Am I doing something wrong?

Members sound files, tone clips, videos, media

Moderator: Capt. Black

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

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

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by JHorner »

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.

User avatar
Scooter13
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2150
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:24 pm
Location: Wellington
Has liked: 40 times
Been liked: 69 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by Scooter13 »

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

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

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
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.

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

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.
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.

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

Out of curiousity, what peak level(s) should I be aiming for? Ta.

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by JHorner »

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.

Image

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

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.

Image
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.

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by JHorner »

Hmm, waveform db seems to show that I am peaking at around -10

Image

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by JHorner »

Bass track. Always have to increase his volume in the mix and decrease mine.

Image

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by JHorner »

Ridiculously loud (in the room) snare, also needs boosting in the mix, prob due to poor micing technique.

Image

User avatar
MattH
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1043
Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 5:17 pm
Has liked: 133 times
Been liked: 78 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by MattH »

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
Can you turn the amp up?

:)
All the gear... absolutely no idea...

IMOCD
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1743
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 9:04 pm
Has liked: 479 times
Been liked: 221 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by IMOCD »

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
Can you turn the amp up?

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

User avatar
MattH
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1043
Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 5:17 pm
Has liked: 133 times
Been liked: 78 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by MattH »

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!
All the gear... absolutely no idea...

User avatar
Lawrence
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1485
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:00 pm
Location: Beta Canum Venaticorum
Has liked: 37 times
Been liked: 605 times

Re: Am I doing something wrong?

Post by Lawrence »

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...
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”.

Post Reply