I Am Overwhelmed!

[silverseed71]

I played and recorded on cheap tape players and cheap keyboards from around 1985 until 1996.

Well, last time I really got serious about writing music and recording, we didn't have forums or casual computer recording. I recorded a tape in 1996 with 12 songs. It was for my girlfriend at the time (and now ex-wife). Of course, after getting divorced I became inspired again and attempted a go at writing and recording again. I bought Magix Musicmaker (version I don't remember now) and used my 1994 bought keyboard. I had little success getting anything to sound good. What I wrote was amazing and dark, but I couldn't get it to sound like cheap music with terrible vocal recordings because I was using a cheap microphone and Magix Musicmaker can only enhance so much. What I am here for is some help. I hope to ask these questions on this forum, maybe be lucky enough to have them answered here.

1. I still need a microphone (please be relatively inexpensive) to record vocals and make it sound better.

2. I bought a Korg Microstation (I thought it was the best deal for under $400) and wow it looks complicated. I had to ask on the Korg forums what kind of sustain pedal can I use with it and I got the reply: "If you can reverse the damper polarity in your global (controllers) settings, then any sustain pedal should work" and I was like "HUH??" and am still huh?

3. Any thoughts on Magix Musicmaker 16? I bought it about a year ago but haven't used it.

4. Any inexpensive delay pedal that will work from microphone to computer?

5. I have 2 Windows machines. Windows XP Pro and Windows 7. I can put Magix on either. Which is preferred for best quality?

Thanks for reading.

[Desertrose]

I know the feeling. I'm about to embark into the terrifying world of midi. (Having panic attacks just thinking about it.)

Just a suggestion regarding the Korg - and maybe other issues too. I've found that you tube is a wealth of information with people putting up video's of "how to" just about anything you can think of! (lovely people...thank you thank you thank you....) It's so much easier to "see" how it's done sometimes.

You can also just say to those people on the Korg site - "Please just speak plain english to me, I'm a complete novice and lack the understanding (as yet) of this new language."

Usually there is a nice patient person out there that understands and remembers what it's like.

I know I'm not offering anything of real value here but I just wanted to offer you some support and say - go for it....anything new is frustrating and overwhelming but you WILL get there and I promise it will ALL be worth it!

[john]

hoo lots of questions! Welcome to Songstuff.

You've come to the right place

ok... your pedal... pedals are at their most simple, on off switches. They are either down-on up-off OR down-off up-on. Many pedals have an extra switch that allows you to select the behaviour.

In the dark old early midi days many pedals didn't have a switch. they were hard wired in one config or the other. As a result, as midi keyboards became more sophisticated they added an option within the settings for the keyboard that allowed you to select the behaviour (polarity) of the pedal, so that it could work with either config.

most keyboards have a global settings section and the pedal behaviour is one of those settinngs. I am using my phone otherwise i would have checked your manual for you. If you cant find let me know.

The point is... if your keyboard has that setting then you are not limited in terms of what sustain pedal or foot pedal you buy. Yet again i am happy to check and offer a recommendation.

Microphone wise... you are in part going to be limited by how you get your mic signal into your computer. If your interface has +48 volt power button (phantom power) on your input channel then there are no real limits. That said getting hold of a powered interface is not difficult or necessarily expensive.. just worth noting that it may be an additional cost.

I love Rode microphones for their performance and value for money. At home I use a Rode NT2. great mic. Yet again when i get near my pute I can drop you a few links.

[john]

the rest of your questions i couldnt remember as they werent on the screen... so a new post.

There is no need to buy a delay effect between the mic and the puter...once it is in the computer you can add delay or other effects and processing to your heart's content. Depending on the sound interface you use with your puter you should be able to hear vocal effects produced in the sound interface without recording the effects and setting them in stone... you cant easily remove efects if at all.

I use windows XP for music. I have tried several times using win 7 64bit... but always have problems with glitches in the audio. it seems to be a common problem. much comes down to model and config of your pute and of your soundcard /interface. For me Xp was easier to get a stable set up.

I am not familiar with your magix software... at least i have not used it. I will have a quick check when i get a chance.

I hope this helps

[silverseed71]

Thank you all for your help and all. The sustain pedal works perfect. Learning this Korg may take weeks though I will look into your suggestions for a microphone.

[silverseed71]

I work 2 computer jobs, so learning this new process is going to take some time. I hooked my Korg Microstation up and the best I could do is plug in some earphones and listen to the preset sounds it has. Seems to be only 106 instead of the 400+ it says it has. I am 100% positive it is something I am doing. Also, can I find a microphone LESS than $50 that would be at least half way descent? The one I used a few years ago was not good at all but it was only like $15. I could spend up to $50 but there is a reason I have 2 jobs, I am just making ends meet. I only got the Korg because I had extra tax money after paying off a bill. lol.