Recording question..

I recorded today, just to see if my mic and program worked, and they did, but everything sounded kinda fuzzy... I sent the song to someone, and she said she couldn't hear anything... is there any suggestions on how to take care of this problem? such as in how far should the mic be away from the amp/guitar if not plugged in....?

 

It depends... you just have to play around a bit. It also depends on the size of your room and your volumes.

By the way, the stuff I send you that's .wav is recorded with Windows Sound Recorder and a $10 pc mic or a Shure SM-57 (for acoustic) that I got for about $20 used.

 

Why don't you get some like MIDI stuff? Just plug it straight into your computer.

 

He's doing it makeshift, though... it's a hell of a lot cheaper... all you really need for it to be good is something like a Shure SM-58 vocal mike and an M-Audio Audiophile soundcard and Cool Edit Pro... which amonths to like... $500ish-$600

 

A nice soundcard is the first thing you need. A simple soundblaster live will work, but a nicer card will make a significant difference, and that M-audio that was suggested is probably going to be the best your going to find for the money. Don’t get the Audigy Platinum, even though they’re everywhere! They aren’t ASIO compliant, even though they say they are, and if you don’t know what that means, well; it’s makes the card a real pain in the ass for live recording/sequencing.

Next, rather than get a sm-58, pay a little more and get a decent condenser mic… it’s worth it. If you don’t have a nice pre-amp, you’ll have to crank the daylights out of a 58 to get a good signal and the hiss will shoot through the roof (which is fixable, but why bother?). The typical microphone placement is about four inches away from the hole, angled according to taste (pointing straight at it will usually give you a “dirty” sound, which might be your problem). Don’t record in the same room with your computer, your microphone will pick up the fan unless you take active measures not to do so.

Cool Edit is a good wave editor, although I don’t use it. I like Soundforge infinitely more, because it supports vst’s, and there’s no way the fx within cooledit can rival the thousands of vst effects.

If you want to learn more about this stuff, I recommend visiting Computer Music’s website. They’ll learn you up.

 

The most important thing you need right now is a good sound recording software that allows mp3 encoding. My mic is 10 years old, and cost $10 when I bought it. My soundcard also costs $10. And I still get very decent quality with Audio Recording Wizard.

But yeah, what Fulmah saying is correct. It just doesn't seem that you are going for the highest quality possible, but just to have a clear and uninterrupted sound with no noise.

 

I don't know what kind of mic I'm using, it's 2 or 3 years old... there's a brand new one around here somewhere, but it's really small....this computer just got a new soundcard installed a couple months ago... and I'm using ACID 4.0. I'll just expirement :H

 

First of all, he's recording with an electric and he may want to do vocals, that's why I didn't suggest a condenser mic. Even then, my personal opinion is that if you were recording with an acoustic, aiming a condensor mic at the twelfth fret picks up nicely. Not only that, but typically, a lot of the newer computers have more silent fans. I have one of those big office desks and the tower is inside of the desk so it tends to get muffled anyway.

 

58’s do a pretty good job for mic’ing loud cabs, but for recording vocals, why would you want to use one? A condenser should be better unless you get a crap one that’s shaping your voice the wrong way…



I don’t know, I’m totally against 58’s when it comes to recording… they’re great for stage but their threshold leaves a lot to be desired, imo.



And you’re right about the 12th fret aiming for most situations, although I like to point closer to the hole for more boom and less fret noise, but I always angle in from the neck, about 4 inches up… and I like to have a second set on the other side…



Even the newer fans will be picked up unless you’re doing something (like putting it in a desk) to block the noise. You might not notice it over the hiss already there, but if you’re using a nice mic you will. We have a quiet case in our studio and it still comes through, although it’s easy to get rid of.

 

cheapest solution is eggcrate

I've never had a vocal problem with the SM-58...diaphragms are nice though, but I've always liked the SM-57 for acoustic mic-ing... not really a vocal mic, but diaphragm condensers (specifically) are really the best, imo, but they'll run you quite a bit. I've never come across anything nicer than the Shure KSM44 Multipattern.

 

One very nice microphone (especially since you can get em for around $500 on ebay)... even if your in a house, that mic can pick up the neighbors conversations... lol...

It is missing that "signature sound" that some of the super expensive large diaphrams have... but that's a good thing, imo

 

wtf .... i need to study


Thanks.. although you lost me quite a while ago

 

the cheapest way to get a great sound out of your electric is free. go download the demo of Guitar Rig and run your guitar straight into your soundcard. Record into the windows sound recorder if you don't have anything else (I can't remember if Acid records live audio).

Guitar Rig, btw, kicks ass.
http://www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?guitarrig_us

 

My stereo already picks up my neighbor's cell phones... even when it's off.

 

ACID records live audio... I love how you can add multiple tracks to each project.. makes me feel like a produer or something :H...

 

So does cool edit pro... acid is just way too complicatied for my tastes...

 

he might have the same problem ive got: soundcard is not insulated properly and so the computer itself generates noise

at least that my conclusion as to why theres always a permanent fuzzy sound, regardless of what mic is or isnt plugged in, what amps are on, monitor, etc.

i want a nice, media friendly mac to record on

 

ok another question:

I recorded yesterday, the only other person home was my brother, and he heard everything... he said I sounded really good (singing) while recording, but when I played it back, he said my voice sounded like shit... oddly, the guitar sounded quite well.

wtf happened?

 

yah mac's are good.. with protools and garage band... actually... the new version of protools has garageband right in it...

 

It happens from time to time... that's why EQing is nice to have, too.