Recording to Photo Booth - Scarlett 2i2

[BassicJazzy]

I'm doing some short videos for purely diagnostic purposes, to evaluate my technique on fretless, using Scarlett 2i2 USB to iMac and Photo Booth. So far I've done two tests, with two different fretless. I'm not running through my pedal board, which is probably a mistake, so my sound is not great to say the least. I have a decent compressor and chorus on the board which would no doubt make things sound a little better. Of the two fretless basses, the Sadowsky MX Hybrid sounds far better than the Ibanez SR370EF. I imagine this is due to the far better preamp on the Sadowsky.

Does anyone have any tips as to how to get decent, clean audio on this bare bones recording set-up? Mainly I am doing it for the video, so I can analyze my playing technique, but it would be nice to hear what I am playing more clearly.

 

[silky smoove]

Does anyone have any tips as to how to get decent, clean audio on this bare bones recording set-up?

Connect the bass to the Scarlett's Hi-Z input, set the gain so that you're peaking around -12dbfs and hit record. You could record at a higher level if you need, just don't let it clip and stay low enough to avoid intersample overs. Nothing more to it than that.

 

[DirtDog]

Are you sure that Photobooth is picking up audio from the Scarlett and not from the room?

 

[BassicJazzy]

Are you sure that Photobooth is picking up audio from the Scarlett and not from the room?

Yes, I have it selected as the audio source. I also have monitor speakers that are the output for my iMac, connected to the Scarlett. I think I may be clipping a bit, even though I'm mostly in the green. I did not know what oversampling was until I looked it up.

 

[silky smoove]

I think I may be clipping a bit, even though I'm mostly in the green.

If you're exceeding 0dbfs (i.e. clipping) then just turn something down, either the gain on the interface or the volume on your bass.

I did not know what oversampling was until I looked it up.

What does oversampling have to do with any of this?

 

[BassicJazzy]

If you're exceeding 0dbfs (i.e. clipping) then just turn something down, either the gain on the interface or the volume on your bass.


What does oversampling have to do with any of this?

Sorry, meant "intersample overs." I had to look that up, you referenced it in your previous response. I know what conventional clipping sounds like but not really that familiar with using the Scarlett without going into a DAW first, with level monitors and limiters.

I'm going to try going through my MXR compressor, see if that helps clean things up a bit. A little light compression might even the peaks.

The SR370EF sounded a lot clearer in single coil mode than in hum bucking mode. Again, not sure why, but output probably higher in hum bucking mode.

 

[silky smoove]

That makes sense. Intersample overs are really only a concern if you're recording near 0dbfs. If you leave yourself some headroom you'll be fine. My preference on recording projects is to target -12dbfs. Others use -14, others -18, some folks use -6 but I don't really recommend that approach unless you know what you're doing.

I'm curious why you're implementing a compressor when your stated goal was to evaluate your fretless technique. I'd think you'd want as clean and pure of a DI signal as you could manage as it would be the most revealing with respect to technique.

 

[BassicJazzy]

That makes sense. Intersample overs are really only a concern if you're recording near 0dbfs. If you leave yourself some headroom you'll be fine. My preference on recording projects is to target -12dbfs. Others use -14, others -18, some folks use -6 but I don't really recommend that approach unless you know what you're doing.

I'm curious why you're implementing a compressor when your stated goal was to evaluate your fretless technique. I'd think you'd want as clean and pure of a DI signal as you could manage as it would be the most revealing with respect to technique.

Yes, you are correct in all of that. Thanks! No doubt I am pushing the volume up too high. I need to back it down and see if that cleans it up before going to the "magic box" solution.

I built a board several months ago and so far have only used it once. Just figured maybe it would be worth it to see if it could get me better audio, but you are right, clean and unaltered will probably serve me better, for this objective at least.

My eyes tell me more than my ears anyway. I don't need to see myself to evaluate my phrasing or intonation, ears do that real time, but my eyes show me where I got sloppy with technique, which in playback I can look at more closely.

 

[ctmullins]

The Scarlett comes with its own little utility with faders and meters. “Focusrite Control”

 

[BassicJazzy]

The Scarlett comes with its own little utility with faders and meters. “Focusrite Control”

I didn't install it, because it isn't available on the Apple Store. I keep my Apple devices 100% SW that comes through that store, to avoid issues. And I only use GarageBand as my DAW, with no plug-ins other than the ones Apple provides in iOS.

 

[BassicJazzy]

I lowered the gain on the Scarlett and recorded two videos today, which sounded much better, so my issue was clipping. Thank you for your responses. I am apparently even more inadequate as a sound engineer than as a bass player.

 

[silky smoove]

I am apparently even more inadequate as a sound engineer than as a bass player.

It's a skill, just like playing bass. Before I started doing engineering work professionally, I just started twisting knobs and making all sorts of mistakes on various plugins... and now that I'm doing it professionally I still find myself frequently just twisting knobs and making all sorts of mistakes on various plugins.