Technical quesiton on gear.....

[arkjack]

I was feeling like I wasn't getting the best vocal I could as well as instrument tracks. I acquired a compressor unit and a separate eq unit a while back. My thinking is that even though my Roland BR gear has "built in"effects - comp, gate, delay whatever.... I might be able to get a better more controlled sound by putting the compressor and EQ in the input chain and go dry on the recording track. Meaning ..... Instrument/mic, pre amp, compressor, eq, track input....digital track.... Has anyone ever tried this? Any recommendations as to the sequence of connections? Any inherent obvious flaws in my thinking? Any other suggestions.....ThanxzArkJack

[edteja]

Arkjack,There was a thread or two here where Andre and some others put up their very helpful ideas on signal chains and the use of compressors. I think the board won't be very responsive until after rally.

[augustheat]

Quote:I was feeling like I wasn't getting the best vocal I could as well as instrument tracks. I acquired a compressor unit and a separate eq unit a while back. My thinking is that even though my Roland BR gear has "built in"effects - comp, gate, delay whatever.... I might be able to get a better more controlled sound by putting the compressor and EQ in the input chain and go dry on the recording track. Meaning ..... Instrument/mic, pre amp, compressor, eq, track input....digital track.... Has anyone ever tried this? Any recommendations as to the sequence of connections? Any inherent obvious flaws in my thinking? Any other suggestions.....ThanxzArkJackArkjack:Not to insult your intelligence in any manner...You can have the best mic pres, EQ's, and all the outboard gear in the world. However, if your recording with a $20 microphone, it really won't matter. I'm a big one for making sure my recording quality starts at the source. If I use a guitar I got for free because I purchased a Volkswagen; or a microphone my Mom found at a garage sale, than I will only be able to do some much with it, regardless of outboard gear. Not to say some wouldn't appreciate that kind of sound! I'm speaking in general terms here...Start with the source, and you'll be amazed at the quality difference in your recordings. Try different microphones and see what works best with your vocal. I could tell you a Neumann TLM-103 is a great vocal mic. However, the next poster might tell you that it "sizzles" too much. It's what works for you. Also, your recording environment can also affect the quality of your recordings. That's a whole 'nother topic.Needless to say, we are all somewhat limited by the capabilities of our gear. While you can crank out some pretty decent recordings with home studio gear these days, there is still only so much you can get it to do. Expecting a full-blown commercial production off a GarageBand setup may be asking too much. Again, I'm speaking in general terms. I know "Nebraska" was recorded on a four-track cassette! However, I assure you Springsteen didn't use a Radio Shack mic!Good luck, and blessings...

[arkjack]

Arkjack:Not to insult your intelligence in any manner...What intelligence???? I had a friend Ray from Recording magazine come by to checkover my setup. One reason the tracks were too hot is because I don't know the difference between a line and mic level signal. Ray helped me fix alot of problems from the getgo and I can hopefully have him over again soon for a full blown mix session. I have a decent collection of mics, but seem too lazy to switch them on every take to investigate the subtle differences. Your advice is helpful, that I should be testing these in more depth and if necessary, look at adding higher end equipment for the future. Thanx for the infoArkJack

[augustheat]

No problem...Sounds like you're heading in the right direction. I was having similar problems getting my vocals to sound just right; right up until the point I figured out my voice sucked! Even a Neumann ain't gonna' fix that!Blessings,Craig

[gitarrero]

my 2 cents:the industry markets their stuff with the message "...buy product xy and your recordings will sound better/professional..."MUCH more important than the equipment is the KNOWLEDGE as well as experience - how does a compressor work, why do you want to put it on a track, what is the goal you want to achieve in sound, etc....a little story: I started recording about 7 years ago and had a little PC (350 mhz) with logic. My mic was an audio technica for about 300$, preamp a cheap one of ART.I recorded a song with that setup. Later in the year I gave this recording to a friend who owns a studio with lots of very expensive (5000+$/unit) vintage gear, excellent stuff.when I saw him next he asked me how I did record my song. I told him: logic with the intern eqs and FX, my guitars, my mic...well - he didn't believe me first, and later told me that he was sitting alone in his studio, surrounded by all the expensive stuff and was depressed.Just a little story - this particular recording wasn't *that* great acutally, but this story popps up in my mind everytime I see people write something in the direction "...which FX/unit/mic/whatever can makes my records better....".So in short, most important in my experience is:1. what happens in front of the mic2. is there somebody who knows how to handle that signal from the michappy recording!Martin