I have put up a "new" video onto youtube! I say "new" because it's not really new. It's a song I recorded probably a year ago.
I didn't make any video on this, so it's just a black screen through the whole song. This because I lack the time to shoot any video footage... Sorry about that... I will make a video on it later!
It has been a crazy month for me and therefore I haven't made any entries to the blog. I decided to make a short entry now.
I will quickly go through an "instrument" I often use, rather always use, while I record and mix songs. This is the M-Audio KeyRig 49 midi keyboard/controller. When hocked up to the computer it can be used to record MIDI and program drums and virtual instruments.
I record within ProTools and in this program there are a insert called Xpand. In this insert you can chose from a number of sounds, pianos, organs, choirs, drums etc. All you need to make a song.
I have used this to record many of my songs. An example is in the bottom half of this entry.
The KeyRig 49 in its self is a 49 key USB keyboard. It includes the Key Rig software, but it can also be used with other recording software like ProTools, GarageBand, Logic, Cubase, Ableton Live etc. The keyboard has a pitch and modulation wheels, an assignable volume slider, octave +/- buttons and a sustain pedal input. The keyboard is USB-powered and works with both Windows and Mac OS.
I used only this keyboard to record the following song. Hope you enjoy it! Any question about the keyboard will be answered if you leave a comment or send me a personal message in the Contact Me page.
I thought I might review my condenser microphones that I use mainly to record acoustic guitars and vocals. The microphones I'm thinking of is the MXL 990 and 991 condenser microphones. These I purchased together in a package for about 100 dollars. The package includes a high-impact carrying case and mic stand adapters.
MXL 990
The MXL 990 is a large diaphragm condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. This microphone is perfect for recording vocals due to the sweet high end and tight solid bass. This microphone is way beyond what you will get in this price range. You can purchase the microphone for about 50 dollars. If you buy the 990/991 kit, then you might get if for about 80 dollars. The quality of this microphone is so great that you could actually record your album in a professional way, at least with a good pre-amp.
Specifications
Tube type: Pressure gradient condenser microphone
Diaphragm: 6 micron gold-sputtered
Frequency Response: 30 Hz - 20 kHz
Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Sensitivity: 15mV/Pa
Impedance: 200 ohms
Equivalent Noise Level: 20 dB (A-weighted IEC 268-4)
S/N Ratio: 80 dB (Ref. 1Pa A-weighted)
Max SPL .5% THD: 130 dB
Power Requirements: Phantom Power 48V (+- 4V)
Current Consumption: <3.0mA
Size: 60mm x 130mm / 2,36 in. x 5,11 in. Weight: 1,2 lbs / 544,3g Metal Finish: Champagne
MXL 991
The MXL 991 is a small diaphragm condenser microphone. It is definately not the greatest small diaphragm microphone in the world, but for the price, it's going to be hard to beat! The microphone can be used to record acoustic instruments and drum overheads. I would recommend acoustic guitar. I haven't used this microphone that much due to that I prefer the 990 to record my acoustic guitar and vocals.
Specifications
Tube type: Pressure gradient condenser microphone
Diaphragm: 20mm
Frequency Response: 30 Hz - 18 kHz
Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Sensitivity: 15mV/Pa
Impedance: 110 ohms
Equivalent Noise Level: 20 dB (A-weighted IEC 268-4)
S/N Ratio: 78 dB (Ref. 1Pa A-weighted)
Max SPL .5% THD: 137 dB
Power Requirements: Phantom Power 48V (+- 4V)
Current Consumption: <3.0mA Size: 22mm x 134mm Weight: 0,35 lbs / 158 g Metal Finish: Champagne
I use the 990 to record my acoustic guitar. You can hear it in the first video below!
I have also used it to record vocal. This you can also hear in the second video below!
If you have any questions about the microphones, feel free to comment in the comment section below!
I have been very busy the last two days and haven't had the chance to write any. But not to worry. Tomorrow I will write a review of my favorite instrument! My Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar!
I would appreciate it if you could request something in the comment section. You can request specific topic you want me to write about, questions you have about my gear or recording methods, or you can request a certain song you would like for me to upload to youtube and this blog.
All request will be answered and considered before making the blog entry or the recording of the song. There is also a possibility to ask personal questions although I might not answer all of them if they are too personal.
I thought I might guide you through the gear that I'm currently using to record music and sound.
I use several guitars, both acoustic and electric. Two acoustic guitars (Woodrock and Taylor GS Mini)
and three electric guitars (Squier Stratocaster, Ibanez RG350EXZ and a Ibanez RG7321 7string). I also got a bassguitar (Cort), a keyboard (Yamaha YPG-235), an electric drumset (Roland TD KX2 V-drums) and an electric piano (Roland F-120 SBA).
I got and Marshall 1960A cabinet with a Randall RH50T Tube amplifier head and a Orange Crush 30W Bass amplifier. Usually only used when practicing.
I got a MXL 990 and a MXL 991 condenser microphones. To record vocals and acoustic guitars I used to connect the condenser-microphones to a mixer, which is the Behringer XENYX 1202FX, which was connected to the computer. But that was when I used Audacity as my DAW. The Behringer mixer has phantom power which is what you need if you're going to use a condenser microphone. The phantom power gives the microphone power. Without that it simply won't work.
After a while I bought an Mbox with ProTools 9, which is the DAW I currently use. The Mbox has two inputs for jacks and two mic/line inputs. The Mbox is only connected to the computer by a USB cable.
I also got a effect pedal that I connect to my Randall/Marshall stack. The pedal is a ZOOM G9.2tt. I usually don't use this when I record, but I use it when I'm practicing. This is because I don't mic up the amplifier when I record, I use direct input into the Mbox.
When I record in ProTools, I use a USB-keyboard called KeyRig 49 from M-Audio. It's a small bus powered 49-key MIDI keyboard that is easy to use. Bus powered meaning that it gets power from the USB-connection, just like a typing keyboard or a mouse on your computer. This keyboard is great to create music with virtual instruments. You can choose a variety of instruments in ProTools and use this keyboard to create the notes. If you're familiar with MIDI, you will know that a MIDI-keyboard doesn't create notes. It only tells the program what notes it should generate.
Under you can see a slideshow of some of the gear. If you have questions about the gear or how it's connected, comment in the comment section below.
If you want to see the rest of the gear, check out my videos on youtube here.
Here is a new video for you! This time its David Guetta ft Usher "Without You". This is the first time I have ever sung in a video and uploaded it.
It was easy to make. Only a USB-keyboard and a cheap microphone to sing in. Recorded it all on ProTools via my Mbox.
Hope you like it. Feel free to comment in the comment section below with any opinions or critisism. Also you can submit questions about anything you want answered.
Here comes a new video! This time its Andy Mckee's song "Drifting" that I made a little cover of. This song is very different from how I usually play on the guitar and so therefore I had to learn the way to play it. It took some time but after a while I got into it. The way to play this requires alot of concentration, but when you get a hang of it, your guitarplaying sounds awesome! It's almost like a one-man band. You got the low DADGAD tuning which turns the lower strings almost as a bassline. The tapping on the body of the guitar is percussion or drums.
If you play this to people they go nuts! And it's not even that hard to learn... All you need is patience and time.
Let me know what you think about the video in the comment section below.
