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Can't hear myself while recording.

droppedurpocket

droppedurpocket

Nov 11, 2011
231
4
Plano, TX
#1
Just like the title says. When I'm recording with my band mates I cannot hear myself well at all through my in ear monitors. It's good with just bass and drums, but if you add a guitar in, forgettaboutit. But when I listen back to it I'm loud and proud in the mix. No problem there :bassist: so really my question is, is there a way to hear myself during so I can hear myself, without upping my gain on the interface? I'm going bass>preamp>XLR on interface. I'm using cubase software if that helps too.
 
#2
Your software should have the ability to change the monitor output for each track. If that's not working, just turn down the volume on the guitar track(s) - it's only for recording purposes. You may also need to adjust your EQ. If you can't hear yourself while recording, you may end up buried in the mix at the end.
 
#3
If you hear yourself cleanly in the final mix, then your input level into the mixer is fine. You may want to ask your band mates if they can hear your bass ok in their headphones during recording. If they hear you fine then, as FunkMB suggested, simply turn up your bass in your headphones only. Also, once I had a similar problem that was due to crappy low-end response of the extra-cheap headphones that I was using. Mids/high were fine, but no lows. Also too, if you are mic'ing amplifiers to feed your system and are still blasting noise into the room then definitely use noise-canceling headphones.
 
#4
deepBassie said:
If you hear yourself cleanly in the final mix, then your input level into the mixer is fine. You may want to ask your band mates if they can hear your bass ok in their headphones during recording. If they hear you fine then, as FunkMB suggested, simply turn up your bass in your headphones only. Also, once I had a similar problem that was due to crappy low-end response of the extra-cheap headphones that I was using. Mids/high were fine, but no lows. Also too, if you are mic'ing amplifiers to feed your system and are still blasting noise into the room then definitely use noise-canceling headphones.
Click to expand...

Not Mic'ing any amps right now. But its a rule in my house, ear plugs or no.play. my band mates say they can hear me but just barely, but not discernable from anything else
 
#5
FunkMetalBass said:
Your software should have the ability to change the monitor output for each track. If that's not working, just turn down the volume on the guitar track(s) - it's only for recording purposes. You may also need to adjust your EQ. If you can't hear yourself while recording, you may end up buried in the mix at the end.
Click to expand...

I will have to look for this when I get home.

Another thing I forgot to mention, this isn't ideal by any means but right now the 3 of us have all of our monitors plugged into the phone jack on the interface via a combination of splitters and aux extensions. I have a feeling this is also part of the problem.
 
#6
droppedurpocket said:
my band mates say they can hear me but just barely, but not discernable from anything else
Click to expand...

Yeah, you should probably turn up your input into the mixer then. Everyone has to be able to hear the bass solidly. I find it extremely difficult to play to my best ability if I can barely hear myself. You are right; sharing the phone jack via splitters/extensions doesn't help matters. Seems like a more versatile recording system is in line (I know, stating the obvious, gotta have bucks, etc).
 
#7
Not trying to belittle, but it could be a concentration problem.
When the guitar is added in, its sound in the midrange can be distracting.
If the bass is solid when you play it back, you just may be distracted when the guitar is playing. Things may get better with time and practice.
 
#8
seamonkey said:
Not trying to belittle, but it could be a concentration problem.
When the guitar is added in, its sound in the midrange can be distracting.
If the bass is solid when you play it back, you just may be distracted when the guitar is playing. Things may get better with time and practice.
Click to expand...

I don't see it as belittling, just constructive criticism. All of this is very new to me. Only had the equipment 3 weeks now.

Also I should have done more research on the equipment we got, came here asked questions etc., instead of letting my drummer do it. (he thinks he knows more than he does, though he is legitimately trying to learn)
 

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