kieranvyas
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How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
I have just purchased the audio technica AT4040. I am currently using the BOSS BR-600 digital recording studio HOWEVER I have the Focusrite Saffire 6 USB which i will be using as soon as i upgrade my laptop to windows 7!
When recording, i find that the vocals distort, but when i reduce the gain to a suitable level, the input is now too quiet. I continued to record quietly in hope that i could use a compressor to up the gain later on, but it was too much of a stretch.
So what I am asking is: How can I get the loudest cleanest unclipped undistorted sound out of my mic.
Please help! Thank you!!!
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Beagle
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 11:56:09
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record in 24bit and reduce your input so that it doesn't go above -6dB and you should get near the best sound out of your mic. I don't know anything about the Boss, but I would assume it is not a 24bit device, probably 16bit (correct me if I'm wrong). 16bit devices are not the best for recording and one of the problems is something you describe.
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kieranvyas
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 12:20:55
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THANKS FOR RESPONDING! just read that my saffire 6 is 24bit, so that should be ok :) would -6db not be too quiet?
post edited by kieranvyas - 2011/07/26 12:24:25
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windsurfer25x
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 12:47:45
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No, it would not be too quiet. Your peaks should definitely not go above -6db. After you record you should use a compressor and limiter to bring levels up on export and it will be fine
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Beagle
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 13:38:52
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absolutely not. with 24bit you can record with lots of headroom and bring the overall rms up with a compressor in the box like windsurfer said.
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SCorey
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 14:29:59
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Agreed on what the others said. Also, can you post an example of your vocal recording? If there are some major swings in level, then you might need the vocalist to practice mic technique. Back off on the loud bits, move in on the quiet bits. If you watch videos of great singers, this is what they do.
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AT
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/26 15:20:56
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Yes, your signal really shouldn't go over -6dB in the digital world. In the analog world (mic, preamp) you can get some nice saturation (sometimes), but any digital over is not going to sound good.
The mic is a simple transducer - nothing to change except distance to singer. A good preamp, one that has high gain (+70 db) allows the singer to back off the mic more, and thus capture a more even performance. As Steve C. says above, pro singers will "play" the mic, but they are also farther away from it, usually, and aren't swollowing it even when they are leaning in.
The Focusrite preamps should work fine, tho you are likely to have to get closer to them than a pro studio, but unless you have a whispy voice singer.
The signal captured will go all over the place as far as levels, unless you have a belter. The great thing about digital is you can easily boost the lower parts and lower the louder ones to create a more "even" performance. 24 bits will also have such a low noise floor even big boosts shouldn't make the track too noisy.
Once you have leveled out the level, then a comp can smooth it, as well as add some "effect" (if that is what you want).
Just try to capture a non-redlining sound, on vocals as well as everything else.
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Bristol_Jonesey
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Re:How to prevent clipping on mic without losing amplitude?
2011/07/27 04:51:00
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Even -6 might be considered too high in some circles.
I aim for anywhere between -12 & -9 when tracking, this then will sit nicely in the track and responds well to EQ & compression.
If the vocal track is too quite when all your other tracks are playing, you'll need to start lowering them to ensure you keep your master bus well clear of 0dbfs
+1 to all the other contributions - right on the money guys.
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