| SomebodyWhoLoves 28.07.2004 00:26 |
Can a music professional give us a tutorial on how to set up a PC for recording? I have a PC, with a soundcard. I'd like to be able to record vocals and instruments. Pls help or point a good website to learn about this. Thank you! |
| Koolkikiland 28.07.2004 11:17 |
Well, when it comes to music production, what defines "pro" is tough to pin down. . . BUT I've recorded a few things - maybe I could help. 1. What soundcard are you using now? 2. What multitracking software do you own? 3. What microphone do you own? 4. What processor do you have in your PC, how much RAM and how much hard disc space? If you don't own any of the above, I'll make some suggestions. Here's what I use: PC - Dell 8100 Pentium 4 1.8Ghz, 700-something MB of Ram and 80GB of HD with USB ports. USB soundcard audio interface - Emagic's EMI 6|2 Software: Logic Audio Platinum 5.3, Reason Mic - AKG C414 Those are the basics. If you need more info, let me know. Dave |
| FriedChicken 28.07.2004 16:17 |
When you start off, It's better to work with some easy programs. Like Cool Edit Pro. It has lots of options, but it's easy to use. Reason/Cubase/Nuendo has more options and is much more advanced, and hard to use if you just started |
| Adam Baboolal 28.07.2004 18:31 |
Well, I'm not recording on the PC anymore. But I can definitely show you where I started. Back in 1997 I started recording with DDclip - link There's actually a free version that allows 4 tracks to be recorded. Very good place to just start. Here's the free version - link Now, what I tell you is the truth. I started recording with a pishy cheap soundcard and a free computer mic - all on a pentium 100. I was able to record 16 tracks, mono or stereo. I have some of those recordings on my site under the "Old Grey Mic" section. *Checks old site* DOH! They've deleted those old files. Oh well. Here's something you'll laugh at - I still use that same free computer mic for recordings! It still sounds great, believe it or not. Even though I now have pro mics. I still find that mic brings a freshness to recordings of an acoustic guitar. In 1999 I got my own PC - a PII-350. I recorded (again with DDclip) my TMLWKY cover, which had 19 tracks. I used a Soundblaster Live card and the same little free mic that came with the old computer! But I'd also gone into Tandy (basically Radioshack) and bought a cheap mic costing £10. I used that for my vocals. My only advice is to not get lost in people's advice telling you, you need this, you need that, etc. etc. Don't listen! Just use what you have - a basic soundcard, a decent sounding computer mic and something for your instruments. Don't shoot to high, too early. Peace, Adam. |
| Koolkikiland 28.07.2004 22:24 |
"My only advice is to not get lost in people's advice telling you, you need this, you need that, etc. etc. Don't listen!" Hey now...relax. I was only trying to be helpful by offering suggestions. No one's trying to tell anyone else what to do. Just suggestions. The advice regarding Cool Edit Pro and other simple/basic recording programs is good for starting out with. No doubt - a lot can be done with minimal equipment these days. Amazing. Dave |
| SomebodyWhoLoves 29.07.2004 00:05 |
Here's another question for you professionals: Which is the true voice of mine? 1> When I go to a karaoke, or when I hear myself through my PC speakers with bass settings on high, I sound GREAT. 2> When I record myself on a microphone and play it back, I sound TERRIBLE. Which is the real me? |
| Adam Baboolal 29.07.2004 12:44 |
Koolkikiland, the reason I said, "don't listen" is because, it's the best advice. ;p hehe. To a point, people need to work things out themselves, because then they'll be stronger and more confident than someone running for help at the first hurdle. I just highlighted that you don't need ANY gear except a decent computer mic and a computer. Nothing more nothing less. Heck, if you have a decent mic and a minidisc it'll sound good.
Cool Edit Pro is not something to put into a beginner's hands. It might intimidate them if they're not experienced enough. Ddclip however, is a very simple program to use. And it's free!! Cool Edit Pro costs a fair chunk of change. Unless you're a pirate... }:(
SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: Here's another question for you professionals: Which is the true voice of mine? 1> When I go to a karaoke, or when I hear myself through my PC speakers with bass settings on high, I sound GREAT. 2> When I record myself on a microphone and play it back, I sound TERRIBLE. Which is the real me?lol. Sounds like the old, "is that really how I sound?" syndrome! Seriously, that's part of it. But there's rarely going to be a time when you don't question how you sound on playback. There will always be changes made to get things sounding just right. But it's something that I shouldn't get into because it can be confusing and damaging to mess about with. Let's just cover the recording stage first. 1. It's natural that most karaoke machines drown a persons voice in reverb and/or delay. Plus, pushing up the bass end can warm up your voice and decrease a shrill high end. Just don't expect it to work the same at home. There's more involved than just turning the bass up, which I won't get into. 2. Well, because we don't know what you're recording with, it's kinda hard to make a suggestion purely on, "I sound terrible." But I can only guess that it's not you - Either the mic, your handling of the mic (distance, holding, etc.) or even the rate at which you're recording, e.g. 22khz 8-bit, 44khz 16-bit, etc. It's hard to be specific without all the details on what you're doing. I'll try to help. Peace, Adam. P.S. Last month I bought a cheap £10 mic from Maplin.co.uk and the sound is BRILLIANT. Check out these tie-clip mics because they're a good place to start for great quality. Had I known that back in 1997, I'd have bought these without question. Amazing quality to start with. |
| Libor2 29.07.2004 18:40 |
SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: Here's another question for you professionals: Which is the true voice of mine? 1> When I go to a karaoke, or when I hear myself through my PC speakers with bass settings on high, I sound GREAT. 2> When I record myself on a microphone and play it back, I sound TERRIBLE. Which is the real me?You don’t say what terrible mean. If you meant with terrible bad quality, than it could be bad microphone or you try to sing too close to it and thus overload it (is this the right word?). And, of course, there are many others aspects (sound card, comp, software ...). If you wanted to tell, you don’t like your recorded voice and you don’t recognize yourself voice, then it’s another thing. Definitely, your true voice is 2) - that what you hear from speakers. Everybody who sings or speak listen to this thru his (her) head - maybe it is possible to say ’from inside’. And, after we record ourself to a tape or PC or something and listen to it, we hear it ’from outside’. Usually it’s big shock for everybody, as it sounds very different (mainly very bad) from as we expected we speak or sing. That’s why is not good to record and let listen some new singer to him(her)self. It’s always good postpone such shock to later time. But it is true, you sound, as you hear your voice from speakers. This way all other people knows you. By |
| Adam Baboolal 29.07.2004 20:07 |
of course, there are many others aspects (sound card, comp, software ...).In this day and age, ANY soundcard/computer and software is good enough. I've used a really bad computer/soundcard from 1996 and it sounded very decent. This is what I meant about not worrying about what gear you have, etc. Just remember that what comes in the basic pc these days is short of a miracle to what was available back in the 60s. Don't worry about these insignificant details. ALL computers, right back to the lowly pentium, are good enough. Don't worry yourself... That’s why is not good to record and let listen some new singer to him(her)self. It’s always good postpone such shock to later time.Not a good idea. That'll make it worse. The best way is to let them hear as soon as possible. That way, they can take that with them and then work on what they didn't like in their voice. Otherwise, if you were recording a song and at the end the person doesn't like how they sound, they'll want to do it all over again. And of course they'll need time to work on their voice to get the best aspects out of it, which equals more time on top of that bombshell you just dropped! ;p But it is true, you sound, as you hear your voice from speakers. This way all other people knows you.Don't jump the gun Lib. We still know nothing and can't really comment on it properly. I'd rather get the full details before analysing this further. Otherwise, why would he comment that he sounded terrible? I know I've never known anyone to say that after they've heard their voice on playback. Only Homer Simpson! :) Peace, Adam. |
| Libor2 30.07.2004 09:26 |
Adam Baboolal wrote:Not a good idea. That'll make it worse. The best way is to let them hear as soon as possible. ...Well, it depends from which angle you look at it. If somebody starts to sing in amateur group, doesn’t know, how to work with microphone, doesn’t know his voice from speakers, and on first or second gig you take band production on tape and you let him (or her) to hear how it sounds. Well, some weak persons could immediately stop singing after this. And, I didn’t say, that he (her) couldn’t sing good - but it almost always needs time. Some of us really could be discouraged with this. But after some time, it’s, of course, necessary to do it and to listen to oneself. And, if you want to make record in studio or so, then it’s another thing and you should know your voice precisely and be very, very good :-)Don't jump the gun Lib. We still know nothing and can't really comment on it properly. I'd rather get the full details before analysing this further. Otherwise, why would he comment that he sounded terrible? I know I've never known anyone to say that after they've heard their voice on playback. Only Homer Simpson! :)But I didn’t said he sounds terrible. No, no. I said, and must repeat it, he sounds like he hear himself from speakers. I don’t know anybody, who likes his recorded voice. When I first heard myself, it was utter nightmare for me. |
| SomebodyWhoLoves 30.07.2004 22:00 |
Perhaps I'm not expressing myself clearly because I don't know the right technical terminology. I'll try again. In both instances, I am hearing myself from a computer speaker. But they're slightly different. Scenario #1> I have a mic plugged into my soundcard. My speakers are on high volume, with high bass. When I speak into the mic, I can "hear" myself in real time from the speakers. When I do it this way, I sound GREAT. Scenario #2> I have the mic plugged into my sound card, But my speaker volume is turned off. I record myself and save it as a wave file. Then I play it back, and I sound HORRIBLE. The quality of the recording isn't bad, but my voice is bad. So, experts, Which one is my TRUE voice. PS: Scenario #3> Karaoke. I sound great. Thank you. |
| Adam Baboolal 31.07.2004 09:31 |
I just hope it's a bad mic. Cause otherwise... |
| Libor2 31.07.2004 18:59 |
Hmmm, I’m with Adam here. Maybe bad mic, but, well, it’s strange anyway you wrote. What do you mean your voice is BAD if, as you say, recording quality is GOOD. Did you try to increase or decrease recording mic volume ? |