Subject:general information
Posted by: equinoxx
Date:11/8/2002 12:18:47 AM
I am upgrading to Acid 4.0 soon, but I still have questions about what kinds of external devices or audio plug-ins to buy to enhance vocal recording for Acid products. I have keyboards, guitars and other instruments that I plug in and they record fine, but when it comes to using a microphone and recording vocals directly into my pc, I don't have a clear and crisp sound like I want. I mix the sounds as well as I can, but I still feel that even if I upgrade to the Acid 4.0 and keep Soundforge and all other Sonic products, I will eventually need to buy an external recording device for vocals. Does anyone have any recommendations? Give me some feedback, Aaron |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: equinoxx
Date:11/8/2002 12:21:28 AM
Or, how may users just use their pc as their complete studio? What upgrades have you had to make to your pc? How's the vocal output and the overall sound results? |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: MoreK
Date:11/8/2002 12:44:59 AM
The whole chain might be: mic-->pre-amp-->mix board-->soundcard-->Acid-->effects/processors-->mastering IMO microphone & sound card are the most important parts of the chain. They create the raw material for your master piece. With a proper mic/soundcard you have much less to work and worry in the later steps. I don't use any mic pre-amp, but if did more vocal and other acoustic recording I certainly would purchase one. However you get somewhat similar results processing the vocal track with dynamics and amp plug-ins. Mastering the whole track WILL add clearness and crispiness to your song. It affects all elements in your track: vocals, instruments, drums.... I use iZotope Ozone for that purposes. It contains six different modules in one: multi-band dynamics, EQ, exciter, loudness, reverb and stereo image processors. For example exciter emphasises harmonics in higher frequences --> it's better than EQ in a way that it makes high frequencies to "sing" or "sparkle". - MoreK - |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: JAB
Date:11/8/2002 11:12:32 AM
BBE sonic maximizer is a great little tool for added clarity. It is available in plugin form or hardware. |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: glyptic
Date:11/8/2002 3:45:29 PM
Definately the Mic and Soundcard and most important. But if you have to pick one or the other, I would say Mic first then sound card. If you have a great sound card and a lousy mic, it will still sound lousy. Even a cheap condensor mic will improve sound over many stage/performance mics. You don't need an expensive mic to make something sound good. |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: groovewerx
Date:11/8/2002 4:24:33 PM
he shoulndt have to pick one or the other...its gonna take both so why put it off? |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: DjXSoundz
Date:11/8/2002 7:33:17 PM
When i started, i used Beta58's stage mics to a TASCAM 4-track for a mic pre and then went to my sound card. Eventually you will find that a cheap BEHRINGER mixer with mice preamps will sound great if you buy a simple effects machine. the answer is really a little reverb and some eq. ACID does have reverb, but i dont recomend it. Now i have a Shure KSM27 Studio Condenser mic (sounds great only $300!) to a Beringher MXB1002 (FX chain - Lexicon Alex Reverb) and then my ECHO MIA card. I guess you can get away for a while with sage mics and soundblasters but, the mic preamp and reverb is that important. btw, i'd use iZototype, but it costs $230. DJ XSOUNDZ |
Subject:RE: general information
Reply by: equinoxx
Date:11/11/2002 2:02:32 PM
Thanks for the information |
Subject:More info
Reply by: equinoxx
Date:11/11/2002 3:12:53 PM
What I'm hearing is that I need to make sure I have a good microphone and soundcard to get good vocal output when recording into acid 3.0/4.0; does anyone recommend any upgrades for the following: Sure SM58 microphone and soundblaster pci512 soundcard? I'm new at this. I'm used to recording in a friends studio, but I felt it was time to do things on my own. help me out. |
Subject:RE: More info
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:11/12/2002 1:22:58 PM
That's a pretty good mic to start with. You should have a good mic preamp and preferably a good soundcard to match it all up. Sound Blaster cards are historically noisy. For example, you can run the Shure mic into a mixer and then output the mixer to the soundcard. You could also consider something such as M-Audio's USB Duo, which not only acts as a mic preamp but also can also act as an external soundcard or as a standalone A/D converter. (Edirol makes one too.) HTH, Iacobus |
Subject:RE: More info
Reply by: FilthyK
Date:11/12/2002 5:28:17 PM
I have a similiar question . . . what apps are you all using to monitor fx added to external inputs in real time? I found a Xlutop Chainer that will play VSTi's and chain fx into the vocal chain, but is there anything else out there? BTW, put real-time fx monitoring of external inputs on my Acid 5.0 Wishlist . . . Layyyter . . . |