Home recording help needed.

[celticlofts]

Hey guys i need a little advice here. Basically all i'm looking to do is record some acoustic stuff to my laptop and then add some lead or whatever on top. I'm guessing I need an interface between the guitar and the laptop and what software would you recommend i use to edit it? I'm not looking for anything of professional quality per se, but something that just does the job. Thanks.

[mustache79]

Originally Posted by celticlofts

Hey guys i need a little advice here. Basically all i'm looking to do is record some acoustic stuff to my laptop and then add some lead or whatever on top. I'm guessing I need an interface between the guitar and the laptop and what software would you recommend i use to edit it? I'm not looking for anything of professional quality per se, but something that just does the job. Thanks.

I'm in the same boat as you are. If you're broke like I am people will recommend you check out a Zoom recording device (H1, H2n, H4N) or perhapse a USB mic. Both can be used with most free mixing software like Audacity or Reaper. I'm leaning toward getting a Zoom H2N, but I'm also interested in the Blue Yeti USB mic. With the Zoom you can record anywhere and import the tracks into your computer, but with a USB mic you're stuck recording in the same room as your computer. Look up some reviews of these products and get an idea of what might best suit your needs. Plenty of stuff on youtube.

Hope that was helpfull.

Maybe some of the Audiophiles will drop in and give you some better advice..lol

[Shugaboy]

I bought a Samson studio pack at Best buy for around $250- speakers (with mic inputs on the front), microphone, cord, and sonar software that sounds really good. The pack has everything you need and is fairly simple to understand. The speakers/input connect to computer with usb (no speaker cables needed). Good luck!

[celticlofts]

Thanks for the information guys - I'll check that stuff out and see what works for me.

[delaorden9]

Originally Posted by celticlofts

Hey guys i need a little advice here. Basically all i'm looking to do is record some acoustic stuff to my laptop and then add some lead or whatever on top. I'm guessing I need an interface between the guitar and the laptop and what software would you recommend i use to edit it? I'm not looking for anything of professional quality per se, but something that just does the job. Thanks.

My friend the best you can do..... a Zoom recorder. It might be a H1 or H2 or a Hwhatever, depends on your budget. Take a look on youtube. The recording is just fine. Say goodbye to cables and pc bloatware. Just record, listen, and if you want you may edit it on PC.

[celticlofts]

I found this good little website on home studio building.. lots of good information and tips ..

http://www.basic-home-recording-studio.com/

[freedomfarm]

Originally Posted by celticlofts

I found this good little website on home studio building.. lots of good information and tips ..

http://www.basic-home-recording-studio.com/

Thanks for posting . . . great info. One of my problems was trying to use my SM57 for everything. Back in my gigging days, it was the one to use. Used my MXL 2001 this week and fought clipping non stop . . . I guess I could use a compressor . . .
again . . . good read, thanks.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

Thanks for posting . . . great info. One of my problems was trying to use my SM57 for everything. Back in my gigging days, it was the one to use. Used my MXL 2001 this week and fought clipping non stop . . . I guess I could use a compressor . . .
again . . . good read, thanks.

Hi ff...

Just move your MXL further from the guitar, and/or turn down. Compression is not the way to limit volume or prevent clipping/overdrive. There is zero reason to even be nearing the upper limits (clipping range) with digital recording.

If your equipment is clean, record light, and you can turn the recording up in post. I set input at/around -12db. This is so different and seemingly counterintuitive of how we recorded in days of analog recording...

[freedomfarm]

Larry . . .
That's what I needed to hear. My settings must be a mess. I want a "hot" mic with good volume so I have a final mix that really jumps out. The few recordings I've gotten over the years that jumped out were apparently purely accidental. The more I get into recording the more I realize how little I know. I did no less than 70 or so takes trying to get it right. I finally have something I decided was at least acceptable. Just surprised to hear clipping when singing so soft and 99% of the song was fine. Thanks . . .

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

Larry . . .
That's what I needed to hear. My settings must be a mess. I want a "hot" mic with good volume so I have a final mix that really jumps out.

With digital recording, you want to leave the "hot mix" for the mixing/mastering stage. When recording, there's no harm, and plenty of benefit from leaving lots of headroom. You can always raise the levels later.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

Larry . . .
That's what I needed to hear. My settings must be a mess. I want a "hot" mic with good volume so I have a final mix that really jumps out. The few recordings I've gotten over the years that jumped out were apparently purely accidental. The more I get into recording the more I realize how little I know. I did no less than 70 or so takes trying to get it right. I finally have something I decided was at least acceptable. Just surprised to hear clipping when singing so soft and 99% of the song was fine. Thanks . . .

As the other guys have said, tracking is the wrong place in the process to get your hot levels. I can certainly identify with your problem because I spent several years having a terrible time making terrible recordings because I was determined to capture a "hot" recording during tracking. I was following bad advice from many internet sources, plus the natural human desire for "more."

Once I learned that the recording chain is designed to operate at an average level of roughly -18 dBFS, with peaks around -6 dBFS, my recordings suddenly got better and easier.

Fran

[Bern]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

With digital recording, you want to leave the "hot mix" for the mixing/mastering stage. When recording, there's no harm, and plenty of benefit from leaving lots of headroom. You can always raise the levels later.

Doug, doesn't that also raise the noise level as well ? Not all of us record in a studio studio environment.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Bern

Doug, doesn't that also raise the noise level as well ? Not all of us record in a studio studio environment.

if the noise is there, from the room, mics, etc, it's not going to matter where you increase the gain. If you turn up the preamp going into the recorder, or turn it up after you record, the relative level of guitar to room noise will be the same. The only way delaying the increase in gain can hurt is if the recording medium itself has some sort of noise that you are amplifying. That's why (one reason anyway), back in the days of tape they tended to record hot. The tape itself was noisy, so you wanted to get the best signal-to-noise ratio you could onto the tape. This isn't the case with digital - the storage adds no noise itself.

[freedomfarm]

Thanks everyone for your input. I didn't mean to "hi-jack" this post, but I think the OP got their answer a while back. I will re-tool my thinking and bad habits and try again today or tomorrow in a different way . . .
I have my MXL 2001 mic going into a Samson MDR 624 mixer then out into a Boss 8 track. The mixer stays under -2 on the signals, and never ever lights -0- signal. The Boss I try to "push" right to zero or a touch under on the signal it receives.
I'll try again at levels well under what I have been doing and see how that goes, and see if it "jumps out" enough during the final mix.
Thanks again, Steve H

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

Thanks everyone for your input. I didn't mean to "hi-jack" this post, but I think the OP got their answer a while back. I will re-tool my thinking and bad habits and try again today or tomorrow in a different way . . .
I have my MXL 2001 mic going into a Samson MDR 624 mixer then out into a Boss 8 track. The mixer stays under -2 on the signals, and never ever lights -0- signal. The Boss I try to "push" right to zero or a touch under on the signal it receives.
I'll try again at levels well under what I have been doing and see how that goes, and see if it "jumps out" enough during the final mix.
Thanks again, Steve H

A couple of things to keep in mind here. Your best bet for proper signal levels is obtaining a fundamental understanding gain staging. You of course have an analog device in your Sampson mixer that provides for analog metering. Assuming the "Boss 8-track" is digital that metering scale will be some form of the dbfs scale. They are decidedly different scales and spending an hour or two getting your brain wrapped around those very important tools will begin to shed light on just how easy it is to set and monitor gain levels.

Another thought is while you're getting a handle on all of this and assuming the Boss can provide for phantom power you might benefit from temporarily omitting the Sampson from the signal chain. I'm pretty sure all Boss Digtal recorders have a full featured mixer section making the Sampson redundant. A simple setup straight from the mic to the Boss would cut down on roller coaster gain staging and and shed valuable info on where and how to monitor just 1 signal source