recording not loud enough

Hi all

I have fun with my mpc 500 but cant record it loud enough on my mac.

The recording waveform on garageband or audacity is very low even if i have the volume everywhere full up. (mpc to 0db, all volume full up)

Can somebody tell me what i can do to record the 500 loud enough?

Thx and greets from Switzerland

Cheers Karl

in program mode you have to "normalize" the sounds, they will be boosted up...also you can crank the volume up with the master compressor in the effects section

0db and full volume should be well enough... have you checked your input gain on computer?

Jayo wrote:in program mode you have to "normalize" the sounds, they will be boosted up...also you can crank the volume up with the master compressor in the effects section

Yes and no. By default, your samples are at 70 in Program mode. Just boost it up to 100 max. Normalize at your own risk though, it works but too much can clip your samples. Also as m:t:c said, check your gains of your interface.

http://soundcloud.com/karlthebuttonpresser/test-song


I have a Mac and use Garage Band with line in. I have the gain on maximum. Garageband on maximum. The input on the mac on maximum. Compressor in Effects mode is now also on.

You can see what i get with the link. Is this really all i can do?

I dont want to have all the samples on maximum level

What can i do?

Greets Carlo

ps: my waveform in garageband is still very low, not even half used

karlthebuttonpresser wrote:http://soundcloud.com/karlthebuttonpresser/test-song


Compressor in Effects mode is now also on.

You can see what i get with the link. Is this really all i can do?

What can i do?

Greets Carlo

1 the master compressor can be volumed up ridiculously high so that should fix it

2 in audacity you can edit and normalize the song, easy fix as well

3 the soundcloud waveform already seems high enough..no need to boost that up

dont normalize unless you know exactly what your doing.

normalizing brings all the peaks in the song to the same level as the highest one, (or as the case with an mpc 1000 jjos, to a user set threshold) thus killing any dynamic range you have in your song. it can be good for stuff that is around the same level, but if there is any loud and quiet parts, its best to not normalize.

your song sounds loud enough to me, you might be confusing this with not being as loud as a CD or mp3 that you have on your computer.

this is because your beat hasnt been mastered yet. basically what mastering does is (actually called premastering) makes your mix as loud as it can be while still keeping the original integrity/sonic character of your mix. you dont do this until you finish mixing your beat, boucne it to a 2 track, then re-import it and compress, eq, yada yada, ect. then bring up the level.

for a ghetto, psudeo rough mix type loudness, that is not to be used on a ***real album cut ever*** check out the waves l2 or l3 ultramaximizer plugin. it willl show you what im talking about. make sure you dont clip the output though.

Ok thanks.

I can understand that I am not on a bought CD level.

The waveform looks now ok on the upload as i normalized the mp3 in Garageband.
In garage band the waveform was only / not at half.

I have also a Sure SM58 mic and want now also to record it on acceptable level.

Maybe a cheap soundcard with preamps could solve all my problems? what could it be for low? What do you use?

Greets Karl

I use ----> /Applications/TASCAM US-122MKII US-144MKII Control Panel.app

cost about £60 - €70

really easy and good sound

is this thing from tascam software? I need xlr for the mic.

Does it help for more volume for the mic and beat?

yeah i read your initial and subsequent posts dude

mastasteez wrote:I use ----> /Applications/TASCAM US-122MKII US-144MKII Control Panel.app

cost about £60 - €70

really easy and good sound

I forgot to say that this price was for a second hand piece of gear

I jus took my shit out on a session now my rec. Gain knob actin like it got a shortage in it I don't remember banging it against anything but it won't even play sound in record mode unless I'm putting pressure on the knob what should I do everything else is cool jus my rec. gain mode/knob

Dry solder joint, or faulty pot, maybe.