Music Banter - View Single Post

Singstar · 08-10-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Well, very basically, a dynamic (passive) microphone doesn't operate with electrical components. It's more about vibrations, magnets and stored energy, to put it very generally. Dynamics don't need a power source. But condensers, on the other hand, do. And their electrical components require a DC voltage. So with phantom power, the power source (usually in a mixer or audio interface with PP) will send the needed DC current to the microphone through the XLR input, and to the microphone.

On/off switch is really a matter of convenience. If you're going to be in proximity to your recording device, or if in performance, you have someone to mute/unmute the channel you're on, then it's not really necessary. Conversely, it might come in handy for obvious reasons.

As far as the switching component wearing out, I wouldn't worry too much about that. It's a passive device that simply gates the signal, from what I understand. My dad has had several 58's with switches for years and years, and they all still work. Besides, it's a solid mic. They're built to last.

It would depend on whether you want to have the video of you recording yourself, or have a video of you singing like in a music video, where the video and recording were clearly two separate events, but in sync.

Scenario 1:
A vid of you with your headphones on, at the microphone, recording, while the vid plays both the recorded vocals and the instrumental in sync:

- First, you'll plug in your headphones to the headphone port of your audio interface. You'll also plug in your microphone to one of the XLR ports on your audio interface. In your recording program, you should be able to insert a track and assign the microphone port to it. This will be your vocal track. Also, insert another track and drag the .WAV or .MP3 file into it, lined up at 00:00. This will be your instrumental track. They are both separate entities.
- Test to ensure that you can hear yourself through the mic, into the headphones. Also ensure you can hear the instrumental track. Adjust the level of each so that you get a good balance. ENSURE THAT YOUR MICROPHONE LEVEL DOES NOT EXCEED 0DB IN THE METERS.
- Arm your vocal track to be the track that records, then start recording. Your instrumental track should play back, while your vocal track records you singing along to the instrumental. It will all be synced up.

Meanwhile, you have set up a video camera to record you recording the vocal track. The audio on the camera will be trashed. The video is what you want. When you have done a complete take that you're happy with, go ahead and save that. Make any changes to the levels and add any effects on the audio recording, then export as a .WAV.
Also, import the video from your cam to your computer.

Using a video editor (like Windows Movie Maker), import the video to a video track, then import the recording to an audio track. THEY WILL NOT BE IN SYNC YET. You can use the audio from the video to sync the video to the audio recording you made (since it will have picked up your voice when singing). Once it's synced up, ungroup the native audio from the video and delete it. Now the audio recording you made will be the audio track to the video.

When you're satisfied, export the video according to the recommended guidelines for Youtube.

Scenario 2:
A vid of you singing like in a music video, to the recording:

Same steps as above, except first do the audio recording without videorecording it. When you've exported the audio recording, then dress up all pretty, play the recording on speakers, and video tape you singing (or lipsyncing) along with it. Then repeat the video steps above, get rid of the video's audio, and use the audio recording you made.

I can be more specific about certain parts if you need.

Yes. You should. You will have (ear covering) headphones on, and they should be playing the backing track in a comfortable level to your vocals as they come through the headphones.
How to get the vocals to come through the headphones will depend on your audio interface and its software mixer.

btw... you really should let me know what audio interface you're using. I'd be able to help more.

Oh, God... thanks so much!

I really cannot thank you enough.

I had a pretty general idea about everything I asked but you clarified and explained the details in such concise and easy to understand way... especially with the recording stuff. It`s not often you stumble upon someone who explains something just the way you wanted...

And regarding the recording stuff... I was thinking about the 1. scenario...

don`t have a fancy cam and not into video making... just want to record myself singing... want it to be natural not specially made for that purpose like a video or something. But who knows... maybe I broaden my aspirations in the future..

You don`t have to be more specific about certain steps, I got it all, you couldn't have explained it better!

Now about the audio interface... Now I`ll come off as a total ignorant fool but.. you mean the hardware stuff? Do I need some additional hardware stuff besides my lap with a soundcard?