Is it MIDI to get a good sound?

Okay, I really want a good sound from my recorings I make but they always pick up little things in the background and I don't have that pure, clear sound. I've tried soooo many diffrent things but I'm basicaly alone in this cuz I have no one to turn to. I use a H2 Handy Recoreder, a laptop with the program Audacity to recored (I can recored without Audacity). I've been looking into Midi but I don't completly understand it. There is this guy (Chase Coy) who is 17 and recoreds his music in his basement and has the clear sound I want but I don't know what he is useing. You can hear him at: www.myspace.com/chasecoy Do you guys know if Midi is what I should turn to so that I can get that sound were its like the music is comeing from the music player and not somewere far away? Do you guys know what I should get?

I’d say get either an USB or FireWire audio interface.
And download the Reaper recording software.

Best of luck, man. :cool:

wow, sorry but I just got home from buying one then I read that. thanks though anyhoo. BUT AHHHHH its not working and its time consuming. Hope i can get it to work soon. :(

Midi is just a controller language. You can not record audio with it. If you want a clear sound you need to get a decent microphone (I use a Sm58 for everything which is only decent but does everything ok) and a firewire interface for your computer with a mic (XLR) input. You can then use the mic running into the interface running into your computer to record. Set the mic up close to the thing you are recording, if it is an speaker then I would put it only a few inches from the speaker (having another mic that records room noise can help with smoother tone a lot). If your recording a acoustic guitar I would set it up no more than 7-8 inches from the hole or up near the neck depending on what sounds better to you.

Midi won't help you, unless you are using sample libraries and a midi keyboard to write music that is created on your computer via a synth.

You can get either a USB or Firewire interfaces but I seem to remember firewire being more reliably fast even though USB has a faster burst rate.

Can you return the midi device?
If you can; take it back and get something like the M-Audio USB audio interface.
Fairly inexpensive, versatile and includes the Ableton Live recording program.


http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MobilePre



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Originally Posted by: equatorCan you return the midi device?
If you can; take it back and get something like the M-Audio USB audio interface.
Fairly inexpensive, versatile and includes the Ableton Live recording program.


http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MobilePre



.

Good advice. You want a USB, firewire or dsp soundcard for recording audio. If room noise is a problem you can connect your guitar direct to your pc (forget about going through a mic) - you can connect direct to some soundcards and then treat the sound with a free plug-in in a sequencer like Reaper, Or of course, you can go through a processor or modelling unit like the PODxt, BOSS GT, Tome Port etc etc (the list is endless and you can go from basic to studio quality depending on your budget). Good luck with it, hope you get the exchange sorted - post back with your new setup and we can help get you up and running. .

Oh,..... when I said I already got it I meant a USB MIDI Interface cuz I went to a music store and asked around to learn somethings and I found that. Sorry and thanks for the help in it too, but I problem just with the interface is that the guitar comes through good but doesn't sound pure and ring out, and the program with it is really complicated so I'm working on that. Other then that, its giving off an awesome sound for the vocals and I love it! :D Thanks again

Hi! I know this thread has been concluded, but instead of opening a new one, since my question is somewhat related, I hope it's ok adding it here. I posted thisd in a different forum category, but I'm posting it here, since this part of my question might get more answers here. Btw, amateur player here. :

In relation to my earlier "how to decently record playing the guitar" question -- being that my guitar isn't electric acoustic, but merely acoustic, someone gave me a piezo transducer for a xmas gift (actually I was thinking of getting a pickup, but never got around to it, but hey, I got one now) and i managed to get an old Hot Cabs guitar amp. So, I hooked em all up and the output was I guess so-so... ok-ish, bearable. Well, bearable tilting on the bad side.

My questions:
1. It sounded a bit "tinnish/cannish" even with the bass equalizer up (I don't know how to describe the sound, just not smooth definitely compared to the unplugged sound). I mean my guitar's just a basic guitar but if that's a 5/10 compared to pro guitars, the sound from the amp sounded 3.5/10. I don't know if that's an amp or transducer problem? Would it improve if I just got a pickup?

2. The other annoying thing with the transducer is it kept picking up all noises, from finger sliding to minimal creaks to the door slamming next room. From how I understand it, the pick-up doesn't do that right, it just picks up the sound from the strings-- correct?

3. Well, listening to it on a TDK headphones, it sounded slightly worse, like a hidden microphone inside someone's shirt pocket, carvernous and tinnish/shrill at the same time but I guess the headphones are the problem... any recommendations? I need one because I can't make too much noise when I practice but I'd like it loud for me (hence the amp). mid-priced suggestions pls.

4. Or is the abovementioned M-Audio USB audio interface applicable to my guitar? If yes can I practice with that set up with regular pc speakers?

Thanks for any help! Hope everyone's enjoying the holidays!

Hey Van2006.
Whether you use a pickup, a piezo transducer or a microphone; you will get the best results if you use a preamp or a Direct Injection Box. (DI)

After the signal has been regulated in the preamp or DI you can choose to take it to your guitar amp or mixer.

Remember that modern mixers and interfaces have built in preamps capable of regulating the signal and give you the needed output level.

The majority of recording studios use high quality microphones connected to preamps to capture the sound of the acoustic guitars.

The placement of the microphone, piezo or pickup has a direct impact on the tone of your guitar, giving you sometimes too much treble or too much bass.

Finally, you can further shape the sound of your guitar by adjusting the lows, mids, highs and presence knobs on your amp or using an equalizer.

Hope that helps. :)

Thanks for the helpful reply, equator. I've also been digging around for info. Some say to just buy a sound card and plug directly, while others go the usb route. In summation, are these set ups correct:

acoustic guitar + x -> preamp -> usb interface (no need for soundcard) -> pc (audacity/reaper)

acoustic guitar + x -> preamp -> plug adapter + mac (garageband)

x being a pickup, transducer or clip on condenser mic-- I've been reading the mic is the best option. did i understand that correctly? or choosing any of the 3 doesn't make a difference? can the condenser mic be also used for vocals?

is this the most cost effective way to amaturely record with good quality?

also, since both setups are w/o amps, w/o soundcard upgrade and are computer based, can i practice on both set ups with headphones? I know that might sound like a silly question, but I'm not good with technicals and I think input/outputs must have wattage compatibilities or something.... or i can just be overthinking this, lol...

lastly, if you record, do you need tons of hard disk space? I know video editing does, does audio recording consume considerable space too (tho not as much as video, of course)?

thanks again!