gfred611 Posted November 23, 2001 Share Posted November 23, 2001 I'm trying to record digital audio in Cakewalk HomeStudio2002 using a guitar, keyboard, a Mackie 1202VLZ pro mixer and a Soundblaster 16bit PCI soundcard. It sounds great going into the track, but when I play it back, it sounds really "airy". I'm monitoring through 2 Yamaha MSP10's, and the record levels are as high as I can get them without going into the red. I'm thinking that I don't have A) the soundcard plugged into the mixer right, or B) the right kind of soundcard. Any suggestions you Audio Experts? Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!! Gwen :) "Sometimes it's easier to buy gear than to practice..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovepusher Sly Posted November 23, 2001 Share Posted November 23, 2001 Airy?? As in reverby? clear? Need mo' info. Sly :cool: Whasineva ehaiz, ehissgot ta be Funky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfred611 Posted November 23, 2001 Author Share Posted November 23, 2001 "Airy" as in background noise "Sometimes it's easier to buy gear than to practice..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovepusher Sly Posted November 23, 2001 Share Posted November 23, 2001 Let me start by saying, I'm a Mac guy, so I'm not familiar with your paticular hardware and software. But it sounds like something between your instruments and computer input is making some kind of noise. Try plugging a mic, or something you know is quiet directly into the soundcard input(a SM58 into the Mackie should be pretty clean. Faders and gain up 1/2 to 3/4). Record a little bit then play it back. If you still have the noise, then it could be something past the sound card input that is causing it. Also check the I/O levels for the sound card. You want as much input and output without distortion, you can get. Sly :cool: Whasineva ehaiz, ehissgot ta be Funky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfred611 Posted November 23, 2001 Author Share Posted November 23, 2001 yes, seems like all the good guys are Mac Men!!!! Thanks for your help "Sometimes it's easier to buy gear than to practice..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-brm Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 Which input jack are you using on the Sound Blaster, mic or line in? Where are the record levels on the recording device software? Which inputs on the mixer for your keyboard or guitar? Where are your gain levels in and out on the mixer? Which output jacks on the mixer? It's OK to tempt fate. Just don't drop your drawers and moon her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroslav Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by gfred611: [b]yes, seems like all the good guys are Mac Men!!!![/b][/quote] "It ain't the meat, it's the motion!" or, to paraphrase... It's not the equipment, it's how you use it. :) But...in your case...it might be a bit of both. Check your levels going in (the output from your mixer)...and also go into your Volume control tab on your PC (advanced section) and make sure you have good gain structure...but I would just lose that 16 bit SoundBlaster! :D miroslav - miroslavmusic.com "Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfred611 Posted November 27, 2001 Author Share Posted November 27, 2001 >>>>Which input jack are you using on the Sound Blaster, mic or line in?<<<< Line In >>>>Where are the record levels on the recording device software?<<<<< about 60-70 percent up. >>>>>>Which inputs on the mixer for your keyboard or guitar?<<<<<< I use the Mackie 1202VLZ and the guitar is in preamp channel 2 and the synth is in channels 7&8 >>>>>>Where are your gain levels in and out on the mixer?<<<<< I try to keep the Mackie outputs at the "Unity" detente which is about 12 O' clock. The higher I set the Main, the more airy noise I get.<<<<< >>>>Which output jacks on the mixer?<<<< Ah, here's the mystery!!! I plug the line in from the soundcard to one of the mixer channel inputs, and the line out of the soundcard to either a tape output or the main out of the mixer. I should say that this weekend I tried to upgrade to a SB Audigy card, but after many frustrating hours and computer reboots, the sound went from "airy" to dark and muddy. I returned the SB Audigy and put my old card back in, and now it also sounds dark and muddy. I'm very frustrated with the whole thing, but I know there must be a solution, hopefully using what I already have. Thanks. Gwen "Sometimes it's easier to buy gear than to practice..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroslav Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by gfred611: [b] I plug the line in from the soundcard to one of the mixer channel inputs, and the line out of the soundcard to either a tape output or the main out of the mixer. [/b][/quote] OK...this could just be a typo, but if it's not...this might be where your problem lies. You seem to have your I/Os reversed...??? The mains/stereo output of your mixer should be feeding the Line Input of your soundcard. The Line Output of your soundcard should probably be feeding an Ext. Tape or some Input of your mixer that [b]wont creat a feedback loop[/b] like a channel input could/would. I mean...you CAN use a channel input, but you have to watch out that you are not sending that back to the card...since it comes from there...am I makin' sense? But...I still feel that it's the SoundBlaster card. I don't think that even the SB Audigy would be an improvment. Go to the next higher level of quality...something that has better A/D/A converters than the SB stuff. miroslav - miroslavmusic.com "Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 I agree with Miroslav about the likely cause of your problem. That Mackie you have doesn't have direct channel outs, which would be the normal way to run into the sound card. Does that Mackie have an extra bus (maybe called Alt?) You can use that to run signals into the card. But I disagree that the problem is because you have an SB Live. That card, while not as excellent as higher-end cards, should record quite acceptably. You should not be hearing very much noise at all (unless of course your signal path is noisy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroslav Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by AlChuck: [b]But I disagree that the problem is because you have an SB Live.[/b][/quote] You may be right... I just thought that if HiQ sound quality was/is the apparent concern, maybe an HiQ card would be the smarter way to go, and in the long run the upgrade to a real HiQ card would be inevitable... miroslav - miroslavmusic.com "Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovepusher Sly Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by gfred611: [b]I try to keep the Mackie outputs at the "Unity" detente which is about 12 O' clock. The higher I set the Main, the more airy noise I get.[/b][/quote] That sounds like the noise is coming from the mixer, either the guitar or keyboard, or the way you have the gain set. Sly :cool: Whasineva ehaiz, ehissgot ta be Funky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovepusher Sly Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by gfred611: [b]I try to keep the Mackie outputs at the "Unity" detente which is about 12 O' clock. The higher I set the Main, the more airy noise I get.[/b][/quote] That sounds like the noise is coming from the mixer, either the guitar or keyboard, or the way you have the gain set. Sly :cool: Whasineva ehaiz, ehissgot ta be Funky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Lozada Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 [quote]Originally posted by gfred611: [b] I plug the line in from the soundcard to one of the mixer channel inputs, and the line out of the soundcard to either a tape output or the main out of the mixer. Gwen[/b][/quote] Gwen... this is IT ! I don't know why are you doing it, but it is very strange. Audio feedback (loop) could generate what you call "air". Are you trying to record a prerecorded track in CakeWalk through an audio out then re-recording it mixed with the guitar and synths ? This is not gonna work. Mix inside of CakeWalk. Your mackie 1202 VLZ has XLR and TRS MAIN OUTS. Just connect the TRS Balanced outs to your SoundBlaster LINE IN mini jack using an adaptor. Now... if you only record synths and guitar... why don't you plug them directly to the card? Skip the mixer and record every instrument independently. Then, again, mix INSIDE of CakeWalk. Músico, Productor, Ingeniero, Tecnólogo Senior Product Manager, América Latina y Caribe - PreSonus at Fender Musical Instruments Company Instagram: guslozada Facebook: Lozada - Música y Tecnología www.guslozada.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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