recording level needs to be between -6db to 0db

[chrispou]

Hi, I'm using a Mac OS X version 10.7.5. Downloaded Audacity. Been recording for a while but it seems that my sound isn't that great. I've been told that "when you record voices you have to have a meter on your voice (on the computer
screen) and you have to turn up the input level high enough so your voice records
between -6 and 0 db."

Can you please tell how to set my input level at the desired level... and how I can have it automatically recording at that level each time...

Thanks.

chrispou

[kozikowski]

The reason we always say that is if you're too low, the natural noise in the system (hiss, buzz) will be a significant part of your show. If you're too high, overload and "clipping" damage (crackling, crunch) will destroy your show.

Can you please tell how to set my input level at the desired level... .

Sure. Now you get to tell us exactly what you're doing and with what equipment. Are you singing into the built-in microphone on your MacBook Pro? We can't see what you're doing and there are a lot of variations.

how I can have it automatically recording at that level each time...

You can. But that's one of the reasons telephones/cellphones sound like that. Anything you put into a phone gets smashed down to one sound level. Most people doing entertainment recording (singing, narrating) don't like that sound.

Koz

[chrispou]

Hi,

Well, I'm using a Samson Meteor Mic... I'm recording meditations. A friend of mine (who has recording equipment) who listened to my meditation said I needed to set the input level high enough (-6db to 0db) in order to have a good sound... I'm not sure how to set that up...

chrispou

[kozikowski]

It may be as simple as getting closer to the microphone. USB microphones such as yours can be a little weak in the moxie department. Make your Audacity meters larger by clicking on the right-hand edge and pulling sideways. The meters that come with the default Audacity are not big enough for you to examine your sound levels.

This is a perfect recording and a pretty good operating window:

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/Audacity1_record.jpg

While you have your microphone connected and working (but not recording yet). Do you have a working volume slider -- the slider next to the microphone symbol? Is there one but it's just stuck all the way up?

Koz