Mic Preamp questions

[CR Rollyson]

Question. I record demo's out of my house. Minimal recording equipment set up. (Honestly I don't know or have a lot of techniques other than using a big room to record vocals and the use of Garageband on our Mac.)

The interface I use is a Fast Track Pro (4x4 Mobile USB Audio/MIDI interface with Preamps). Main microphone is Samson CL8 Studio Condenser.

I've been questioning whether or not I need or would benefit, I should say, from purchasing a Mic Preamp.

Of course, I called the local music store in town and spoke with a guy in the recording department, who advised that I should look at upgrading my interface, rather than purchasing another Mic Preamp.

I highly enjoy the Fast Track Pro. The main problem I have is recording vocal tracks. Like the sound isn't "alive" enough. I'm sure there are techniques I'm not firing on, but would having an additional Mic Preamp broaden the sound range/quality?

Or am I just green behind the ears and not using my interface to it's fullest potential?

Any help, direction, or comments would and will be greatly appreciated.


Tape Op is amazing.

[red cross]

Look a little higher up the chain. Upgrade the mic first. Then preamp, then convertors. If all else fails, upgrade the voice!

[Nick Sevilla]

Question. I record demo's out of my house. Minimal recording equipment set up. (Honestly I don't know or have a lot of techniques other than using a big room to record vocals and the use of Garageband on our Mac.)
The interface I use is a Fast Track Pro (4x4 Mobile USB Audio/MIDI interface with Preamps). Main microphone is Samson CL8 Studio Condenser.
I've been questioning whether or not I need or would benefit, I should say, from purchasing a Mic Preamp.
Of course, I called the local music store in town and spoke with a guy in the recording department, who advised that I should look at upgrading my interface, rather than purchasing another Mic Preamp.
I highly enjoy the Fast Track Pro. The main problem I have is recording vocal tracks. Like the sound isn't "alive" enough. I'm sure there are techniques I'm not firing on, but would having an additional Mic Preamp broaden the sound range/quality?
Or am I just green behind the ears and not using my interface to it's fullest potential?
Any help, direction, or comments would and will be greatly appreciated.

Tape Op is amazing.

Hi,

Instead of spending money, what do you do to the vocal in the mixing stage might be the question.

In garageband you do have access to many plug-ins.

Try using an EQ and a compressor to get a more present, defined vocal sound. Also use of reveb and delay might make a vocal stand out more in a mix, rather than without them..

The Key here is to experiment, until it sounds better to you.

Cheers

[virtualsamana]

short answer is no. neither a new pre nor a new interface is likely to improve your vocal sound. Look to improving the technique (both the engineer's and the performer's) and the room before throwing money at this type of gear purchase.

[T-rex]

As I just posted elsewhere I think Pre's make the biggest difference in the chain BUT, with just starting out I agree with the posts above. You should try everything under the sun. Explore the compressors in Garageband and EQ, then go back and try vocals in a small dry room, or different mic placement. Search the messageboard and read every topic you can find dealing with vocals.

Once you feel that you have exhausted everything then start looking to upgrade gear. If I started out with a pile of awesome gear, i would have still made crappy recordings, now they are just a little less crappy.

[rwc]

Hi,

Instead of spending money, what do you do to the vocal in the mixing stage might be the question.

The Key here is to experiment, until it sounds better to you.

Cheers

best advice ever

[leftofthedial]

I agree with the upgrade the mic comment....

I'm by no means a microphone snob, but I can't for the life of me figure out why anybody ever buys those cheap-o condensers. Seriously, for the 100 bucks, you could have had a new sm57, which almost always sounds 10 times better. Spend 200-300 and get a used SM-7 or an RE20 and you could record almost every rock vocalist ever without compromise....

[Professor]

If you don't know what you need to buy then it's a good idea to just step away from your wallet.

I agree in varying degrees with most of what was said above.
Yes, you should experiement more, record more, move the mic around, sing different, stand in different parts of the room, tweak the mixes more, etc. You should learn all of the potential your current gear has to offer before adding to it.
You should also try to identify what you would be trying to accomplish by getting any new gear. And don't just use a cop out like, "I want it to sound better", you need an idea of what would constitute "better" for what you are trying to accomplish.

After that, if you really feel like some gear needs improving, then I still think that the rule of 'garbage-in, garbage-out' applies. A cheap microphone being fed into a really nice preamp doesn't improve the cheap microphone, it either exposes it, or tries to hide it. I relate them to an engine and a transmission, with the microphone as the engine. Upgrading the transmission on a 50hp inline-3 engine won't make it perform like a V-8. (Yeah, upgrading straight to a V-8 would expose the weakness of the transmission too.) But a subtle and not too expensive engine (or microphone) upgrade will do more difference sooner.

But either way, there's more to do before upgrading anyway.

Happy Listening.

-Jeremy

[aitikin]

If you don't know what you need to buy then it's a good idea to just step away from your wallet.

+1

I agree in full with that. I was looking into stuff for about 6 to 9 months. I changed my mind about forty times, counting every back and forth. That being said, every time I changed my mind, I wanted that right away.

[hughmanatee]

how close are you to the mic, record a take stepped forward, stepped back, angle the mic, repeat. one thing I tell most of the voclaists that come in here is sing through the mic, not into it, making the room, not the mic, your focal point. in most situations it helps. also as far as processing goes keep in mind a little goes a long way.