Hello Everyone,
 
I am brand spanking new to laying down vocals.  I am using Sonar Platiunum, a C214 mic plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface.
I created a new audio track in Sonar, and I am getting my vocals into the track, but:
 
1.  the sound is VERY low (-60 db)
2.  the sound is only recording onto the LEFT channel
 
This begs me to ask several things.
 
1.  on a scale from 0% to 100%, where should the gain knob on my Scarlett 2i2 interface for my mic input level be at?  I have mine around 80% and it is STILL low.   
2.  I am guessing since Vocals are mono, this is why it is recording only onto the left channel, which begs me to wonder, how do you record vocals in Sonar?  Is there a special mono vocal track I am missing in the Insert options?
3.  The guy at the Guitar Center who sold me the equipment told me I really need a pre-amp between the mic and the Scarlett 2i2 interface for best results.  Is this true?  I decided to decline on that simply because I wanted to test this out at home first.   Is this the missing link here?   
 
Thank you all!
 
-Adam

1. You should set the input gain so that in Sonar, with the track armed for recording, you see levels of somewhere between -12dB & -6dB. This assumes your track fader is at 0dB
 
2. Yes, vocals are mono so you should select the relevant input in the Track Header (or Inspector). This should make Sonar switch the interleave to mono, if it doesn't, check your selection
 
3. The guy at Guitar Centre is just trying to sell you more gear - your Scarlet IS a pre-amp, but ensure you've engaged the 48V Phantom Power which the C214 needs in order to operate correctly

Bristol_Jonesey
1. You should set the input gain so that in Sonar, with the track armed for recording, you see levels of somewhere between -12dB & -6dB. This assumes your track fader is at 0dB
 
2. Yes, vocals are mono so you should select the relevant input in the Track Header (or Inspector). This should make Sonar switch the interleave to mono, if it doesn't, check your selection
 
3. The guy at Guitar Centre is just trying to sell you more gear - your Scarlet IS a pre-amp, but ensure you've engaged the 48V Phantom Power which the C214 needs in order to operate correctly

Hello Bristol,
 
Thanks for the response.  I do have some questions...

1.  No matter what I do, even with the input gain up all the way, the loudest I can get the mic up to is about -45db, but thats with a lot of noise coming through too.   I feel something is very wrong with my input, but not sure what.
 
2.  can you be more specific as to what I should be selecting in the Track Header?  I am not sure what I should be doing here.
 
3.  Thank you, thought so.  he said though a pre-amp would even sound better than the Scarlett's built in pre-amp.  But yea, he is probably trying to sell me more stuff lol.

I just noticed in regards to item #1:   OK when I am singing into the mic, i see the peaks around -10db, so that is good... BUT the recorded track is like at -40db.  this doesnt make sense to me.   How is the live input much louder than the recorded track?

EDIT:  if you UNARM the track, the meters work properly, so yes I am getting a good volume then!  strange behavior there.

I also figured it out, I have to choose the LEFT channel only as the input for the track.  

correct me if I am wrong please.
 
Thanks for all your help.  
 

Yes, left input only.
 
you should be good to go

cool.  do you know why i have to unarm the track in order to see the volume meters work?  If the track is left armed and i play back my vocal track,  I think it is just giving you current input of the mic instead of what is playing on the track.  Is there a way to switch that behavior?
 
 

The meters perform a dual function - when armed they act as an input monitor, when unarmed, they show the output level of the track, relative to fader position.
 
You should not have to unarm a track to see the levels registering when you sing/play into your microphone

I am concerned about the low level and the noise.
 
1.  Someone else mentioned checking that phantom power is ON on your interface.  If not, that is a problem.
2.  Your mic documentation should give an impedance value.  You can find the C214's specs at the link below.  On the Scarlett, though, I don't see of a way to set that *but* you should double-check that you have the input set to LINE and not INSTRUMENT.
3.  Your mic also has a 20db pad on it.  In the on position, that would lower the output level. although it would not increase the noise.
4. Back to the stereo/mono thing, if you are only getting signal to one side but opening up the other side all the way, I can see how that might cause noise, although I've never had the issue.  I usually get signal on one side and silence on the other.  You can record a mic to a stereo track and just pan it Center.  I do that all the time.
5.  The only other issue would be a set-up problem with the interface.  The Scarlett User Guide is excellent and you can find it online if you don't still have it.
 
In general, the symptoms you describe are usually caused by an input interface open too much but with a low signal coming from the mic. Please check phantom power and the mic pad.  I have had this problem with a very low-level mic feeding an interface with very low gain, but with the mic and interface you have, I can't see how that could be a problem.
 
Dumb question: but you Scarlett is going direct to your PC and not through another interface, right?  If you are using it as a mic preamp feeding another interface, there are lots of opportunities for level issues.  Example: I have used a mic preamp to feed my VS-700 interface.  It was fine but I had to get all the levels and setting right.
 
http://www.akg.com/pro/p/c214
 
 
 
 

Bristol_Jonesey
The meters perform a dual function - when armed they act as an input monitor, when unarmed, they show the output level of the track, relative to fader position.
 
You should not have to unarm a track to see the levels registering when you sing/play into your microphone

exactly, so it is working as described.  I was hoping to see the wave playback meter levels while the track was still armed, but it makes sense that while it is armed it is monitoring line-in instead.  thanks for your help!