Homemade demos

Bungalow Bill

I recently got a track layering and effects type program for my home p.c.

At the moment I'm just using the mic that came with the computer. Would I get much better quality from a really expensive mic

Anybody got any advice on this process as a whole??

Karl Hungus

You would indeed get better quality from a better mic, but you could always just get a jack to mini-jack adapter, then try and clean up the sound after you've recorded it. Could be useless doing vocals though.

musician.ie

A good mic will help. Don't connect it to the mic input, as this is generally a poor quality circuit on consumer cards. Unfortunately, you won't be able to connect it direct to the line in either, as your impedances will be mismatched and you won't be able to get enough gain to get a decent signal into the computer. So you'd also need a preamp. An effects box, small mixing desk or standalone solution like the cheapo behringer shark would all suffice. If it's a dynamic, you can't beat the shure sm57/sm58 mics. If you're going for a condensor, look at AKG, Rode, Joemeek, Behringer, etc. for good budget mics.

Also, a brilliant mic will be diminished by a crap consumer soundcard.

Hope this helps.

Jammer

I bought a Creative Audigy 2 Pro Platinum, its supports ASIO (The stuff cubase people invented) and has a jack that your guitar plugs into (althought i go into it via my FX pedle and Amp). I just need a decent mic now. I get great sound onto the pc from it, perfect. It is 250 euro on komplett. Worth saving for.

WetDaddy

There's a program (actually it's a DirectX Plug-in) called "Antires Microphone Modeller" which emulates high-end, expensive mics.

You specify which mic you used for input, then you specify which mic you want it to sound like. Obviously, it couldn't possibly sound as good as an expensive mic, but it seems to work pretty damn well.

On another note, anybody know any multi-input sound cards? I'm looking for something to essentially turn my PC into a digital 8-track, so that would be a bunch of inputs, a breakout box, etc.

I'll be recording live instruments (drums, sax, piano, vocals), not doing electronic music. The reason I mention that is cos I reckon there's probably sound cards aimed at electronic musicians (as funny as that phrase sounds)...

I recently got myself a Behringer 12-track mixer, so I wouldn't mind if the sound card had less than 8 inputs (be they 1/4", XLR, or whatever).


-Seán

musician.ie

There's loads of soundcards out there to do what you want, deathfunk. Insist on one with an external breakout box rather than one with a loom of cables coming out the back of the soundcard. The former are more durable, easier to work with and quiter due to the converters being outside the P.C.

Off the top of my head, look at Ego-sys / ESI, Hoontech, Digitech, Edirol.

digital village have a good selection.

Jammer

Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro from creative, which supports ASIO aimed at Cubase. has Inputs for 1/4" and mic inputs. It has an external box...top of the range i think. should find it on komplett for 250ish

daram

I have a 4in/4out pro-soundcard made by a company called m-audio. which I got there a while ago which is great. I got it in a sale in musicmaker for about €250 but I think its about €400 new. I didnt shop around so Im not sure. Its full 24bit/96khtz and the sound is grand. I coupled it with a 16ch spririt desk through 4 aux-outs and I've recorded everything from drums (2o/h kick snare) to vocals through.

This is it here