Mic recording volume too high

Question

Level 1

11 points

Mic recording volume too high

Even with the lowest input volume setting in System Preferences / Sound, the mic recording volume is too high and I'm getting clipping. I'm using an MXL Desktop Recording Kit from Marshall Electronics, with a Griffin iMic USB interface, and recording in GarageBand 3 on a Mac Mini.

I'm a folk singer playing a nylon-string classical guitar, so I'm not even especially loud! The MXL mic captures great sound quality, but it is so sensitive that even when I'm six feet away, my acoustic guitar and vocals frequently max out the sound levels and get clipped. The room where I record doesn't allow me to get much farther away, so I need a different solution.

I've tried using compression while recording, but this doesn't appear to limit the peaks or prevent clipping. Do I need to buy a hardware mixer or some other interface to allow me to further reduce the mic input level, or is there another software contol in GarageBand or someplace else (other than System Preferences / Sound) that I'm missing?

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks, David

Mac Mini G4 Mac OS X (10.4.6) GarageBand 3

Posted on May 20, 2006 9:35 PM

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Answer 1

xs4is

Level 4

2,800 points

May 21, 2006 12:02 AM in response to David F

Hi David,

Using effects in GB doesn't change the audio source until after it's recorded. So there is little point in trying to control the clipping with compression.

This sounds a little like room acoustic issues to me. If the room is very small, than you could have some very annoying standing waves that saturate your recordings with certain frequencies. Sound needs a little bit of room to develop and it sounds like you aren't giving it enough.

Others will chime in with their ideas shortly...

X

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Answer 2

May 21, 2006 6:17 AM in response to David F

Did you check in Audio Midi Setup as well?

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Answer 3

isteveus

Level 5

4,340 points

May 21, 2006 6:42 AM in response to David F

Are you using the ibooster with the MXL ? Try using line in on the imic.

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Answer 4

David F Author

Level 1

11 points

May 21, 2006 3:32 PM in response to David F

Thanks for these suggestions. I suspected GB effects wouldn't change the recording levels, but appreciate the confirmation. I checked the Audio/Midi setup in GB preferences, and I don't see anywhere to adjust the recording level there, just a selection for the audio input (source).

I have been using the iBooster, so I tried plugging the mic directly into the iMic and boosting the input level in System Preferences/Sound. This achieved a much lower input level; so low that the GB tuner couldn't even recognize the pitch of a single string when plucked. So this seems to create the opposite problem (recording volume too low). Good idea to try, though.

I will experiment with the room acoustics and try a larger space, but it still seems the recording level is just too high, period. Any other suggestions?

I saw a reference to a simple mixer in another GB thread (Behringer UB502 Eurorack). Could something like this be a possible solution?

Thanks, David

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Answer 5

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

May 21, 2006 5:30 PM in response to David F

checked the Audio/Midi setup in GB preferences

I think scott was referring to Audio MIDI Setup utility ( Applications/Utilities/)

I saw a reference to a simple mixer in another GB thread (Behringer UB502
Eurorack). Could something like this be a possible solution?

Yes, it would allow you to attenuate the signal before it reached the iMic. --HT

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Answer 6

David F Author

Level 1

11 points

May 21, 2006 6:59 PM in response to HangTime

Thanks for the clarification, HT. It looks as if the Audio MIDI Setup reflects the input level I have set in System Preferences / Sound, but doesn't let me make other adjustments. Apparently the MXL Desktop Recording Kit is set up for speaking rather than music-performance sound levels. I guess I need to use a larger room (more distance from mic) or a mixer. Thanks for the advice.

David

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Answer 7

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

May 21, 2006 7:07 PM in response to David F

I'm unfortunately not familiar with the MXL Recording system, but I have used a Mixing Console in combination with an iMic and got good results (Better results with a better interface, but the trade off there is cost, naturally). --HT

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Answer 8

isteveus

Level 5

4,340 points

May 21, 2006 7:12 PM in response to David F

Does the imic have driver/software? If it does it may let you adjust input level.

Putting distance between source and mic will also increase the chance of recording unwanted noises I don't think this is a good idea. I have recorded my 100w Marshall at close to ear splitting volume with a MXL mic without any real problems. There has to be a reasonable solution maybe call Marshall Electronics and see if they have a answer. I'm sure your not the first person to experience this problem.

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Answer 9

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

May 21, 2006 7:16 PM in response to isteveus

The iMic has no driver software, it's just a very inexpensive, very simple, Plug And Play interface (A/D Converter). No bells, no frills, that's why it helps to have a console to adjust the gain before it reaches the iMic.

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Answer 10

isteveus

Level 5

4,340 points

May 21, 2006 7:43 PM in response to David F

I just dug out a old gray round imic and plugged it in. Went to system preferences choose input, picked imic as input source and the volume slider went all the way to full volume. But it does lets you adjust the input volume. Have you tried doing this.

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Answer 11

David F Author

Level 1

11 points

May 22, 2006 7:18 PM in response to isteveus

I will contact Marshall. I have adjusted the volume slider on the iMic input as low as it will go. But I am leaning toward getting a mixer (like the Eurorack UB802) so I can record my vocals and guitar using separate mics, and adjust the input level for each. If I do that, and record vocals on the left channel and guitar on the right, can GB split them into separate tracks, so I can apply effects to each track independently after recording?

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Answer 12

isteveus

Level 5

4,340 points

May 22, 2006 8:09 PM in response to David F

Make to real instruments tracks, choose channel one mono for one track and channel 2 mono for the other track. You will have to pan the corresponding channel on your mixer one to right and the other to left.

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Answer 13

xs4is

Level 4

2,800 points

May 23, 2006 12:31 AM in response to David F

If you get a fire wire interface, you will have much better results.

X

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Answer 14

David F Author

Level 1

11 points

May 23, 2006 8:32 PM in response to xs4is

Thanks. I'm coming to the same conclusion and considering ordering the M-Audio Firewire Solo. Seems well reviewed (on the epic Audio Interfaces thread, at least). Any other suggestions, or is that a safe bet?

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Answer 15

David F Author

Level 1

11 points

May 26, 2006 8:58 PM in response to David F

Upon closer study, I ordered the M-Audio MobilePre USB and it works great. (As an acoustic guitar player and singer, I need two mic inputs, rather than a mic and electric guitar input.) Thank you all for your advice and patience with a newcomer!

David

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