Topic: Need help with my recordings

[bartek]

I need some help with my tapes. I've been reading the forum for awhile now to find out what gear would be best to start off with taping. A couple of month ago I eventually started taping and have done a couple of recording so far. I learned a lot from the mistakes I did and improved it at the following show, however, I can´t resolve a major problem. All my recording sound flat and dull. I had some problems with clipping or low levels but my last recording is levelwise okay. Peaks are at about -1 db. But the recording is very quite and lacks dimension imo. I´ve uploaded a mp3 sample of my last recording - it is a song from the Jaga Jazzist show in Hamburg at the Fabrik.

Jaga Jazzist - Hamburg, Fabrik - 10.05.2005

 I´d really appreciate if some may help me to resolve the problem why the recording is so quite despite the levels being okay. My guess was that the bass may cause the peaks whilst the other frequencies have low levels.

I use the following setup:

Okm II Pop AV --> A3 Battery Box --> JB3

I´m grateful for any advise you can give me to improve my recordings.

Thanks. 

[Brian Skalinder]

FWIW, I don't find the sample flat or dull.  However, I do hear some distortion in the low end.  Since I wasn't at the venue, it could be from the PA system itself.  How did it sound in the venue - did you notice any low end distortion?  Or perhaps the PA is overloading the mics.  I couldn't find max SPL specs on the OKM II/pop, unfortunately, even on the Soundman website.  From where did you record the sample, i.e. your location relative to the PA stacks?  How loud was it (assuming you didn't have an SPL meter, but was it just kinda loud, pretty darn loud, uncomfortably loud, painfully loud, etc.?

[bartek]

Thanks for your input Brian. 

I don't find the sample flat or dull.

Actually I didn´t find the recording dull as well. But two friends of mine who listened to my recordings and pointed that out. Prolly you´re right though. But don´t you think that the recording is very quite even though the levels aren´t low at all? That is the problem with basically all my recordings. I always have to crank up my audio system to get decent volume when I listen to my recordings. Do you think the bass might be problem that is causing the high levels while the mids and high end have much lower levels?

However, I do hear some distortion in the low end.  Since I wasn't at the venue, it could be from the PA system itself.  How did it sound in the venue - did you notice any low end distortion?

No not at all. The sound was very well mixed. It was pretty darn loud but at no point I noticed any distortion in the low end. I assume that the A3 battery box has a problem handling the bass. Even when I recorded a band where the bass is pretty quite in relation to the other instruments the bass came out very heavy on the recording. Next time I will use the bass roll-off option even though it cuts off a lot. All frequencies below 300 Hz are lowered with 6 db.

The max SPL for the mics are 111 db. With the -20db pad switched on it is 128 db. I always use the -20 db switch for everything besides acoustic music to avoid clipping. In this particular recording I added +9 db gain at the JB3. I was standing about 4-5 meters away from the stage halfway between stage and PA. I also taped a couple of times near the soundboard but decided to get closer to the stacks this time to see if I get a louder tape then - additionally I read here that people recommend to get close to the stacks when using binaural mics so I gave it a try.

[bartek]

Yeah I also think the distortion in the low end might be coming from taping close to the stacks with these specific mics. As this doesn´t improve the volume of my recordings anyway I will be taping further away from the stacks next time again.

Does anyone have a clue why the volume of the recording is so low despite the levels being okay? I´d really appreciate if someone could elaborate on this problem. 

[Rich.]

That low volume happens with me and I have no idea why. When your'e recording the show to your pc just raise/amplify the volume and it should be alright.

[SparkE!]

I'd guess that the low volume has to do with the fact that you haven't compressed the heck out of the audio like they do with (most) commercial recordings.  Your live recordings will always sound quieter than (most) commercial recordings.  It's the price you pay for preserving the original dynamic range in the recording by not using compression.

[Unitmonster]

Also, from what I've read, it's unadvisable to add gain using the JB3. Don't know how true that is, but might have some impact.  I prefer to set any additional gain in post-editing (Adobe Audition) and also do a bit of eq or compression if needed at that point.   If you're getting clean recordings and aren't too happy with the sound you might want to experiment a bit with the audio editing software.  Much cheaper way to tweak a recording than buying new gear!

[bartek]

That low volume happens with me and I have no idea why. When your'e recording the show to your pc just raise/amplify the volume and it should be alright.

The levels are already close before clipping so that won´t work. But I cut some of the low frequencies with CoolEditPro and then normalized and the volume is way better now. I needed to do it anyway cause the bass is to heavy on the recording. The volume is still not where I want to have it but it´s okay for now and I´see if I can get it to a decent level when using the bass roll-off option.

Thanks for all your answers and advices. +T to you all if I could do it. 

[jeromejello]

Also, from what I've read, it's unadvisable to add gain using the JB3. Don't know how true that is, but might have some impact.  I prefer to set any additional gain in post-editing (Adobe Audition) and also do a bit of eq or compression if needed at that point.   If you're getting clean recordings and aren't too happy with the sound you might want to experiment a bit with the audio editing software.  Much cheaper way to tweak a recording than buying new gear!

i was under the impression that if you need to add gain to boost the levels, the jb3's +12 was considered clean gain (according to dkline's web testing) and made for a better wav in post - if you needed to further pump the levels.  i see you are using a ad20 which passes on +16 (i think) of gain to your jb3, so you would probably not even need to use the jb3's gain in most cases.