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A good audio interface for recording music + microphone recommendations

(@devin)
Noble Member Admin

I like this interface so much I wanted to share...and here are a few mics I'd recommend too. All of these recommendations are in the "lower price range" as far as audio recording equipment goes. If y'all want some high-end recording gear recommendations, let me know! But the stuff below sounds really good in my opinion!

 

Universal Audio Volt 476P USB-C Audio Interface:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Volt476P--universal-audio-volt-476p-usb-c-audio-interface

For an "entry-level" audio interface, this thing is legit.

I'm sure a lot of y'all are familiar with audio interfaces, but if you're new to recording, an audio interface is a device that converts an analog microphone/instrument signal into a digital format that your computer and recording software can recognize. So basically, you have a microphone, then you take an XLR microphone cable and plug your mic into the audio interface's input (this particular interface has four inputs), then the interface connects to your computer via a cable (these days you'll most likely use a USB-C from audio interface to computer). Then in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, such as Garage Band, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Studio One, etc.) you'll create a track for recording the microphone signal, and on that track in your DAW, you'll select the audio interface's input where you have the mic plugin in. It's all pretty straightforward once you set it up a few times. To record an electric guitar, it's basically the same as plugging in a microphone, except you'll plug your electric guitar into the interface with an instrument cable instead of a mic XLR cable. Each of the inputs on this Volt 476P let you plug in an XLR or instrument cable.

Anyways, this interface sounds great for the price point. I got it for recording things on the road and I've been really happy with it. Also, you don't have to plug it in to a wall power socket -- it can be powered by your laptop through the USB-C cable so it's really convenient for recording anywhere when you don't have a wall socket nearby.

Mics for recording acoustic guitar:

I record a lot of acoustic guitar and other stringed instruments through mics, and you have a ton of options when it comes to mics for recording acoustic instruments, but I really like the AKG C451 B Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C451B--akg-c-451-b-small-diaphragm-condenser-microphone . It's a little pricey, but it sounds great and it rejects background noise really well. Another mic people use a lot for acoustic guitar is the Shure SM81 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM81--shure-sm81-small-diaphragm-condenser-microphone . The Shure SM81 is probably more popular because it's a bit more affordable, but if you can spring for the AKG C451 B, I'd recommend that one the most probably. Both are great though.

Mics for recording vocals:

There are a ton of choices for recording vocals... I'd say the Shure SM58 is the most common vocal mic https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM58--shure-sm58-cardioid-dynamic-vocal-microphone . It's probably the most common mic used for live performances everywhere and it sounds really good for recording into your DAW. The price point is nice too! Next, I'd recommend the Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM7B--shure-sm7b-cardioid-dynamic-vocal-microphone for recording into your DAW. It's still very affordable as far as mics go and it rejects background noise very well.

Recording yourself singing and playing acoustic guitar at the same time:

So if you're recording yourself singing and playing guitar at the same time, I really like the Shure SM7B for vocals paired with the AKG C451 B for acoustic guitar. If you set your levels and position the mics properly (a whole other topic), you can get really clean recordings of the vocals and the acoustic guitar, meaning the audio track recording in your DAW of the vocals won't have much acoustic guitar in it, and the audio track recording of the acoustic guitar won't have much vocals in it. Getting clean recordings without much mic bleed will let you process each track separately so your recordings will sound more professional after you mix/master everything...for example, you might want to add reverb ONLY to the vocals and NOT the acoustic guitar (this is common) and you also might want to add some light "auto tuning" to the vocals...maybe add some EQ that ONLY affects the acoustic guitar to eliminate some "muddiness" WITHOUT affecting the sound of the vocal track. So many different reasons for getting clean recordings of each track, BUT sometimes you might not care about getting clean recordings because you're going for more of a "live performance" type of sound.

 

I kind of got a little carried away with this post but maybe this will be helpful for some of y'all out there!

If you record acoustic guitar and stuff like that, what mics and interfaces would you recommend? Just curious what everyone else has tried...

This topic was modified 10 months ago 2 times by Devin

Lead Instructor at CountryGuitarOnline.com

Quote
Topic starter Posted : January 5, 2024 1:20 PM
John, Alberto Paiola, Michael Graham and 2 people reacted
(@lc)
Reputable Member

This very helpful I'll have to check this stuff out.

ReplyQuote
Posted : January 7, 2024 5:58 PM
John reacted
(@lc)
Reputable Member

Are you planning to make albums?

ReplyQuote
Posted : January 7, 2024 5:59 PM
John reacted
(@alberto-pai)
Estimable Member

Hello Devin and thanks for this adv. I make my pre-production at home with Logic Pro X, Scarlett 2I2 (1st gen) and SE ELECTRONICS X1A mic (I use it only with the vocal tracks). Do you think it could be suitable for acustic guitar also?

ReplyQuote
Posted : January 15, 2024 2:33 AM
Landon reacted
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