Recording - Somethings wrong

cain

Hi guys

I'm finally trying to record some demos on my mac using my POD XT Live and reaper. Ive tried recording some of my own improvisations as well as some songs i know.This is the problem ...

I add an MP3 backtrack to reaper and i play, in my opinion my timing is mostly fine, but when i play back the recording with the backtrack is out, i don't know what this is, either i'm playing like total crap and no one has ever told me i have no timing or there is some sort of lag issue here. Can anyone please assist me in how to debug this, since it is a mac it does not use asio etc it just works or so it should

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Dave-the-Pub-muso

Sounds like you're having some latency issues!? I imagine the your "live playing" is lagging a tiny bit behind the backing? This sort of thing happens and can be exaggerated depending on your equipment. I'm a total cheapskate so I use a rubbish sound card and cheap recording software (Sony Acid) and this happens to me a lot. I've just gotten used to it and what I do now is that I nudge the "live playing track" left until it gets "on rhythm". You can also avoid some of these problems by recording to the built in metronome (I don't know reaper but I imagine it has one) instead of recording to the backing track i.e. record everything to metronome and then combine the backing tracks afterwards.

This is advice based purely on my dumb-ass trial and error experience - hope it helps

Heath

its a latency issue , what I do is play the backing into a mixer and have the guitar plugged into the mixer, record on a new wave track in reaper the output of the mixer . then solo the recorded track to listen . if I want to add additional fx I pan the guitar on the mixer hard right and pan the backing hard left and split the tracks in reaper . probably not the right way but works for me

AlanRatcliffe

See if you can adjust the latency to a lower setting in the software driver for the audio device - probably an ASIO setting. Also check the reaper's help for tips on lowering latency to see if there is anything relevant in there. The lower the latency, the more strain on your computer, so set the latency as low as it can go without audio playback stuttering or "clicking".

Most recording software these days has compensation for the audio interface's latency - it will offset the track you are recording by the same amount as the input latency, and when it plays the piece back, will play ahead by the same amount as the output latency. I'm not sure if Reaper does this, but it's worth checking into.

cain

How do i set the latency lower? Im using OSX so there is no asio settings and in my POD's driver settings its set to most processor required so i assume its on its lowest already?

OK, whats the best way to record? Get a proper internal/external soundcard?

AlanRatcliffe

A quick search shows me a lot of Mac users asking the same question, but no-one with an answer. Unfortunately I'm worse than a noob when it comes to OSX (or Macs for that matter).

Look in Reaper for buffer settings. Lower settings = lower latency.

Neps

It's a latency problem, but I don't know Reaper so I'm not too sure where one can get the latency issues sorted. On the Mac you're correct in saying that you don't need to worry too much about drivers (ASIO things are evil).

I found that Garageband on Mac works for me. And that was just using the internal soundcard of the mac itself. Have a look at that program. It's along the lines of Logic, and it actually works like a charm. And it has developed quite a long way since my 1st few experiments with it a few years ago.

cain

Nee this not working, its okay for now, ill get a mixer and proper external soundcard later. Ill rather spend my time for practice and play.

cain

Ok guys,

Problem has been found, i do have a small latency problem, but its always the same so just moving the recording track to the right spot fixes the 'timing' problem.

The other problem was the recording sounded like an a guy was playing that only played guitar for a week, dynamics sounded crappy and it was just plain awful. After some trying different it suddenly hit me to try playing the backtrack etc out of the laptop speakers and trying to monitor out of an earphone on one ear plugged into the pod and viola it worked. It seems like playing backtracks through the podxt is fine for practice but should not be done for recording, its as if it cant handle the sound, dont know if its bandwidth related or something.

All in all it seems that i will have to get a small inexpensive mixer ...

TomCat

Hey Francis

Have a look at one of these.......

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=121

Designed specifically for what you are doing...

cain

Thanks Tomcat, but bought a 2 channel behringer. More than adequite for what im doing especially since its so small.

OK Guys now i need more help, ive tried the recording with reaper 3.x and now there is no latency at all which is great news.

Unfortunately i have to new issues :

1. If i play back a backtrack and record with backtrack and guitar in both ears my recording sounds like a newbie is playing. Its not a recording problem its the way i play for some reason when i do this. When i play the backtrack through the left ear and the guitar through the right ear my recording sounds great or atleast i think so. What would be the reason for this?

2. When i playback my new recording through the mixer i cant hear the guitar. I know its a mono/stereo problem. My backtrack does not have this problem, so i want to know how do i make the guitar recording work on any playback format, if i can call it that?

This is a recording i made :

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/clips-for-review/ten-words-without-bridge-solo-(-my-first-ever-recording-)

cain

Cmon alan, you should know why playback in both ears stuffs up my playing, its driving me nuts lol

AlanRatcliffe

That's a new one to me. Vocalists often like foldback in only one ear, but that's so they hear their own voice in the room as they sing (or because they saw Mariah Carey do it in a music video, LOL!).

Guesses:

1. Your guitar is turned down too quiet so you can't hear it properly in the mix.
2. You're focusing on listening to the backtrack instead of focusing on your playing
3. Red light fever

"Red light fever" is what I call my stunning lack of ability to play anything coherently when the recording is rolling (when the red light is on). Doesn't matter how much I've practised beforehand or if I could play it perfectly only seconds before the tape rolls, the moment the record button is pressed, my hands belong to someone else... and he can't play guitar very well. The only partial cure for this I've found is to record my practice sessions and try fool myself that it's only a practice run. If neccessary I'll do dozens of takes and splice them together.

As far as not being able to hear your guitar - do you mean it tends to get lost in the mix?

cain

Well lemme try to elaborate :

My laptop is connected via a cable into one input of the mixer ( input is now mono ), the guitar is plugged into the mixer for monitor purposes, earphone jacks go in the mixer. Thats the basic setup.

After i recorded the guitar cant be heard ( very soft ) when played through the mixer type setup. When i plug out the cable and the laptop speakers come on again and i play it, you can hear the guitar. Its something to do with the mono/stereo setup. I want to know how to make it play in either situation, you should be able to simmulate my problem ☹