Microphone recording help.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting a
kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum, but
just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp vocals
that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

ooo, ooo. Great response both of you guys. I'll definately back off
the mic, but two questions. I sing some pretty soft stuff, so how do I
get the mic to pic up the volume without adding a lot of ambient noise
and what is a pass filter and a shelf. I have been around studios for
years and realized last night that I never understood the EQ terms well
enough to be comfortable using them.

Matt

antastico wrote:
> High pass filter EQ around 100. Add sizzle to 20K with HF shelf+.
>
> atticus <mkramer@mkventures.com> wrote in message
> news:1107845249.252584.327660@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> > I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
> > directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting
a
> > kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum,
but
> > just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp
vocals
> > that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?
> >

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

How close is the singer to the mic? Try backing the singer off the mic,
like maybe a foot away. You can also try putting the mic into omni
instead of cardioid. The preamps for the Digi002R are probably not
amazing, but they are probably good enough for your basic needs. The
NT2 should definitely be able to give you crisp vocals....it's a
particularly sizzily mic.

Cheers,
Trevor de Clercq

atticus wrote:
> I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
> directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting a
> kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum, but
> just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp vocals
> that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

High pass filter EQ around 100. Add sizzle to 20K with HF shelf+.

atticus <mkramer@mkventures.com> wrote in message
news:1107845249.252584.327660@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
> directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting a
> kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum, but
> just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp vocals
> that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

You cut out ambient noise by having an acoustically isolated environment
like a professional studio isolation booth. But it sounds like this is
a home endeavor, in which case you just have to try to get the quietest
environment possible. Close windows, turn off the fridge, put up
blankets, etc. Computer recording involves a noisy computer which would
be best put in a separate room than the recording area. VGA and USB
extender cables come in handy here if you want to be able to "record"
and "perform" in the same space.

Otherwise, it's a tradeoff between sound quality and noise with where
you position the singer and the mic. Too far and you've got too much
room tone; too close and you've got too much proximity effect and
sibilance. The eq'ing will help, but it's only a poor fix for unideal
mic position.

Cheers,
Trevor de Clercq

atticus wrote:
> ooo, ooo. Great response both of you guys. I'll definately back off
> the mic, but two questions. I sing some pretty soft stuff, so how do I
> get the mic to pic up the volume without adding a lot of ambient noise
> and what is a pass filter and a shelf. I have been around studios for
> years and realized last night that I never understood the EQ terms well
> enough to be comfortable using them.
>
> Matt
>
> antastico wrote:
>
>>High pass filter EQ around 100. Add sizzle to 20K with HF shelf+.
>>
>>atticus <mkramer@mkventures.com> wrote in message
>>news:1107845249.252584.327660@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>>I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
>>>directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting
>
> a
>
>>>kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum,
>
> but
>
>>>just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp
>
> vocals
>
>>>that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?
>>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1107880215.167629.132640@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> mkramer@mkventures.com writes:

> I sing some pretty soft stuff, so how do I
> get the mic to pic up the volume without adding a lot of ambient noise

You get rid of the ambient noise. Record in a quiet room that doesn't
have a lot of ugly reflections. That's why we have studios.

> and what is a pass filter and a shelf.

A high pass filter is one that rejects low frequencies and passes high
frequencies. It's just as often called a low cut filter, more
descriptive because that's what you use it for. Some microphones and
some consoles have a button that engages a filter that cuts the low
frequency response sharply below 100 or 80 or 75 or 60 Hz, depending
on the design of the console.

A shelf (in this context) describes the graphic representation of the
frequency response of a filter. A shelving equalizer boosts a certain
amount starting at a certain frequency, levels off, and boosts
everything above that frequency by the same amount:

_____________
/
________/


The other kind of equalizer is peaking:

_
/ \
________/ \_______


Of course either can cut as well as boost.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers (mrivers@d-and-d.com)
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Before doing anything with EQ, try switching to Omni-directional (as
suggested previously by others). No need to add noise w/ filters or EQ
if this just proximity effect! Then you ought to be able to stay nice
and close to the mic.

Mike Sayre

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

>
>ooo, ooo. Great response both of you guys. I'll definately back off
>the mic, but two questions. I sing some pretty soft stuff, so how do I
>get the mic to pic up the volume without adding a lot of ambient noise
>and what is a pass filter and a shelf. I have been around studios for
>years and realized last night that I never understood the EQ terms well
>enough to be comfortable using them.
>
>Matt
>
>antastico wrote:
>> High pass filter EQ around 100. Add sizzle to 20K with HF shelf+.
>>
>> atticus <mkramer@mkventures.com> wrote in message
>> news:1107845249.252584.327660@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>> > I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
>> > directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting
>a
>> > kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum,
>but
>> > just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp
>vocals
>> > that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?
>> >
>

If you are trying to pickup any thing that has a low output level. and are in a
noisy enviroment, you will hav noise problems.

Either sing louder, which may not be the desired effect or get rid of the
ambient noise by building a proper recording space.

A high pass filter is a device that lets the frequencies higher than the cutoff
frequency pass through.

Shelf is a term that describes an EQ which either cuts or boosts frequencies
above or below a set point.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1107845249.252584.327660@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
"atticus" <mkramer@mkventures.com> wrote:

> I'm using Protools with a Rode NT2 mic. I'm plugging the cable
> directly into the Digi002R and using the 48V booster. I'm getting a
> kind of muddy (round) sounding low end. It's not a noise or a hum, but
> just unwanted low EQ. Do I need a preamp? I just want crisp vocals
> that don't muddy things up. Any ideas?

Perhaps it's a "proximity effect" whereby the bass is overemphasised
when you get real close to the mic. Do you use a pop filter? Sometimes I
use one just to keep my face (or whoevers) off the mic a few inches.