OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop.

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Peter Rabbit
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2009/05/20 12:49:20 (permalink)

OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop.


I’m thinking of doing a collab with a friend of mine. He’s not familiar with digital audio recording and has only a laptop computer that he can use to record a piano performance on his piano. He would be only be using the MS Windows Sound Recorder to record the performance which is capable of recording/playing a stereo signal. He would create a wav file and I would then use that file to complete my project. Ideally I would like the piano to be recorded in stereo with one mic aimed at the bass strings and one mic aimed at the treble strings.

Is the mic input on a laptop computer typically a mono jack or a stereo jack? If someone were to connect two mics to the mic input on a laptop (left & right) by using a Y adapter would you be able to record in stereo or is the mic input only capable or recording a mono signal?

I know he could use a Y adapter with the “Line In” jack and create a stereo signal but then he would need an external pre-amp to drive the mics and he doesn’t have one.

"Creating a bad song takes just as much time and energy as creating a good one. The problem is that you don't know it's a bad song until someone tells you, and by then it's too late."
P. Rabbit
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    Beagle
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    RE: OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop. 2009/05/20 13:01:03 (permalink)
    Hey Pete - yes, typically a mic jack on a laptop is a stereo input, but it doesn't always have to be that way and it doesn't always have a preamp on both inputs - one of them might be line input instead. it really depends on the laptop itself.

    also - pianos are extremely hard to record correctly - placement is difficult for a good sound even with good mics and pres.

    not trying to discourage you - just letting you know what you're in for!

    http://soundcloud.com/beaglesound/sets/featured-songs-1
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    Peter Rabbit
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    RE: OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop. 2009/05/20 13:24:18 (permalink)

    Thanks for the reply Beag.

    Well...I guess the only way for me to find out is to try it. If his mic input is not a stereo jack with both inputs connected to his internal pre-amp then we'll just have to record it in mono.

    I know recording a piano can be difficult. There's proper mic placement, room acoustics, etc...etc... But it could be a fun experiment and good learning experience for me.

    Thanks again.

    "Creating a bad song takes just as much time and energy as creating a good one. The problem is that you don't know it's a bad song until someone tells you, and by then it's too late."
    P. Rabbit
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    Beagle
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    RE: OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop. 2009/05/20 13:25:49 (permalink)
    tell him to make sure and check the windows mixer panel. that will tell you for sure if it's a stereo mic and if both channels have preamps or not. there should be settings for both channels of the mic input in the mixer panel if it's a stereo mic.

    http://soundcloud.com/beaglesound/sets/featured-songs-1
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    Peter Rabbit
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    RE: OT: "Mic" jack on a laptop. 2009/05/20 14:02:56 (permalink)

    Oh... OK. I didn't know that. That's a good thing to know and a very helpful tip! I haven't even looked at Windows mixer panel since upgrading my soundcard a few years back and I completely forgot about it. I've never even opened the mixer panel on my current soundcard since I originally set it up the way I wanted it; I haven't really had a reason to. Funny how I forget stuff sometimes...I guess senility is right around the corner.

    Once again Beagle saves the day! Thanks again!


    "Creating a bad song takes just as much time and energy as creating a good one. The problem is that you don't know it's a bad song until someone tells you, and by then it's too late."
    P. Rabbit
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