Affordable Decent USB Microphone for Home Recording

[GDPunkRock]

Hello all,
I'm a hobbyist musician wanting to do some home recording. I would like to record a) Vocals & b) Electric Guitar.

So I'm thinking of buying a dynamic usb mic, and record me singing into it as well as mic-ing up my 15watt nux mighty amp and recording it on Audacity. Ya, very budget It's more for personal use - like singing practise,etc. And the guitar recording is for like, if I come up with a nice riff,etc some idea for a song, so I can literally "show" it to my band mates.

Anyways, any recommendations on cheap,good dynamic usb mic that can fufil my two needs?

Edit: Oh ya budget,hopefully below $75?

 

[blueprintstudios]

if you got an iphone ,go download "gigbaby free" app.

if not , http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/how-sound/194667-guide-diy-recording-under-$50.html

if not , below $75 pretty impossible unless 2nd hand. besides lately we have a few guys with latency problems with their USB mics, if I were you I'd save up more then get something like a zoom h2 or a cheap m-audio interface + mic.

 

[GDPunkRock]

wow, it might just be me, but blueprint, that demo sounded pretty damn decent for an under $50 set up.
actually that is what i wanted to do too - low budget,PC recording.don't have to be professional quality but at least decent ah.
anyways, i kinda wanted a usb mic instead of an xlr one because i read somewhere on soft that usb allows us to bypass the onboard sound card and record directly with the mic...or something like that?? this would be important to me cos my PC is quite old, and i'm sure the sound card is quite shitty cos i did tried recording on it with a small clip-on mic
otherwise,would any "cheap m-audio interface+mic" fit my budget???
Cheerss!!
edit:btw what's the m in "m-audio" ah?

 

[blueprintstudios]

thanks man! haha well the step by step information is all there. help yourself

yea bypass, but there's still that latency problems which's usually solved by an audio interface with stable drivers. (and of course better computer specs)

what's your pc specs? and what DAW are you using?

just to be sure that you've read http://tinyurl.com/diyrecording

"cheap m-audio interface + mic" = http://www.luthermusic.com/uat/luthermusic_class/category/recording_usbfw-devices/m-audio-fast-track + AT2020 = $340+/- . then your better shot is Zoom H2 ($270+/-) or Zoom H1 ($140 , stand alone recording NO AUDIO INTERFACE)

otherwise 2nd hand yeah.

M in M-audio... no idea , can enquire at www.m-audio.com

 

[kongwee]

M-Audio at Sinamex, but you may find them in various dealers.

 

[GDPunkRock]

hey blueprint,
thanks for the link. i actually did read that before i posted this thread and must say i found it really helpful.learnt about things like dynamic/condensor mic from there so o have to say -what an awesome contribution to soft
i'm using audacity as my daw. pc specs, i'm embarassed to say, i do not know and dont know how to find out,as this pc was from years ago when my dad got it custom built.

anyways,i'm kind of trying to avoid "recorders" cos the last music gadget i bought was a Korg S.O.S recorder from City Music and actually sold it away after 3 months. Kind of found it a hassle to transfer files from the sdhc card onto my pc, so i'm determined to get a mic and do record-straight-to-pc if possible. i know,i'm very lazy too

think i most probably set up like your $50 diy recording...

 

[blueprintstudios]

thanks for the compliments

press Windows Key (between ctrl and Alt) + Pause Break , then you'll see Computer : bla bla bla specs.

understand on your preference of recorders. no worries, then your choice is obviously more towards audio interfaces.

do give my under $50 diy recording a shot and see how it turns out before you buy anything else?

 

[GDPunkRock]

Oh ok,here's my specs:

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 CPU
6300 @ 1.86GHz
1.86GHz, 2.00GB of RAM

Is this any good at all to try and do recordings on? Or any other info you need to evaluate?

I do intend to try out your -$50 DIY recording before deciding on other stuff! Thanks for the help,blueprintstudioss!!

 

[blueprintstudios]

Hah well my laptop to record drums is 1.66 and my mixing desktop is 2.4.Both 2gb ram. This setup and worse for the last 4 years and more to come

It's all about maintenance and good habits.

 

[GDPunkRock]

hi all again,
i'm now thinking of getting like blueprint said, an audio interface(most probably THAT M-audio fast track one) and a normal(non-usb) mic for my recording purposes.
however, i came across this issue online, where peope were saying if you don't have a proper sound booth/recording room, don't bother getting a condensor as it will be too sensitive. this relates to me really well, because i actually don't have a proper recording room - i'll just be doing all my recording in my hdb 5 room flat - room w air-con and what not

so now, just to get opinions - would a cheap dynamic xlr serve my purpose equally well(recording vocals/acoustic and electric guitar)? any recommendations on decent affordable dynamics as well?

 

[blueprintstudios]

regarding that issue, I have to agree, if you don't have a proper soundbooth/recording studio but have experience in mixing.
it will sound as bad as this

http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/how-so...nica-at2020-layer-recording-page-ranking.html

and along together with all the portfolio tracks on my website cos all recorded in normal bedroom with aircondition..

I apologise, I couldn't fight the temptation of being sarcastic to the people who said that. "Don't bother" ? those guys better not bother play music cos you're not gonna make a million dollars. be lawyer/doctor/pap minister.

make sure your m-audio fast track has phantom power (I think the old one doesn't)

then get a versatile mic like Audio Technica AT2020. you probably won't sound amazing miking up a distortion guitar amp with it but it'll serve its purpose for acoustic and vocals.

 

[GDPunkRock]

omg,nice sound blueprint! and props to the band, what a great indie-ish song!

may i know what u used to record instruments? were bass/guitar mic-ed up or direct in? and then, ur drums is use condensor or dynamic mics?_?

also,might you know what is the local price for an M-Audio Fast Track? i think if can line in guitar on the Fast Track,i'll buy a condensor for vocals/acoustic :|

 

[blueprintstudios]

thanks for the compliments. this band is one of our 100++ SOFT Band Collective registered bands. you can find them on their facebook (http://tinyurl.com/theinimicalalternative)

the details of the recording is here : http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/how-so...nica-at2020-layer-recording-page-ranking.html
guitars / bass / drums all miked.
but like I said, don't let the mixing mislead you, download the raw tracks and give a shot yourself. I'm just saying based on your mixing experience, luxury equipment is an excuse for poor technique.

m-audio fast track : http://www.luthermusic.com/uat/luthermusic_class/category/recording_usbfw-devices/m-audio-fast-track

gd luck!

 

[GDPunkRock]

oh i thought luthermusic was an overseas company haha. so it's $175 huh.

anyways, i saw the second link you provided blueprint, and i see u used both a condensor and dynamic for mic-ing up guitar. how's that work? you managed to get a good sound with the condensor?or did u mix both??

also, is the at2020 the most affordable condensor? i read it's $150 on another soft thread

thanks for all the help blueprint

edit: oh ya just a thought - how about the SM57 instead of the at2020?read that it's multi-purpose. Shure even states it can be used for vocals on their official website

 

[blueprintstudios]

http://www.box.net/shared/fm0bxbstcj <-- this one ? nope I only used the wharfedale condenser. if I used the audio technica at 2020 it would have sounded better/fuller cos the diaphragm is bigger.

if I'm not wrong I mixed both.

I don't know if AT2020 is the most affordable. I have it and I actually bought for "fun" , so fun should be affordable.i guess? because I don't see the point in using my more-expensive Rode NTK tube mic to mic up loud instruments. so I'd rather abuse the AT2020.

SM57 is fine too but unless you're recording some metal core vocals and you have a peavey 5150 / mesa rectifier. but it's only good for its "mids" . definitely not a "highs" thing, from experience and estimation, i think you will be disappointed haha

 

[GDPunkRock]

actually i just realized something. when i mic-up my amp, i'm not gonna blast also, i'll just record my normal bedroom level - which isn't all that loud . so i guess a condensor can be used for mic-ing up a guitar amp in my particular case??

i mean, the main concern with condensors and amp mic-ing is that, it can't handle loud volumes right? my amp's a digital modeller so i don't really have to "blast" for gain

and about the SM,i exactly DO NOT DO what u've mentioned(screamo,etc.) - so i guess we're back to the AT2020

 

[blueprintstudios]

yes exactly, if your guitar amp is not gonna be cranked like a marshall stack. you won't have a problem with the AT2020.

you got the logic now hahah, answering your own questions.

 

[GDPunkRock]

Aha,I see.

Ok, just one more question from me, yeah - Are there audio interfaces specifically for condensor mics? Like just 1 mic-in and 1 hp-out and phantom power maybe? I figured if I'm gonna mic up my amp for electric guitar sounds, I don't wanna pay extra for an instrumental line-in jack if I could help it.

PS: Btw, if the audio interface don't have a headphone out means I can't monitor right? Or does the interface's USB connection provide direct monitoring?? Kinda worried if I have to connect from the interface's headphone out to my computer's mic-in(the green hole) cos when I tried doing with instrumental cables(from my amp's hp out), I did get alot of interference.

 

[kongwee]

Well, you can try small diahgram condenser if you afraid to damage your AT2020.

 

[blueprintstudios]

just to reconfirm again you've read http://tinyurl.com/diyrecording

all audio interfaces I know provide headphone/line out. usually I do software monitoring but you'll need to get your latency settings right.
and any audio interface with its onboard preamp having phantom power (+48V) option = for DI box or condenser mics that must/can be phantom powered.

the fast track is fine, because of all the software digital cabinet/amp simulation options. I would use that for high gain guitars.
then AT2020 for vocals/acoustic guitars.

your monitoring option would be like this.

your singing > at2020 > xlr > maudio fast track +48V > USB *> laptop > DAW (cubase/reaper etc)
................. USB * > headphone output.

make sure your DAW software is set to "monitor what your AT2020 hears" then you can adjust all volumes from there etc.

if you're not recording any high sound pressure level sources like high gain distortion amp or drums with the AT2020 it won't blow. if it does even with soft sources, then the item lies with the product (as in your unit, send it for service/repair etc) , so far I used my at2020 for everything. it's fine. I hear my friends using it for drums overheads. fine. screamo fine also.

this situation is familiar actually. drums recorded at a now dysfunct studio called FAD.the frontman recorded guitar/guitar/bass DI > pedal > into his maudio fast track. then vocals > rented my AT2020 > xlr > maudio > his computer. then sent me the tracks to mix/master. this's their band's MTV. http://tinyurl.com/ingride , do like their page if you like what you hear.