I’m currently working with a Windows 10 and Audacity 2.4.2. at the moment and I’m having audio issues. I’m trying to record hip hop vocals with a Rode NT1A microphone and a Rode audio interface for the XLR cable. I’ve been experimenting with mixing and mastering the vocals but I can’t seem to get the vocals to stand out past the instrumental if that makes sense? It’s a fully soundproof closet so I know it’s not the environment. I’ve experimented with different gain levels on the interface but the vocals are always too low. I didn’t have this issue on a Mac. I’m using Windows to run Spitfish so I’d like to do everything on one computer. When I raise the volume levels on the vocals there’s a touch of distortion from the gain and I can’t lower the instrumental (which is comfortably at around 18db) without sacrificing the subtle nuances in the background of the instrumental. I’m a noob to technology so I’d appreciate any help. Thank you
Nobody has any help they can offer?
Audio will distort if you try to push the level over 0 dB. To avoid distortion, the mix level must always be below 0 dB.
You could try compressing, or peak limiting the vocals so that they can be made a bit louder without distortion, but other than that the only option is to reduce the level of the backing track.
Hey, while searching for tips regarding mixing, I found your entry… may i ask if you now found a good solution for your problem? I’d be grateful if you could share some advice or experience regarding mixing. If not, it’s fine! I am a hobby singer and so far I’ve watched many tutorials on youtube but I am still learning on how to improve…
Thank you!! (sorry if there are any grammar mistakes etc. i am not fluent in english)…
I didn’t have this issue on a Mac.
There may be a clue floating around there. Macs, in general, have a lot less automatic sound processing than Windows. You might want to go into the Windows control panels > Sound > Recording and see what’s running. Also, do you use Skype, Zoom or other chat or communications programs? They’re famous for processing your voice and sometimes leave the corrections on by accident after the application is closed. Restart Windows and don’t let anything else start when it wakes up.
You don’t have this particular problem, but this is where to find the controls.
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#enhancements
Where did the backing track come from? Did you perform it? If it’s a commercial song or production, there’s a terrifically good chance that it’s been processed, squeezed, and beat up to make it as loud and “dense” as possible to compete with all the other songs doing the same thing.
Your “clean” voice recording hasn’t got a chance.
I can’t lower the instrumental without sacrificing the subtle nuances in the background of the instrumental.
That doesn’t seem right. I would call that having your voice processed and the music not processed. Your voice and music balance would always be off, no matter how you adjusted them.
How are you listening?
I posted in another forum message about creating a music mix while on vacation with bad headphones. I didn’t know they were bad until I got home and found out what the mix really sounded like.
There is at least one computer system advertising how they “enhance” the music so it “sounds better” on playback. Not the system you want for evaluating your song. I got a computer at work once with one of those enhancements running by accident. It took us a while to figure out what happened.
Koz