I have 2 Yeti Blue USB mics to record audio for my podcast. Together with my “techie” friend, we set them up under Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup. After some experimenting, we got them both to record in Audacity at the same time. Then, I took them home and could never get them both to register at the same time again. Sub-issue: my Yeti Blue that is titled “USB Device” (as the MacBook won’t recognize them both as “Yeti”), is REALLY hot, as if it has some kind of automatic boost on it that I never set up or authorized. In fact, no matter how low I turn the Volume and Gain knobs, the mic registers incredibly hot, even at a good distance away and on all of the 4 mic settings - cardioid, omni, etc… Can someone offer advice first on the 2 mic issue, then on the boost issue?
we set them up under Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup.
You can force two USB microphones to work on a Mac, but you probably shouldn’t. Did you notice the Aggregate Setup asked which microphone you wanted as a master? The system is going to use that one microphone for show timing and the other microphone will slowly drift out of lip sync. Last time I did this, Aggregate Device also forced you to record a mix of the two microphones. That means once they start to drift apart, the mix is trash.
Even if they do allow you to record the separate microphones, you have to be far enough apart for your voice not to get into his microphone. Like different rooms. If the two voices cross, that will give you permanent cave echo problems in the mix, no matter how you record it.
The step from one microphone to two (or more) is almost always the time you graduate from home USB microphones to analog microphones and a sound mixer.
There is a desperation method. Can you round up two Macs? Simple record each Yeti. Remember to start Audacity after you plug in the Yeti.
It’s not unusual for digital microphones to have no volume controls in the computer. The controls just vanish.
The volume control for your Yeti is the one on the back, not the headphone volume on the front.
If the control doesn’t seem to do anything or works badly, it’s usually because you’re using other sound apps on your machine. Do you use iChat, Skype, Game Sharing, other conferencing or comm programs? Restart the Mac and don’t let anything else start.
Koz
If you go the two Mac route, do a sync clap at the beginning and the end. That will make lining up the two sound clips much easier. After you get one to work, you should be able to use the same values for Effect > Change Speed on all the shows after that, assuming you don’t change microphones or Macs.
Yell something like “Sync” and then clap.
I’m not making that up. That’s what this is in Hollywood.
That’s how they sync up picture and sound in the occasions the sound is separate.
“Camera Mark” [Bang!]
If you have pleased the sound angels you won’t need any of this sync stuff, but start out thinking you will.
Koz
Thanks for this insight. It all makes sense. I did finally get both to record together and even with the potential issues, it sounds way better with the two mics than it did with one. I think it was probably working the whole time, but the secondary mic wasn’t registering on the voice meter, so I thought it wasn’t picking up. However when I hit record, both mics started going and all was well. I also fixed the “boost” issue by just turning the gain and volume all the way down. That balanced the mics really well.
it sounds way better with the two mics than it did with one.
It would, yes. Particularly if you have a live or echoey room.
when I hit record, both mics started going and all was well.
The sync problem might be very low if you have two of the same microphone with close serial numbers. Just remember this problem is back there waiting for you if you have a really long podcast.
Koz
Yes, it is overkill, but it’s a video podcast (Citation Needed) and each player has a camera and a separate microphone. And yes, they do that clap thing at the beginning so the editor has some chance of getting it all together for the final edit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIYcbJKSLxQ&list=PL0CFk33kNHvSdeJm6HQtiJygOCV0o9JdK
It’s easy to forget they’re recording in a kitchen because it doesn’t sound like a kitchen.
Koz
This has been really helpful. ‘Preciate it.