Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,919
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Post by Dub on Dec 28, 2017 19:19:58 GMT -5
I think that is your problem. If you have a USB mixer use that to get signal to laptop or get one of these or something similar. link I don't have USB output from the mixer. The blue one has a USB jack but that's to input something like a backing track from an iPod, etc. Why is USB into the computer better than using the 1/8" mic jack? The analog to digital converter on your PC’s sound card isn’t up to recording quality. You want one designed for hi-fi recording.
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Post by lar on Dec 28, 2017 23:35:05 GMT -5
I agree with Marty. Put the mic right on the speaker screen and offset it a bit from the cone. Turn the gain on your mixer up until it starts to clip and then back off a bit. Then adjust the mixer volume with the slider. I don't have any experience with a USB out from the mixer so I can't help you there. I can say that I've used the setup I've described to record directly from my Fender Pro Jr. III into my 24 channel Tascam digital recorder and it works fine. Your issue may have something to do with the 1/8" connection to your computer. Marty probably knows for sure but I believe the input jack on your computer is mostly for cheap high impedance mics. You have a line level output from your mixer, meaning that the signal strength is fixed. The input on your computer may not be line level and what's coming out of your mixer may not be a strong enough signal for that input. All of that is conjecture on my part because I'm not an electronics expert. But it fits well with my experience. If you don't have a USB output on your mixer the next best thing might be to get an audio interface for your computer. Most, if not all, of them have at least one XLR input. You plug your SM57 into that and record directly to your computer via USB. You won't need your mixer. Audio interfaces run from around $30 to thousands of dollars. Here's one I found at Musician's Friend for $30: Behringer U-Phonia
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Post by lar on Dec 28, 2017 23:41:24 GMT -5
Kris,
At some point in time your wife is going to discover that the search for gear is never ending. We're musicians. We can't help it. It's a sickness. Most of us spend our entire lives aspiring to the "holy grail" of gear. It's an irrational dream and one that's never fulfilled except for momentarily.
When your wife does figure this out throw yourself on the mercy of the court and solemnly promise that somehow you'll replace that $1,000 you need from the kid's college fund.
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Post by xyrn on Dec 29, 2017 0:16:22 GMT -5
Kris, At some point in time your wife is going to discover that the search for gear is never ending. We're musicians. We can't help it. It's a sickness. Most of us spend our entire lives aspiring to the "holy grail" of gear. It's an irrational dream and one that's never fulfilled except for momentarily. When your wife does figure this out throw yourself on the mercy of the court and solemnly promise that somehow you'll replace that $1,000 you need from the kid's college fund. Yeaaaaah. About that... The day I walked in the door with my "ten dollar thrift shop score" Strat copy she literally groaned and her eyes rolled back so far I thought they'd get stuck. She knew it wasn't just going to be ten bucks. I've since bought a *couple pedals, a tweed Blues Junior, the mixers, cables, another Snark..... *for the purposes of this discussion let's say "couple" can also equal five.
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Post by Marshall on Dec 29, 2017 0:16:50 GMT -5
. . . , We're musicians. . . , <addicts> Cyndy starts asking about short scale electrics. Another friend tells me he thinks he wants and archtop. And in the blink of an eye, I haev 7 guitars on my "watch list" on ebay.
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Post by xyrn on Dec 29, 2017 0:18:47 GMT -5
. . . , We're musicians. . . , <addicts> Pah-tato, poh-tah-toe.
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Post by xyrn on Dec 29, 2017 11:35:57 GMT -5
I think that is your problem. If you have a USB mixer use that to get signal to laptop or get one of these or something similar. link The red device appears to be RCA to USB. I'm looking at Amazon and I see a few options in the $50 range that are interesting. Behringer Xenyx Q502USB $59.99 www.amazon.com/dp/B00CTKI10A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7FMrAbCHQHXPELexicon Alpha 2-Channel Desktop Recording Studio $48 (XLR input on the back) www.amazon.com/dp/B000HVXMNE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZVMrAbE5E5P22BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UM2 $29.99 now, normally $45 www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qLMrAb44BXGR7BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UMC22 $39, looks like an updated version of the previous one www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_R4MrAbGYA4QBDThe first is a mixer with mic preamp and USB output. The others are just 2-line analog to USB interfaces. I still kinda think I need a mixer so I can add in either a backing track or a drum track into the single USB signal to the computer. And I imagine it would be better to have a mixer/interface combined in one unit rather than hooking my existing mixer to an interface - or is that incorrect? The 2-line interface would also allow me to add in add'l signal, as I could run my mixer with the backing and/or drums into the 1/4" line-2 input on the interface. Decisions, decisions...
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Post by Doug on Dec 29, 2017 13:08:44 GMT -5
I used the red Behringer thing till I got a mixer with a USB out. I would never buy another mixer with out a USB out. My current mixer is Peavey PV6-usb but they don't seem to make that any more.
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Post by coachdoc on Dec 29, 2017 14:57:56 GMT -5
Just what Doug said. Behringer has a great series with USB, and compression. Also with built in fx. I recently bought the QX1002USB. It has everything and sounds fantastic. The only thing is its power cord connection is of the old style, not the computer power cord connector. But this thing is a tiny little marvel. Then as you remove one feature and you step down the series, the price goes lower and lower, but you still have those great Xenix preamps. And make sure the USB port is the thing that remains. Happy hunting. Xenix Qx1002usb.
Xenix 802USB
And the tech support from Sweetwater is wonderful. Musicians Friend isn't too far behind. Amazon leaves you out to dry.
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Post by lar on Dec 30, 2017 10:19:16 GMT -5
Just a follow-up to what Doc wrote.
For those of you who haven't had the Sweetwater experience yet, they are a pleasure to deal with. To date every purchased gear purchase, large or small, has included a phone call from my personal Sweetwater rep. He calls to find out if I've received the gear, to ask how I like it, to find out if I have any questions, etc. Every Sweetwater employee I've talked to has been friendly, very knowledgeable, and helpful to a fault. Returns are handled quickly and without hassle. It's a pleasure to work with Sweetwater.
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Post by Marshall on Dec 30, 2017 10:39:08 GMT -5
And Sweetwater sends a bag of candy with each order.
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