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huskerdu 23 June 2007

Okay, so a while ago I was laying a track down on my guitar and then left it alone for a couple of months. I went to do some work on the track (after not even using my recording equipment for a month or so) and when I tried recording I realized EVERYTHING sounds like crap. I'm trying to figure out what settings I may have used in my initial recording because what I'm recording now (the same riff) sounds HORRIBLE.

I am posting a quick link to a sample of the original riff which I'd like to believe is the better recording (at least by my standards, which isn't saying much at all) and then a few seconds later you'll hear the most recent recording which sounds like garbage. I'm hoping you guy can help me figure out where I went wrong. Maybe the treble is too high or I'm using too much gain, i don't know, I'm very very new to recording and I'd appreciate ANY help.

here is the sample song with both recordings of the same riff.

http://download.yousendit.com/CAF101EB399F70E6

Here is the recording equipment I'm using.

I have a RODE NT1A mic which is plugged into a xenyx 802 mixer.

Now, since I record everything onto my laptop, and my xenyx lacks a USB outlet I plug my mixer into a POD XT Live which has a usb output for my Macbook.

I use garageband to record all of this.

Also, while I am much happier with the first recording of the riff you hear in the sample above, I'm sure even that sounds terrible to most of you guys, so any advice on improved recording techniques would be helpful!

And finally, the xenyx 802 doesn't have an on/off switch. You simply plugin the power adapter and it turns on automatically. My only concern is that I don't want to damage my mic. I usually have the xenyx plugged into the mic and THEN plug the power adapter into the xenyx. Is this the correct way to power everything up? Or do i turn on my xenyx first and THEN plugin the mic?

My biggest fear is that my mic is damaged but I doubt it as I'm hoping it's just that I have my recording setup on all the wrong settings.

ANY help would be appreciated, and I'm sure you guys get threads like this all the time, so i appreciate any input you guys have.

thanks!

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huskerdu Sat, 06/23/2007 - 17:32

freesignal wrote: To me, it sounds like a mic placement and/or EQ issue, not that the mic is broken. Is the mic in the exact same spot and distance from the source that it was before?

I believe so

I usually place my mic roughly 4-6 inches from my acoustic guitar.

I tried playing with the EQ but can't seem to figure it out.

I even double checked both eq's for the pod xt live and that of the xenyx 802

it sucks being such a newbie to recording because you'd think I'd know my own settings by now! :(

and in regards to EQ, do I need to turn up the bass/treble or turn up the Drive?

huskerdu Sat, 06/23/2007 - 17:41

freesignal wrote: You said it is always 4-6 inches from your guitar, but is it pointed to the same location on the body? i.e. Sound hole or neck or bridge, etc.

yup, it's point directly in front of the sound hole

The other thing is that when I plug my headphones into the xenyx it sounds great, but then I actually record the track it sounds a lot different on garage band. I'm tryin to figure where this is screwing up.

huskerdu Sat, 06/23/2007 - 17:53

freesignal wrote: I think it's gotta be an EQ issue of some sort or maybe a setting on the Line6 or Garageband. I'm new to this too, so it's very plausible that I am wrong but by deduction of the most obvious possible issues, I can't think of anything else. Sorry man.

no no you're probably right. I'll have to keep playing with the settings. I'm sure it's the dumbest thing that is screwing all of this up.

thanks a ton for your help/input, I appreciate it!

if anyone else has any ideas I'm all ears.

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