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Recording sounds AWFUL, need help!

#41
projectMalamute said:
Near as I can tell you should be seeing a few different sets of options, from the manual I am seeing S/PDIF on RCA or optical, RCA aux ins and a 1/4" mic/line in with a knob for adjusting the gain. Let me know if I've got the right documentation, which input you are using, and if you are using the 1/4" in where you have that knob at.

I'm sure we can get something working for you, I was able to get something out of a much less capable card from the same company some time ago.
Click to expand...

I'm using the 1/4" line-in. I've got the gain knob set just barely on. I pretty much turn it til it clicks "off" and then turn it back until it's just above that. Turning it up from there obviously makes it louder, but in both cases there seems to be about the same amount of distortion, it's just easier to hear at higher volume.

I've also considered the cables I'm using. I've tried going from the DI to the 1/4" line-in with a male-male 1/8"jack cable adapted to 1/4" at both ends. I've also just used a 1/4" to 1/4" audio patch cable, straight from the DI into the 1/4" line-in.
 
#42
Cryhavok said:
Alright guys first stop the bickering, please. I don't know anything about recording interfaces, but I think I gathered what musicelectronix is saying. hunta, you're free to refute musicelectronix's claim, but your sarcasm was not even noticeable through text, and I'm normally a pretty sarcastic person myself.
Click to expand...
I thought the "that stuff is just a scam baby!" gave it away. I'm not Austin Powers!
And regardless, I'm not going to go buy a recording interface so lets just drop it.

I'm not looking to buy anything extra than what I have. I'm simply trying to run through a direct box into my Sound Blaster and get a decent sounding recording. This shouldn't be as impossible as it has been thus far. If it comes down to me needing to buy a bunch of stuff, I'm better off just taking a road-trip back to my studio and recording there for a weekend.
Click to expand...
That's fine, but trying to get a "decent sounding recording" out of a sound blaster is asking for a miracle. Unless you define "decent sounding" differently than I do. I would not suggest buying a bunch of stuff, and musicelectronix's claim that there's no point in spending less than $2000 is completely ridiculous. You could greatly improve your sound quality for less than $100. Check this out, http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TonePortGX/. It's $70. Get something like that, use whatever software you've got or get Audacity for free, or Reaper is getting very nice and costs $50 for a home license.

I'm sure there are people that record direct into their onboard AC97/soundblaster/whatever and it's good enough for them, but I don't think anyone who really does recording would be happy with the sound. Even a $70 interface will sound better EVERY TIME.

Just trying to help and save you some frustration.

BTW, the sansamp I think would almost certainly clip the input on your soundblaster. If you must use the soundblaster, I think going direct from the bass into the card would be your best hope of something that at least doesn't distort.
 
#43
Okay, according to what I am reading here you should have a detent where the thing switches from mic level to line level. I'm assuming this disengages the mic pre. Is this click you are speaking of the detent from which you can turn it in either direction or all the way counterclockwise, past the detent and full off?

Also, what is the chain ahead of the soundcard? Are you using the bass directly to the card or a line out from one of the amplifiers. If it is the line out what does it specifically say, is it an FX send, a balanced out, an unbalanced out, etc.
 
#44
projectMalamute said:
Okay, according to what I am reading here you should have a detent where the thing switches from mic level to line level. I'm assuming this disengages the mic pre. Is this click you are speaking of the detent from which you can turn it in either direction or all the way counterclockwise, past the detent and full off?

Also, what is the chain ahead of the soundcard? Are you using the bass directly to the card or a line out from one of the amplifiers. If it is the line out what does it specifically say, is it an FX send, a balanced out, an unbalanced out, etc.
Click to expand...

Correct, the click disengages the mic-pre. I can turn the knob all the way ccw, past the click, and I hear/record absolutely nothing. I turn it clockwise past the detent, and I can record very quietly, but there is still distortion. Continuing to turn it clockwise until it stops allows me to hear and record much louder, but still with distortion.

My chain goes:
Bass->SansAmp DI->SB 1/4" line-in

The DI is set active (on), with level at 50%, treb bass drive and presence at 0, and blend 100%.


Also, I should probably mention that I'm still ridiculously new to this stuff. I've only been playing bass for almost 2 years, and I'm just getting into self recording. Last year I did some recording, but my guitarist did the majority of the setup and we were in a pretty good studio with a good mixing board. So, if anything I'm saying doesn't make sense or if Im just stupid... let me know.
 
#46
Try this and tell me what happens,

turn that knob counterclockwise past the detent, then select line-in rather than mic-in using the software interface. It's not clear to me from the documentation but I think that moving past that detent actually changes you from the mic input to the line input.

Near as I can tell you will be looking for line input 2 in the software interface.
 
#47
Kirkowitz said:
Doesn't the sansamp have an instrument/line level switch? If it does, make sure it's on instrument level.
Click to expand...

I believe I have it on instrument level, but I will double check and try again with it on inst. when I get home from work.

Malamute - Ok I will try that as well. I should probably stop posting here and actually work, so I'll get back to you on this tonight.
 
#50
Well, I'm finally starting to get something workable. It's a really awkward way of recording, at least to me, but I think I can make it work. I turned the line-in volume down to mic-level instead of line-level, as you suggested Malamute. I also switched the SansAmp to instrument instead of line. Then, when I record I get a very very quiet wave, which I then normalize to -6 or -3 dB. This usually leaves it with a lot of noise, but surprisingly the noise reduction tool clears most of it up quite nicely. This leaves me with something that I can probably get to sound good with some compression and eq'ing.

It still doesn't seem like I should have to be recording at such a low volume, so if anyone else has any ideas why I need to record this way or how to fix it, they would be much appreciated :)

Much thanks to everyone else who helped.
 
#51
Glad you are making progress. With stuff like this fiddling with where you are getting your gain can be huge. Try different combinations of turning up the sansamp while turning down the interface and vice versa. No matter what you do I think you will find dynamic range is very small, some adjustment to your technique or a compressor will probably be in order.

Best of luck.
 
#52
projectMalamute said:
Glad you are making progress. With stuff like this fiddling with where you are getting your gain can be huge. Try different combinations of turning up the sansamp while turning down the interface and vice versa. No matter what you do I think you will find dynamic range is very small, some adjustment to your technique or a compressor will probably be in order.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

+1

You've probably swung to the opposite end of the gain range w/ your signal very close to the noise floor.

Probably playing with the input levels, etc that got you there - you'll find a setting(s) that dials it right in.
 
#53
Am trying the whole recording thing with a laptop not configured for music myself, and I"m using Audition (and hardly know how :) )

Some things I have discovered:
1. Laptop plugged into a/c gives the recordings a background hum, laptop running off of battery doesnt.

2. With an active bass, I have tons of noise/clarity/overdriving the input issues. With a passive bass (same model just passive), 90% of these issues are gone. I *think* there may be some sort of electrical interference.....leading to my next thing...

3. Sitting too close to the computer causes noise issues, so I have to sit further than arms reach (which means some cutting to get rid of silence at end of take).

Input wise, it's a delicate balance between having the knob low enough not to clip and having it high enough to record decent. Very delicate.... I ended up putting a sharpie marker dot on the knob and the body (black body.. black dot...tricky!) so I wouldn't have to find the settings again.

My guitar has a computer with an awesome sound card and all that and even he still has input level issues... so I don't feel so bad :). He and I have come to the conclusion that the laptop is just not set up for "pro" level recording...I'll have to get an interface one day ..... but for now what I have works enough to send ideas back and forth. For stuff we want to keep, I go record on his computer.
 
#54
Ok I hate to bring this back up, but I'm really quite irritated with it right now. I got a new bass, a Spector Legend 4 (with the Tone Pump Jr) and I was hoping I could get some better tone for recording. Unfortunately, I've been playing with a lot lately and I just cannot get a good sound.

Here's how all my levels are set:
-Spector: Bridge pickup = barely on
Neck pickup = barely on
Bass = 0 (as in turned completely CCW)
Tone control = 0 (same as bass control)
-SansAmp DI : Level = 12 o'clock
Blend = max (all sansamp)
Bass,Treble,Drive,Presence = 0 o'clock
-PC Line-In: mic-level

Now, my AdG strings all come through nicely. It doesn't sound amazing but I can play with the tone and get reasonable results. The problem is playing on my low D (dropped from E). Spectrum wise, the signal level of the E-string isn't much higher than the other strings (ie, its not any louder), but the sound itself seems buzzy and jingly. Imagine you have some spare change sitting on your desk that ever-so-slightly vibrates to the bass of the music you're listening to, creating a slight jingly noise in the background. Well, thats like what Im getting built-in to my signal.

I'm at work right now, but as soon as I get home tonight I'll make up a quick recording and post it (any way to attach .mp3's to a post, or should I just host it somewhere?)
 
#55
A compressor would probably help. I just got a sansamp and I've been using bass > demeter compulator > sansamp > interface. Before I was running bass > compulator > interface (I can run straight from my bass to the interface and still get an "ok" sound). I'd really look to at least get a single channel USB interface to get you off the soundcard line-in, but I'll leave it there :)
 
#56
Yeah I'd prefer to get a USB interface as well. I've finally convinced myself that Creative sucks (like that was hard to figure out...). I just don't have the cash to throw down right now, especially since I just got a new bass. I can pretty much record here, in Iowa, at my computer, or I can travel back to Indiana to record through my nice amp at our studio. Its more convient for me to stay here, but if I can't get a good enough sound then obviously I'd rather just head to indiana for a weekend rather than spend more money for something that may or may not work better in the end.
 
#57
Cryhavok said:
I guess I had better look into getting a mic or a recording interface. I just don't want to spend more money and set it all up to find out it still sounds like crap anyway.
Click to expand...

Most decent recording interfaces on the market today will produce excellent results. It's extremely unlikely that it'll end up sounding like crap. And there's just no way it's gonna sound as bad as trying to shove that signal through a sound card that wasn't designed for that kind of work.

Will you get "pro" results? Maybe, maybe not. I've heard plenty of recordings from home studios that, aside from pro mastering, sounded excellent to my ears.

You don't need to spend a lot of money either. The job you need to do isn't complicated and simple, relatively inexpensive devices are up to the job.

Back to lurking..
:hiding:
 
#59
For under $100 you can certainly get a usable sound from an interface. Line 6 Toneport GX is 1 input for $50 (UX1 lets you use XLR for $90). Beyond $100 you've got some better options but I'm assuming you want to stay in the lower range. The Line 6 interfaces come with an amp/stompbox modeling plugin too. It's a good place to start for sure.
 
#60
go lurk over at the tapeop messageboard and try to find people in a similar situation... the search engine is ok there, and people are generally friendly.

for the same reason that i wouldn't ask any serious bass related questions over there, i wouldn't as any serious recording related questions over here...

you have a lot to learn about recording. it is a really fun thing (i do it for a living) and great for your playing (really refining your tone and technique), but definitely a very deep subject that requires tons of study to understand fully.

john
 

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