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Viveka
refutation bias


Registered: 10/21/02
Posts: 4,061
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
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Re: I have a small favor to ask you guys [Re: sunset_mission]
#14378496 - 04/30/11 04:19 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
No submixer 
Dunno about DAW 
Not even sure about my soundcard 
But I do have an output jack! Like I said, all I have is a mic and my keyboard. However, your mentioning of direct recording has just got me thinking... time to experiment.
What do the DAW and submixer do and what would you suggest I get ahold of?
Ok, DAW means Digital Audio Workstation, which today means the software you are using on your computer to record and mix.
A submixer would allow you to route your instruments to your compuer for recording assuming you have a sub-par interface or not enough inputs on your interface. Here's a pic of a submixer:
 I think Yamaha is the sweet spot for a budget submixer as you can get an 8 channel model with 4 mic preamps that is more or less transparent(no noise) and even has a little onboard compression for under $100.
An interface would be something like an Edirol FA-101, which I'm currently using since my M-Audio Profire 2626(both firewire interfaces) burnt up.
How do you send your signal into your computer? What does your mic plug into? Let's start there...
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propensity
۞̷ ̶۞̷ ̶



Registered: 01/06/10
Posts: 11,056
Loc: Bedrock America
Last seen: 3 years, 6 months
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Re: I have a small favor to ask you guys [Re: The_Ghost]
#14378536 - 04/30/11 04:30 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
The_Ghost said:
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Viveka said: or are you going the super ghetto route of using a basic sound card?
Im guilty of this. Onboard card only half of which works non the less 
Also guilty of the onboard soundcard thing.
Thanks for all the praise Sunset 
Viveka if you've got the time I'd really like to know what you think of my music especially
I remember you describing Bedlam in Goliath once to utter perfection
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۞̷̛̗̗͉͇̰̅͒ͯͩ̆ͯ̑͘ ̶̖̭ͧ͛ͬ͑ͣͦ̍ͧ͐͟͢ www.cactophage.com ۞̷̛̗̗͉͇̰̅͒ͯͩ̆ͯ̑͘ ̶̖̭ͧ͛ͬ͑ͣͦ̍ͧ͐͟͢ ̸ۨ͜۞̷̛̗̗͉͇̰̅͒ͯͩ̆ͯ̑͘ ̶̖̭ͧ͛ͬ͑ͣͦ̍ͧ͐͟Dolphins of Dank۞̷̛̗̗͉͇̰̅͒ͯͩ̆
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sunset_mission
Entheonaut



Registered: 01/22/11
Posts: 5,767
Loc: NYC (Intra Deitate...)
Last seen: 5 years, 5 months
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Re: I have a small favor to ask you guys [Re: Viveka]
#14382311 - 05/01/11 12:12 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Viveka said:
Quote:
No submixer 
Dunno about DAW 
Not even sure about my soundcard 
But I do have an output jack! Like I said, all I have is a mic and my keyboard. However, your mentioning of direct recording has just got me thinking... time to experiment.
What do the DAW and submixer do and what would you suggest I get ahold of?
Ok, DAW means Digital Audio Workstation, which today means the software you are using on your computer to record and mix.
A submixer would allow you to route your instruments to your compuer for recording assuming you have a sub-par interface or not enough inputs on your interface. Here's a pic of a submixer:
 I think Yamaha is the sweet spot for a budget submixer as you can get an 8 channel model with 4 mic preamps that is more or less transparent(no noise) and even has a little onboard compression for under $100.
An interface would be something like an Edirol FA-101, which I'm currently using since my M-Audio Profire 2626(both firewire interfaces) burnt up.
How do you send your signal into your computer? What does your mic plug into? Let's start there...
My friend owns one of those, but like I said man, my gear and setup is LAUGHABLY amateur. It works perfectly for me but then I acknowledge that I'm limited with production quality, but I have been finding excellent solutions to this. I only use 1 mic, plugged into my computer back, set next to my keyboard and I play. I guess this is my DAW: I record into Audacity and do further mixing/editing/post-production using Adobe Soundforge and Audacity both.
I'm totally going to invest in that submixer when I'm not so goddamn broke!
AH! I know what an interface is! You plug directly into it and record right into your comp right? My friend owns one (I think it's also a firewire??) for his guitar. How much is the Edirol you are using?
I'm so going to compensate you for all your help, man. I really hope to get this fucking production problem fixed before the half-point of this year, it sucks when a good amount of my feedback say that the production detracts from the music. I'll definitely send you some free albums before I release them as my way of showing gratitude.
You are a wise sound engineering guru.
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Viveka
refutation bias


Registered: 10/21/02
Posts: 4,061
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
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Re: I have a small favor to ask you guys [Re: sunset_mission]
#14390477 - 05/02/11 06:42 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Yeah, you gotsta nix the mic into the sound card thing man. This is where the buzz and hum noise is being introduced as you probably have an impedance mismatch compounded by unsuitable recording technique.
I paid $200 for this Edirol in like new condition at an instrument shop here in town, great since it's a 500 dollar piece of gear. I paid 750 for my previous interface and the one I have now is about as good as it was. You want an option with analog 1/4inch ins and XLR(mic) ins. If you had to, you could get away with spending less than $200 or even $100 for an interface. I'll post some options below, These are from GuitarCenter's website, but you could probably find these items cheaper on Amazon or ebay or locally.
two 1/4 inch ins, one XLR(mic) in, $100
two mic ins, two 1/4 inch ins, $150
two 1/4 inch ins, two XLR ins AND midi in/out!, $129
same features as option above, a little fancier
one 1/4 in, one XLR, no midi, but cheap - $69
I used the M-Audio Fast Track Pro for a little while and it was ok. Traded it in for a firewire model since theoretically firewire performs better...
USB vs. Firewire - This is a pain in the ass subject. See they both have more or less the same capacity as a bus but USB2.0 operates at a steady stream of data packets whereas Firewire transmits in bursts , which supposedly makes it faster and more stable. Though depending on who you ask it doesn't make much difference. If at all, the difference supposedly counts when you're doing longer recordings, which I tend to do and you obviously do as well, so for that reason I went firewire. Going the firewire route will instantly bump up your price by a few hundred$$. I did it but I fucking hate firewire and I curse Apple and whoever else was involved in its development. It's flaky as fuck, drivers are often unstable and it doesn't like to play nice in a lot of environments unless you have a Texas Instruments chipset in your firewire controller on your motherboard, no wifi enabled, no other fireire/usb devices operating simultanously, and if you plug it in or out while you're booted up you can fry your shit, which I've done, it's just ridiculous.
I've used 6 different interfaces both USB and Firewire to find one I could deal with. You might just go with USB2.0 and unless you run into issues, to hell with Firewire. All the options I listed are USB2.0. I look forward to USB3.0 taking over.
Now, the output jack on your keyboard is 1/4 inch right? If you sent that to an interface with a 1/4" input you would eliminate noise and would have a good solid, clean signal straight into your computer. For color you could also mic the speaker or the room or whatever else using a decent XLR mic with your new interface. A decent enough XLR mic could be had for cheap, just check craigslist. Or maybe the one you already have does have an XLR connector?
And if your interface also has midi in, you can use your keyboard(assuming it has midi out) as a midi controller and that opens up options for triggering softsynths with Audacity(...a quick google shows that the Audacity VST Enabler plugin enables Audacity 1.2.4 or higher for VST softsynths).
You can also plug in a guitar or any line level outboard gear and get a nice clean signal.
Making sense so far?
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