So, I’ve been doing a project with my buddy using my Shure Beta 57A, and recently aquired some SM57s. No problems until I go to test out my SM57. I use a steinberg CI1 USB audio interface. It is working properly, drivers are updated, it is picking up the SM57, and so is my computer. However, the only way I can get the mic to be picked up in Audacity is using the stereo recording option which outputs a single waveform, instead of 2 (I’m pretty sure it should do this since I’m using a mic, correct me if I’m wrong). However, when I switch back to mono, it no longer picks up the mic.
All my settings are unchanged since using the Beta 57A. So I changed back to the 57A and now it won’t work either. I’ve quadruple checked every relevant setting (devices, playback, recording, etc) and all of them are what they should be set to. I have no idea how to fix this and I’m on a pretty tight deadline for the project I’m doing. Any help is much appreciated.
PS: First time on this forum, so I apologize if this is in the wrong place, this has been answered already, etc.
However, when I switch back to mono, it no longer picks up the mic.
Right. The Steinberg is sending a stereo signal and Audacity has to match. If you look really close at the back of the Steinberg, the two microphone connectors are 1/L and 2/R. That means anything you plug into the first (1) connection is going to arrive in Audacity as the top or left waveform. If you don’t plug anything into the second (2) connection, the bottom Audacity waveform will be flat/silent.
Most tiny USB audio systems work this way. They’re not sound mixers. You can’t steer one microphone to left, right, or somewhere in the middle unless the Steinberg software or the device controls provide for that.
That’s not deadly, you can convert your single signal to mono (one blue wave, music on both left and right) with the drop-down menu under the little black arrow to the left of the tracks > Split Stereo to Mono > Enter.
Delete the blank track.
If you insist on two track mono (two blue waves), you can get that, too. Edit > Duplicate, and then left menu > Make Stereo Track, but that’s not strictly needed.
Koz
I went through that quick. Yell if you get lost.
Koz