Quiet vocals: gain all the way up

[CDR]

I just got an M-Audio ProjectMix I/O, and I'm new to recording and very new to recording vocals.

I plugged an SM-58 into the ProjectMix, but the volume was extremely low. I had to turn the gain all the way up and the singer had to sing extremely close to the mic for us to get a decent signal.

What can I do?

[Brendo]

SM58's not a high sensitivity mic by any means. Gain ALL the way up, you say?

[malice]

Even if the 58 is not delivering a lot of signal, close miking should have delivered enough gain for any preamp I can think of.

Since you are new to the game of recording I might ask you basic question like :

1) are you using the XLR input
2) isn't the input switch to line level ( some line input have a gain over 20db or so to suit synth output for instance, that would fit this scenario pretty well, no ? )

malice

[otek]

Forgive me if I am wrong here, but didn't you ask this question in another thread already?

In any case, if you are close-miking, I bet you there is some other problem with your gain scheduling.


otek

[Shotgun]

2) isn't the input switch to line level ( some line input have a gain over 20db or so to suit synth output for instance, that would fit this scenario pretty well, no ? )

malice


I 2nd this guess.

[otek]

1) are you using the XLR input
2) isn't the input switch to line level

I 2nd this guess.

The line switch on the ProjectMix actually selects between line and mic input - it doesn't pad the mic input signal.

So if CDR for some inexplicable and wholly counter-intuitive reason opted to use an XLR-to-Tele cable into the Tele line input instead of the readily available XLR on the back panel, yeah, that could be a culprit for sure.

Though my money is on the Project Mix control panel.


otek

[pounce]

yup, it's gonna be some weird setting.

as a live sound guy, i get to see a LOT of sm58's. i don't think i have the gain up higher than about half way on any channel strip in any mixer i use a 58 on. i would follow the advice given here, use a nice xlr cable, plug it into the right place, put up the gain about half way, and check all your settings. all of that done properly should have you in the ballpark gain wise.

[Spock]

I have a small M-Audio unit I use at home. I noticed that with a SM58 I had to turn it up a lot more than I would have thought. Cable is fine, input set to mic, pad not turned on. Same thing with a SM57.

Maybe the M-Audio units just don't have that much gain.

[Brendo]

It's the same thing with my mbox, I have to turn SM57's up pretty high, that's why I was asking if he meant ALL the way, or just "fairly high"...

[CDR]

The gain is all the way up.

I'm using XLR, and it's set on the mic input.

I get a lot of fuzz.. probably because the gain is all the way up?

How do I get rid of the fuzz?

[otek]

I get a lot of fuzz.. probably because the gain is all the way up?

How do I get rid of the fuzz?

[Man in car, doing 130 miles per hour on the interstate, is thinking placidly to himself: "Man, it's getting hard to keep this vehicle on the road. Must be because I have the gas pedal depressed all the way. I wonder how I get my car under control?"]

:D


I am positive your gain staging is wrong. That was my initial guess three days ago, as well.

In practical terms, your gain on the mic pre is too high (as many have already guessed), and your gain subsequently in the signal chain (likely in the digital domain) is too low. This is causing distortion, probably before your AD conversion, while your recorded levels are still way below zero.

Do you have the proper settings on the ProjectMix control panel?

[Brendo]

fuzz or buzz?

[CDR]

My settings are the same.

Yeah, a buzz.

You're right.. my gain is all the way up, and I know this is what is creating the buzz. If I don't have the gain all the way up though, I can't hear the singer. He's here right now.. so we'll see if something changes.

[otek]

If I don't have the gain all the way up though, I can't hear the singer. He's here right now.. so we'll see if something changes.


Dude. Snap out of it.


Seriously, I'm not joking. You have to get out of ignoramus mode. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

It seems that all people have posten in reply so far has been summarily ignored, either because you don't understand what we are talking about, or because you didn't bother to read them carefully.

So pay attention willya, or this is gonna be like pulling teeth.


First things first. Learn about signal flow.


Your MONITOR levels, i.e. what you are listening to, are only partly related to your input gain levels. Just because you can't hear the singer, doesn't mean you should crank your input levels to distortion. That's bad gain staging. Bad, bad, bad.

Your first objective is to set levels going into your box, that do not distort any part of the signal. Watch your meters. Yeah, those thingies on the control surface that tell you what your levels are. Watch them in your software too, for good measure. You should ideally be getting plenty of headroom (level to go before hitting 0 dB, which is the highest possible level in digital audio.)

With me so far? Ok, moving along.

What you are talking about when you are saying your singer can't hear himself is monitor levels, in other words, the levels of things going out of your box as opposed to going into them.

If your gain levels going into the box are as high as you can safely make them without causing distortion, and you are not getting enough level, you need to make your outputs louder. The faders you see in the software control the levels of the already recorded tracks, as they're going out of the box and to your speakers or headphones. You also probably have some kind of input monitoring for the actual vocal signal (or whatever it is you are recording).

If you can't make your vocals loud enough in comparison to the music, you have to make the music softer inside the DAW, maintain the same level on the vocals, and crank the headphones or monitors instead. If it's still not loud enough, you have to throw a compressor on the lead vocal track (see earlier posts) and compress the vocal to increase the apparent loudness. If it's STILL not loud enough, then you will have to get a better headphone preamp, or bigger monitor speakers, or better yet, tell the singer to get his ears examined.

Because if you do this correctly, you should be able to get PLENTY of level from your setup.

This is your first step from "we'll see if something changes", a.k.a. "I have no clue what I'm doing", to actually being able to actively do something about your situation.

Read carefully. Ask more questions. And post in such a way as to indicate that you have read previous posts.


Thanks, and good luck.


otek

[CDR]

You're completely wrong. I'm afraid you are the one not reading the posts.

I figured out the problem.. thanks anyway.

[Spock]

I figured out the problem.. thanks anyway.


And the problem was........

[vocalnick]

You're completely wrong. I'm afraid you are the one not reading the posts.

Mate, when someone who knows a lot more than you goes out of their way to impart some knowledge, the generally accepted response would be along the lines of "thank you", as opposed to "fuck you".

[archtop]

Buzz, fuzz, gain all the way up.
If Otek is not right. Rare, lets just what if here.


I'll take "Bad cord" for $200

[otek]

You're completely wrong. I'm afraid you are the one not reading the posts.


With all due respect,



What exactly am I wrong about? What part of which post did I miss?



otek

[Tim Halligan]

Buzz, fuzz, gain all the way up.
If Otek is not right. Rare, lets just what if here.


I'll take "Bad cord" for $200

Yep. I'm thinking the same thing.


Maybe someone (hint hint) should write a "Basic Troubleshooting 101" stylee sticky...


:lol:


Cheers,
Tim

[Shotgun]

I just got an M-Audio ProjectMix I/O, and I'm new to recording and very new to recording vocals.

I plugged an SM-58 into the ProjectMix, but the volume was extremely low. I had to turn the gain all the way up and the singer had to sing extremely close to the mic for us to get a decent signal.

What can I do?


Translated into English...
Dear Audio Message Board guys:
Hello, my name is sisterfucker and I had a couple hunnert extra bux sitting around from last week's blowjobs and I figured, "Hey, why not buy an EMBOCKS and be a REKORDER-KID?" Well, stellar idea there skidmark, stellar idea.


You see, what your cotton-picking problem is, is you aren't even smart enough to know how to ask a question. What the fart do you mean by "to get a decent signal"? Is it not looking right on the meters? Is it not loud enough in your headphones? Is it not pointy enough in the waveform view? WHAT?

Otek answered your question just fine. If you can't hear the signal, that is, if it's not DECENT (what...is it exposing its midriff?) TURN IT THE HELL UP ON THE OUTPUT NOT THE INPUT YOU STINKING FETUS! Fetus...that's newer than n00b.

Anyway, the man answered your question, but you...you with your shining, gleaming new embocks and your singer-in-the-hand-is-worth-two-on-the-womb attitude, you with your exemplary troubleshooting skills and superior knowledge of gain staging and signal routing, you obviously felt the need to point out to the STUNNING SWEDE that he couldn't read a post.

Well then, genius, why don't you enlighten us as to what amazing audio anomaly was the real and rightful cause of your recording riddle? Put us in our places, and prepare to point us in the proper direction for perfection you putrid, pus-skinned puddle of pre-pubescent ham-flavored picklemilk!

In short, you disgust me. I loathe you. Your fetid existence lends nothing but malodorous malaise and malefaction to mother earth herself and she is ashamed of you. Quite frankly your only chance for redemption of your soul is to pray for gravity to momentarily fail in your general vicinity such that your only recourse is to recline and repose while you float gently and irreparably upward towards certain annihilation in the black emptiness of space where no longer can you retch and heave your vile sputum upon the countenance of the online chatting infoweb boulevard of information.

Love always,
Your friend Shotgun

[CDR]

You see, what your cotton-picking problem is, is you aren't even smart enough to know how to ask a question. What the fart do you mean by "to get a decent signal"? Is it not looking right on the meters? Is it not loud enough in your headphones? Is it not pointy enough in the waveform view? WHAT?

Otek answered your question just fine. If you can't hear the signal, that is, if it's not DECENT (what...is it exposing its midriff?) TURN IT THE HELL UP ON THE OUTPUT NOT THE INPUT YOU STINKING FETUS! Fetus...that's newer than n00b.

Anyway, the man answered your question, but you...you with your shining, gleaming new embocks and your singer-in-the-hand-is-worth-two-on-the-womb attitude, you with your exemplary troubleshooting skills and superior knowledge of gain staging and signal routing, you obviously felt the need to point out to the STUNNING SWEDE that he couldn't read a post.

Well then, genius, why don't you enlighten us as to what amazing audio anomaly was the real and rightful cause of your recording riddle? Put us in our places, and prepare to point us in the proper direction for perfection you putrid, pus-skinned puddle of pre-pubescent ham-flavored picklemilk!

In short, you disgust me. I loathe you. Your fetid existence lends nothing but malodorous malaise and malefaction to mother earth herself and she is ashamed of you. Quite frankly your only chance for redemption of your soul is to pray for gravity to momentarily fail in your general vicinity such that your only recourse is to recline and repose while you float gently and irreparably upward towards certain annihilation in the black emptiness of space where no longer can you retch and heave your vile sputum upon the countenance of the online chatting infoweb boulevard of information.

Love always,
Your friend Shotgun


Hey, let's go into a music forum and make fun of the new guy.

I'm not smart enough to ask a question.. but I sure can spell a lot better than others.

I won't bother to critique your post.. you have low enough self esteem as it is.



Otek, you tell me how I don't listen.. which doesn't make sense. What's the point of me asking questions in a forum if I'm not even going to read the responses?

I read all the responses.. and not until afterward does anyone say anything about a bad mic cable. It turns out we had two bad mic cables.

[kwiksilver]

Everyone should own a cable tester. Not necessarily a Behringer but it's inexpensive and it works.

You would have saved yourself a lot of time and trouble.

[Tim Halligan]

Shotgun...


*sniff*


...it's so good to have you back.


(No...I'm ok...just got something in my eye...really...)


*sniff*


Cheers,
Tim

[otek]

Otek, you tell me how I don't listen.. which doesn't make sense. What's the point of me asking questions in a forum if I'm not even going to read the responses?

I read all the responses.. and not until afterward does anyone say anything about a bad mic cable. It turns out we had two bad mic cables.


CDR,


they say it's the way you ask the question that determines the quality of the answer.

The gist of my post was to illuminate the fact that you described your problem in a way that didn't clue me in to the real cause of it (and took 2 pages for those who got it before me). It's kind of like the old urban legend about the guy who called tech support about his computer screen gone dark. After playing 20 questions for a long time, the support guy was made aware that there was a power outage where the guy was, and it hadn't occurred to the caller that computers run on electricity.

The other thing is that the focus of your post has been shifting throughout: First, it was low recording levels, then at some point it became "fuzz", which subsequently changed to "buzz", and then finally, it was about you not hearing yourselves.

It's quite frustrating to try and help with a problem when the problem mutates along the way, and you're never clued in to the real symptoms, or the conditions under which the problem occurs.

Online "trouble shooting" can be the equivalent of brain surgery by phone. I am not psychic. I do what I can.


Cheers,

otek

[Shotgun]

... but I sure can spell a lot better than others.

I won't bother to critique your post.. you have low enough self esteem as it is.

No, please, do go on....

[Brendo]

You're completely wrong. I'm afraid you are the one not reading the posts.

I figured out the problem.. thanks anyway.

why is this guy still green while i'm 1.6 million in the red?

[frnjplayer]

why is this guy still green while i'm 1.6 million in the red?

He hasn't inspired anyone enough to even bother?
YAAWWWWNNNNN.:Confused:

[Fulcrum]

Damn, I missed Troll-Feeding Time again?

OP, I would work on my people skills if I were you. You got some very good answers in this and the other thread you foisted upon us, all of which you ignored, and when you (claimed to have) solved the problem you didn't even have the fucking courtesy to tell us how you did it until you were pressed.

That you received an answer at all is a courtesy that I think may not be extended to you again until you prove that you can interact with others from a position of actually wanting to listen to their answers, and can formulate your initial question more accurately than you did.

And here's something else to stuff in your pipe and smoke. English is Otek's second, if not third, language, and he can form a more cogent thought in it than you can in your first language. And you have the balls to claim that he's not reading the posts correctly? I'll put his English comprehension skills up against yours any day of the week-- given that the problem is stated clearly and accurately.

[HOOK]

What's the point of me asking questions in a forum if I'm not even going to read the responses?

Well, that one only you can answer....


I read all the responses.. and not until afterward does anyone say anything about a bad mic cable. It turns out we had two bad mic cables.

If you ask a question about why your car aint starting, everyone would expect you to actually sit inside your car while trying and that you have filled her up, whouldn´t they?

If everything should be taken into the equation then oTek should have asked you if you had plugged the mic into the Mbox and if the mic was broken if USB cable was conected and not broken etc etc and I´m quite sure that you would not have liked that either...

BTW how is my spelling? :Roll eyes:

Don´t give up on the guys dwelling in the womb, the combined knowledge is endless IF you ask your questions right....otherwise you can as well shout in the forest for knowledge....

There are alot of sidekicks here but no psychics

HOOK

[CDR]

So who hasn't chimed in their worthless post in this thread yet?

[otek]

CDR,


Before this gets all defensive and tied up in a knot, can we take a step back to the actual (audio) discussion?

Several people, myself included, have asked you what the problem was and how you solved it. Might you enlighten us?

There may also be other factors that play into this. Are you certain, for example, that the "faulty" cables weren't simply speaker cables, and thus unshielded? You would not be the first one to make that mistake.

If we can bring this up and examine it, then maybe everyone can benefit and learn from what is being said, instead of promoting the feeling that we are here only as a lowly support service for personal hobby endavors?


Cheers,

otek

[CDR]

My mistake to post here thinking professionals could help with a problem a beginner like me was having.

I see now that you receive the most recognition from the most shit you talk.


You and a select few have really helped me with things Otek. Up until the childish name calling of course.





We had a mic, two mic cables, the mixer and the monitors.

Plugged in the mic to the mic cable, and the mic cable into the mixer.
Pushed the button to change it to the MIC setting.
Pushed the button to turn Phantom Power on.
Tried talking into the mic while turning the gain up.. nothing.. nothing.. nothing.. finally with the gain all the way up, we finally can hear something. We record it.. it's way too low.
We try the same thing again.. still too low.

We change the mic cable. Do the same thing. Still too low.

Well, I don't know what to do guys.. perhaps these pros in this forum I know about can help me out, they seem to know their shit, and can probably give me an easy answer no problem. So we say fuck it for now, and we turn the track up to just make it louder.. and that's when we hear the awful buzz or fuzz (sorry, I don't know the technical term).

A couple days later we buy a new mic cable, try it out, and viola.




Who says there's no such thing as a stupid question?

[Brendo]

If you're insinuating that there's no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers...

Firstly, your question lacked detail.

Buzz generally refers to a continuous BZZZZZZ sound.

Fuzz is distortion - like the guitar fuzz effect. Square wave distortion.

You could have described the symptom if you didn't know the name for it. "Hey, my signal is weak and I get a bzzzz sound" would have made everyone suspect the cable straight away, as opposed to the way you did go about it - it was like you were doing a striptease, but instead of revealing skin, revealing individual symptoms of your problem.

When you eventually solved the problem, you didn't come back and say "Thanks everyone, but it was a bad mic cable!"... you came back and accused our moderators of being unable to read or comprehend simple english.

"No, you're wrong".

What, were you trying to rub it in? "Hey, I know something you don't know!"

Fucking hell.

Nobody here is a mindreader.

Nobody I know, anyway.

You were constantly rude to anyone who tried to help, and didn't even have the common fucking courtesy to thank people or tell them that you had solved the problem or what the problem was in the end.

Also, if you've got two bad cables, you need to take better care of your equipment. Do you know how to over-under wrap a cable?

And FWIW, I'm no pro, but you have a horrible fucking attitude for someone starting out.

[CDR]

So who hasn't chimed in their worthless post in this thread yet?

Oh, Brendo.






You were constantly rude to anyone who tried to help, and didn't even have the common fucking courtesy to thank people or tell them that you had solved the problem or what the problem was in the end.


I was never rude to anyone who helped. I only returned the rudeness.

And because you said that, I had to go back through my posts.. and out of the 20 some posts I have, I found at least 7 thank yous.

Also, I think you're the third one to post something about mind reading. I could've gotten deeper into my question if someone would've asked.. but instead I'm called names for not listening.

I described the problem the best I knew how at the moment with the information I knew at the time, I'm sorry I didn't devulge my emotions at the time and what I was wearing. I posted afterward saying that there was fuzz.. because I just found the fuzz.. I guess when I found it, I forgot the real term was "buzz."

Why do I have the horrible attitude? I'm not posting shit about you in a thread you started.

[Brendo]

He's here right now.. so we'll see if something changes.

You're completely wrong. I'm afraid you are the one not reading the posts.

I figured out the problem.. thanks anyway.

And the problem was........

Where was the rudeness prior to this point?

I would say that saying "let's see if something changes" is disrespectful, if not rude to the people who gave suggestions... as if you weren't listening to them. And then your response to Ola's post, saying he was "completely wrong" - but you did not say what the problem actually WAS.

This forum does not exist to teach people skills but that's what this thread feels like.

[CDR]

He tells me I'm ignoring everyone and not bothering to read posts for some reason.. even though I answer everyone's questions. Turn the monitor volumes up, you don't have to have all the gain up.. you're in ignaramous mode.

In all of these ways, he was completely wrong.

I listened to everyone's advice, I tried things that I thought of trying, I asked the questions I thought of asking. I answered everyone's questions.

Of course I'm going to treat people the same way I'm being treated.


However, I like Otek. Like I've been saying, he's helped me a lot.

People like you seem to be the ones not reading posts.

[Brendo]

Point is as soon as we got a full description of the problem (gain all the way up, signal weak, buzz) people immediately started to work it out:

Buzz, fuzz, gain all the way up. I'll take "Bad cord" for $200

Yep. I'm thinking the same thing.

Maybe someone (hint hint) should write a "Basic Troubleshooting 101" stylee sticky...

[archtop]

I'm reminded of the line from
"The Borrowers"

where an English policeman (A Bobby?)
says to John Goodman.

"Common Courtesy is the glue that
binds society together"

[otek]

He tells me I'm ignoring everyone and not bothering to read posts for some reason.. even though I answer everyone's questions. Turn the monitor volumes up, you don't have to have all the gain up.. you're in ignaramous mode.

In all of these ways, he was completely wrong.

I would tend to disagree with you there. All the things I said was sound advice (no pun intended), though it was based on insufficient data.

In principle, even though this didn't seem to be the culprit in this particular case, cranking up the input levels further because you don't have sufficient monitor levels is a really bad practice, because you need to maintain gain structure on the input side. And that was what you suggested in your post, hence my reaction.

Also in principle, with regards to mic levels, you should never have to crank any preamp to the max. If you do, then there is some serious problem with the signal path. Mics are designed to provide sufficient signal for this never to be a necessity, and preamps don't really spec that well when they're driven to the limits.

I listened to everyone's advice, I tried things that I thought of trying, I asked the questions I thought of asking. I answered everyone's questions.

Almost. You failed to address anything regarding the Project Mix software control panel. Other than faulty cables, problems like this are usually caused by faulty gain staging. Which is why I brought it up.

There were some pretty heavy-handed non sequiturs in your way of reasoning, which lead me to believe you were engaged in a number of faulty practices. The "Ignoramus" comment was intended to shake you up a little and make you pay attention.

Problems like these are notoriously hard to troubleshoot online because rarely does one get all the facts straight. If I'd been there, I would probably have found the faulty cable inside of 5 seconds.





Now, if all of you would stop squabbling and get back to the discussion at hand!!! :very happy: :Twisted: :Razz: :Coolio: :D


otek

[bbkong]

Gotta love the entertainment around here.


So, CDR, goober, how many mic cords do you have now?

That work?

Nevermind, let's not stress your math skills.


Do this:

Throw away the ones that fucked up. Snip the ends off and put them away in case you ever pick up some soldering skills.

Now go get yet another set of new cables so if this happens again you'll know to LOOK FOR THE BASIC MALFUNCTION before you go sniveling in an audio forum about yer fuckin Mbox.

Next, get one of these (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CT6-6Way-Cable-Tester?sku=338003).
You'll be the hero on your block by demonstrating your technical prowess and insight into all things electronic.


Now go tell your band director you got your dick slapped by a bunch of mean old pros who didn't like your attitude.


Oh, I forgot to mention: RTFM. Works like a charm.

[kwiksilver]

Next, get one of these (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CT6-6Way-Cable-Tester?sku=338003).
You'll be the hero on your block by demonstrating your technical prowess and insight into all things electronic.


Oh, I forgot to mention: RTFM. Works like a charm.

I would hope he got the message (http://womb.mixerman.net/showthread.php?p=36033#post36033) the first time around.

Different product-same results-whatever works.

RTFT. :lol: :Razz:











couldn't resist..................

[John Suitcase]

Wow, it's funny how the written word can turn into an argument so fast!

I think we should cut the new guy some slack, he is obviously just learning, and isn't fully up to speed on the lingo. Nobody's fault, everybody learns somehow.

As to the basic troubleshooting idea, I think that's good. There are some decent sites out there, of course, but everyone who wants to get into recording needs to learn how to trace signal flow, and to understand gain staging.

If the mic is plugged into the cable to the preamp, and the level on the preamp meter is low, it could be the mic, the cable or the preamp. I would start by trying another mic. If it's still low, try a different cable. Still low, try another preamp. Still low? Go back to the start and try a third mic. Try a third cable, etc. There are only three components here. Mics can go bad, cables can go bad, preamps can go bad.

Once you have good signal to the preamp, but still low monitoring level, you look at your mixer, output bus, monitor amp, monitors (or headphones.)

But, basically, you just have to start with the most simple system possible, and try swapping out components. Ideally, if you have another system that works, try swapping the suspected components into it. You have an XLR to 1/4" cable and a guitar amp? Try the mic (which doesn't require phantom power, by the way). It works? OK, it isn't likely the culprit.

Of course, intermittent failures can drive you nuts in a troubleshooting situation. They typically are caused by either vibration/movement or heat. So, sometimes just moving the cable (or shutting a piece of gear off for a while) can cause the problem to 'go away' for a bit. Annoying.

And as mentioned earlier, a cable tester is a lovely thing to have on hand.


Didn't mean to get into the whole process. Maybe someone can formalize the process better, in a flowchart sort of way?

I've had some crazy signal flow problems before, and they most often could be traced to a bad cable, or a cable that wasn't properly seated in the jack.

Throw in the digital side of the equation, and things get even more complicated, of course!

[st robert]

So who hasn't chimed in their worthless post in this thread yet?


me.











fuckwit.








rob

[vocalnick]

Wow, it's funny how the written word can turn into an argument so fast!

I think we should cut the new guy some slack, he is obviously just learning, and isn't fully up to speed on the lingo. Nobody's fault, everybody learns somehow.

Nevertheless, a little humility goes a long way...

I don't think CDR's a bad guy, but the Interweb is fertile ground for misunderstandings and unintended offences, as this thread aptly demonstrates.

[Shotgun]

Nevertheless, a little humility goes a long way...

I don't think CDR's a bad guy, but the Interweb is fertile ground for misunderstandings and unintended offences, as this thread aptly demonstrates.

Or, alternately, the interweb is a fertile ground to reinforce the idea that this is a completely free, entertaining, high-quality tech-support service for every snot-nosed shit whose mommy bought them an Oscar Schmidt guitar and a copy of Logic for Christmas and when you step off the porch there's big dogs out there who bark and growl if you don't show the appropriate amount of belly fur.

It amazes me that people come here with a question, get an answer AND an education and then want to get the bloody pussy about it.

Your Pal,
shotgun

[HOOK]

... and then want to get the bloody pussy about it.

hmmm. that was a new expression...care to explain to the ones without proper education? :grin:






HOOK

[vocalnick]

Or, alternately, the interweb is a fertile ground to reinforce the idea that this is a completely free, entertaining, high-quality tech-support service for every snot-nosed shit whose mommy bought them an Oscar Schmidt guitar and a copy of Logic for Christmas and when you step off the porch there's big dogs out there who bark and growl if you don't show the appropriate amount of belly fur.


Yeah, that's a valid interpretation as well :lol:

[CDR]

:Yawn:

[nobby]

I have a small M-Audio unit I use at home. I noticed that with a SM58 I had to turn it up a lot more than I would have thought. Cable is fine, input set to mic, pad not turned on. Same thing with a SM57.

Maybe the M-Audio units just don't have that much gain.

I think that's what is known as the "Occam's razor" reply.

Some A/D converters are kind of light on the gain. I have an m-audio <cough> prosumer<cough> audiophile 2496 card in this computer, which, until recently, I'd only used for skype. But, I had to crank it (the preamp-- it was supposedly line in) for skype. I tried to use it recently for audio recording, and it came up short.

BTW, the people on this forum are well intentioned, but they don't know everything... nobody does. For example, they don't know how to use GPO's (whiney) Kuntakt player as a plugin for Sonar. They cant be faulted for that -- the purpose of life is a no-brainer by comparison. As is advanced calculus.

So let us all lighten up. And pardon me while I blow my fuckin' brains out.

[otek]

I would by now call this thread fairly gridlocked.

To the regulars, you've made your point. Step outside for a quick breather and/or a smoke.


To CDR:

This forum came, via some intermediary incarnations, from another online forum in the past called the RecPit. If you think this place is somewhat impolite and aggressive in the way its patrons dispense advice on the craft, it is a flowers-and-beads hippie love fest compared to the Pit, where utter flame roasting of even the slightest evidence of n00bie-istic behavior was the order of the day.

On this forum, we tend to do things a bit differently. This is not to say that a certain amount of self-distance isn't needed to learn. You have to read between the lines. These admonishments you see are intended to break through personal ego/pride issues, the falsehoods created by media hype, the limitations of the online medium, and the ever-growing prevalence and spread of bad practices in what may today almost be called a dying art.

In other words, you may get great advice on this forum, but it may not come as neatly packaged as is customary if you stroll into the local Banjo Mart. Remember, we are not here to sell you anything. Those guys are. They have a reason to be nice to you, to smile around the bullshit and maintain your illusions for their own sales commissions.

We do care, though. That should be fairly evident by now. If you don't believe that, then several pages of posts and surely a collective few hours spent on giving you advice and guidance - for free, no less - would be ample testimony to this.

If you can learn to take the invective and the lack of sugar coating with a big grain of salt, and realize that none of the people here are personally invested in your fledgling career plans or taking pleasure in your plight, if you can separate the grain from chaff, you will find that even those whom you perceive as mocking you will have taken of their time to help (Shotgun did post an excellent guide to compression for you, for example).



So stick around, fuck the jokers, and enjoy.


otek

[SaltyDog]

Class...pure class....thanks Otek.