Help with recording vocals,etc (newbie)

> > > Help with recording vocals,etc (newbie)

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Member Since: Mar 31, 2003

Hello all, (great forum)

A friend and I are trying to record some songs (mainly for fun and Christmas Presies) and we are running into a few issues. We don't have much money to spend, but have accumulated a bit of gear we are hoping to get by with.

Mac G3 192Mb RAM
Cubase 4.1.2
MV30 Sequencer (just using for midi sounds)
Marshall Amps (with emulated line out)
Fosteq 8 Track
Fosteq Stereo Ribbon Mic
Old Sm58 type mic

Recording the guitar direct into the Mac is working quite well and sounds ok, as is the midi. But the vocals, well suck!! We are running the mics into the Fosteq 8 track then into the Mac, we have tried routing the 8 track into the amp then back to the Mac with limited results. Any tips appreciated.

?? Would running the mic through a mixer do a better job? or do we need to buy something else aswell (don't have much money). We have looked at a Behringer mixer UB1202 and came across a Behringer VX2000 ultra voice (has built in mic preamp, comression, tube emaulation, etc) both cost about the same ($300 AUD). Would like to get away with buying nothing but we could probably stretch for afore mentioned stuff.

Thanks Heaps

Pottsy

PS Sorry for the long post.

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Maniacal Genius
Contributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002

Mar 31, 2003 09:04 pm

What exactly do mean when you say the vocals "suck?" Are they distorting even with plenty of headroom before you peak the meters? Do they just sound thin? Too bassy? With a little more info, I'm sure we can get to the bottom of your troubles.

The first thing that came to mind for me looking at the gear you listed is whether or not your mic needs phantom power and is your 8 track equiped to supply it? If the answers are yes and no respectively, that would be the first thing to take care of.

Get back to us on that and we'll go from there.

Member
Since: Mar 31, 2003

Mar 31, 2003 09:39 pm

WOW that was quick.

The vocals sound very distant and bassy (it sounds a little distorted as well through headphones, but ok from the monitor speakers - could be the headphones). We took the Fosteq mic to a sound place and they said that it doesn't need phantom power (we can here it through the amp when its run from the line out on the 8 track, and its sounds ok).

On cubase the signal looks ok in the monitor panel, but it sounds low when recorded. It sounds a bit better when the mics into the 8 track, 8 track to amp, amp to computer.

We are using the standard mac sound card.

Thanks heaps

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Apr 01, 2003 05:00 pm

OK pottsy, yes a preamp would help greatly. But a Ribbon mic is a tender piece of gear. I have never seen a fosteq stereo ribbon mic. But as a rule ribbon mics are a bit softer sounding. A question I will ask is, are you recording with any EQ applied on the fosteq?

Member
Since: Mar 31, 2003

Apr 01, 2003 06:25 pm

Very new to this, and to risk sounding dumb I'm not sure. I think we are. We have tried adjusting some of the settings on the 8 track to improve it, but it doesn't make much difference. Also, we are getting smililar (slightly better volume) with the SM type mic, but it still sounds distant.

Looks like me might have to shell out some more $$$ :(

Thanks again

Pottsy

Member
Since: Apr 07, 2003

Apr 07, 2003 03:35 pm

I think the simplest and cheapest solution is to get an inexpensive condenser mic. The Sure 16A is pretty good for $70.00 or so. It's also brilliant at recording acoustic guitar.

Try renting a condenser mic for $5.00, see if that does the trick. Other than that, you really can't guarantee good results when using a live mic (ie Sure SM58) for recording applications.

Member
Since: Mar 31, 2003

Apr 07, 2003 10:20 pm

Thanks you for the responses. I will try and rent a condenser mic and see how that goes, might alsp try and rent one of those Behringer VX2000 ultra voice things and see how that goes with the ribbon mic.

Has anyone actually used one? Is it any good (ie the compression, etc)

Thanks Again

Pottsy

Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Apr 09, 2003 03:56 am

Folks around here love Behringer. Lot of us use their stuff. I haven't used the board you mentioned but I can almost gaurentee that a preamp would improve your sound. I know how it is to be strapped for cash, so I won't make any recomendations for gear you don't need, but there are some things that you just have to have. First off, the Fostex is nice for making small 8 track demos. I assume it is a cassette recorder? I suggest just recording witht he fostex as a cassette recorder, forgetting all about the computer, and see how that sounds. If you are pleased with the sound that you capture on teh cassette you can then transfer that sound into the Mac for editing and tweaking.

Another thing is for vocals you are going to want to record them with a condensor mic, so I'd suggest getting one of those, but with them you need phantom power. Buying a mixer would not hurt you (aside from your wallet) in the sense that a lot of them have built in phantom power and mic preamps.

So my suggestions:
Try recording the stuff onto the 8 track and then bringing the recorded sound into the Mac (if you need to know how to do this I'll post it up) or get yourself a condensor mic and a mixer with phantom power.

Another tip... Don't EQ while tracking, save that for after it's done... try to get everything as good sounding as you can before you apply any eq

Member
Since: Mar 31, 2003

Apr 09, 2003 07:33 pm

Thanks heaps Loki.

I will try and record the vocals on the 8 track (it is tape) and then transfer it across to the Mac. If you have any tips for that it would be much appreciated. Do you also record all of the other instruments on the 8 track or just the vocals, also any tips on syncing the two would be appreciated.

All in all we are having heaps of fun recording and just need to get the vocals right.

Pottsy

Thanks again

Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Apr 10, 2003 06:42 pm

I would try recording all the instruments on the fostex on it first. How you would do this is like this: If you have TAPE OUTs on the fostex you would run those to the INPUTs on the soundcard, then hit record on your software and play on the fostex, thus recording the sound from the fostex directly. If you don't have TAPE OUTs then use the line outs or main outs. Try this and then get back to me. (I used this method with my four track tape deck when I first started)

Member
Since: Mar 31, 2003

Apr 14, 2003 08:44 pm

I got it to work. woohoo!

Changed the connection from the mic in on the sound card to the RCA ins on the video capture card and ran the Stereo Ribbon mic throught the fostex 8 track and it sound it sound great (good signal and really warm).

Think we are going to use the Fostex as a mixer as it seems to do the trick.

Pottsy

PS Thanks for all the help

Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Apr 15, 2003 09:45 pm

GLad you got it to work man, have fun. If you have any other questions you know where to go.

> > > Help with recording vocals,etc (newbie)

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