what are you guys using to record so you can post it on here

Jonnyquick

I wanna record my voice for critique on here. What do you use?

highmtn

You can just use a webcam and post it to YouTube. The built-in mic for your webcam should be good enough. Make a few tries and figure out how close to the mic to get so it sounds good but doesn't overload the mic. Try to get in the picture so we can see from the waist to the top of the head. Copy the url from the posting on YouTube and paste that into a thread here. You can set the video to "unlisted" and it won't be presented to the public, but whoever clicks on the link here can see it. Don't use Private, or nobody else can see it.

Your computer or device should have a default video recording program, like windows media player. Please keep it short, an exercise or two. The basic Lah can tell us a lot.

Thanks.

Bob

Jonnyquick

cool thnx bob. your a trmendious help here. just to let ya know.

highmtn

Thanks, Cameron. I'm just here to help out. I enjoy helping everyone get around their obstacles and on to the good stuff!

rob.a.c

If you want to be able to record something that has the potential to be usable in a production as well, a cheap usb interface (around £50) and a Rode NT-1A (Around £140) are worth a look. The interface provides a low latency input (so you can monitor yourself and easily layer multiple tracks accurately) and can provide phantom power (required for condensor mics). You could use a dynamic mic like an SM58 (pretty much the standard live mic around £90) but a condensor mic would be more ideal as will much more easily capture the detail particuly in the top end. Either mic are extremely versitile and can be used for number of applications (both great for guitar cabs, the NT1A great for acoustic instruments as well and works well (with careful placement) to capture a whole rooms performance). Like all music gear I'd strongly advise against getting anything lower quality than what I've mentioned as ultimately you will just be replacing it down the road. The gear mentioned from my research is the most affordable but high quality you can choose and due to their versitility even if you were to get a nicer vocal mic in the future would always be useful in some capacity.

rob.a.c

Oh also if you were to go the condensor route make sure to get some closed back headphones to monitor with, the consensor mics are super detailed so will quite easily pick up sound leaking from headphones if not careful, closed back headphones have greater sound isolation so while not the greatest listening experience essential for that method of recording.

stratman

I use a rode NT1-A into a iConnectAudio4+ Interface. The interface connects simultaneously to my iPad and PC. The iPad has my electric guitar effects (ToneStack) and acoustic guitar amp and vocal processor. The PC receives both the raw and processed signals back from the iPad via the iConnect for recording into my recording software. My recording software is reaper. The free version of reaper is actually fully functional with no time limits. The licensing model is similar to shareware I.e. Pay for it if you like it (I use it exclusively so did pay for it $60 ... unbelievable value).

I use the iPad and iConnect when playing live. I use a sm58 for vocals and a positive grid Bluetooth foot switch to control my mic effects (on/off), my ToneStack mute/tuner and changing pages and songs in my iPad song software. I use OnSong for my chord charts. My iPad is mounted to my mic stand.

I don't lug around a guitar amp or effects units. The iConnectAudio4+ connects to the mixer and also provides my own mix of guitars and vocals to my shure in-ear monitors or fold back wedge.

Jonnyquick

I like to use zzounds can you link what you pull Reccommend.

TommyM

Hiya Cameron,

It depends on how professional you intended to make your recording sound. There's some great suggestions above for a more pro-like setup, but you can keep it really, really simple if you're just giving a rough, raw example of your voice.

You could probably get away with using your phone: Just practice keeping it a safe distance from the microphone so that it doesn't distort and then trim it for upload. Based on what Bob's said, even such a simple source would be suitable for some constructive feedback.

If you're intending to maybe record full songs and want a decent sound, the setups above are really good in terms of hardware. Definitely go for a condenser mic for recording if you're able to. Dynamic mics like the SM58 are amazing but a condenser just opens up a whole world of sparkle in the voice without adding noise.

Software-wise, Reaper is a great programme but you might find Audacity to be easier to use if you're unfamiliar with the typical Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) setup.

Edited to add...

This is the setup I'm using at the moment: Behringer C-3 Condenser mic + Novation X-Station Synth (w/preamp) running into Cubase 5 for all editing, mixing and mastering. All videos done using Sony Vegas.