Trouble getting a good recording sound...

[metallicarocks]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

I'm using the preamp on my Behringer Eurorack mixer. The mic's got some potential, I know it. I just can't put my finger on what I'm doing wrong. I can hear balls, I just can't bring it out. Ya know what I mean? Maybe the amp just needs to be louder, even though it's solid state. It sounds like the mic just isn't capturing the "oomph". Close, but not quite. The direct headphone out has oomph, but not much clarity or body. Just opposite of the SM57. I really don't want to double my recordings, I know the answer is something simple.

I'll get back to you guys when I have more time to mess with it.

[Endrik]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

[ QUOTE ]
I really don't want to double my recordings, I know the answer is something simple.

[/ QUOTE ]

you mean you don't want to overdub?
why?
it's the most essential thing in rock and metal recording.
I would record the same parts even 20 times if I have to [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[metallicarocks]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

I mean I don't want to layer my sounds. I know a lot of bands have done it, but I just don't want to get that complicated on this one. It's just a demo, it doesn't have to be that good right now. I'll go back to it later, it's just not worth taking that much time for every instrument, especially when I've got the rest of the band barking down my back. It's very hard trying to produce your own band. It takes a lot of ego swallowing. I feel like a doctor where the patients are telling him how to do a surgery.

[Newc]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

Tell the band that if they did their parts the way they want then they should have the decency to let you do your the way you want.

As well, learn when "good enough" is good enough.

I've owned an SM57 for years and could never get the sound to tape the way it sounded out of my amp, even when I ran the tape back through the amp to eliminate the possibility of cabinet/speaker voicing (never mind the fact that we always played the tape back through the p.a.).

Finally the drummer let me use his Sennheiser E604 tom mic and I got the sound on tape that was coming out of my cabinet.

[DSS3]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

A 57 slightly off axis, pointed straight the speaker (usually wear the cone meets the rest of it) on a V30 will, IMO, always produce a good tone on tape, for metal.


an i5 will sound even better [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]. It's very, very similar to the 57, but with a smoother and more open top end.

[nor]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

Keep playing with the mic position. 5 degrees of axis (angle of the mic pointing at the speaker) can be the difference between silk and shit. It can take pro engineers hours (in an acousticly treated room with $100k of gear) to find the right position.

You are using an decent mic, and the crappiest mic-pres on Earth (Berenger). Don't expect platinum sounds from that gear. Listen to Newc - sometimes good enough is good enough.

Some things to try...

* A NEW mic cable, as opposed to the one your singer has been twirling for two years.
* A different room, like the bathroom or a room with wood floors.
* Different room positions.
* Point the amp at the wall, with the mic in the middle.
* Borrow a better mixer or mic-pre, Berenger is cheap for a reason.

Good luck!

[metallicarocks]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

The mixer is actually, IMHO, very good for anything else. I can't comment on the mic preamps as this is the only mic I've ever plugged into it. It is very quiet, and I think competes very well against mixers in its price level. The reason why I think it's so cheap is that it doesn't look like it'll take a knock.

What kind of mic preamps would you suggest? I'm open to a multi channel or just a single, it really doesn't matter too much, they have their pros and cons.

If shitty preamps is the only problem this mixer has (which is all I could detect), then I'd have a really pretty fuckin' kick ass setup with a deticated mic preamp. Yeah, maybe it's basic and doesn't have a whole shitload of features to wipe my ass for me, but for what it has on it, it fuckin' kills. I've used a countless peavey mixers and a couple Nady mixers and they were pretty shitty. I've even used a small Mackie that I think this thing comes close to, soundwise. I'd sooner throw the Mackie across the room than this though, those Mackies look like tanks!

[DSS3]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

Dude, trust me, the mixer isn't good. It'll add a ton of extra hiss and crap to your records... I just experienced that with mine today. I now run a VTB-1 mic pre into my PODxt set to amp-bypass, sounds infinitely better.

I highly recommend the VTB-1, or get a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro. Awesome mixers, very nice pre's.

May have already been asked, but what interface are you using to get from the mixer to the PC? In other words, what soundcard? Also, what speaker are you trying to mic up?

[metallicarocks]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

I think the soundcard's just a soundblaster. I've got an RCA to 1/8" adapter. Trying to mic up the speaker on my SpiderII for a more natural sound. Going out from the headphone just sounds very... dry. Very unrealistic. I need some room acoustics!

[ QUOTE ]
Dude, trust me, the mixer isn't good. It'll add a ton of extra hiss and crap to your records

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if it's putting in any hiss, it's very minimal. I can't hear any at all. The setup is very clean. I'll post a soundclip tomorrow. It's 4:00am right now, so slightly impractical. Man, for a $150 mixer it kicks ass. I'm not expecting a platinum sound out of it, but it does a good job. I know I can get better than what I've got out of my gear, I just can't get my finger on it. I can hear that it's down in there somewhere, I just need to grab it.

Right now my mixes sound like "The Principle of Evil Made Flesh", a very old Cradle of Filth album. The guitars are pretty thin, and sound like they just aren't quite there. Argh, hard to explain. Soundclip will reveal more.

Until then...

[DSS3]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

Well I'll tell you what, that soundcard is going to destroy your sound. Pick up something like an M-Audio 2496, or upgrade to an Mbox. Way better converters!

I hooked my mixer up yesterday like this...

2496 output to tape in, tape out to 2496 input. Speakers connect to the mixer "main out," preamp plugged into one of the mono channels.

So much hiss, the vocal tracks were unuseable.

[nor]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

What model of Behringer Eurorack are you using?

[DSS3]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

I was using the MX602A, I'd like to know what he's using as well.

[metallicarocks]

Re: Trouble getting a good recording sound...

My model is very similar I would imagine, it's the 1604A. I don't get any hiss at all. Are you sure it's not the preamp you're using?

Anyway, I sat down and recorded some stuff. It's not too bad, probably as good as I'll get the sound.

http://onlinerock.com/musicians/meta...llowedsm57.mp3