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View Full Version : Voice monitoring software



perez
August 2nd, 2010, 04:48 PM
I,
i like a little bit to sing, im not a great deal, but i like :P
and today i tried to hear myself while recording on soundboth cs4 (Adobe) but it was a total mess, because it is out of sinc, i ear myself with, at least, 1 second of delay, and that is too much.
I was wondering if is there any software that does a good job on monitoring.
Free is better, but if you know any paid one mention it anyway

deeaa
August 3rd, 2010, 02:41 AM
There's only one real option for you to do. Separate monitoring.

You need a separate preamp/mixer or input out on the soundcard.

The idea is that you sing to any device _from where_ the signal goes to the soundcard, and you can also monitor what you sing with that device plus what ever comes from the computer.

My soundcard also has a monitor out for each channel, so I just run a line from there to a mixer. I also run a line from soundcard's master out to the same mixer, and voilá I have a mixer with volume adjusts for whatever the machine plays and separately for whatever I am recording just now, without any latency. Plus I can also use an effects unit, mixing it to my headphone mix so I can sing with nice effects and feel, but it only records the dry signal anyway on DAW.

Depends on what kind of a soundcard you have what you need, but most likely a small monitoring mixer at least. See my other post I'll make just now.

oldguy
August 3rd, 2010, 02:58 AM
Try Audacity. It's free.

perez
August 3rd, 2010, 08:36 AM
Try Audacity. It's free.

I liked the program a lot :D
but the part of monitoring its equal, whit delay :/
maybe is my computer...

deeaa
August 3rd, 2010, 08:55 AM
All computer systems have some lag. Those with cheap gaming etc. soundcards more.

On a good system you get low enough lag by reducing 'buffer size' in card settings. See the card's config software. However low latency can mean stutters in large mixes.

That is why I say on any system a separate monitor mixer is the only 100% working solution with any software.

If your card has like a second's delay...then you must have a wrong driver for the task. Usually either ASIO or some direct card specific driver interface, windows wdm or such. But usually the direct-x drivers etc. are horrible in audio programs.

Eric
August 3rd, 2010, 09:50 AM
Audacity is known to have some built-in sync issues. Not latency necessarily, but the track is written just a hair later than what you recorded, so I always have to go back and sync it up after recording over a track. Not bad, just part of the game.

However, a 1 second delay would have to be something else. I guess I'd try to avoid monitoring yourself while singing if you don't have the equipment. Just record the track without putting yourself back through the speakers during recording.

perez
August 3rd, 2010, 10:05 AM
so, deeaa what you are saying is that with software im not going anywhere??
and that ill have to spend some bucks on hardware?

deeaa
August 3rd, 2010, 10:17 AM
Yes...I do fear a better soundcard may be in order. What is yours? For vocal recording I'd strongly suggest an USB or Firewire external box, something like Presonus or M-Audio, they start from ~$150 usually.

With a decent card the latency should be less than or at least around 10ms, which you won't really notice in vocal stuff.

BUT if you want the best solution, separate monitoring (not via software at all) is always going to be by far the easiest and best solution. (I always get crazy annoyed just remembering to mouse that 'monitor' button on and off when doing recordings...if only for that reason, a monitor mixer is great.)

I strongly dislike most Behringer gear for any serious audio work, but in the listening side of things they work just fine. I have for instance this:

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/MON800.aspx

And it's been super handy, allows for mixing in effects and for using two separate monitor speaker systems plus headphones too, all with their own volumes; very handy a device. Paid $20 for mine used.

perez
August 3rd, 2010, 10:46 AM
tanks for the answers