Sorta OT - Recording Sound Clips

[Paul Marossy]

OK, so now that I have some MP3 conversion programs, my next dumb question is this: How do you determine what the recording level should be? I don't want to record really loud sound clips, but I want them to be loud enough to be heard well, with clarity.

I am planning on recording sound clips of all the pedals I have built to date this weekend, and probably some of my less common commercial pedals, too. So, I need to get my act together...

[petemoore]

At least that's how I do it.
 I experimented with mic placement, recording levels, ambient room sound intensities [how loud the amp/efkts was set].
 Then playback and see how loud I can get it withought nasty clipping or otherwise undesirable tones.
 I'll go and record my voice saying on the sample tape what I"m doing as far as settings as I go: 1 test trim level set at .56  etc. so I can find the settings that work best for optimal recording...I believe having the meters 'up' near the redline, but not over is the accepted practice...I find leaving just a touch of headroom [turn the record levels down just a hinch After getting them under redline] saves alot of time re-recording and trying to get a good take with no dropoouts or nasty overload clipping.

[Paul Marossy]

"At least that's how I do it."

Do what?!?  :wink:

[MarkB]

you do actually want to record them loud... well, not LOUD - but you want to get as much signal in there as possible before clipping.  There are several reasons for this that I won't bother to get into here (don't want to write a novel on it) but you want to have plenty to work with.

If your signal is low, you will have poor signal/noise - and you'll have to crank up the soundclip to hear it (amplifying the noise, in turn).

If you have a compressor/limiter - you may want to set it to just below unity as a hard limiter.. just so you don't hear nasty clipping, but be warned, a compressor can and will affect the sound (often in a good way).

Feel free to email me for detailed explanations..
"-)

[Gilles C]

I  use Wavelab, but you can get a few good free programs to do the same.

Check  there for the free ones availables:

http://www.pcmus.com/Free-Software.htm

[GuitarLord5000]

The trick is to get the most volume without clipping at EACH location.  I.E. - Most volume without clipping going to your mixer, make sure you aren't clipping at your soundcard then through your software.  Each location needs to be as loud as possible without clipping for the best recording without noise.  Then, when you go to your mix, you can set your level as desired without a whole lotta noise to screw you up.  The weird thing is, you dont need a whole lotta sound coming out of your amplifier.  Get a good solid tone from your amp, and increase your level at your mixer/software......whatever.

[downweverything]

More simply put.  The three step program
1.  Adjust the level so that you can get as close to 0db as possible without hitting it.  Its like the Price Is Right, you go over you lose (or clip in this case).  
2.  Record
3.  Normalize (most wave editors have this function)...should be a pretty decent volume after this step (guitars tend to be more compressed than other instruments already) and youd prob want to avoid compression and stuff if you want to show off the true tone of your pedals.

[Paul Marossy]

OK, well I guess I have been doing everything right, more or less...
I am shooting for recording about 24 sound clips this weekend and creating a soundclips webpage at my website. I'll let everyone know when it is done.