Help me choose an inexpensive PA for home recording

[mmasters]

I've tried singing and playing guitar with my blue yeti computer mic but the guitar even played softly drowns out my vocals. I need a small pa system so I can mic myself and bring up the volume of my voice so I can record with my guitar.

Just using the blue yeti mic and singing close to the mic this is the result


Looking to spend no more than a few hundred for a mic, mic stand and PA. Recommendations and advice welcome!

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by mmasters

I've tried singing and playing guitar with my blue yeti computer mic but the guitar even played softly drowns out my vocals. I need a small pa system so I can mic myself and bring up the volume of my voice so I can record with my guitar.

I'm not sure I understand what you're attempting to do. If you're simply going to run one mic through a PA, you're going to have the same problem. I think the solution to your issue likely has more to do with mic positioning than anything else. You have the mic too close to the guitar and too far from your mouth. You need to play with the positioning of the mic until you achieve the balance you desire.

[mmasters]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm not sure I understand what you're attempting to do. If you're simply going to run one mic through a PA, you're going to have the same problem. I think the solution to your issue likely has more to do with mic positioning than anything else. You have the mic too close to the guitar and too far from your mouth. You need to play with the positioning of the mic until you achieve the balance you desire.

Tried positioning the mic close to my mouth but my voice isn't very strong and my guitars are strong.

What I'm thinking of doing is having 2 mics. One mic for my voice going into a PA where the PA boosts my voice in the background then playing my guitar near the other computer mic which picks up both the PA and my guitar.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by mmasters

I've tried singing and playing guitar with my blue yeti computer mic but the guitar even played softly drowns out my vocals. I need a small pa system so I can mic myself and bring up the volume of my voice so I can record with my guitar.



Looking to spend no more than a few hundred for a mic, mic stand and PA. Recommendations and advice welcome!

Perhaps more info will help.

First you are wanting to play an sing at the same time ,yes?
You are using the Yeti with just the table top stand ?

If so then Jim is correct the mic position is likely the problem, if you are playing and singing at the same time, the general rule is the mike needs to be closer to your mouth than the guitar. ( if you have just the table stand , you might look into one of the clamp type booms for the yeti mic which are cheap like $15 to $25)

The exact position depends on your specific vocal and playing volumes
But you can start with the mic diaphragm just below chin level (and a pair of headphones will help) and go up or down from there until you get the balance you like

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by mmasters

Tried positioning the mic close to my mouth but my voice isn't very strong and my guitars are strong.

How close to your mouth? I'm doubtful that you sing so low that if the mic were right in front of you mouth your voice wouldn't be able to compete with the guitar.

Originally Posted by mmasters

What I'm thinking of doing is having 2 mics. One mic for my voice going into a PA where the PA boosts my voice in the background then playing my guitar near the other computer mic which picks up both the PA and my guitar.

I've never seen this done but it strikes me as a bad idea because to get the volume you need, the PA would have to be really loud and you'll have reflections flying all around the room and landing on your mic.

[mmasters]

Thanks for the insight guys, I was able to fix the problem with mic placement.

[mmasters]

Here's how the clip sounds now with better mic placement



And another clip I wrote this afternoon