How to adjust for optimal recording quality

still having the same problem...I bought a new mic, my voice comes out fine...new sound card...I love it...but still can't get the music to come out on my recordings. It's very very faint. I've litterally spent hours trying to figure this out and I can't get it. I'm pretty computer literate too! UGH!!!

Other sites it's fine and there is no problem, but I think we agree this has a great community and wonderful songs!

does anyone know how to get the fuzzy sound off recording??

bree, you need to reduce the "Stereo Mix" slider in "Recording controls"... try that...

the music stops and go in different times during the time I sing what can I do

GREAT INSTRUCITONS! YOU MAY HAVWE SAVED ME FROM A REAL MESS.I FOUND IT EASY TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED.I WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THIS ALONE..TY, TY , TY

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEND BUT I CANT RECORD ANY THING ANY MORE. I DID SOME AND NOW I GET A EXPLORER ERROR AND I KEEP GETTING BOOTED OFF. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE?

Peach, what do you do if the box you indicated isn't on your properties list under recording? All I have is line in and microphone.

My voice is loud and the music is low

Thank you peachygurl, I followed all your direction, now I will go see if it took well. I hear a hissing in my speaker, lowered the volume, but will try to record again. See what happens. Thanks for your help. :)

I did everything you said to do and than I tried to record a song again the record button is still not moveing at all and when i go to try and listen to my recording it does nontning at all no music and no hearing my voice at all so I think it is in your system and I would love for you to check on that or tell me what else i could try now my mic works fine so it is not my mic at all and i did follow all your directions and it not working
From
Rose Sisco

help us , we just both a computer for up-grading the problem is " every time i try to try to record ,i click the red icon then ,keep saying connection failed ,what do i need to do????????Colin and Rose {christian}

help us , we just both a computer for up-grading the problem is " every time i try to try to record ,i click the red icon then ,keep saying connection failed ,what do i need to do????????Colin and Rose {christian}christian

My voice is loud and the music is low luckystar1

I've tried to record too and all I get is connection failed!!! I think something is wrong with the website!! I tried on another site to record, and it worked!!

Thanks for the info!!

i dont know how to make my voice softer and not so loud i tried to reduce volume on mic but dont work music is still just right but my voice is still too loud ..helpppp lol

here is one.....when I record..I use the echo..and make my voice slightly louder which I feel..sounds great....the sound is well balanced....but when hubby goes to record...it takes us forever to get the sound quality....he has lower vocals..and I think that may be why...actually he has....softer vocals.....so when we record his voice....unfortuantely...his voice barely comes through....it takes only seconds to get my sound working..but when he records..it takes us literally eons....any suggestions...on how to get his voice louder.......without distortion setting in.....

Hi Peachy, great tut by the way. I tried what you said, and it was sort of working fine only my sound was all twangy, and distorted. So i went back again to the volume control, and now I have no voice while recording. On mine, it has CD player, not CD audio..should I check that? Sorry about this, I'm just stumped at this point. My mic attaches right to my PC..one of those cheapy jobs you know, lol. Any suggestions as to what I did wrong would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks Chipy

hey when i record i can hear my self fine but i cant hear the music very welll im screaming out in it can you help me please and i did the step by step thing did not help

No problem Peachy, I think I may have it now...but I'll double check to make sure. Much appreciated with all your help.

Why didn't I know this existed... I am sitting her thinking of how much time I could have saved in typing PMs if I had known this was here.. WOW! (or remembered it was here)

hi Peachy.. i dont have stereo mix.. i have Play Control .. wave, mic, line in .. is play control like stereo mix?

Suddenly it stopped recording music. It's just records me and no music.

I had the same problem all singing, low music .I fixed it. If you do not have the stereo mix to select. select the line in and then try it. It really worked for me and I was at my wits end also. GOOD LUCK

BUMP! Some people were looking for info! Here!

Does anyone have windows vista??? I have the same problem on vista as xp, with not hearing music during playback. The instructions are simple enough, but that's not how vista is set up. Can anyone help me??? PLease????? If you can't help me with that, my laptop has xp, but everytime I pull up a song to record I get booted out of explorer. Any solution to my problems would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks. Karen

have windows 2000 pro with SP4 and a sound blaster live value sound card need some advice on how to set up controls for recording and plaback do not get music on play back of songs also can not hear voice through headset on recording just music. any help woud be appreciated thanks in advance

wehn i try to get to teh recording window for the options on recording, my only option is line in, it doesnt show my soundcard. do i neeed a better soundcard you think?

right, I understand all this and i fiddle about with the settings. I even hacked my registry to get it to work. Why on earth is Sing Snap using this system. I don't see the benefit. Other sites just work, and work pretty much beautifully. This takes the fun out of it. I like some of the things here like the duets etc but it is just too clunky. I know it is a BETA site but there are messages dating back months on this. I work in IT and I'm fed up with tinkering! It could be so much better. Fingers crossed this testing will result in something resembling a usable interface.

I have Vista as well so the vid tut don't help me what can I do?

I think part of my problem recording is that I got a new headset. When I go into properties to set the "recording" and "playback" I don't think my PC is recognizing my headset. Did I miss something? At Singshot, all I did was plug in my USB headset, and 30 songs later, I am a top recording artist over there. Not boasting, just showing you how I can't make it work here. All of my friends want duets, but I can't join in because of my difficuties. I feel like I'am so close. Help please. Thanks. Judy

still having the same problem...I bought a new mic, my voice comes out fine...new sound card...I love it...but still can't get the music to come out on my recordings. It's very very faint. I've litterally spent hours trying to figure this out and I can't get it. I'm pretty computer literate too! UGH!!!KimD

OK..my problem is that i have windows "vista" i have installed my emu sound card and it isnt giving me the option to choose that card for my audio to record music...so whenever i playback i do not hear music nor my voice, after recording..it just doesnt record the music and/or voice...because my sound card isnt an option...how can i fix that? i just got this computer and my old one which was windows xp it all worked great! help? can you please message me when you have answered my question so i know to go look at any replies?Thanks.....

The problem is .....when i record with headphones on....and play back my recording it only lets me hear my voice...no music is heard on the playback.....how do i get it to where both music and vocals don't have to be heard through the mic? how do you get the music file to play regularly during playblack? this is very frusterating...if any one helps me...i'll be truly grateful!!Jaytvocalz2007

[do u use headset? if so tht might be ur problem let the music go in ur speakers so ur mic wil catch it

and there is one things tht i think is not right its tht if u use a microphone with a 1/4 inches plug and u put the adaptor u have to make sure tht ur mic is low impedense cause ur computer wont take it and u wont have no sound mic tht u use on stage to sing r high impedence

The window that pops up is the same one as when selected earlier. However, this time, the "Playback” radio button needs to be checked. A different list will appear in the section for showing volume controls. Here is where one selects, "Master Volume”, "Wave” and "Microphone”. Make sure there is a green check mark in each of these boxes. Click on "Okay” and the window with sliders to control these volumes appears.

There is one more preliminary thing that has to be done before the real art of mixing begins. Most microphones do not have enough signal strength to for a computer's sound card. Thankfully, there is a way to partially compensate for this fact without needing more equipment. Windows can boost the signal from the microphone. This comes at a price. Applying boost to the microphone results in more distortion and hiss. However, if the microphone is not boosted, the vocals will be so soft they cannot be heard.

To accomplish this, one clicks on the "Advanced” button in the "Microphone” column. Then click on "Microphone Boost” so a green check is in that box. Then close the window. The "Volume Control” window will remain open.

To troubleshoot which of the volume controls need adjusting is somewhat an art. Some general guidelines are if there is fuzzy sound on the vocals, then lower the microphone. I prefer to keep the microphone set as high as possible without it distorting. A good starting point for the "Wave” volume is mid-way of the slider. If the music is too loud, increase the "Wave”. Conversely, if the music is too soft, increase the "Wave”. Normally, the "Master Volume” is set at maximum. I happen to use a powered subwoofer and that is why mine is lower. Occasionally, lowering the "Wave” slider will not be enough to reduce the overall volume. The music will still be too loud. This is the only time one will want to lower the "Master Volume”. The tricky part is when one previews the recording; remember to reset the volumes on "Wave” and "Master Volume”. Otherwise, the playback will be at a lower volume than what one hears when the song is saved and played.

The last tip for obtaining optimal sound is to use headphones when recording. If the computer speakers are too close to the microphone, this results in a buzzing or screeching sound called feedback.

Most of all have fun. This process is not as difficult as it may first seem. After a few songs, having the "Volume Control” open will be second nature and one will have a good feel for what adjustments are necessary.

peachygurl

Wow!! I think I finally figured out how to fix my problem!! Thanks so much! :)

ok, i just got a new headphone-mic, and my voice is fine but no music, i have tried everything that you showed and still no luck!! any other ideas?

I hear it, the level meter for mic is working. does not save my recording at all. Why?

is there a step by step instruction like this for people who have a dell desktop computer with SIGMATEL sound card? please help!!! :-( i only hear my voice when i play my recordings... huhuhu... :-(

Other sites it's fine and there is no problem, but I think we agree this has a great community and wonderful songs!KimD