Hey! Newbie here! I'm having trouble with an interface I recently bought for about a hundred dollars at a local music store. It fit all of my qualifications; I really just need an XLR cable for my Shure SM-57 (that I use purely for vocals) and a 1/4th inch cable for my guitar, bass and the box I use for drum mics (long story, not apart of this problem). I'm using Logic Pro 9 for my software.
I'm using this audio interface: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/lexicon-alpha-usb-desktop-recording-studio]Lexicon[1] Alpha USB Desktop Recording Studio | Musician's Friend[/url] and for the most part it's worked well. I've just finished recording about 60 hours work of guitar and bass tracks, and moved on to the vocals for this track. I'm trying to record a solo album because my grandma is in the hospital and always wanted to hear me play by myself, and I told her I'd do it.
Now to the problem: The 1/4th inch cable records great, so then I unplugged the guitar and cable, and switched to the SM-57 (plugged in directly with an XLR cable). At first it looked like it wasn't recording, but on closer inspection, the level was moving up ever so slightly (not enough to hear unless you were listening really hard). When I plugin to the direct output on the Alpha Lexicon, the mic sounds fine (great in fact, much better than how I was recording before). I know it isn't a problem with the gain on it, because the 1/4th inch worked great and it sounded amazing. I've tried everything I can think of but any suggestions are helpful!
TL;DR: Alpha Lexicon interface works fine, except the XLR port, which is so quiet I can't even hear it, and it barely registers. I've been pulling out my hair trying to figure this out.
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Things to check: Mic plugged into XLR on Alpha, nothing plugged
Things to check:
Mic plugged into XLR on Alpha, nothing plugged into Line In 2 on Alpha (Line In overrides Mic input).
Logic assigned mono Audio track to Mic/Line 2 input of Alpha, and assigned to proper monitoring output.
"Input Gain" on Alpha adjusted to just see the "peak" led on Alpha flash. Just hold the mic close, and do a series of noises...like "tchi-tchi-tchi-tchi-tchi..." while adjusting to see if anything appears.
Logic input level on that track adjusted to optimal. If you can turn on "Input Level Meters", you may want to try that to see where they are.
No effects on that track, for now...especially if it is an effect that is placed in series to the output (if Logic allows that). You want 100% direct signal.
Logic output level adjusted on that track.
Track "Record-enabled".
Make sure that track is not "mute", and no others are "solo".
Even though you may be having problems HEARING it, is it actually recording? Have you inspected the waveform of that track after recording? If it's got plenty of signal, then the problem is the output routing or settings. If the waveform is tiny, then the problem is in the input routing or settings.
Adjust the "Monitor Mix" knob of the Alpha to see what effect it has. if it's 100% on "Playback",you'll not hear any direct signal that you are currently trying to record.
When I plug in to the direct output on the Alpha Lexicon, the mic sounds fine
Yeah...not sure what that means.
Just some things to start with.
Good luck,
Kapt.Krunch
Explain what you mean by "When I plug in to the direct output on
Explain what you mean by "When I plug in to the direct output on the Alpha Lexicon.." Plug what into where?