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Serious help needed; Comp audio driving me insane...

M

MistaMarko

Feb 3, 2006
878
77
USA
#1
OK. I've been trying for ages to simply record through my computer. I have an SM-57 mic, with an XLR to 1/8" cable that runs from the bottom of my mic directly into the soundcard (no adapters or housing on the cord...just a straight cable..not that it matters or anything).

Now the annoying part. Whenever I record, even with my amp really loud and the mic practically touching the speaker...it comes through kinda quiet. I'm comparing it to the the time I record with my band, same setup, on a different computer, and with my amp BARELY turned up, it was peaking all over the place on Audacity. So now on my own comp, same setup, same program (Audacity)...my recordings are extremely QUIET! Of course you say 'well check the mic levels'...well I've scanned every volume knob on the comp inside and out and there all up 100%.

So, I go on my sound controls (I use Sound-Blaster 24 Live)...and I change it from 'Microphone' to 'What You Hear'...which records a song if you simply play it out of iTunes. When I record with that option on...it records loud, nice, normal volume.

I used the 'What You Hear' option to try to record videos of me playing songs...you know, have the song being recorded exactly like it is using the 'What You Hear' option, then have a microphone to record your actual playing. Well my comp records both through 'What You Hear' and makes the song and my playing the same volume, so that I cannot hear at all what I played when I play it back.

I'm fed up with this; can anyone help me out? I'm using Audacity and, I CANNOT figure out why my mic records so quietly on one comp and perfect on another. Thanks!
 
#4
An Audio interface would be the ticket instead of using a sound card. Many on the market to choose from but they are designed to give a lot of flexiblity on gain structure and routing signals to monitors, effects loops, head phones or into a record bus and out again.
Sounds a little complex and it takes a fooling around to get the hang of it but it will make your recording projects way more productive.

Pretty much the secret to getting a good sounding recording is getting a good gain structure and good mike placement. You are out of luck using just a sound card.

M-audio, Tascam, Sonus to name three of many, I mean many to choose from. Available as a card or external device.

Do yourself a favor, get one.
 
#5
He's right, but in the meantime open up volume control, open the file menu, and make it show advanced options. You should end up with a +20 dB boost option, or a button to see advanced options, or something like that. I'm not exactly running Windows here, and I don't remember exactly. But most sound cards have the option.
 

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