Karaoke Forums

Morten, (this sounds totally crazy but it works)
while you are out shopping... do a headphone comparison of ALL the microphones your retailer has in stock including shure.. hopefully they have many brands, and A/B test them FLAT (no adjusting the eq section at all) Then go out and buy the one you like the best. I'm willing to put my money between Audio Technica's Artist Elite series 6100, Sennheiser's emotion series, or Shure's new, SM 86 or Shure's Beta 87 or the even as mentioned The Audix OM-5 or A-10 (if in Stock) I'm saying is listen to them all, and choose the one that compliments your voice the best. Alot of microphones are not right for certain singers.. most people shop strictly on reputation or budget. so shop on what is going to make you sound like you want to sound like.. not what your favorite star is singing on.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Brian,

that sounds like a great suggestion. Will try.

Morten

I just installed some freeware called Audacity. Anybody familiar with it.

It seems real to make a recording, mix, and convert. Lots of VST plugs available, but that has my head spinning and can't figure out what does what.

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OP,
I will do my research on Audacity, I think I have, but I may have seen it at a trade show and just put it off .. look for manufacturer's fourms on it in the meanwhile.. I just had a really bad weekend,, the band, club and live engineer all got noise ordinance tickets this weekend in a really small town north of Albuquerque,, Ya gotta love it.. I Had all 6 on duty Police officers + every state police officer around out there just because I wanted to be an anal jerk... glad I know how to stay out of jail.. the noise Tickets will cost me and the bar over 2K each.. I guess I blew that gig.. I have great attorneys though.. the bar has already asked us back for an INDOOR gig Glad I don't drink huh? It was kinda like the scene out of "Hell Yeah".

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Here's a link to review and download this audacity. Also lists a pile of links for plugins.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

I have come to understand that this very same OPEN SOURCE (i.e., FREE) program is being SOLD on ebay. It's going cheap, but still....

I'm gonna try doing a recording with it today. I'll let folks know how it goes later. the recording quality will still be limited to my hardware - a radio shack clip on microphone and a low end sound card.

Sorry to hear about your troubles Brian!

OP, thanks I'll survive that's the price ya pay for having a little too much P.A. system, and alot of fun in a small town with hick cops. I thing TBK (The Big Kahuna) knows about that one.. I now can relate. I guess that is life.. I guess the crowd was well behaved though. but I'm back home for a while with family and chilling .. and going to be walleye fishing for a while. Just my style.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

OP
I did try and Download the Audicity system, and many, if not All the plug-ins on my tiny little Sony Viao ! with a 80 GB hd. Needless to say I did today go out and buy a outboard HD for this Program. And It was a blast to learn in a hour for me and I loved it more than my Calk walk program it's like sound forge and Protools all in one.. without all the tricks of Protools.. Kinda like Nuendo but pre-dated. And the recordings were CRYSTAL!!!! I really wish my engineers could hear this one! I was able to do a few things that I couldn't with cakewalk Like record in 24/48Khz when usually I could only record in 16/48Khz and the mp3 converter was great too. I had to go to Cakewalk Pyro to still check file size but still the program has won me over in a huge way!

Paint I owe ya in a Huge way..

I'll have to tell ya if i catch any fish this week.
BTW - ya will have to tell me how ya figured how to "Rope" Fish I still do it the old fashioned way..
I just stick my hand in the water and they come to me.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

hmmmmm, i record with cool edit pro... i use a 50 dollar behringer mixer...extigy sound card...and a beyer mic....thats it,

mixer 50 bucks
get a sm 58 which is good for this kind of recordeing
at the most 75 bucks
cool edit...hmmmmm nothing
extigy is like 99 bucks now

i get a pretty good sound, altho my mixing sucks due to, to many yrs playing music, my ears r shot, my ex keyboard player who now writes for mixer mag. and a few others and has a great sounding studio, says this is fine what we do....
i feel bang for the buck i did ok, and thats what its all about on here anyway, wanna really record go to my friends studio, other then that, this works for me.... and jazz yes ur sound and mixing is awesome hun...teachhhhhhh meeeeeee......oh...and hiiiiiii...

OK,

Nice to have connections huh?

:::Being Serious now:::
There is a tool out there for ya for those of you who THINK your ears are shot... Rane makes an monitor processor model #MM42 has an equalizer, limiter, compressor, crossover for subs/thumper for drummers. I use it in the studio for the In Ear monitors. Not an inexpensive unit. But for Pros, a MUST have.

westone.com/music look at the section called "IEM Hardware"

This processor has been known to work with Live monitors but is NOT suggested for that use. And also may be purchased below MSRP.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

RHONDA..

I was reviewing some old posts.. I was WRONG!!!

Go back to what you were doing.. The control surface that you were plugged into is just fine.. Sheesh I don't walk on water.. but I'll admit when I'm wrong! Sorry for the confusion. Tascam makes some of the finest recording devices out there for various functions..

PLEASE.. unless you have found a better way or a cleaner system to do what you are doing.. go back to it.. I must have read your post too fast.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

Even a good singer can sound bad with a terrible mix and or poor equipment.

A new or not as good singer will sound terrible!

Hey..at least you have some equiptment to record with.

One of the best ways to improve is to listen and honestly critique yourself through recording.

As you get better and get better recording gear you might be amazed at your improvement.

Go for it,

Jim

Hi Gang, great post going here. Thought I would add some.

Recording / Mic Settings:

Most always a good place to start, especially if just starting to record, is to leave all EQ, equalizer, settings in the standard or straight up, 12 o'clock position.

Ever been to a show or hear a singer who has hurt your ears? Not necessarily just the singer but the overall sound of the show?

Likely they have the highs or the mids cranked up on the mix and or the mic.

Even a very good singer will hurt your ears and cause sound fatigue if mixed like this.

Don't run your highs or mids too high. Sometimes the best thing to do if you feel you need to be up a bit in the mix or the highs or mids, is to actually REDUCE some of the lower or bottom end of your voice, called bass.

It's sometimes best to add very little EQ if any and record your voice as natuaral as you can and add effects to blend in with the music.

The best thing you can do to get your voice to sound as good and resonant as you can is, like you've read elsewhere, spend the money and
GET A GOOD MIC, get a good mic, Get A Good Mic!

With that said not all mics are created equal and a good mic for Joe's voice is not always good for Eric's voice or Joan.

Don't be in a hurry shopping for a MIC and go somewhere that will let you plug in, preferably in a sound room at a store in private, and try various mics.

The best MICS for recording are called condensor mics. They are much more pricy than live MICS but they record the resonance on voice better than a live mic.

Also condensor mics can handle the dynamics and volume change better than most live mics. The harder you sing, or louder, causes pressure in air waves and a condensor mic is more sensitive to these sound waves and changes.

Live mics are built to be durable and rugged because of the environment.

Condensor mics are sensative in every way..

if you drop it, it not only may hurt it's feelings but chance of a good condensor mic surviving a hard fall onto a concrete floor are not good.

Some food for thought but anybody serious about sounding as good as they can needs to find a good mic.

With that said it's not too cool, or safe, especially with a condensor mic, to take your own mic to a a show although I know some singers who have done it.

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Jim L.

James,
WOW! My every thought is here.. Ya know The thing when it comes from a "Respected" Elvi like yourself; I think, hope, and pray people will listen to your words of wisdom as a Performer, Actor, Artist, and Elvi.

Thanks for the great words, and I hope to see you in New Mexico soon!
See ya in the Movies!

Brian Douglas

Many people are not aware that there are companies that are
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the public using the...........

student discount and faculty program.

Students who qualify also can include high school and sometimes younger
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If your not a student or faculty member who do you know that is?

Place an order in their name and save some BIG BUCKS.

Here's just one site you can check out. Read the terms so you know
what's needed to order and qualify.

Let me know if any of you save some money doing this


http://www.campustech.com/cgi-local/Sof ... ?E+scstore


http://elms06.e-academy.com/CollegeSoftware/index.cfm


Shop around by doing a search on google for " student discounts software " or a related similar term.

Happy shopping

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Jim L.

[quote="BeachHeadBum"] "I hope to see you in New Mexico soon!

I already live in the desert so likely won't make it there soon

The sound comes more from my former background in broadcasting and commercial production. Funny thing is...I actually flunked electronics in
high school.

My experience comes strictly from the ear and from messing around
with the goods just like most around here.

I have some interesting Elvis bloopers and outtakes on this page if you care to check them out.

http://elvis-presley-lyrics.com/complet ... -guide.htm

Some fans dont like to know or hear about this side of the performer but
to me it's just pure fun stuff.

I use an Audix om-5 mic with a behringer mixer directly into a soundblaster live soundcard using CEP to record and mix. I use an open head phone because I need to be able to hear when my little lady is calling my name upstairs. When I use the closed headphones I get accused of ignoring her . I havnt had a prob with the open headphones and it was much cheaper. Although, the closed are better. I appreciate all the good technical advise here. it's very informative to know what everyone is useing and to examine different sound qualities.

Songaddict
When Recording.. Send her somewhere.. Preferably Shopping!!!!

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Brian D.
(BHB)

James,
I started out in radio, television, & broadcast engineering before going into pro audio, and now recording & professional music. It's amazing I still get tons of opportunities, and I'm only 35. and Occasionally I still get calls for Broadcasting work. My calendar just rocks. I still can write my own retirement plan.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

hi james i went to that elvis blooper site but couldn't hear anything...i love stuff like that,