JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum Candle To You

I redid this the best I could...It seems to lose some quality in mp3...

My intenion is only to make as good a recording as I'm capable...I would like to get them the best I can so when the right songs come along I can show a demo house what the song is about...

Also if any of you with recording knowledge... jump in and crit the recording...I'm getting a rumbling sound...Could it be from the mic being to close to the amp speaker?

Anyway it is annoying...is there a place on Audacity to clean up poor background sound?....Thanks in advance...Ted


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=764848

Candle to you




verse

Hey there goes my old lover
I think she finally discovered

That you stepped in to take her place

And now there is oooonly a trace

Pre Chorus


Of her in my life

Given time

I think I’ll get it right this time

She can’t hold a candle to you

No matter what she tries to do

She can’t smile the way that you do

Never walked a mile in your shoes

And she can’t love me like you do

No matter what she tries to do

She can't hold a candle to you

Candle to you

verse

Remember Denver in the Spring

And how we made it a lovers thing

Up on the continental divide

On the road with you by my side

Pre Chorus

With you in my life

Given time

I think I’ll get it right this time

chorus

She can’t hold a candle to you

No matter what she tries to do

She can’t smile the way you do

Never walked a mile in your shoes

And she can’t love me like you do

No matter what she tries to do

She can’t hold a candle to you,

Candle to you

Verse

Late December and a mile high

I thank God for you in my life

Seems I’ve always had to go

But I’ve never felt love like this before

Pre Chorus

With you in my life

Given time

I think I’ll get it right this time

chorus

No one can hold a candle to you

No matter what they try to do

No one smiles the way you do

Never walked a mile in your shoes

No one can love me like you do

No matter what they try to do

No one can hold a candle to you,

Candle to you

Copyright 2008 Ted Bryson

Hi Ted, never used Audacity, it does sound like the mic's too close to the amp, just mover her back a little, or turn the volume on the amp down. Maybe play with the eq on the guitar too, turn the mid range down a little

Louis...thanks...will give placement a go next recording time...it takes awhile to get this stuff lined up and sounding good...really think it must be the amp hum I'm hearing

Hi Ted

Good tune, melodies on verses were the strongest thing .....
Why are you miking an amp? And what is the clicking tapping sound?

Also i hear alot of people mention "Audacity" What is it? is it that free downloadable software that lest you mess around with audio? And it gives you previews of a few seconds to listen to alterations of a mix?

Also i hear alot of people mention "Audacity" What is it? is it that free downloadable software that lest you mess around with audio? And it gives you previews of a few seconds to listen to alterations of a mix?


Hi Mike...Audacity is free software for audio recording...it is one of the more often used programs but there are many...its low cost is appealing! ...

That clicking sound is me hitting the Alesis sr-16 drum machine...it sounds more like a click track though....or for you since you have really good ears it is likely my pick hitting the strings...I also hit the guitar at the break into the chorus as a timing device...would maybe be better on an acoustic though...

I mic the amp cause thats what I've been told most people do with a home recording...here and other forums have said that but it does not give me the cleanest pro type sound I would like of course....

I have a Berhinger 802 Xenyx mix board that has a line in for the mic and another for an instrument but have not got it to work through the system...don't know how yet...it would be my guess recording thru the mix board would be best...

If anyone out there can instruct on how a PC and mix board works for that type of recording...please drop a hint....

Thanks Mike...let me know if you have some suggs..

Hi Ted:

I'd use an acoustic for this song.

You might also play around with the EQ on the guitar track as Louis suggested. See if you can find the frequency where that rumble is at a maximum and make a cut there - and hope it doesn't affect the guitar sound too much

I know you use audacity to record and mix. But how do you get the sound into your computer? Is it through the computer's sound card or do you have an external audio interface?

Scott

Hi Scott...I believe that is the Berhinger mix board...in a sense I think it is an external sound card...

What do you mean the guitar track?...I play and sing at the same time...it would be better seprate but my skills haven't progressed enough to play perfect then sing perfect...it gets out of the groove real quick...when I sing and play I can hide the mistakes...well maybe not hide... you just heard... but blend them a little...if you know what I mean..

I have been waiting for the president to send me the incentive money to get an acoustic...your right it would sound better with an acoustic...thanks Scott

It seems tough to get people to stop in and I appreciate your time...

Hi Ted

Man I dont even record on to a computer so i really don't have the answer for you.
How do you rig an analog mixer to a PC? Or do you have it rigged up already?

I would assume you use the analog to digital convertors that are so expensive.

So Ted aren't you singing through one mic and using the other mic on the amp?
And recoring them both to the computer..

If so wouldn't they go to separate tracks? even if your doing them live together...

Hi Ted

This Aussie girl thinks your song is beautiful, and good effort with the recording. Enjoyed listening!

Michele

Couple more follow up questions for clarification:

(1) So you are using two mics? One to the amp and one for your vocal? And both of them into your Behringer?

(2) How is your Behringer connected to the computer? Through a USB port connection? Or plugged into your computer some other way?

I know what you mean about playing and singing at the same time. Clint visited me awhile back - he is one of the best pickers I know. And he picked even better when he was singing along with it. I think it might be like that for real performers....

Scott

Mike...you proably use real good but maybe older equip...this is pretty low end equip I'm using but fairly simple and I think the quality is availble to it with a good knob turn or two...

I would assume you use the analog to digital convertors that are so expensive

No...nothing like that...a small less than a 100.00 mix board...

So Ted aren't you singing through one mic and using the other mic on the amp?
And recoring them both to the computer..

No...one mic directly between me and the amp...it is plugged straight into the mix board then into the computer...I sing toward the amp....the mic picks up the guitar sound from the amp and my voice as well....

Correct me if I'm wrong but everyone here that does not have sophisticated equipment does it this way?...Maybe someone can answer that for us...that was the impression I got....at least for home recordings...

If so wouldn't they go to separate tracks? even if your doing them live together...

No...just one track...now Audacity may have a setting for that...I have it set for stereo...maybe I can set it for mono...na...that won't seprate the tracks either pretty sure ...IDK

Thanks Mike...it sounds like after writing this that the major problem is in the set up...one mic/close to the amp/not using seprate tracks...but my guess is a lot of others on here do the same thing....the exceptions of course are those that have experience and equipment to do it right...

Scott...

1) So you are using two mics? One to the amp and one for your vocal? And both of them into your Behringer?

One mic between me and the amp...I play and sing at the same time

2) How is your Behringer connected to the computer? Through a USB port connection? Or plugged into your computer some other way?

Yes a USB port...

I know what you mean about playing and singing at the same time. Clint visited me awhile back - he is one of the best pickers I know. And he picked even better when he was singing along with it. I think it might be like that for real performers....

Well that makes me feel better...I'm hardly a real performer though...heck I can't get my wife to listen to me play...course she has to live with me and hears all the crappy stuff I do til you guys hear it and by then she is burnt out!!...Can't blame her really...but my dog always listens!!

Thanks Michele...hey I have an Aussie Sheppard dog!! :)smart little guy...he is a minature..never mind...just being silly...

I appreciate you stopping by...Ted

OK - I understand now. I don't think there is any way that you can separate the vocals from the guitar if you record them at the same time with one mic. If you used two mics, you could record them simultaneously onto two separate mono tracks - there would be some bleed of each onto the other but you would still be able to do quite a bit with EQ and mixing.

On the other hand, if you jack your guitar directly into the Behringer in a line-in and use the mic for vocals, you could play and sing simultaneously and record them onto separate tracks with no bleed.

Still one more thing you could do - Jack the guitar directly into the Behringer but don't plug in the mic. Play and sing the song. The vocals won't be recorded but you will be playing and singing at the same time. After that is done, you could go back and record a real vocal track later. This is a good technique to use if your guitar playing is actually better when you are singing along with it.

All of my solutions require you to jack your guitar directly into the Behringer. The experts say you don't get as good of a sound that way. But at this point in your (and my) recording, I believe that will help you more than hurt you.

Sub might have better advice....

Scott

Scott...

On the other hand, if you jack your guitar directly into the Behringer in a line-in and use the mic for vocals, you could play and sing simultaneously and record them onto separate tracks with no bleed.

That sounds interesting...that might work...IDK...will see...I like the idea of playing and singing

Still one more thing you could do - Jack the guitar directly into the Behringer but don't plug in the mic. Play and sing the song. The vocals won't be recorded but you will be playing and singing at the same time. After that is done, you could go back and record a real vocal track later. This is a good technique to use if your guitar playing is actually better when you are singing along with it.

another good sugg...will keep on learning and see what works...

Would you agree that most people do it the way I have...or do they add an extra mic and try to fix it in the mix process?

All of my solutions require you to jack your guitar directly into the Behringer. The experts say you don't get as good of a sound that way

Do they really think it is better to record off of a speaker/amp...just seems like thru the system would be cleaner...IDK

Thanks Scott

Ted,

Strong melody for the lyric. Good job with that.

As far as Audacity...I use it all the time. there is a noise removal option. However, it leaves you will a different noise! Thus, I never use it. To get rid of any background noise before and after the recording, I simply highlight the a couple of seconds before and after the actual song (header and trailer), go to the "Amplify" effect and move the slide all the way to the left, which gives you total silence for those parts. however, in mid-song, the noise removal option is annoying.

i do not know if you have heard any of my recordings or not. But, I NEVER mic my amp. I plug it straight into the "mic" input on my computer and record directly. I use the "headphones" jack on my amp as an audio out. You pick up no extraneous noises what-so-ever that way.

Since you are using a mic, rather than direct input, my guess is that the rumbling is from the lower EQ ranges. they tend to amplify that kind of noise. You can use the "Equalization" effect in Audacity to reduce the low EQs.

Just some thoughts for you. Good luck with your song!

Alan

Al ...Hi...hey I used the hi-light and silence feature and seemed to help a little...the noise at the beggining and end are much cleaner...also did it for the tracks in the middle that were basic wasted recording space and that cleaned anything un-nesessary...


i do not know if you have heard any of my recordings or not. But, I NEVER mic my amp. I plug it straight into the "mic" input on my computer and record directly. I use the "headphones" jack on my amp as an audio out. You pick up no extraneous noises what-so-ever that way.

If you plug straight into the back of the computer what settings do you set the computer for?...How do you mix if you don't go thru a mix board to adjust volume on diff tracks and so on?...

Think the noise is from low bass frequincies...when I listen to a nice Allison Krauss tune I don't hear that rumble coming out of my desk top speakers and sub wofer...

With my song it is a constant noise...can't get rid of that...

Thanks Al for your help...it truly is appreciated...on the current recording I have some improvement already...!!

Hi Ted

Scott & Al gave you what you need to know.....

Yes - plug your guitar into that board and then use the mic for vocal only.

Seems you can only record ONE time in stereo, that stinks! that's like recording on a
little cheap cassette deck or radio.

Now you can go the computer route that everyone loves so much, but i know in my heart that a good little porat studio would be perfect for you.
Fast and easy no upgrades EVER!

If you stay with the compute get your hands on another even old software they are DIRT cheap, the older ones software becomes worthless just like certain analog equipment.

As a matter of fact you should be able to locate an older software for zero!

We got to tighten you up

Hey Ted:

The world seems to be split between those who record live in one take and those who lay each track down separately. I don't know what fraction does which but there are a significant number in each group.

Yes, jacking in directly is cleaner I think. Unless you are in pro studio.

I am going by comments I've read in recording forums where people claim that they like the sound better if it is miced off the amp. But my ears are not far enough along to really appreciate it...

Oh yeah - if you have separate tracks you can do your mixing in Audacity. You don't need an external mixer.....

Scott

Hi Mike.....

Now you can go the computer route that everyone loves so much, but i know in my heart that a good little porat studio would be perfect for you.
Fast and easy no upgrades EVER!

Whats that?...a porat studio

Seems you can only record ONE time in stereo, that stinks! that's like recording on a
little cheap cassette deck or radio.

I can record twenty tracks in stereo if needed...there are computer settings that allow both mono and/or stereo...others here can explain Audacity better that have been using it longer...I will bet Mike that a lot of these recordings you are hearing here are miked to the amp...not the best situation because I can hear on my own stuff it is not clean...

I think your right...straight into the mix board is likely the best...not sure yet if I have all the settings correct once I do that...thanks

We got to tighten you up ...good old song...Do the tighen up

Thanks Scott...kinda thought that might be a split decision...I'll keep messing with it...

Mike said a porat studio...was he just funning or is there such a thing?

I think he meant porta studio

Scott