Am I doing something wrong?
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- Vintage Post Junkie
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- meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
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Am I doing something wrong?
Evn' all
I'm very new to recording with a mic. I have just purchased a sm57 and a Tascam 2488 (graduated from Zoom R8) to get the juices flowing so to speak. Currently, I have the mic less than an inch from the speaker cloth and both the track slider and master slider at 0, but in order to get a signal that peaks at -16db (at best), I have to pretty much max the input gain which introduces a lot of hiss.
It does sound really good with the gain backed off but the signal is low -32db.. Is my understanding correct, should I be aiming for a stronger signal to ensure my master track has oomph, or is it better to keep it low and boost in post? Could there be something up with the mic maybe?
Thanks in advance. Wayne
I'm very new to recording with a mic. I have just purchased a sm57 and a Tascam 2488 (graduated from Zoom R8) to get the juices flowing so to speak. Currently, I have the mic less than an inch from the speaker cloth and both the track slider and master slider at 0, but in order to get a signal that peaks at -16db (at best), I have to pretty much max the input gain which introduces a lot of hiss.
It does sound really good with the gain backed off but the signal is low -32db.. Is my understanding correct, should I be aiming for a stronger signal to ensure my master track has oomph, or is it better to keep it low and boost in post? Could there be something up with the mic maybe?
Thanks in advance. Wayne
- JHorner
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
I'd be more inclined to suspect something wrong with the what, 15? year old tascam than the SM57 (if it's genuine).
Do you still have the zoom? You could try the SM57 with that.
Do you still have the zoom? You could try the SM57 with that.
- Scooter13
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
What are you recording? I found SM57s like a loud input, like a cranked guitar amp to get going. I found them quiet for voice. You otherwise you better have good mic preamps
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Hmmm...that's good to know. I am recording guitar (5 watt tube) at bedroom levels. OK, so maybe I just need to adjust expectations for lower level playing. Cheers.Scooter13 wrote:What are you recording? I found SM57s like a loud input, like a cranked guitar amp to get going. I found them quiet for voice. You otherwise you better have good mic preamps
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Fair comment. It is old but looks to have been hardly used. Yes, the sm57 is genuine. I will give it a go with the zoom as you suggest. Cheers.JHorner wrote:I'd be more inclined to suspect something wrong with the what, 15? year old tascam than the SM57 (if it's genuine).
Do you still have the zoom? You could try the SM57 with that.
- JHorner
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Interested to see what someone more knowledgeable than me says (I'm a total amateur). But here's the frequency analysis of the guitar track in one of my recordings. And the guitar is the loudest track.
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Yes, I would be interested too. Currently, I'd say my levels would be similar. But, are these considered too low for a attaining a strong master, I keep seeing/hearing -12 to -6db peak as the magic number when recording. Cheers.JHorner wrote:Interested to see what someone more knowledgeable than me says (I'm a total amateur). But here's the frequency analysis of the guitar track in one of my recordings. And the guitar is the loudest track.
- MattH
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Can you turn the amp up?IMOCD wrote:Evn' all
I'm very new to recording with a mic. I have just purchased a sm57 and a Tascam 2488 (graduated from Zoom R8) to get the juices flowing so to speak. Currently, I have the mic less than an inch from the speaker cloth and both the track slider and master slider at 0, but in order to get a signal that peaks at -16db (at best), I have to pretty much max the input gain which introduces a lot of hiss.
It does sound really good with the gain backed off but the signal is low -32db.. Is my understanding correct, should I be aiming for a stronger signal to ensure my master track has oomph, or is it better to keep it low and boost in post? Could there be something up with the mic maybe?
Thanks in advance. Wayne
All the gear... absolutely no idea...
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Can you turn the amp up?MattH wrote:IMOCD wrote:Evn' all
I'm very new to recording with a mic. I have just purchased a sm57 and a Tascam 2488 (graduated from Zoom R8) to get the juices flowing so to speak. Currently, I have the mic less than an inch from the speaker cloth and both the track slider and master slider at 0, but in order to get a signal that peaks at -16db (at best), I have to pretty much max the input gain which introduces a lot of hiss.
It does sound really good with the gain backed off but the signal is low -32db.. Is my understanding correct, should I be aiming for a stronger signal to ensure my master track has oomph, or is it better to keep it low and boost in post? Could there be something up with the mic maybe?
Thanks in advance. Wayne
So often, that is the solution, I know. I think too in this case, it has merit. I just had another play with the set up and it certainly does make a difference - seems the mic, like most gear, has a sweet spot. Interestingly though, moving the mic from slightly off axis to face on also yielded 1 or 2 extra db. Seems, there is some more head scratching n figuring stuff out... But still keen to hear from anyone more betterer than I on the whole level thing. Cheers
- MattH
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
Bear in mind that an SM57 is a dynamic mic. Dynamic mics are (generally) not as sensitive to sound pressure levels as condensers. That's one of the reasons they work so well for guitar amps. You can turn up the amp and they can handle it.
YMMV
Keep cracking on with recording. I spent years trying to get stuff to sound good. In the end, I got so fed up with it and found that my real joy is in playing the guitar. Got an engineer buddy that lives around the corner now, so life is sweet!
YMMV
Keep cracking on with recording. I spent years trying to get stuff to sound good. In the end, I got so fed up with it and found that my real joy is in playing the guitar. Got an engineer buddy that lives around the corner now, so life is sweet!
All the gear... absolutely no idea...
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Re: Am I doing something wrong?
a fewf things
at 24 bit 44.1 K recording an average signal in the -24 /-12 range is more than fine for home recording.
A 57 on a 5 watt amp is probably not a string signal to begin with (lots of factors here like speaker efficiency and amp design , but you did say bedroom volume. 57s are of ten put 1" from a 100 watt Marshall turned up loud).
You might want to research what the meter is actually showing - is it Peak, or is is averaged in some way...
at 24 bit 44.1 K recording an average signal in the -24 /-12 range is more than fine for home recording.
A 57 on a 5 watt amp is probably not a string signal to begin with (lots of factors here like speaker efficiency and amp design , but you did say bedroom volume. 57s are of ten put 1" from a 100 watt Marshall turned up loud).
You might want to research what the meter is actually showing - is it Peak, or is is averaged in some way...
GrantB wrote:
“You might be cool, but you’ll never be playing a white Steinberger through a JC120, wearing a white jumpsuit with white shoes and sporting a mullet cool”.
“You might be cool, but you’ll never be playing a white Steinberger through a JC120, wearing a white jumpsuit with white shoes and sporting a mullet cool”.