Studio Recording Quality

[lowlow42]

Hello, I am recording individuals through a microphone on my computer, and I would like to get the best quality final product. I am a newbie to recording like a pro, so I dont know much about studios, or equipment studios have. I just record people pretty much for fun, Although I would like a good quality song when I'm finished. I record with a Sony mic I bought recently at Best Buy for about $40, so the mic isnt anything special, but I'd like to get the best out of it.

My method of getting the best quality sound so far is as follows:
I record the vocals into Magix.
From there, I open it in Adobe Audition and use the "Noise Reduction" filter to remove static that was recorded from the mic.
After I apply the filter, I put the instrumental and vocals together to make the song.

What can I do to make the Vocals sound really sharp? Because even after I apply the Noise Reduction filter, it still sounds a little crappy.

Any help is appreciated...

[muskgrave]

You need to get a better microphone and probably a better sound card as well. If you feed garbage into the computer thats what you're going to get out as well. Audition is a great editing tool but if you don't have a good mic/sound card then it's never going to sound great. If you have a good mic the amount of noise reduction you have to use will be very little if any at all. This will preserve the vocals.

1) what kind of sound card are you using?
2) get a better microphone.

[lowlow42]

Well my microphone is http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384617215&productCategoryId=cat08343&type=product

My soundcard is just one that was included with my computer... Its an NVIDIA nFORCE...

So with I got now, mic and soundcard, theres nothing I can do to make it sound better? Or do I just have to get a new mic and soundcard?

I just dont want to spend a lot of money on something that isnt really serious, like I said its just for fun.. but I want it to sound the BEST it can..

[housepig]

I want it to sound the BEST it can..

it probably does. If you are running a $40 mic direct into your soundcard, you are probably hearing the best of it right now.

things that will make it sound better:

- a higher quality microphone, particularly one that is low-impedance; a Shure SM-57 is a good quality, general purpose mic that's not too expensive.

- a preamp for the mic - almost all decent mics are going to end in an XLR plug, not a 1/8" plug, which is part of why you need a small mixer or mic preamp. the other reason is that the preamp section of your sound card is not going to give you the same clean amplification that even the cheapest mixer or mic preamp will give you.

- a soundcard with RCA jacks is going to be easier to integrate with a mic preamp or mixer than a soundcard wtih a 1/8" mic jack.

[lowlow42]

Yeah, it ends in an 1/8" jack, but it does have an adapter.

So my question is, what is the purpose of an preamp, what exactly will that do?

Also, can you give me a link to a preamp that would work for me, and a soundcard that happens to have the RCA jacks?

[lowlow42]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, how do I get rid of alot of static, and yet still keep the vocals sounding as sharp as possible. Whether it be software or hardware, as long as it get rids of most of the static.

But from the feedback I've been getting, it seems as if I should just buy a different microphone, right?

[DivXExpert]

Your looking at spending around 200 minimum for a mic. then Yes you want a mixer, and a pre-amp, this amplifies the sound, and makes it sound more crisp. and a soundcard that uses XLR or digital inputs. Your not going to get any better with what you have now. Hardware limitations. You don't have to spend a ton of money, just more than what you have. Audio is expensive, very expensive. Remember, its always better to make it sound right, not go back and fix it later.

[lowlow42]

Ok, so I'm looking at having to buy a mic thats at least $200. Added onto that is the expense of a mixer and a pre amp, or just a pre amp, or just a mixer... I think you mean I need both. And also I need a soundcard?

Wow, now this fun has kind of turned around... Well... It must be done.

I'll get that eventually, but for now, is there anyway that I can be able to raise the volume up, without distorting the vocals? Or does that work the same way, where I need all the equipment?

[housepig]

you don't have to go quite that high.

- mic - Shure SM-57 - $80-90
- mixer - Behringer 502 - $50
- sound card - Echo MIA - $99

the mixer includes mic preamps (think of an 8-channel mixer as 8 mic preamps in one box). you can get a one or two channel mic preamp, but not for the kind of money you want to spend.

the Shure mic is a standard, it's very versitle, you can use it on voice, guitar, drums, all sorts of sound sources. the Behringer mixers aren't astounding, but they are decent and pack the most bang for the buck.

[housepig]

is there anyway that I can be able to raise the volume up, without distorting the vocals? Or does that work the same way, where I need all the equipment?

not in real time - what is happening is your preamp in your soundcard doesn't have enough gain (volume) to give you the level you want without distorting.

you can set your inputs as high as they can get without distorting, and record that signal, and then raise the amplification in software, but you aren't going to get a better signal, just a louder one that's equally bad.

it's like enlarging a picture - if you scan something at a postage-stamp size, and then resize it to a full page, the resize just makes it bigger, it can't add any quality that was missing in the original scan.

[lowlow42]

Ok, I understand what you're saying... Thanks for all the help.

you can set your inputs as high as they can get without distorting, and record that signal, and then raise the amplification in software, but you aren't going to get a better signal, just a louder one that's equally bad.

1 last question, How do I go about doing this?

[housepig]

test, test, test.

raise the input level. see if it distorts. if it doesn't, raise it some more.

keep doing this until you distort. then back it down to the last known non-distorting input level.

record at this level.

once you've recorded, select the whole wave file, go to Process->Amplitude or Dynamics (it's been a while since I used CoolEdit [which is what Adobe Audition is]). Look for "Adjust Gain" and crank it up 3 or 4dB.

if in doubt, look up in the help file.

[muskgrave]

get those 3 peices of hardware housepig described and you'll have a good lil setup that will sound worlds better than what you've got right now.

[lowlow42]

Ok, what I meant was how do I adjust the levels... Do I have to go to Control Panel, or is it in the program itself (Magix)? I see what you are saying about the "Amplitude" though...

In about a month or so, I will have the money necessary to buy the equipment. And if I buy the equipment, this will get rid of static? And I'll be able to raise the volume without distorting? Correct?

[housepig]

you should adjust the input volume in Magix.

once you upgrade your gear, you should find a much clearer, higher-gain signal getting in to your machine.

[disturbed1]

Get a damper for the mic too. Even a simple home made fiberglass filter is better than none. You mentioned you were recording human voices, this will help take some of the background noise, and "spit" out of the sound.

Make a stop by your local Pro Audio shop, and have a chat with the staff. Most of the time, these guys are very helpfull, they tend to be in it for a hobby (like most of us ), and are eager to help someone out.

[lowlow42]

Ok... I want to thank you for all of you guys help. I actually have a foam Wind Filter that goes on the mic, and I also have a Pop Filter that goes in front of it (connects on the stand).

I have a few quick questions, and I think I'll be done.

The link housepig gave me for the soundcard, I cant order it online. Becuase everywhere I check, it says the card is around $200, is this right? You said around $99, hmmm...?

Does all this hardware come with clear instructions? Becuase I really dont have a clue on how to hook it up, or is it just common sense?

Now, is the hardware all compatible with each other, such as the plug inputs and outputs?

If I get a new soundcard, can I get rid of my old one, or should I just keep it plugged in still? Because the new one will have all the ports the old one has, plus a couple more.

And finally, just for reassurance, all this is going to do what I need it to do correct?

I'm just curious to know, what is the next level up to better equipment, is it a big jump in means of expenses? Because if it doesnt cost much more, maybe I could get better hardware?

Once again thanks for the help you've given me so far, and I think these last questions will be it. And I'll definetly talk to the people at the store...

[cirving]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I want to record audio commentaries for my DVD. I have to shout at my microphone in order to play it back and be able to hear it (and it's faint). Thing is, I have a pretty good mic (or so I think). It cost me $200 Canadian, so it's gotta be adequate at least for commentary/voice-over recording purposes. I don't have a lot more money to invest unless it's crucial... I was hoping there'd be software gain tweaks and connector suggestions to fix my problem.

If this information matters, it's a Sony ECM-908C microphone and it has a 1/8" jack. I also have a pretty good sound card I think. It's an Extigy (equivalent of an Audigy platinum, except external I think). Or I can use my on-board 5.1 audio card if that's better. Could it just be the connectors? I think I have RCA inputs on my Extigy, would it be better to use a converter and connect my mic that way as opposed to the microphone in with my 1/8" jack? Would using "line in" instead help any?

I'd love to be able to get this working with the equipment I've got...but I just can't see myself dropping $100 (Canadian sure, but still $100 to me) on a soundboard mixer.

Any ideas?

[muskgrave]

you should be getting quiet recordings with your extigy. Is your line in level and recording level too low?

if you double click on the volume control icon in the taskbar you should be able to see what the line-in level is. I would try raising that and then also from the same volume properties window go to Options/Advance controls..then click the "recording" bullet instead of "playback". Hit OK and you will then be looking at the recording levels instead of playback levels..once again make sure line in is selected and the recording level is up as well..

since this is more of a video site than an audio site I hope noone minds if I point you HERE:

www.homerecording.com/bbs

hope this helps..

[lowlow42]

So how about my questions...
I see that I have to get a new soundcard obviously...
...and a new mic

[housepig]

I was going to recommend the same site.

As to the MIA, sorry - I could have sworn I saw those recently for $99, it might have been a special sale, or maybe I'm just insane.

if you look on eBay, you should be able to find echo Gina card / breakout box combos, they are really good and I've seen some used for $99. It actually would give you more flexability.

for how this stuff hooks up - the gear I gave you will all interface directly with 1 microphone cord (between the mic and the mixer) and 2 1/4" cables (between the main outs from the mixer and the inputs of the sound card).

I would also recommend picking up a book on recording - when I get home, I'll find the titles of a couple of good ones, I've been recording for 15+ years and I still refer to them.

this is just like any hobby - you can get into it really cheap ($40 mic and a basic soundcard), but the closer you want to chase high quality results, the price and learning curve start to climb exponentially.

it's like speakers. I've got a pair of $100 speakers that sound really good. I've got another pair of speakers that sound great. They were $400. My friend has a set of speakers that sound fantastic. They cost $1,200. I knew a guy back in D.C. that had speakers that were ungodly sounding. They were $20,000.

for me, I can hear the difference, but it doesn't bother me enough to spend the extra $800, or $19.600 to jump up in quality. right now, you hear the limitations of your system, so for a couple of hundred you can take it to the next level, or spend a couple of thousand and get a really nice rig, or spend $100,000 for a fully decked out studio.... there will be a point where you say "this is good enough"... and for most people, that's actually pretty cheap.

[shaynew]

http://transom.org

has many useful basic to intermediate articles on audio production.

[lowlow42]

Ok then, so my best bet is to just stay with the hardware you referred? Being the fact, that will do what I need it to do, and that that the overall quality will sound pretty good. Not OUTSTANDING, but pretty good.. Right?

And you say that I should get "Echo Gina card/ breakout box combo", becuase that gives me more flexibilty than the echo MIA?

And I take it the mic and mixer will do fine also...

Alright, if thats what must be done, then so be it...

Thank you for all your help!!! I appreciate it alot!!

[BJ_M]

creative just launched a new semi pro sound card (fairly high end but price is good) with pro mic inputs and good breakout box ...

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consumer/20040611/index.html

[lowlow42]

So thats basically a mixer and a soundcard all in one?

[BJ_M]

yes -- with compatable software (lots)

[lowlow42]

I got a question, how about this mixer? It has more channels.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3730066374&category=23785

Is it better, or should I just go with the other one?

[dphirschler]

Pro or semi-pro sound card is not necessary. It is if you have to achieve close to perfection, but your current soundcard is probably good enough for you. Yes, it will introduce some interference which will manifest itself as hiss. But I bet it will be tolerable. Get a good mic with a good preamp and you'll be in pretty good shape.

Check out this link:

http://www.stealthaudio.net/

There you can get a pair of great mics that should connect right to your soundcard. You can also use these for stealth taping since they are so small. But don't let the size fool you. The mics + battery box will amaze you with what it can record cleanly. But you definately HAVE to get the battery box.

As for your current setup, with respect to removing "static"... check out the recorded wave file in a wave editor such as Goldwave. If the tops of the wave are clipped off, then you can improve things next time by reducing your recording level.

I am trying to help you, but also save you some money. It doesn't have to be too expensive.

Good luck.


Darryl

[lowlow42]

Thanks, I'll definetely consider it!!!

[housepig]

I got a question, how about this mixer? It has more channels.

Is it better, or should I just go with the other one?

I haven't found a clear answer on this yet, but these look like low-budget copies of Behringer mixers. As such, I would rather spend the extra $20-30 for a Behringer that has the same channels and layout.