Lexicon Alpha & Garageband = weak signal

[funkysurfer]

Hi,

I can't seem to get a strong enough signal directly from my basses into any of the alpha inputs. I tried both passive and active basses and still they are not as high as I think they should be. Not even with the line input level maxed. And, the "peak" light does come on at times.

I even crank up the dB's on each track when exporting/mixing down, and even after that the recordings aren't as loud as say a song off a professional recording.

I was wondering if it is the interface or possibly my software?

Anybody having the same issues?

Thanks,
Shawn

[Charling]

I would guess you are plugging into the line inputs... these will often not have enough gain for an instrument. Line level is the standard operating level for audio gear, mixing desks rack fx etc. (If you buy a bass preamp you'll notice the output is normally a 'line out', ie, its now ready to go into a soundcards line input!)

The normal way to record a direct bass is using a DI box, and going into a mic pre (which on your box is the xlr input). Strictly a DI is needed to convert jack to xlr, balance the signal and switch the impedance but for scratch recordings going direct into a pre is fine. You will, of course, need an XLR to Jack lead though!

That should give you plenty of gain, if the meters look 'healthy' in your DAW when set to 0 gain then you are on the right track.

Don't expect your finished tracks to be up to the same level of commercial recordings (volume wise), that requires a good mix and some kind of 'limiting' or hard compression on the master faders, but thats another discussion alltogether!

[funkysurfer]

Originally Posted by Charling

I would guess you are plugging into the line inputs...

I was using the dedicated "instrument line in" input. Same results from what I remember. I assumed the gain would be sufficient, I guess I was wrong.

I don't have a D.I., although I keep telling myself I'm gonna buy one. I think I need to for a number of reasons now.

In the meantime, I will try the direct out from my amp. It's a Markbass LMIII so I probably can get a clean enough sound for what I need it for.

Thanks for the feedback!
Shawn

[Charling]

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

I was using the dedicated "instrument line in" input. Same results from what I remember. I assumed the gain would be sufficient, I guess I was wrong.

I don't have a D.I., although I keep telling myself I'm gonna buy one. I think I need to for a number of reasons now.

In the meantime, I will try the direct out from my amp. It's a Markbass LMIII so I probably can get a clean enough sound for what I need it for.

Thanks for the feedback!
Shawn

Ah I see, ok. Well, yeah you would think that should have enough gain to go with. Is there any soundcard-software that has meters on it anywhere? Just so you can verify that a decent signal is getting through the soundcard itself.

In the meantime the direct out of your amp is essentially a built in DI, and will do the job just fine!

[funkysurfer]

Originally Posted by Charling

Is there any soundcard-software that has meters on it anywhere? Just so you can verify that a decent signal is getting through the soundcard itself.

It's plugged in via USB to my Macbook Pro and the software I'm using is Garageband (latest version). Garageband says that I am using the Alpha as my input device, so I believe that I'm not using the computers sound card. The meters could be higher from what I remember too.

The sound waves of my recorded bass tracks look like they could be higher (bigger up + down). I am comparing them to the professional loop tracks that are provided for use in Garageband. Their recorded loops sound waves appear about 30% higher than my recorded tracks. Same thing can be said when I drag a commercially produced song into an empty track.

I'm just bummed because I've only been sketching out ideas since I've bought it, and now I'm ready to finalize some bass tunes.

[Charling]

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

It's plugged in via USB to my Macbook Pro and the software I'm using is Garageband (latest version). Garageband says that I am using the Alpha as my input device, so I believe that I'm not using the computers sound card. The meters could be higher from what I remember too.

OK, what I meant was the controller software for the soundcard, not the DAW. Garageband just communicates with the driver/software, not the soundcard itself! MOST soundcards have a control panel where you control various things like the buffer size and clock source etc etc. For the most part it doesn't need to be worried about, but it may (most that I've seen do) have some meters on it to give you an exact reading of whats going into the soundcard.

It just allows you check its not the soundcard itself etc.

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

The sound waves of my recorded bass tracks look like they could be higher (bigger up + down). I am comparing them to the professional loop tracks that are provided for use in Garageband. Their recorded loops sound waves appear about 30% higher than my recorded tracks. Same thing can be said when I drag a commercially produced song into an empty track.

OK, well you won't be able to make a bass waveform come close to a commercial recording waveform so thats not to worry about, You wouldn't be able to record a bass as hot as that without either major distortion or compressing the hell out of it on the way in! Similarily, the loops etc that come with logic will have been normalised and compressed to bring them up a bit.

HOWEVER this doesn't change the fact that you the gain knob SHOULD offer more than enough gain to put you into distortion zone. I couldn't see any specs for the gain available in the instrument input but it should be loads if thats what its designed for....

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

I'm just bummed because I've only been sketching out ideas since I've bought it, and now I'm ready to finalize some bass tunes.

Don't worry, this is all academic really, 30% down on a full scale waveform is MORE than enough to record with. Gone are the days when you need to track hot to get the most out of the A/D. In fact I'd say realistically if you track at 70% of full and below then you are following good recording practice and your plugins and any outboard gear you are using will work a bit better!

Generally keep it low and just turn your speakers up until the very last stage, where the whole thing is raised in mastering!

[funkysurfer]

Originally Posted by Charling

OK, what I meant was the controller software for the soundcard, not the DAW. Garageband just communicates with the driver/software, not the soundcard itself! MOST soundcards have a control panel where you control various things like the buffer size and clock source etc etc. For the most part it doesn't need to be worried about, but it may (most that I've seen do) have some meters on it to give you an exact reading of whats going into the soundcard.

It just allows you check its not the soundcard itself etc.

Yeah, there is software in OSX that does have meters for the MAC's soundcard. However, I didn't get to do any troubleshooting or recording last night. I will check it out this evening and see where those meters are at and chime in. Thanks again for your help...

[Charling]

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

Yeah, there is software in OSX that does have meters for the MAC's soundcard. However, I didn't get to do any troubleshooting or recording last night. I will check it out this evening and see where those meters are at and chime in. Thanks again for your help...

Cool, just to confirm though, you want the software/meters specific to the lexicon, not the MAC's soundcard. When using the Lexicon the mac's soundcard is effectively disabled.

On my setup I use a metric halo soundcard, so if I want to check whats going on I open their specific software, called MIO console.

It may be that the lexicon alpha doesn't have a control panel, however. In that case you normally get to the settings by clicking 'advanced' (or similar) next to driver selection in the host DAW. These control panels don't tend to have meters though...

Sorry, this is a lot of guesswork as I haven't used the device myself! They all work in one of a couple of different ways though!

[schecter5string]

the only adjustments on my Alpha control is Audio buffering no meters or anything else

[dave_p]

the gain from the alpha is pretty weak for my passive and active basses as well. if i go through an amp sim its comes up a bit. i bought one of those 30$ art tube pre's and use that as a DI into the line in of the alpha and that brings it up nice. i get a good signal in. the DI out from the littlemark will do the same. the LM has a nice DI (dont own one, but when i have one on stage i usually let the bassist go direct right out of the head instead of giving them a box, and it sounds good).

[funkysurfer]

Thanks for the responses guys. I haven't chimed in since my original post because I haven't done any recording since. I do plan on recording tonight so I will use the LMIII DI. I will post my results.

[funkysurfer]

Well I finally did some recording this weekend. The LMIII's DI did the trick. Much stronger signal and the bass is sitting well in the mix.