Why do my recordings sound so poor?

[wasteofo2]

Yesterday I went out an got a shure sm-57. I've been recording stuff bassically all day, and while it doesn't sound bad, it certainly isn't as good quality as I would have expected to get from a $90 microphone... Could it perhaps be my soundcard is bad? I have a Creative Sound Blaster Audio PCI 64V. I'm not sure I even want to post a sample, since I can't find a place to host .wav files, and I'm willing to bet that turning it to an mp3 would reduce the quality of the recording so much that no one would be able to tell what's due to poor mp3 encoding and what's due to the mic/soundcard being bad...

 

[Illini1330]

I could be the way your miking the amp. Test out a whole bunch of different positions. Faraway, close, ect... As for soncards, I don't know **** about computers, but if the soundcard can't handle a loud volume I think it creates a distorted soundin the recording. ( I Think this is right. Might be wrong.)

 

[mrid]

You're not using a mic preamp, are you?

 

[wasteofo2]

No mic preamp, and I've tried alot of different positions. I've been doing alot of acoustic recording just cause my amp miced sounds so trebly, and the acoustic (with the mic approx. 3 inches from it) sounds rather dull...

Does anyone know a place that will host .wav files so I can share exactly what it sounds like?

 

[y2stevo]

converting wav to mp3 doesnt reall reduce sound quality noticably, its only in studios were they are using super high quality samples that mp3s would reduce quality...

 

[wasteofo2]

Well then can anyone reccomend software to change wav to mp3? I'm using audacity, but I can't figure out how to get the mp3 converter thing to work...

 

[y2stevo]

i think if you download musicmatch jukebox that can do it, but thats the only free thing i know of...... http://www.musicmatch.com/

not too sure if it does it tho....

 

[mrid]

You need a mic preamp, seriously.

 

[wasteofo2]

Why's that? Any reccomendations?

 

[Ken]

The same reason your guitar amp has a preamp section.


As for reccomendations, I'm a little lax in that area...from what I've heard the Presonus stuff isn't too bad for the money.

 

[Robert S.]

Definately need a mic pre. All boards have them built in but external mic preamps are generally better. Search microphone preamps at musicans friend to see whats available in your price range.

You won't believe the difference.

 

[chcjunior]

i think if you download musicmatch jukebox that can do it, but thats the only free thing i know of...... http://www.musicmatch.com/

not too sure if it does it tho....

Music Match does have the file conversion feature on it. I use it all the time.

 

[wasteofo2]

Do I need to look for a certain type of preamp like I did with mics? Is there any difference between the preamp you'd use for a bass mic vs. a guitar mic etc.?

 

[Curly]

I've asked this question a few times myself - looks like I'll just have to break down and get a preamp.

I agree that MusicMatch is the simplest for those who don't care for any more learning curves with software. It's as simple as "file/ convert files", then chosing your input and output directories.

I also use CDEX, but it's a little more difficult to use.

 

[kmcguitars]

I use a ART OPL tube preamp. You can get em' for under $100
It adds 20db of gain if you want,And warms up your signal a bit.
How are your levals going into the soundcard?? This maybe where
your problem is?? That's one of the most important things in Digital recording. You may need to adjust you soundcard properties, Or get a Compresser/limiter. The ART unit has some limiting But I still use a Alesis Nano Compresser.

 

[Steve_R]

If you are using windows 2000 or newer, then you may have a 20db boost built in. It may be noisy, but you might try it.

Open up the windows mixer and click on "Advanced". See if you have the 20db boost option box there.

 

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Studio Projects VTB1 preamp. Check it out.

Oh, and $90 is still well into the low-end as far as microphones are concerned. While the SM57 is a great jack of all trades dynamic mic, it's not really going to sound fantastic on anything without a good pre. Get a preamp. Invest in some decent condensor mics. If you're recording at anything under 128kpbs at 44khz, that could be another contributor to the bad sound. Don't record to a compressed wav either.

http://www.hr-faq.org/ <---- Great microphone FAQ.

 

[mrid]

I use a ART OPL tube preamp. You can get em' for under $100
It adds 20db of gain if you want,And warms up your signal a bit.
How are your levals going into the soundcard?? This maybe where
your problem is?? That's one of the most important things in Digital recording. You may need to adjust you soundcard properties, Or get a Compresser/limiter. The ART unit has some limiting But I still use a Alesis Nano Compresser.

I use the OPL as well...great little pre!

 

[Marcel]

Yeah mic preamp. If you have an old mixer or something laying around take it and use ther line out to connect to the line in of your computer. Would be much better.
The mic input of the soundcard is built for cheap multimedia mics.
Maybe you got better results plug it in the line-in?!
If you would buy a preamp I would go tube. I saw a tube preamp for 50 bucks dont know if they're good. Heard from forum members they've payed very much for mic preamps.

Good mic position is hard too find. If you go to the cone it will be brighter (too bright) to the outside darker. Or did i mixed up something? Somewhere between is a good starting point. Most people like it off-axis. And as fas as it gets to the grill. I've heard.

 

[Scott_F]

From my limited experience, and I've been where you are at... you've got to get that SM57 right up next to your speaker grille and then you have to play with the positioning. I also find that I have to turn up the treble a bit more than I normally like it, but when I do that, it sounds much better recorded.

Keep trying. I'm still experiementing. Also, I've recently got a condensor mic and I'm learning to use that as well. I've got a tube preamp on order. That should help some.