Two Mic's (2 Channels). How?

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Member Since: Dec 23, 2005

Another thread by Drizzt! Sorry :P But I have so many questions :)!

I've been suggested many times to use two microphones instead of one while recording guitar, and I was wondering how I go about doing this.

1. I'm using an Audio Buddy preamp, so would I be able to have one mic going through each of the channels? Where do I go from here? Do I have to buy an adapter that will connect the two output cables that leave the preamp, so that they both go into my line-in on my soundcard?

2. What happens when I click record? Will the microphones combine to give 'one sound', or will one be panned left, and one be panned right? Does the audiobuddy automatically do this? What about on my software, Audacity. When I record something, I get two waves going. Will the top one now become one mic, while the bottom will become the second mic? In which case, if I pan that track to the left or right, wouldn't one of the mic's be cut off? Or, will both the top and the bottom waves be the same, as they are considered a single sound that was picked up from the combined microphones? (which is what I'm hoping for)

3. Read my other threads and please give some feedback on some of the songs I recorded :) I need some help with the lack of quality in my distortion recordings, and am hoping a second microphone would help!

www.homerecordingconnecti...amp;frm=1#93739

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 06, 2006 11:51 am

You would have one mic in each of the audio buddy's channels, then, the outputs run into your computer sound card it should be seen as left and right. Then, in your tracking program assign left to one track and right to another.

Another easier way to add some power to the track is to record it with one mic, then duplicate the track, make a copy of it, so you have two, EQ and process them a little differently, that can add some fullness too.

a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002


Feb 06, 2006 04:18 pm

Hey Drizzt, I didn't realize that you only had a single input soundcard when I made my suggestion. Really, you'll need either an external mixer or a pro recording sound card if you want to record with more than one mic at a time. You'll get much better sound quality that way, anyway! Recording with two mics and having one in the left channel and the other in the right wouldn't be ideal.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 06, 2006 06:01 pm

So what would happen if I bought an adapter and put both of the outputs from the audiobuddy into the single line-in jack on my soundcard?
Would both mics work together to give me one sound? Or would it be split, with one mic being left and one being right?

a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002


Feb 06, 2006 09:24 pm

It depends what kind of an adapter you bought. I think what you'd need would be an adapter that had two MONO female jacks and ended in a MONO male, or ended in a STEREO male with an extra adapter that went from stereo to mono.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 06, 2006 10:30 pm

I was thinking an adapter that had two stereo female 1/4 ", ending in a single stereo male 1/4", which would be going into my current adapter (1/4" male to 1/8" male stereo) which then goes into the line-in. Yes, my soundcard has a 1/8 jack :P ... I tried going through a mono 1/4 " to 1/8" adapter before, and when I recorded something it would only come out of the left speaker. With the stereo adapter, it would come out of both, and allow me to create two channels (identical).

So my question is, what happens if I have two mics going? Will those two channels represent the two mics, or will they still be identical channels, but a better sound due to the combined mics?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 06, 2006 10:41 pm

Dirzzt, the line in even on a stock soundcard is still stereo in. You will need what is called an insert cable with the 1/4" TS jacks plugged into the audio buddy. Then you simply buy a 1/4" female TRS to 1/8" male TRS and your all set. Plug the 1/8" jack into your stock card and your good to go.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 06, 2006 11:51 pm

Yea I know. That's what I'm doing ;)
I'm wondering about the two mic thing though. Will it be one combined sound that's being recorded, or different channels for each mic?

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Feb 07, 2006 10:15 am

In n-track there's a setting in the recording preferences: create two mono tracks. That would be the ticket. I can also create 1 stereo track from two inputs, but you'd want 2 mono tracks.

Look for something along those lines, and you should be all set (providing the cable thing is working correctly).


Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 07, 2006 10:19 am

Alright thanks, pjk.

a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002


Feb 07, 2006 02:46 pm

Ah, yes. Good call. I wasn't sure the program had a function like that, which was why I was thinking it should be blended to mono before going into the stereo input on the sound card.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 08, 2006 05:27 pm

Well I was basing my questions off of the tutorial here: www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=140

Is jues recording two individual STEREO tracks then?

Quote: Ideally we want to record both mics separately so that we can apply different EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and volume settings to each one if we need to.... just pan Channel 1 hard left and Channel 2 hard right - you will now have one mic coming out of each of the two speakers and with a bit of luck into the respective Left and Right inputs on your computer... When you have finished your take you will have two separate recordings - one for each mic.."

So just so I understand the first steps...

1. Dynamic mic in channel 1 of mixer. Condenser in channel 2. Or whatever order.

2. Pann the dynamic hard left, and the condenser hard right on the mixer's controls. (Or whichever mic to whichever speaker)

3. Record them as two individual stereo tracks (how do you even do this?).

Now I get lost. We have two stereo tracks, one with only a left sound and one with only a right sound. Good. But what if I want to double track my guitars?

Quote: Then just pan the first take hard left and the second take hard right.

If I pan the first take (take meaning the first two tracks, I assume) hard left... I'll only be getting one of the mics won't I? (since we panned one of the mics on the mixer to be set hard right).

And likewise for the second take, and panning hard right.

Am I missing something here? How can you pan twice without completely cutting out one of the mics? Did each 'take' become mono or something?

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Feb 08, 2006 05:38 pm

In step 3, you'll record them each as seperate MONO tracks.

That's basically all a stereo track is...one mono track devoted to the left, one mono track devoted to the right. So if you can split them up, you can have 2 discrete mono tracks, each of which can contain totally different sounds.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 08, 2006 05:45 pm

How can you have a mono track that will have a "right" or a "left" though?

What's the point of panning them on the mixer if they're going to be separate anyway? Or is it the panning that made them separate?

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 08, 2006 05:48 pm

Bah I think I get it. :)
So if on the mixer, you panned both to be 50/50, you'd get a combined sound from both of the mic's together, right?

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Feb 08, 2006 05:54 pm

Bingo! Both the L and R would contain equal amounts of each mic.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 08, 2006 06:00 pm

So wouldn't it be more ideal to pann it to 50/50 on the mixer, record a stereo track, pann the first take full left, double track, then pan the second take full right?

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Feb 08, 2006 06:44 pm

OKOKOK I think we're on different pages here...

You're recording via the Audiobuddy, into a sound card that has 1 stereo line input, correct? At least that's what I gather from the rest of the thread.

Each output on the Audiobuddy is 1 MONO output. You can combine each of these 2 mono signals into 1 STEREO signal via the adaptor described above. For argument's sake, lets say that the adaptor takes output 1 from your Audiobuddy and assigns it to the left side of the stereo adaptor. And it also takes output 2 from your Audiobuddy and assigns it to the right side of the stereo adaptor.

So now when you plug this single stereo adaptor into your sound card's line in, you'll need to go into your recording software and figure out how to tell it to record track 1 only from your sound card's LEFT input, and track 2 only from your sound card's RIGHT input. This way, input 1 on your Audiobuddy will be assigned to track 1 in your recording software. Ditto for input 2 on your Audiobuddy.

You may not be able to do this in N-Track. What you can do is just record 1 stereo track and use another program to split it into 2 mono tracks.

You'd mentioned a mixer, and I figured that you meant an outboard mixer, but I think you may be talking about some sort of software mixer (either in control panel in Windows, or in N-Track), which is where we got off track.

I may not be explaining this very well...but I think we're talking about 2 different things at some stage of the discussion here.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 08, 2006 07:12 pm

I get what you're saying, don't worry. I was just talking as though i had the proper equipment ;)

I was just wondering if, on an external mixer, you panned it to 50/50.. and recorded a stereo track, panned it left in the software, then doubled your guitar and panned that right in the software.. would it yield the same results? But even as I type this I see it's a waste of two channels, so nevermind :)

Only real question left is, what will give better quality:
Mics -> Audiobuddy -> Adapter to join the outputs-> adapter to go into soundcard -> audigy2

or

Mics -> Behringer UB1202 -> left and right outputs into a pro soundcard, like a Delta 44

I'll assume the latter one ;)
Though I am still curious as to what kinda quality I can get outta this audiobuddy...

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