Skip to main content

Honestly, I hate jumping on a forum with my first post and immediately getting picked on for not knowing much about this, but i need some help with recording.

Just to start things off, here's my current setup:
-Custom Built PC (originally for games)
Phenom II x3 Processor @ 3.2GHz
8GB DDR3-1333 Crucial RAM
Using Cubase LE5 or Sonar 8

-Lexicon Alpha USB Recording Interface
-Peavey Unity Series 1000 12-Channel Mixer
-Fostex MR-8 Digital Multitrack
-Shure SM57 Mics (3 of them mainly for drums)
-Shure SM91 Mic (used for kick drum)
-Shure Prologue 12L Mic (random application)
-Audio Spectrum AS400 (random crap mics for cymbals)

If it's not one problem, it's another with my stuff. I would like to do some basic recording but my Lexicon Alpha refuses to cooperate. If i plug a mic into the XLR input on the back and my speakers into the headphone jack on the front, it comes through clearly without a problem. But Sonar and Cubase won't work right with it. The right channel is constantly peaking (even with the input on the Alpha very low) and the left channel doesn't leave any audio on the track after i record. Maybe I could get somebody to walk me through the proper set up? This Alpha is such a hassle :/

And thank you VERY much for taking the time to read this.

Comments

Kapt.Krunch Sun, 05/29/2011 - 03:20

Recording to only the left track, overloaded?

Is that track set up as a stereo track in the software? Is the pan position of that track in the software full left? You say you're only recording through the one mic input, so it's possible.

If that's the case, and you want it out both speakers, set up the track as a mono track, and make sure the pan position is center.

Overload? Did you try to adjust recording level in recording software? Or playback level? You didn't indicate whether the waveform looked OK in the software (not overloaded/clipped), but just played back distorted.

My 'guess' is it's software settings that you need to adjust.

Kapt.Krunch

robbieswale Mon, 06/06/2011 - 14:53

Hi guys,

I have a similar problem to this, so thought I'd keep it in this thread for now. I've triend searching online for ages, and can't quite work it out.

I'm using Windows 7, a Lexicon Alpha and Audacity. I think like Kapt.Krunch says that I'm having a software problem, which is basically as follows. I can both hear this from playback of recordings, and also see it from the wave forms in the software:

1) When running a vocal mic (SM58) through the alpha, it's only recording in the Right channel on audacity, and not recording at all when set to record in Mono.
2) When running my electric guitar through the alpha, it's only recording in the Left channel, but is recording fine in Mono.

It's as though the Right channel is the one that is used for 'mono' recording, and the Instrument input runs sound through that channel, and the mic input runs runs sound through the Right, and so isn't picked up in mono.

Having said that, it's possible that the mic is recording in the Left channel, but just very quietly, and vice versa.

It feels like it must be some sort of setting, either to do with Audacity or the Lexicon Alpha. I've just up to date drivers for the alpha, and downloaded audacity for the first time today too.

The pan positions of both the tracks are in the middle, and I've tried playing with them.

Any thoughts anyone?

Cheers,

Robbie

gdoubleyou Tue, 06/07/2011 - 11:17

robbieswale, post: 372326 wrote: Also, I've just tried it in Windows Sound Recorder, and the same thing happens: when I record on sound recorder using the mic, it only comes through the right speaker on my headphone, and when I record using the instrument it only comes through on the left.

Well.... unless you have a stereo mike it will ALWAYS be mono, record on a mono track, or use two mikes!

robbieswale Tue, 06/07/2011 - 12:05

gdoubleyou, post: 372362 wrote: Well.... unless you have a stereo mike it will ALWAYS be mono, record on a mono track, or use two mikes!

And does Sound Recorder record in stereo by default?

If that's all the case, that sorts some of it, but doesn't explain why the microphone doesn't record on mono in Audacity. Any thoughts?

IIRs Tue, 06/07/2011 - 13:03

Your left channel only / right channel only problems stem from you recording to a stereo track: you don't have a stereo source, you have two separate mono sources.

So, record to mono tracks instead. Now you just need to find the setting that allows you to choose which of your two mono inputs you will be recording. I'm afraid I don't use Audacity so I can't be more specific. Read the manual?

robbieswale Tue, 06/07/2011 - 14:59

Thanks very much for your help, guys. When you ask these questions you think 'it can't be *that* stupid a question, can it? I've just spent aaaaages trying to find the answer on Google'. Obviously in this case it kind of is! So my question turns out to be how do you change the settings on Audacity (or sort the drivers for the alpha so it works with audacity).

If anyone can help with that, I'd be very grateful, but for now I'll give Cubase Lite a try. As it comes with the soundcard it seems to know more closely what's going on!

Thanks again for your help.

Robbie

x

User login