Recording guitar/lyrics what type of Mic?

neophyte · Unread post by **neophyte** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:59 pm

I have tried searching on this site but it is hard to get the results im looking for. I record once a week or so and Im using a $20 microphone currently haha, needless to say its lackluster at best. What do you guys use or reccommend to get better sound from by recordings. My guitar is straight acoustic and Im using Audacity currently. Also please advise if said mic will plug into my computer or not?

Thanks for any feedback

RunsWithBuffalo · Unread post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:44 pm

if you dont have any sort of mixer or usb device and are just plugging straight into a computer i would recommend getting a usb condenser microphone like:

this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=273175

or this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=279015

or this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=270033

RunsWithBuffalo · Unread post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:38 pm

if you can swing it financially i would get some sort of preamp/usb device that connects to the computer and then get a good condenser mic like a Rode NT1-A (199, best there is for that price)

For a USB device, I would look at an M-Audio Fast track pro, a Digidesign MBOX 2, or if you are really on a tight budget look into a fast track usb (doesnt have phantom power and wont work with most condensers, but a dynamic mic like an sm57 would be great.)

mangold · Unread post by **mangold** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:19 am

trust in the buff hes a recording demon.

vinestreet98 · Unread post by **vinestreet98** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:11 am

my setup rocks:

Behringer Eurorack UB802 ($40) tape outs -> audio input on my mac

Studio Projects B1 mic ($100) KICKS ASS... plugged into the mixer

that's it

and a mic stand of course.

works fantastic. love my recordings. i can plug my guitar into the mixer too if i want.

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:36 am

This man is correct in recommending Studio Project mics. They are low cost and high quality. I would definitely say that they are the best brand for the money on the market right now. Their large diaphragm mics have a fantastic smoothness.

Check out the selection:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/categor ... o+Projects

neophyte · Unread post by **neophyte** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:56 am

Thanks for the replies!

How do most of these mixers connect to your pc? Via usb?

Also what are the benefits of running a mixer or USB device when recording with a program such as Audacity? Are the mixers and USB devices the same thing?

Sorry Im a newb to recording equipment. Ive only used a very cheap computer microphone thus far...

RunsWithBuffalo · Unread post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:58 pm

most mixers on the cheap end will have to plug into your computer with an rca chord at one end and a headphone jack at the other. The headphone jack will go into the line in on your computer. This means that your computer's soundcard will handle all the information. Depending on the quality of your soundcard this can be good or bad. I find that because the soundcard is within the computer it is subject to a lot of unwanted eletronic noise that is hard to remove while editing.

I recommend getting a usb device because they are very very quiet. however, the way usb works is it bundles information together and sends it in little packets which can cause latency. In other words if you are doing multiple tracks and playing along with a pre existing track in perfect time, in the end, it may sound out of sync. luckily most systems have a way of compensating for this.

There are mixers that have usb connectivity like this one:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=630166

I dont have any experience with this one and i typically dont like alesis so if you have the money, go with a mackie. Otherwise if you are strapped for cash this may be the way to go.

Still, if you are just recording guitar and voice, you really only need two tracks at once so i would still say go with a small usb device and get a good condenser like a Rode NT1-A or as suggested above, the studio projects mics are good for the money.

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:02 pm

Mixers and USB are not the same thing at all. USB will only work if you buy a USB recording interface. I hook my mixer to an aftermarket soundcard I installed (M-Audio Audiophile 2496) on a standard USB cable if I'm going analog-in.

If you don't want to do the USB/Firewire interface thing, or buy a new soundcard, any of the outputs on the mixer can be used to send a stereo feed to your line-in jack on the back of the computer. And you want to use line-in, not mic in because mic-in will overload. Just get the right adapter. You can use guitar cables, RCAs, anything. The adapter to take that down to a 1/8" stereo jack will be available at your local RadioSuck.

neophyte · Unread post by **neophyte** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:34 pm

Ok now it makes more sense. I think I will just go with the M-Audio Fast Track Pro, and what mic for $100-130 bucks would you reccommend? The Studio Projects B1 Mic?

mangold · Unread post by **mangold** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:55 pm

mxl 990 is what i have, its like 60 but i love the thing more than life

neophyte · Unread post by **neophyte** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:49 pm

I just checked it out. Looks pretty nice. Ill decide here pretty soon lol. I have to make a decision so that it can be here for my christmas gift!

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:44 pm

Both of those mics are viable options, and the FastTrack Pro is a good box.

RunsWithBuffalo · Unread post by **RunsWithBuffalo** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:48 pm

Yeah i have the fast track pro and love it. For your price range i would seriously consider teh rode nt1-a for 70 more but i have used the mxl before and gotten great results.

The most important thing is to learn the mic inside and out and figure out how to get the best out of it.

good luck

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:22 pm

Another thing that you will come across with the large diaphragm condensers, and this sounds dumb but I'm sure that it's happened to everyone who used one at one point or another, is that all these of these mics mentioned pick up sound in a cardioid pattern. This means that they are directional, and because the front and the back of these large mics don't really look different, you might end up singing or playing into the wrong side, which will give you terrible response, as the cardioid pattern rejects sound from the back. Usually the front will be the side with the logo if there is no indicator otherwise. Just a small caveat.

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Recording guitar/lyrics what type of Mic?

Recording guitar/lyrics what type of Mic?

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