Hearing Vocals While Recording.
Home > Home Recording Forum > Recording Techniques > Hearing Vocals While Recording.
Posted on Dec 04, 2007 10:09 am
Pal Joey
Member Since: Aug 31, 2007
This is probably a stupid question, but when I record I hear the music through the headphnes. Should I be hearing my voice through the headphones, as well? I've been leaving one ear free to hear my voice better.
This is total newbsville here. I know.
[ Back to Top ]
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 04, 2007 10:35 am Everyone learns sometime, so no sweat.
Yes, you should be hearing it. Where are you plugging your headphones into?
In Reaper, there's a setting for A) not hearing the incoming recorded track, B) monitoring the incoming recorded track, or C) automatic, which i'm not sure what that is.
Point is, that's there should be some setting to 'hear' what signal is coming into the PC to get recorded.
That's one way.
You should also be able to hear what your bringing into the Omega, with the monitor mix knob. That should blend between the two (playback and direct). It should send your vocal signal right back out through the headphone jack, I would assume.
Dec 04, 2007 04:30 pm when i saw the thread title, i thought this was a post about a bizarre schizophrenia symptom, a new kind of hallucination...
i can't sing very well unless i get my vocals pretty loud in my headphones.
Dec 04, 2007 05:01 pm Sorry, I should ave been more clear. My headphones are USB and plugged directly into the PC. I have the music coming through the headphones in Windows Media Player and my vocal is recorded with Cool Edit through the Omega. Obviously this is the wrong way, or at least the hard, nonsensical way.
I'll check Cool Edit for a setting or I'll have to get an adapter for the headphones so I can use them in the Omega or just buy another set of phones.
Thanks for the replies.
Dec 04, 2007 11:53 pm Basically, what I'd like to know is how can I hear the music AND my voice through the headphones, preferably in Cool Edit.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 05, 2007 12:06 am I was hesitant to comment before because I didn't know exactly what the question was. The simple of it is you're going to have to get headphones with a 1/4" jack on them, there's no work around for USB. Make sure they're circumaural and closed back too, if you're worried about leakage that is.
Dec 05, 2007 12:38 am Thanks, Keith. I'll get myself some new phones tomorrow and start using them with the monitor mix on the Omega as pjk mentioned.
Thanks everyone.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 05, 2007 01:26 am The Omega should have a headphone jack on it; or is that what you mean by monitor mix?
Dec 05, 2007 02:06 am It does have a headphone jack. I was referring to the monitor mix control on the Omega that lets me choose what I hear in the headphones.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 05, 2007 02:09 am Ahhh, gotcha.
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Dec 05, 2007 09:23 am
Im pretty sure regardless of the fact your using several programs to do one thing, as in using windows media to play your audio, your recording app should still be able to send your signal back into the headphones so you can monitor yourself. Its kind of like running winamp and windows media at the same time, you should just hear both programs playing music, even though it wont make much sense.
and my personal opinion is its very important to hear yourself when your tracking, and not just from the one opened ear. you have to hear how your voice is getting into the mic and how its blending with the recording, big effect on your vocal.
Dec 05, 2007 09:24 am eh, sometimes drivers lock themselves from being used in more than one app at a time...
Dec 05, 2007 09:53 am In Cool Edit, go to Options > Device Properties to be sure the Omega is selected under the Wave In and Wave Out tabs. Also look under Device Order to be sure it's selected as the first priority device.
If Cool Edit is seeing your onboard "stock" soundcard as the playback device, this could be your problem.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 05, 2007 10:38 am Hmmm, USB headphones . . .
Seems that if WMP can see them, then CE should see them too. But it may take some finagling to get them all to play nice.
It may just be quicker and easier (although a little spendier) to get a pair of 1/4" TRS headphones, and be done with it.
Seems like it should work though, having CE use the USB codec as an output device.
Thinking again, if you're hearing the playback signal, then CE is using the USB codec as output. You just need to tell CE to send the incoming signal to the headphone outputs as well.
That's my armchair opinion, getting TRS headphones will most certainly overcome this obstacle, sending your voice to the HP before it even gets into the PC.
If you're using the USB headphones, then you don't want to send output to the Omega, but to the USB headphones instead. If you're getting TRS headphones, then you'll want to switch output to the Omega, like Herb mentions.
Dec 05, 2007 11:50 am When I use Cool Edit under DEVICE ORDER I have the Omega selected as the recording device and the headphones as the playback device. I record and playback just fine, except I don't hear myself in the phones.
I didn't have Omega selected in the DEVICE PROPERTIES under WAVE IN and WAVE OUT. I just did that and I still don't hear myself in the headphones.
"You just need to tell CE to send the incoming signal to the headphone outputs as well."
How?
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 05, 2007 12:05 pm I forgot about that option PJ- then again it's never worked for me though:(
Do you have your track monitor option turned on?
Dec 05, 2007 12:16 pm Joey, I think you've configured CE properly. I can't help but think it's a hardware routing issue. Does your USB headphone driver have a control panel where you can configure settings?
Dec 05, 2007 12:31 pm No control panel, Herb.
Keith, do you mean the level meters?
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 05, 2007 02:52 pm Yep, Keith has another way of saying what I was referring to: hearing what's coming into the PC through the omega.
If you can hear the recorded signal, then CE knows how to send signal to the USB headphones. That part's solid.
If you're not hearing your incoming signal, then there should be a setting to turn that on. Track Monitoring is a good way to say what I was thinking.
Level meters will let you know how many db of sound is present, on a given signal or section. This can be helpful, but not really what we were pointing at.
Sounds like CE sends playback to the USB HP fine, but CE needs to send incoming monitor signal to the USB HP as well. That sounds like the obstacle.
Dec 05, 2007 03:19 pm I'm looking through the CE manual now and not finding anything.
Dec 05, 2007 03:21 pm Yeah Joey, if you find a setting like that let me know where it is, because I can't find it either.
Dec 05, 2007 03:57 pm Here's what I did, Herb; I went out and bought new headphones. Now I've got the phones plugged into the Omega and am using that for recording and playback. I can hear my voice in the phones and monitor the mix easily.
Now a new problem has emerged from the ashes like a Phoenix rising from Arizona. I recorded a sample to test out the new set up and it sounds horrible. It sounds like when you talk into a fan and get that distorted robotic sound in your voice. It's really friggin' awful. The only setting I changed in CE was to choose the Omega as the playback device and I didn't change anything on the Omega.
Dec 05, 2007 04:01 pm First try raising the buffer settings under Options > Settings > Multitrack.
Dec 05, 2007 04:16 pm Sorry, I jumped the gun. Turns out it recorded fine, it just sounds like crap through the new phones. I plugged in the old USB phones and it sounds crystal clear. So the problem is Omega/headphone related.
Whaddya think?
Dec 05, 2007 04:23 pm Haha. OK. At least you got something working for you. Better phones then.
Dec 05, 2007 04:27 pm Okay, I got it now. The new phones have an ON/OFF switch and a AAA battery. Turning them off fixed the issue.
I warned you guys you were entering Newbsville. I can sing the songs, but this other stuff is beyond me sometimes.
Dec 05, 2007 04:30 pm Miller Time!
Dec 05, 2007 04:36 pm Or Rolling Rock time.
Dec 05, 2007 04:37 pm Thanks for all the help, by the way. Thanks to everyone.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Dec 05, 2007 04:43 pm Glad it's worked out for ya.
Keith WarrenMans reach exceeds his graspMember
Since: Oct 23, 2007
Dec 05, 2007 08:30 pm Cool beans and corn chips Joey. Glad ya got it worked out.
