How should I setup my Recording stuff to record vocals.

[uzair_rock]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Uzair, and i want some help in setting my home studio. I have the following hardware:

1- Toshiba Intel Core2 Duo Laptop
2- Audio Technica AT2020 condenser microphone
3- Tapco Mix (by Mackie) 260FX Mixer (to use as audio interface)
4- Behringer U Control UCA202 USB Audio Interface

My purpose is to record vocals on my laptop (over karaoke music) through the mic. but im a bit confused on how to set up the things for best results. I know i have budget gear but thats all i can afford. Apart from that i have both Cubase and Sony Vegas to use as recording softwares.

My Laptop sound is not very good and it does not have a line in port but only mic and line out, i know that mic port can be used as line in, but then the quality would be trash, so because of that i bought the Behringer USB Interface as mentioned above.

Please help me on how to connect all the stuff so that i can record good vocals.

Thanking You

[Codemonkey]

Hook 2 into 3 into 4 into 1.
Remember to turn the Phantom Power switch to "on" on the Tapco, AFTER you have plugged the mic in to one of the 4 suitable inputs.

In the future...
- Replace 4 with something.
- Replace Vegas with something (probably after your 30-day trial runs out :roll

then the quality would be trash, so because of that i bought the Behringer USB Interface as mentioned above.

...and your quality will be almost as trash, because Behringer is unreliable.

[hueseph]

You don't need a mixer. You need an interface. The Bear thing is just an rca to usb converter. Not exactly high tech or high quality. Just Behr minimum. Tapco has a usb interface that probably is selling for cheap now. Tapco Link USB. If you can find one that is. Other than that consider taking that Behr and Tapco back and get yourself a Tascam US 122 or EMU 0404 or something like that. There are lots of inexpensive recording interfaces that come with some sort of software package. You don't need a mixer.

[uzair_rock]

You don't need a mixer. You need an interface. The Bear thing is just an rca to usb converter. Not exactly high tech or high quality. Just Behr minimum. Tapco has a usb interface that probably is selling for cheap now. Tapco Link USB. If you can find one that is. Other than that consider taking that Behr and Tapco back and get yourself a Tascam US 122 or EMU 0404 or something like that. There are lots of inexpensive recording interfaces that come with some sort of software package. You don't need a mixer.

I know i dont need a mixer if i want to only record vocals. I also do some live gigs with friends so thats why i need a mixer with built in effects. As i told you i didnt want to use my laptop mic in port , so thats why i bought the Behringer usb interface , so that i can connect it with my laptop USB and use my mixer to connect to it.

One thing i wanna ask is that is there any way to shut down the built in effects in the mixer, i mean when recording vocals i dont want to record with effects, so just i just couldnt figure out on how to turn off the effect on it.

[uzair_rock]

Hook 2 into 3 into 4 into 1.
- Replace Vegas with something (probably after your 30-day trial runs out :roll

I have cubase as well , so i can use thatm i know that is a pro software.

[hueseph]

The mixer still only allows for two channels of simultaneous recording. IN other words you will be mixing everything down to a stereo output. No more adjusting after the fact. At any rate the Behr is a comprimise. Even if there is any value to the preamps in the Tapco, that is usurped by having a poor quality converter at the end of it all.

At any rate you want to send the main stereo out/mix out/stero out(whatever it's labelled as) to the Behr. This should be an RCA connection. Otherwise you will need an RCA to dual mono phone plug converter. That's all you can do.

[uzair_rock]

hmmm i think i understand what you're trying to say that the output coming out of the mixer should go into a interface with RCA input and then into pc, then the quality will be intact??
is there any interface with a XLR input, so that it takes input from the mixer and gives out to pc through USB. Anything cheap would suit me.

[uzair_rock]

How about M-Audio Fast Track II 2 Fasttrack USB Interface, is it good in quality? and can i find anything cheaper than that?

[uzair_rock]

one more thing how about i use a RCA to USB Cable to connect my mixer to PC? is that possible?

[jg49]

No.....