Acoustic Guitar miking.....

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Member Since: Jan 15, 2006

Well, I'm very new to this whole recording thing, and even after quite a bit of tinkering around in Magix audio Studio 2005 deLuxe, I still have problems getting my acoustic guitar loud enough without adding too much hiss from the mic preamp... any suggestions?

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Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jan 15, 2006 09:04 pm

Set you gain just below the hissing piont on the pre-amp. Now set your recording levels to accomadate getting a good sginal in that stays below 0dB on your meters in Magix. Now after the track is recorded you can normalize or maximze it so you will get a good level in Magix. As you add tracks though you will probably need to back the level off on the guitar as with each track you add you add more level to the master outputs.

The Quiet Minded
Member
Since: Jan 01, 2003


Jan 15, 2006 09:14 pm

depending on how quiet is your room, getting rid of hisses may be a pain, mainly with LDC. Try to record late at night and see if it happens, the world is much more quiet at night(of course, depending where you live).

edit0r
Member
Since: Aug 17, 2004


Jan 15, 2006 09:26 pm

What kind mic pre amp are you using?

If its a standalone unit, try using more output gain and less pre amp gain. If its a mixer, try using more trim and less fader gain.

Member
Since: Jan 15, 2006


Jan 15, 2006 09:32 pm

actually, its a 1/4" input on a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Sound Card. I have an adapter for the mics XLR cable to plug it into that input.

and i tried to lower the input volume, but anywhere it still gives me a considerable amount of hiss... and normalizing it only give it more hiss..

and what do you mean by each new track adding extra level to the master outputs??

PS
and using the dehissing effect thingy in the program apparently doesn't work after normalizing the signal.... argh.. so frustrating...

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jan 15, 2006 09:59 pm

What is the microphone you are using? SoundBlaster explains alot of the noise. Not a good deal there.

Each new track you add will add more gain to the master output level. This is commmon even on tape so it is nothgin to worry about. But most people think that if it sounds good in the application it is going to sond the same once its mixed down. What they forget is that the final mixdown add all the tracks summed together and it naturally gets louder in the final mix.

And yes getting the hiss out after normalizing or maximizing wont work.

Member
Since: Jan 15, 2006


Jan 15, 2006 10:22 pm

The mic is a Samson Q4. Is the SoundBlaster not a very good sound card??? Would something like this: be better?

service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jan 15, 2006 10:43 pm

www.homerecordingconnecti...rding+Interface
Yep, zZounds has the same price as well. I am puttering around with the UX-1 right now and am living it. I believe dB is using the UX-2 that you are looking at.

I am so far loving the guitar amp models and the mic pre amp models. I am very impressed as well with the clean sound it is getting. I am still a skeptic of anything audio kooked up through either USB or Firewire but Line 6 TonePort might change my mind. Latency is not an issue. But honestly the sound is more then I expected.

As for your mic, it is a dynamic mic which is good.

But to end here, the Line 6 unit you are looking at is something I would definately look at.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 16, 2006 07:24 am

The SB is a fine sound card for gaming, watching DVD's,listenign to your mp3 collection, etc...but not very good for home recording.

The UX2, thus far, I am really digging, only a couple little goofy things that you may not even notice, even those things I find odd are better thant he SB anyway.

Our full review of the TonePorts will be out in a couple of weeks hopefully.

The Quiet Minded
Member
Since: Jan 01, 2003


Jan 16, 2006 02:56 pm

if you are connecting the mic directly into the soundcard that may be the problem. The signal is too weak cause it hasnt been pre amplified so you compensate that by raising the volume inside the computer, which raises all the noises along with it.

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