Topic: Need Help with my Recordings

[pats]

Hi Everyone,

I have been using a Sony PCM-M10 recorder for about a year now, and while the majority of my recordings sound good, I have gotten a few results that are quite bassy and even has low end distortion in the recording.  I am recording mostly loud, heavy metal shows.  I am using the recorder on it's own, handheld with only the built in microphones.  I set the record level very low as to not peak over the recommended levels. It usually is set around 1, or between 1-2 on the dial for the recording level.   I am surprised by the bassy, distortion that I am getting occasionally.

What can I do about this ?  Do I need external mics ?  I not sure was a bass roll off is.  Is that something I should be using, and if so, does that limit the bass signal going into the recording ?
Can a bass roll off only be used with external mics ?   I am not that knowlegeable about the higher end gear, but I would like to improve the quality of my recordings.

Can anyone share thoughts to help me out ?

Thanks.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Welcome!

Right off the bat, the internal mics can produce a good recording, but you will have better luck more often with an external set of mics and some kind of battery box/preamp to power them...

Terry

[Emile]

What can I do about this ?  Do I need external mics ?  I not sure was a bass roll off is.  Is that something I should be using, and if so, does that limit the bass signal going into the recording ?
Can a bass roll off only be used with external mics ?   I am not that knowlegeable about the higher end gear, but I would like to improve the quality of my recordings.

Can anyone share thoughts to help me out ?

yes, yes, yes, yes, yesyesyes

looks like you know what you're talking about and what you need

[celtic]

Buy yourself a set of CA14 mic's (Small and easy to clip to jacket or hat) and a Battery box, set your M10 to 3-3.5 recording level / mic in and all your problems will be gone.

[Bullet1979]

Buy yourself a set of CA14 mic's (Small and easy to clip to jacket or hat) and a Battery box, set your M10 to 3-3.5 recording level /mic in and all your problems will be gone.

*line-in.

[nulldogmas]

Buy yourself a set of CA14 mic's (Small and easy to clip to jacket or hat) and a Battery box, set your M10 to 3-3.5 recording level /mic in and all your problems will be gone.

*line-in.

You probably don't want to go line in to an M10 at 3-3.5, though. With CA-14 cards and a battery box, for loud shows I usually set my M10 to 8 or 9 for line in, and never have peaked much higher than -12dB. For quieter music (not necessarily acoustic, but say electric guitar and no drums) I need to use mic in to get sufficient gain (and there a setting around 3-4 is usually better).

My general rule: If I don't need earplugs, I probably should be going mic in.