Click to expand...
It'll probably be in control panel, if vista has that :rolleyes:

If you are just recording one track, then mono is fine.

Yeah, a new interface will probably help. What exactly do you need from it? How many channels? Do you need any more preamps? What's your budget? Any more info? Answer these and i'm sure someone will help you find the right interface for you. I would, but I'm going to bed soon.
 
pandamonk said:
It'll probably be in control panel, if vista has that :rolleyes:

If you are just recording one track, then mono is fine.

Yeah, a new interface will probably help. What exactly do you need from it? How many channels? Do you need any more preamps? What's your budget? Any more info? Answer these and i'm sure someone will help you find the right interface for you. I would, but I'm going to bed soon.
Click to expand...

Of course Vista has Control Panel but it doesn't have any option to change from mic-in to line-in in Sound or Sound Reality ASIO Settings. What do you mean with "How many channels I need?" My budget is not that high but I could afford to buy what I need (if I would know what I need).
 
Keloo' said:
Of course Vista has Control Panel but it doesn't have any option to change from mic-in to line-in in Sound or Sound Reality ASIO Settings. What do you mean with "How many channels I need?" My budget is not that high but I could afford to buy what I need (if I would know what I need).
Click to expand...
How many channels do you need to record? Are you just recording vocals, or will you want to record a full band?
 
Keloo' said:
Just me. What is normal to record? MONO or STEREO?
Click to expand...
What do you mean? Thinks are recorded in mono(a single track for each instrument, kick, snare, ohs, bass, guitar, etc), but generally mixed in stereo. But if you are just record yourself all you need is a mono input, however most generally come with at least 2 inputs.
 
Ok, accouple of things. First, yes, record in mono. A microphone (well most, including the one you are using) is a mono source. So recording a mono source in mono is how you do it basically.

Second, having noises like breathing, like you mentioned, or things of that nature, that's what the mic is picking up. That's normal with the best of equipment. You probably will notice alot of background noise as well, even if the room is realtively silent. If you are only recording your voice, and nothing else, this can be problematic. If you are recording where something with music over it, the music will mask most of this. Interms of breathing, microphone technique, learning to take small breaths, etc, can help. Their is not too much you can do equipment wise though if you plan to use the same mic. You can get a pop filter if you are getting pops on hard sylibols (sp). You can also get a compressor with noise gate to take out any background noise when you are not speaking. However, if you set this too strong, it can give an effect of a "lysp" when you first start talking. If you are just doing voice recordings, you my find a dynamic mic works better.


I do recommend that anyone gets an appropriate interface or soundcard (interface in your case due to it being a laptop) for any recording. The converters in any stock soundcard do not compare to even the most budget cards built with recording in mind. From what i understand, it probably won't solve alot of your problems you have described. It may be quieter however. But you will reap the benifits of higher quality though better A/D conversion so their are really only upsides still. Since you don't need a preamp, you could get something cheaper like an m-audio audiophile interface which is usb and be light years ahead of stock card. Hope this helps.
 
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