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GMC Forum _ Recording _ Why Do My Recordings Sound Awful?

Posted by: -orb- Dec 4 2007, 02:51 AM

Okay I definitely remember reading on one of the lessons that the equipment used included recording through an SM57 microphone.

I happen to also use a SM57... yet when I record guitar it sounds awful. Am I playing too loud? I kept turning up my volume and the background music's volume because it didn't pick it up well enough when I was playing quieter. However now it just sounds muddy and disgusting.

I don't want to plug directly into my computer because the output jack from my amp (line 6 spider III) makes it so that no sound comes out of the amp if you've got something plugged into the output jack, so I can't hear myself playing.

Does anyone know how I can make this better?

Here's an example of my awful sound quality (I've only been playing guitar for 5 months.. just found the site (so I haven't actually been able to practice any of the lessons yet)... so the playing itself's not so good lol): http://youtube.com/watch?v=_xN_UJGpubo

You can feel free to give advice/make comments on the playing itself if you want, though I doubt you'll really be able to hear it.

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Dec 4 2007, 03:31 AM

Explain exactly how you record. You should listen to backing track through headphones if you're recording to it with a metronome. I'm guessing you're micing up the amp?

Posted by: nickmarx12345678 Dec 4 2007, 03:38 AM

alright the first thing thats really screwing it up is the computer in the backround. For some reason a lot of camera mics have a lot of trouble recording music played from a computer. Also it could have a lot to do with your room because the reverberations from the hard walls can give you worse quality also. Just hang a blanket or twon on the walls and that should help

Posted by: MickeM Dec 4 2007, 08:45 AM

Keep the backingtrack in your headphones, put the SM57 close to the cone of the speaker in a position you think sound good. Record what you play into your computer, then add your guitar track and the backing track into f ex Reaper.

Posted by: -orb- Dec 4 2007, 10:30 AM

Okay thanks for the help guys.

I didn't know I was supposed to put the mic close to the cone, I thought it was supposed to be farther away to not get distorted or something. I'll put it close in my future recordings.

Also I'll listen on headphones (as much of a pain that it is) so that the computer bg music is mixed in later manually

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Dec 4 2007, 09:55 PM

LEt the 57 be as close to the cone as possible, slightly off-center. Dampen the rooms walls with some blankets or something while recording and try to record as healthy signal as possible. Use phones and do not play in the same room as the mic is recording if possible.

Posted by: Bogdan Dec 4 2007, 10:34 PM

How are you recording these ? Do you plug the microphone directly into computers sound card, or do you have a mixer or preamp or something and than to computer ? I recomend line 6 tone port (it has mic input and preamp in it) and that way you can make realy good quality recordings on your computer!

Posted by: -orb- Dec 5 2007, 12:44 PM

QUOTE (Bogdan @ Dec 4 2007, 04:34 PM)

It's going through an m-audio Mobile Pre

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Dec 5 2007, 10:58 PM

Thats good man, it is not the sound card. Try to experiment wiht those advices and give us the feedback.

Posted by: -orb- Dec 6 2007, 12:15 PM

I will as soon as I can record again.

My mic cord ripped somehow (crimped or something).

I ordered a new one 2 days ago, when it arrives I'll try recording again and show you guys the results.

Posted by: Toni Suominen Dec 7 2007, 03:52 PM

QUOTE (-orb- @ Dec 6 2007, 01:15 PM)

I will as soon as I can record again.

My mic cord ripped somehow (crimped or something).

I ordered a new one 2 days ago, when it arrives I'll try recording again and show you guys the results.

What program are you recording with? when you have recorded something, post an mp3 here so we can better hear the sound quality

And dont worry, the sound quality will be allright, recording just needs a bit of practising at first

-Toni

Posted by: -orb- Dec 10 2007, 02:06 AM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nE9lH_PdbBk

That's the new take with the advice you guys gave.

Way better!

I'm confident it'll be even better if I record the audio separate from the video using audacity to record.

right now I'm just using a webcam program to record the video, so the audio quality will be even better if I record with audacity.

Posted by: Toni Suominen Dec 10 2007, 09:40 PM

Much better -orb-, but yeah, record with audacity, the audio quality will be much better then!

Posted by: Bogdan Dec 11 2007, 04:01 PM

Yeah this is a big difference When you get even more better quality videos post please

Posted by: MickeM Dec 11 2007, 04:17 PM

QUOTE (-orb- @ Dec 10 2007, 02:06 AM)

Right on, it sounds a lot better now!

Posted by: Wallimann Dec 11 2007, 04:20 PM

Your playing is not bad dude!

Posted by: -orb- Dec 12 2007, 12:42 AM

Thanks guys! It's finals week at college, hopefully I'll record some more when I get back home for winter break.

Maybe I'll even see if I can record some stuff with my brother, he's just starting bass.

Posted by: -orb- Dec 15 2007, 11:51 AM

I got time in to record a song using audacity today.

Heh, it's cliche. It's the famous Canon Rock. But hell, that's the song that inspired me to start playing guitar 6 months ago, so what can I say.

I didn't have time to do more than one take, so a lot of parts aren't what I'd like them to be

Oh well, I think the recording quality is excellent now. Thanks a lot guys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGX8C9K0S4Y

Posted by: Joe Kataldo Jan 4 2008, 02:36 PM

Try to aim the sm57 to the inside dust cup of the cone is the most balanced sound you can get with just one mic

Joe Kataldo