help recording vocal track on emu 0404
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Posted on Jan 07, 2007 02:23 pm
edbulmer
Member Since: Nov 16, 2006
Hi-I have the emu 0404 and am having trouble recording vocals. The playback sounds low and I have all my volumes up on patchmix and on my mixer in cubase. When I turn the gain up I get distortion. Can anyone help with this.
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Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 07, 2007 04:11 pm How are you getting the mic connected to the 0404? Most all mic's except for the little computer mic's require a pre amp to get the signal up to a level that is suitable for the line input of the audio interface.
From what you are saying it sounds like that is probably the case here.
Jan 07, 2007 10:20 pm I'm going through a small 4 channal behringer mixer that has phantom power. Would this be enough of a pre amp.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 07, 2007 10:25 pm Yes indeed it should. You may want to turn up the pre amp or gain a little it it has it. I would suspect the software is not getting enough signal from the mixer if you are already using it. Not sure which mixer it is but most have a gain knob at the top for the mic channels.
Jan 07, 2007 10:51 pm When I turn the gain up, I get distortion. It seems the signal is strong in patchmix. I don't understand why it is weak when I record in cubase.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 08, 2007 11:08 am Patchmix has unfortunately high levels for some reason. Back off the master gain in the patchmix, and take just a smidge off the input channel. You'll be amazed. Cleans right up. It give you a little more headroom before distortion in your DAW.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 08, 2007 06:21 pm Does Cubase have a gain or trim adjustment aside from the regular volume control for each audio channel? If so use that to make up the low input level. I know Sonar has had it for awhile now, works great.
Jan 08, 2007 10:18 pm I don't think my version of cubase has gain. And if I turn down the master in patch mix I get such a weak recording signal in cubase. How do I get a better audio signal
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 09, 2007 11:03 am How loud do you need it to be? How are you monitoring? The 'volume' will come during mastering. Are the levels in Cubase that bad?
Try raising the gain a little on the mixer, backing off the main fader a tad, set the in channel in Patchmix, and the main channel to just below the "default" level, and you should have a nice level there. Gain staging has been my biggest obstacle. Once it's done, it's great. But it's the getting there that's a pain.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 09, 2007 08:49 pm Gains staging is really pretty simple.
The beginning of the chain should be the loudest signal, then everything sort of gets set lower at each stage forward from there. That is the simplest description of it. I can go into more detail if needed. But TC is correct in that the mixer should be the highest output you can get without it clipping.
Jan 09, 2007 11:10 pm my problem is I have all my levels up high but I am getting hardly any sound when I play back an audio recording. Midi is fine.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 11, 2007 03:36 pm I guess my next suggestion would be to use the Normalize function in your FX or processes section or in the tools section to get the level of the track up even with the synth levels then. I am not sure exactly why Cubase LE would be recording the tracks so low if you have all the levels set up high. But this is the way you can get them up by using the normalize function. It will raise the level to be usuable.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 11, 2007 05:29 pm Phantom power on?
Jan 11, 2007 08:21 pm Can't find a normalize section. But I don't think this is the problem. Phantom power is on. Perhaps if I tell you what I am doing you can tell me if there is something wrong.
I set up the recording plan according to the tutorial for the emu. I open patchmix, set it to the default 0404stereo template. This opens up
the patchmix mixer and I see my mike levels in the pci in left and right. Then I open cubase and open the vst mixer and select the channels I want to record on. I turn the enable monitor on and select the file I want to store the recording. All the levels are in the middle of the range but after I record I can harldly hear any sound. What could be wrong? Could I have some audio device option wrong. I think I have my options set at asio not mme. Is that right. I can't think of anything else to do.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 11, 2007 10:36 pm Yes ASIO is the preferance. That or WDM.
I think I see what is going on. When you say all your levels are in the middle of the range, do you mean in Cubase LE? That may be a major part of what is going on. When you are looking at meters in the software you want them to get almost to the top of the yellow section of the meter, if they are divided up to normal standards the virtual meters should be in 3 sections. Green is from nothing to about -6dB, Yellow is from -6dB to 0dB. And red is anything above 0dB which is generally clipping the signal when your in the red. You want to be at least halfway through the yellow section or at approx. -3dB for the signal to be recorded at a decent level.
You may need to go through all your levels again then and make sure they are all set up like this.
And I know Cubase LE has a type of normalization, I just don't know what they call it in there. Leveler or something silly like that maybe.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Feb 02, 2007 11:22 am Something occured to me... You said you're using a Behringer mixer (relax, nothing wrong with that. Many of us here use them). There are usually a couple of pushbuttons that are called 2TRK to Mix, or Tape to Monitor (it varies). Make sure that you have those buttons pressed according to your signal path. Oh, and turn down your volume a little first...I've hit a button occasionally and got knocked out of my seat by the sudden clarity. Read the manual (I know, they are confusing). If you don't have the manual, the Behringer website has pdf files.
I'm betting that's your problem. If not, you could just have corrupted drivers on your soundcard. Try uninstalling the drivers and patchmix, and then restarting. Your PC will recognize new hardware (the PCI0404), and ask you for the CD...You know the rest. Sometimes it works that way.
Good luck.
Tim NUh, at least one more time . . .Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007
Feb 08, 2007 11:47 pm I'm using the same setup as edbulmer, so maybe I can help. The main difference is my DAW is Magix 2005; I of course got Cubase LE bundled with my 0404, but after trying it a a couple of times, I went back to Magix--the Cubase signals were really
weak, like edbulmer is getting. Everything mentioned about the gain stages is right-on; for example, on my Behringer Xenyx, when using a phantom-powered Behringer B-1 (great mic, and you can't beat the price), the trim control is set at about 2 o'clock. The channel and main mix levels are set at twelve o'clock. The tape to control/phones button is engaged (down); the cd/tape to mix button is up. This means you are monitoring the sounds coming back from the software. With the above set-up, the Behringer
meter lights should remain lit up at the -20 db
signal range, with occasional forays into the 0 range (with a continuous signal--obviously, with vocals, they will fluctuate). To start, dis-engage the tape to phones button. Get the signal to where you need it to be, and then engage the button.
Now the signal at patchmix (at PCI card in L and R) should be where it should be--around -10dbu. There is no need to go higher than this,
level-wise.
From here on I really can't help you, because of unfamiliarity with Cubase LE. It seems like it should work--after all, it comes bundled with Patchmix. Of course, that doesn't mean anything. My advice to you is to dump Cubase LE
and invest about eighty dollars US in Magix 11.
I hear the midi end of M 11 isn't that great (I never use midi--nothing but analog in, except for my M-Audio usb keyboard, which I record in real-time on audio tracks) but the audio end is excellent (Magix 11 is the newest version).
I'm getting phenominal results (I think!). I'll watch this thread to see what happens . . . .
Feb 13, 2007 03:10 am I have the 0404 I use a 32 channel Behringer (analog ) open your patchmix at the top over the window click on the open session tab (looks like a folder ) you can pick a session preset there --- you will find one just for Cubase
Feb 13, 2007 03:18 am You might also check your trim control set it to 0 and try to get get your peaks at 0 db you should get a nice clean sound
Feb 13, 2007 03:19 am You might also check your trim control set it to 0 and try to get get your peaks at 0 db you should get a nice clean sound
