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Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 17:10:

Problem Recording Mixes

Ok, so I've been at tihs DJ'ing thing for about 8 months now. After many hours of practice, nights where I feel like the next Tiesto and nights where I know I'm just crapping the bed with bucketloads of diahrea, I decided to record my sets so I could actually hear what I was doing.

So I went out and bought a new soundcard for my computer (HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card) and I installed it into my computer. Next thing I did was download Audacity. Then I took some RCA cords, plugged them into my mixer and connected them into the "Line In" on my soundcard.

I played my set, and it sounded good to me through my speakers, but when I went to playback my set on my computer, it sounded awful. It was muffled, like I had recorded it too loud, and with way too much base.

Does the problem lie somewhere in my software settings? I'm pretty sure everything else is hooked up right? Or could it be my mixer? Then again, everything sounded good live.

If anyone here has some ecperience with Audacity and could help me out, that would be great!

Posted by Boomer187 on Jan-24-2007 17:51:

test your output level from your mixer. I have to keep mine kinda low.

I just tested out a bunch of levels on a recording and figured out which one worked best. so...test away.

Posted by DOOMBOT on Jan-24-2007 17:56:

Change it from Mono to Stereo. Audacity automatically chooses Mono as default and someone from TA finally noticed that the quality of my mixes weren't good and told me I could change it.

Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 18:09:

quote:
Originally posted by DOOMBOT
Change it from Mono to Stereo. Audacity automatically chooses Mono as default and someone from TA finally noticed that the quality of my mixes weren't good and told me I could change it.

How do I do that?

And another silly question, what's this about clipping?

Posted by ASFSE on Jan-24-2007 18:14:

keep an eye on the VU meters on your mixer, make sure they arnt peaking out.

Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 18:17:

And if they are do I turn down the gain? the master volume? If I do that it just sounds too quiet...

Posted by DOOMBOT on Jan-24-2007 18:19:

quote:
Originally posted by inflight101
And if they are do I turn down the gain? the master volume? If I do that it just sounds too quiet...

Yeah, just make sure the gains on your mixer aren't hitting the red. And adjust the volume in Audacity so that it also doesn't max out.

As for changing the recording from Mono to Stereo, it is in one of the settings. Sorry, at work so I can't check right now but go into the Help screen and run a search for it and it should be there.

Posted by sterilis on Jan-24-2007 18:20:

i have my master volume at around 2. i always make sure it doesnt go yellow or red on my mixer keep it green and jsut turn your speaker volume up your mix will sound much cleaner.

Posted by ASFSE on Jan-24-2007 18:23:

quote:
Originally posted by inflight101
And if they are do I turn down the gain? the master volume? If I do that it just sounds too quiet...

turn up your speakers and master output. at least on my mixer, master out does not affect any of the info on the VU meters.

Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 19:20:

quote:
Originally posted by dj_kane
i have my master volume at around 2. i always make sure it doesnt go yellow or red on my mixer keep it green and jsut turn your speaker volume up your mix will sound much cleaner.

I have my mixer hooked straight up to my stereo and use the speakers from that. I guess I could just turn down the master volume and turn up the volume on my stereo..

Do most mixers have seperate volume controls for monitors and master volume? I don't thik mine does. I've never gone into the "red" with it, as I don't even know I could. I have a Numark DMX-06, anyone know for sure?

When I record sets, my master volume is usually halway up, around mark 12:00 and all my eq levels are at their full range. Is that a problem?

Posted by sleepydragon on Jan-24-2007 19:55:

quote:
Originally posted by inflight101
I have my mixer hooked straight up to my stereo and use the speakers from that. I guess I could just turn down the master volume and turn up the volume on my stereo..

no point cause the master volume doesnt affect the vu meters just use the gain.

Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 20:09:

quote:
Originally posted by sleepydragon
no point cause the master volume doesnt affect the vu meters just use the gain.

But my gains are only halfway, would that cause such a big distortion when I'm recording a set?

Posted by DOOMBOT on Jan-24-2007 20:12:

I have a DXM06 as well. Just turn the master volume up as much as you need to. And if you wanna increase it more throughout the mix then just turn up the volume through the stereo. My setup is just like yours.

And yeah, on that mixer there is yellow, green and then red on the gain meter.

Posted by chris harrington on Jan-24-2007 20:16:

try useing the booth output into ur line in instead of master that way u can run seperate volume for your speakers and ur recording thats what i do

Posted by inflight101 on Jan-24-2007 20:23:

quote:
Originally posted by DOOMBOT
I have a DXM06 as well. Just turn the master volume up as much as you need to. And if you wanna increase it more throughout the mix then just turn up the volume through the stereo. My setup is just like yours.

And yeah, on that mixer there is yellow, green and then red on the gain meter.

Running the risk and most likely succeeding to sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, how do I stay aout of the yellow on the VU meter? Just turn down my gains? Or is the fact that I'm using my eq's at full force have something to do with it?

Posted by DOOMBOT on Jan-24-2007 20:31:

quote:
Originally posted by inflight101
Running the risk and most likely succeeding to sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, how do I stay aout of the yellow on the VU meter? Just turn down my gains? Or is the fact that I'm using my eq's at full force have something to do with it?

Yeah don't use your EQ's at full force. Tracks are mastered so that having all EQ's at 12 o'clock SHOULD keep it at the originally mastered sound. I only adjust my EQ's away from the 12 o'clocl position for either effect or if I think the track wasn't mastered so great and certain parts need to be adjusted.

Posted by agentdansmith on Jan-30-2007 14:21:

I've also got the DMX-06 mixer and I need to have the gains at around the 10 o'clock position. It seems really low but just increase the master volume so it sounds right to you.

That way it wont distort on your recording. Also, like someone else has said, keep your eq's at 12 o'clock or just over and only increase them for effect or for giving a poorly mastered and quiet tune some welly.