HELP!

Coldchillin · Post by **Coldchillin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:16 pm

I haven't recorded in a while. I have a behringer mixer with a nice condenser mic going into my MacBook. I am recording an acoustic guitar through the mic. Every time I play it back, the bass is muddled and nasty sounding and I have good speakers. What's going on?

sunglassesatnight · Post by **sunglassesatnight** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:04 pm

Could be any of a number of things. First try different cables, then if that's the same, try changing channels on the mixer. Make sure that when you power on the mixer all the channels are turned to no gain and panned to the center with no EQ + or - and that the phantom power is off.

Also, make sure your mic is pointed the right direction. It's almost certainly a cardioid mic, which means it rejects sound from the back and sides and accepts the most sound from the front. The frequency response outside of the pickup pattern will not be nearly as good and will sound muddy and muffled.

Let us know if any of this helps. If not we'll go to Plan B.

Coldchillin · Post by **Coldchillin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:07 pm

Thanks for the tips. I put it away for now. I thought for condenser mics you NEEDED to use Phantom power...Here is my mic...

I will definitely try out what you suggested the next time. I have another XLR cord and can definitely change channels.

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:16 pm

you do need to use phantom power

if you are recording on a laptop (i.e. macbook) many times the ac adapter causes interference with the recording. i dont know why, but i know mine does it all the time.

when i am recording i always use battery power. give it a shot.

Coldchillin · Post by **Coldchillin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:17 pm

See, the rest sounded fine. It was just notes on the E and some on the A were so low that it just was like farting into the mic.

myxomatosis · Post by **myxomatosis** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:26 pm

aw I was expecting a beatles cover

sunglassesatnight · Post by **sunglassesatnight** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:02 pm

I just meant that you need to have the phantom off on the mixer when you turn it on, but yes, you must have it on to use the mic.

lyrics101 · Post by **lyrics101** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:40 pm

Worse comes to worse, play the bass part on an electric and drop it down an octave.

It's what I did on this song a couple years back: http://synergizement.com/music/anon-mouse.mp3

I think it sounds alright. My bass is two thousand miles away. In retrospect, I should've turned the bass up just a tiny, tiny, tiny nudge. I had a powerbook at the time (macbook now), and just ran it straight into the input jack on the laptop.