Skip to main content

Hi guys, as you can tell by the title, I'm a complete beginner at recording.

I was wondering how I could take this mic and record with it on my computer

http://www.guitarce…"]MXL V63M Studio Condenser Microphone with Shockmount and more Condenser Microphones at GuitarCenter.com[/]="http://www.guitarce…"]MXL V63M Studio Condenser Microphone with Shockmount and more Condenser Microphones at GuitarCenter.com[/]

Is there some sort of adapter I could buy?

Topic Tags

Comments

Boswell Fri, 02/18/2011 - 03:16

Hi Varsin, and welcome to the forums!

It's a little more than an "adaptor" you need. What you have to use is a device that does at least four things: supply the necessary 48V power to the microphone to make it work, amplify the very small audio signal from the mic, convert that signal to a digital form and interface it to the computer.

You can get single-channel devices that will do all that for less than $50, but they are not really worth having. You have bought a respectable microphone, but you may want to plug in a guitar or keyboard and record both at the same time. I would look for at least a dual-channel interface unit that has at the minimum a microphone input and an "instrument" input (or another microphone input) on a separate channel.

I'm not very well up on this end of the market, but a first hit brings up the $79 ART USB Dual Pre. Others here may well have different suggestions for units to consider, but the principles still stand.

TimOBrien Fri, 02/18/2011 - 12:32

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
[="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470385421?ie=UTF8&tag=myjescom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421"]Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books[/]="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books[/]
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
[[url=http://="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (Book) (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books[/]="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (Book) (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books[/]
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at [="http://www.tapeop.com"]Tape Op Magazine[/]="http://www.tapeop.c…"]Tape Op Magazine[/]

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
[[url=http://="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]
[="http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs"]Free beginner PDFs | Computer Music Magazine | MusicRadar.com[/]="http://www.computer…"]Free beginner PDFs | Computer Music Magazine | MusicRadar.com[/]
[[url=http://="http://www.harmony-…"]The #1 online community for musicians | Harmony Central[/]="http://www.harmony-…"]The #1 online community for musicians | Harmony Central[/]
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: [="http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm"]How to Configure a Recording Studio Rig[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]How to Configure a Recording Studio Rig[/]

Also Good Info: [[url=http://="http://www.theproje…"]Directory - The Project Studio Handbook - Digital Audio, Compression, Mixing, Monitoring, Microphones[/]="http://www.theproje…"]Directory - The Project Studio Handbook - Digital Audio, Compression, Mixing, Monitoring, Microphones[/]

Other recording books: [="http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html"]Music Books Plus - Home Recording[/]="http://musicbookspl…"]Music Books Plus - Home Recording[/]

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production. Even the cheapest $50 usb asio card will be a huge improvement.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and user-tested suggestions that work: [[url=http://="http://www.tweakhea…"]The Best Audio Interfaces for your Home Studio by TweakHeadz Lab[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]The Best Audio Interfaces for your Home Studio by TweakHeadz Lab[/]
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - [="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm"]Choosing An Audio Interface[/]="http://www.soundons…"]Choosing An Audio Interface[/]

Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Sony ACID Express (free 10-track sequencer): [[url=http://="http://www.acidplan…"]ACIDplanet.com: Free Downloads: ACID Xpress[/]="http://www.acidplan…"]ACIDplanet.com: Free Downloads: ACID Xpress[/]
Audacity: [="http://audacity.sourceforge.net"]Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder[/]="http://audacity.sou…"]Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder[/] (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: [[url=http://="http://www.wavosaur…"]Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support[/]="http://www.wavosaur…"]Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support[/] (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)
Kristal: [="http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/"]KRISTAL Audio Engine[/]="http://www.kreative…"]KRISTAL Audio Engine[/]
Other freebies and shareware: [[url=http://="http://www.hitsquad…"]Music Software - Computer Music Resources - Shareware Music Machine[/]="http://www.hitsquad…"]Music Software - Computer Music Resources - Shareware Music Machine[/]

Another great option is REAPER at [="http://www.cockos.com/reaper/"]REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits[/]="http://www.cockos.c…"]REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits[/] (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - [[url=http://="http://myriad-onlin…"]Myriad: Music Notation Software and much more... / Myriad : logiciels de musique, et bien plus...[/]="http://myriad-onlin…"]Myriad: Music Notation Software and much more... / Myriad : logiciels de musique, et bien plus...[/]
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE, November 2010 SamplitudeSilver. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

'Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat forever...'