Recording Audio - Kiss the Mic Problem

[LionBear]

I'm trying to record audio, but when I'm recording I have to place my mouth so close to the mic to get any audio to record.I've looked into my mic settings in Windows make sure nothing was muted and everything looks good. How can I record audio without having to literally have my mouth touch the mic ?

[steve]

If you are using a microphone plugged directly into the microphone socket on your computer, look in the sound card control panel/mixer (loudspeaker icon near the clock). There is probably a tick box to enable microphone boost (sometimes marked +20dB).

[kozikowski]

What kind of microphone might that be and how is it connected to the computer?

What is the computer Laptop? Made by who?

Which version of Audacity?

Has this combination ever worked?

Koz

[LionBear]

I got it working. I had to do some digging in the control panel but I found it.
With my Mic I can't hear via the speakers an echo of when I'm talking any ideas why?

[kozikowski]

Because you have Mix Out and Microphone open at the same time. One of them is late.

Koz

[steve]

With my Mic I can't hear via the speakers an echo of when I'm talking any ideas why?

You mean you can hear an echo?
You should not be monitoring through speakers while recording through a microphone as the microphone will pick up the sound from the speakers. Use headphones.

If it is a slow echo (around 1/2 second) you need to switch off "software playthrough" (in Audacity Preferences).

[LionBear]

I'm using headphones.

If it is a slow echo (around 1/2 second) you need to switch off "software playthrough" (in Audacity Preferences).

I've turned that option off. Although when I record I still can't head it though the headphones as I'm recording. I can only hear it after it's recorded.

[kozikowski]

<<<I still can't head it though the headphones as I'm recording.>>>

That's what playthrough does.

There are two options, hardware and software playthrough because frequently, one of them works far better than the other. Experiment. It's possible neither of them will work right. Windows machines are business tools.

If you start getting echoes again -- you never did say whether you were or not -- then you need to dig in the Windows Control Panels to straighten it out. Unlike Macs, Windows machines will happily dig you a hole and try to record multiple audio pathways -- incorrectly -- at the same time. It's harder than it looks.

Windows Control Panel
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... trol_Panel

How did you fix the sound level problem from the top of the thread. You didn't tell us that, either. This is a forum where we try to help the maximum number of people with as much information as possible.

Koz

[LionBear]

The sound level problem I fixed by digging into the Audio Card drivers and I found the volume level which had to be turned on and the volume meter turned up. I have everything working so far, at this point by just digging in the control panel and other audio settings. I can hear myself when I record, now the problem is I get too much noise with the audio, is it possible that I cover up the microphone with something or can I edit after recording ? Windows7 IMO will change a lot of the business model that previous version of windows had which is a good thing for creative professionals like myself.

[kozikowski]

<<<now the problem is I get too much noise with the audio>>>

What kind of noise? Are you listening to the number 25 MetroBus outside your window and the LG Refrigerator cooling your hot dogs, or is this the background hiss of having turned the sound card up too far?

<<<Windows7 IMO will change a lot of the business model that previous version of windows had which is a good thing for creative professionals like myself.>>>

"Based on the pre-press, promos and feature leaks, the new version will be a real game changer and we're looking forward to the variety of opportunities that that the new tools and software will open up.

John C. Dvorak 1988.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

Koz