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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
 Posted - 05/18/2004 : 7:09:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by admirable
First off, let me apologize for the pretty nasty sounding quip of mine
No worries...I didn't take it personally.
quote:
I'll try, try again, to live aloha.
I agree with Dave, this should definitely be a song lyric! |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 05/18/2004 7:09:23 PM |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 09:48:01 AM
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What about your hind pas?
The dots are now connected. I'm doing fine. Gettin' ready for AMC '04.
Woof |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 1:55:59 PM
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Swedish? Hardly.. I'm named after my Russian grandfather... who's first name wasn't Mark and who's last name wasn't Nelson before reaching Ellis Island.... Ah, America, the great melting pot! (My middle name is from my grandfather on my mother's side... who's name wasn't Louis, either.....sheesh.)
I don't know beans about Garage Band, but this caught my eye:
My (recording) problem is that the volume of my replay is very soft. Can you/anyone please tell me if the problem is with my computer, software, soundcard, microphone, the working relationship of all these components or my hearing.
The problem is with how you are interfacing everything together... most likely. The Digigram card accepts mic level, so do you need to toggle something to set the input between "line" and "mic?"
Are you getting enough level to the computer? The easiest way to tell is to check the meters-- your software does have input meters, I hope. Sometimes they are part of the mixer window, sometimes they are a separate window.
Make sure you can set the level to peak just a couple dB under 0 (digital clipping is very, very bad...). You may need to toggle the meter display to show you just the top 12 dB or so... some software meters are impossible to read at full scale -- all they show is that a signal is present.
I'm assuming the sound card has some way to adjust the levels coming to the computer... if not, you may need to add level in your software. Most recording software let's you do this, but you'll need to look at the manual for specifics.
Assuming you've got adequate level going in, the question then becomes one of figuring out why the level is too low coming back out. That's a mixing issue -- and a big topic.
Suffice it to say the most home recordings suffer from, ummm, "Wimpy Mixes," to use the professional term. Pump it up!
As a buddy of mine with gold records on his wall says, "Apply the Three R's...." And what are the Three R's? Delay, 'verb and compression.
Go figure.
Mark-o, who'd otherwise be named
Marx Alois Katznelson |
Edited by - Mark on 05/19/2004 2:05:04 PM |
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Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 3:29:51 PM
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| Thanks Mark, for replying to my post. You've been very helpful. I really appreciate it. Thank you for your time. Alohas |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 4:20:15 PM
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| You may also want to consider going through a preamp before going into the computer. (I go through a L.R. Baggs Para DI and it makes a world of difference.) |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 7:50:52 PM
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Marx Katznelson
That's got a ring to it -- Not sure about you, but makes me want to dust off the folk fiddle. |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 7:52:24 PM
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I second Craig's point on the pre-amp...
Since you mentioned the mic had phantom power, I assumed that the Digigram card has some kind of mic-pre built in... but maybe not.
If it doesn't, that would be the bigest problem -- mic level is way lower than line level. A pre-amp boosts the mic signal to something useful.
Luckily, there are some dandy inexpensive mic-pres out there for around $100 -- some even have digital out and a tube to fatten things up!
The Para DI is just that, a DI (stands for Direct Injection, if you must know), which is designed for taming the level of your guitar's pickup. The Para DI has some add'l EQ, maybe some active circuits to add "warmth" 'n' stuff -- but it's not a mic pre-amp.
But yeah, always use a DI on your guitar when recording --- and when playing through an amp. Your pickup is designed for that -- that's why piezo's sound so yinky with out 'em. (OK, if you have a Taylor with the Expression system you're covered...)
BTW: A lot of these cheap-o mic pre's (like the ART deal) also work as dandy little active DI's for your guitar.
Just don't dial up too much "tube" or you'll be playing slack key metal....
yours,
Mark
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2004 : 7:57:37 PM
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Oops, sorry...I thought we were tlaking about recording a guitar pickup. For a mic preamp I use a Behringer mixer (the MXB1002, which can run on AC or batteries)...overkill but for $100 you get much more than just a preamp (and Behringer has a great rep for quality at a low price):
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHMXB1002
(Behringer has several smaller AC-only models with less channels at a lower price.) |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 05/20/2004 11:16:23 AM |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2004 : 10:49:31 AM
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Mark and Craig have it correct. For a couple hundred bucks you can have some pretty good basics and a decent signal path. The little Behringer mixer is a big bang for the buck. The ART as a DI is wonderful. That with a Shure SM-57, 58 mic or that genre and you're on your way. Mark introduced me to the AKG C1000 at last years Aloha Music Camp and I was duly impressed. If you're looking for a reasonably priced mic for your guitar, this is a good one.
Dave |
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BreezePlease
Akahai
Japan
86 Posts |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2004 : 11:32:57 PM
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Mac experts:
Help needed. Can someone give me some tips and advice on recording my acoustic guitar (and later vocals) into Garage Band?
You guys and gals out there doing this? Can someone recommend a good audio interface? USB or Firewire?
I'm assuming that the best way to get a decent recording is to mic my guitar -> audio interface -> iMac... please let me know if you think otherwise. My mini online search has resulted in the 'M-Audio MobilePre USB' coming up several times. Will this do what I need?
Thanks. |
Andy |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2004 : 11:15:25 AM
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Andy, if you don't want to spend a lot of money then do a search for iMic from Griffin. USB interface, mic and line inputs.
Craig |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Bing
Lokahi
USA
100 Posts |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2004 : 04:08:28 AM
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I just received a new Powerbook laptop from my employer (Thanks!) and it came with Garageband. It took a few minutes to learn it and a few more minutes to hook up a small mixer (with mic preamps)to the audio input, but I was able to lay down a couple multi-track songs very easily in the first hour. It rocks!
Learning the basics took some fumbling. Why didn't they put a "stop" button on the control panel?
I can see its limitations even from my modest beginnings, but it is nice and simple, if not very intuitive, like a lot of Mac products.
Can anyone tell me the advantage of using a USB hookup, like Imic, instead of the standard audio-in port?
Jesse Tinsley |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2004 : 03:43:00 AM
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Audio-in ports are not standard on many Apple desktops (especially the iMacs).
Craig |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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