OK. So I seem to be at the point where I think I need a microphone. I would like to record the sound from my amp and it doesn't sound so good going from the amp output into the computer. I think the best bet is to use a microphone placed in front of the speaker. The ideal would be a mic I could be used with both the computer and my camera, and both have a mini jack connection, so I assume that would be no problem.
So, to the question. I really don't want to spend more than I need, but I don't know how much I do need to spend to get something that will give quite realistic sound. I also don't know what to look out for and what to avoid. Can I get a second hand one on eBay and if so what should I be searching for? Any help would be very welcome, bearing in mind my financially challenged state at the moment.
Thanks in advance.
John
Replies
Alright guys, I added some stuff on mics to the recording tutorial section in the recording group. I am not done, but its a start. I want to add a couple of pics, maybe screen shots too.
Heres the portion that I feel is relevent to Johns original post:
Some time ago I picked up a Samson Go-Mic for about $40, which uses a USB connection to go directly into the computer. Most serious studio engineers will scoff at a USB mic, but again, it serves its purpose for portability and compactness. In its case it is small enough to hide in one hand! I threw it in my laptop bag and use it occasionally to capture some sound samples and such. Last year I used it to record my dad strumming his acoustic and singing some old country songs, sounds great!
I found it to have virtually plug and play simplicity and very good sound. I quickly learned to get it away from my laptop so I didnt record its humming. In fact it needs to be isolated from it by not setting it on the same table too! I used it to record something a few nights ago as an unrelated experiment, and noticed I could hear the refrigerator hum two rooms away, the quiet crackle of fire in my wood stove, with my headphones on I can hear traffic sounds well out front of my house! Its a pretty hot little mic!
It was during this little experiment the other night that I learned something else. I knew it has a headphone output, and had read that it could be used for low latency monitoring. I had assumed this meant it monitored input directly, I never previously considered it might allow monitoring the mix as I played along.....
Thats right. Low latency monitoring, no interface! Heres what I found. With the mic plugged in I went into my DAW preferences, and had the option of using my sound card speakers or the Samson USB mic as my output. When I went and armed a track for recording, I had the available option of the soundcard mic input, or the Samson mic as a source. Heres where it got weird. Usually when using an interface you select "monitor incoming signal." but when I selected that I got severe latency, as it apparently tryed to process the incoming signal from the mic through the DAW and then send it back to the mic's headphone output. But unchecking the "monitor incoming signal" selection eliminated the latency! The only drawback, is that you must monitor a "dry" mic signal, with none of the DAW's effects or processing, which is a manageable solution, though when playing guitar for example, playing with some effects can change the way you play somewhat. But if you are recording your amp, this might be a good solution!
I have since then seen a few other USB mics with headphone monitoring capabilitys. I saw an MXL outfit at Target' of all places last weekend that had a mic, headphones, cables and I believe it had a basic recording software too, (A "light" Cakewalk product maybe? I dont recall.) all for only about $70! (MXL is a division of Marshall by the way)
John, and all who are here.I think we need a seperate group. -----{What are you using)-- Some king of group to share recording gear with others. I am new to recording and need to spend money that would rather keep..I have 5 mikes ,one is an AKG comparable with an Sm58, two midpriced and one cheap, all work well with my amp but I never put them into my PC. My stepson is a musician and his drummer uses one of the same midpriced mikes I have , It is an Audio Tecnica I bought 4 of these from Musicians Friend and gave him 2. It is not a instrument mike but works well. I had to buy adaptors to plug into my amp for all of my mikes because I still use an old tube amp with 1/4 inch jacks. So you have to keep that stuff in mind when buying something. Also you need an interface to record to your computer and have it sound right . I was told the best starter interface for the money is something like the ALPHA made by Lexicon. $69 at most places.
I am in the same boat as you when it comes to spending money , If I buy something I want to get something that will do more than one job.if possible. If you start a group we might learn what works and what to avoid.
I read the other replies and they know what they are talking about so the only advice I can offer is if you find something that works, buy 2 of them because if it is any good at all they will stop making them.
Instead of starting a group, I think that would make a good discussion thread at http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/cbnationrecordingcollective
It fits right in with what we are trying to do there.
Mark
Ok, Mark good idea, I'll take a walk over there. Are you going to start a thread? I am wary of recording on my new laptop so need some help.(I almost lost a good PC that restarted while updating and tried to boot from an MP3 player that was on charge in the usb port).
Any help you can give is welcome, I can't spend a lot right now but can afford the basics.
Hey Joe!
My primary goal there has been to
1: get people to try recording, collaborating and learning together, and
2: sharing their knowledge of what works, tips, creative ideas. Its wide open!
I personally would love it if people would not only post their recorded efforts, but to share how they did it and what equipment they used. Since there is an especially strong interest in low buck/lo-fi jug band/home made music here, it would just make sense!
As long as the topic is general recording tips and techniques, equipment tips and recommendations would also fit right in as responses to the recording tutorial discussion I started building last week. If you want to start an individual thread on something more specific, thats fine, but maybe we should be mindful that every new discussion bumps one down, so if the topic is being discussed or presented in another thread, maybe keeping it there would be best? JMO, and just a thought. Hey ya'll, come check it out!
Mark
Mark, Thanks much. I will read the other threads and learn what I can from them, Then ask questions The only recording I have ever done was with a tape recorder . We used to record then play it back on another recorder and record another track with it.--- Sllllllooowww process.
Many thanks to all of you.
I'm not sure yet, but you may just have cured me of my misconception that I needed a microphone. I have woken the moths inside my wallet and they are certainly of the opinion that I really don't need one and that I was just being very silly in thinking it might be useful.
Seriously I think this is more expense and complexity than I need at this stage. In comparison with some other things like improving my making and playing, recording is really not as important. It is likely to be something that I tackle in a year or three. I will probably shelve the idea for the moment. Sorry to get you all going like that and I do appreciate the effort you have made in giving advice.
All the best and thanks again.
John
No worries. I've been where you are. It took me about 15 years to be able to afford the one SM58 I do own and use, and another 10 before I decided to pick up an SM57. I went through the whole dynamic / condenser, powered versus phantom powered, etc., thing, numerous times over those years; sometimes the issue was financial, but more often it was "do I really need this, or do I just want it?" and the answer, ultimately, was that I only made the purchase after I recognized an actual need, and I had the wherewithal to satisfy it.
That said, Mark's points are also well taken. And there's nothing wrong with learning about a subject, especially one as technically deep as this one, in preparation for the day when you actually need the info.
Also also wik, your current video recordings ably capture your tone and technique; very very few of us are possessed, like my friend 3 blocks away who is a geophysical guru by day and a pro-level sound and recording engineer by night, of $50 K of premium equipment, who has converted 1/4 of his house into a studio! It may be useful to remember that, as technically sophisticated with our computers, cameras, etc., as we are, we're still listening to scratchy old recordings of relatively simple music in an attempt to have that mojo rub off on us, and trying to play similarly on pretty darn simple instruments.
All of which is merely to say, your vid recordings are just fine, because most of your tone is in your heart and fingers, anyway. YOU will shine through whatever media separate us physically from you, and hi or lo fi won't matter nearly so much as whether your musical efforts touch the hearts of your listeners.
Well Oily kind of put a lot in perspective with his dead on point that your videos have been very good, no major need to break a tight budget improving anything there!
As I said I do have something interesting on the computer mic side though, I will post it as soon as I have time to put a presentation of sorts together.
Mark
Hi Oily.
Thanks for this reply and the very flattering comments. The question really came about for two reasons. I have used my Canon EOS 5D MkII for recording videos. It is often stated that the recording quality of the built-in mic isn't that good and it has been my intention to look for an upgrade, but it hasn't been a priority.
The more immediate impetus came when I tried to record sound to the computer from the latest guitar. Previously I have felt that I got the best results by playing into my MicroCube and attaching that to the Mac and recording to Garage Band. For some reason this guitar doesn't like the MicroCube, and the MicroCube seems to feel much the same about the guitar. With the amp plugged into the computer the result isn't great. Going directly to the computer isn't great either. I really like the sound of the guitar through my Kustom amp on the clean channel, but it the external speaker output doesn't do well with the 'puter. And that was where the idea came that I should mic from the amp to the computer. Probably what I will do it use the camera and just convert the video to audio only for the moment.
Thanks again.
John
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