Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/30/2005, 6:58 AM
Yes! That's a part of the problem, perhaps. (based on the recording I heard)
By default, this is enabled in Vegas (and Sound Forge)
Hit the small red target on any audio track in Vegas. Meters will then show up.So will a small speaker target, indicating 2 speakers faced away from each other. They'll be just next to the record button on the track. Click this to choose left or right, because you want to record in mono.
Vegas will ask where you want to store the audio. Preferably, store it on a drive different than your OS, but you can store it there in a pinch.
Next, name the Track Header. This will give your recorded file a prefix.
Then, press the main record button on the transport bar, and start speaking. Alternatively, you can press CTRL+R.
Press SpaceBar to stop.
Vegas will ask if you want to keep the file or not.
Bingo, you're done.
kentwolf wrote on 4/30/2005, 8:31 AM
Super!

Thanks again, Spot!
kentwolf wrote on 4/30/2005, 1:14 PM
It turns out that I am so messed up here that I was not even recording on the mic that I thought I was. I was recording through my web cam pinhole mic and didn't even realize it. Seeing all is so close together, it was not apparent. My actual microphone was not even being used.

Question: Now, I have my mic working. It sounds dramatically better; perhaps not up to Spot's standards, but it's better. :)

Can someone please tell me how to increase the input volume into the mic? It looks like I may be only getting one channel to record when in stereo. It's just not loud enough.

Could this be an adapter issue? I am using the Realtek AC97 Audio on the motherboard, which is more than good enough for what I am doing.

I have no issues with video at this time, but this audio is really killing me.

Any suggestions?

Thank you very much.
Spot|DSE wrote on 4/30/2005, 1:28 PM
To raise the input volume, you need to go to your windows mixer. Raise the mic volume there. Problem may be, your Realtek doesn't have a mic pre built into it. That *can* be a problem. if you can't get the gain high enough. Use the meters in Vegas to view the overall level. You want to be peaking in the -6dB range. Mono is best, don't worry about what you hear in terms of volume, worry about what the meters are showing. That's MUCH more important for the recording.
In the previous post, I explained how to switch the channel from stereo to mono. Record this way. You probably have a stereo input on the sound card and a mono output from your mic. This is as it should be. Just be sure you're using the correct half of the stereo input. Your meters will bounce all over if you've got the correct input selected.

Now we know why that audio was sorta "plastic" sounding, eh? :-)
kentwolf wrote on 4/30/2005, 1:54 PM
Got it.

As I listen to this, I see where you audio guys talk about the quality of audio capture and how that, I guess it's called impedence, just general "system noise," shows up in a sub-par setup...like I have. It's just the "system hiss."

Anyway, I am light-years better than I was.

I think it's time for some *video* stuff... :)

Thanks again!
Jameson_Prod wrote on 4/30/2005, 8:13 PM
If you are interested, try setting your DC Offset. In Sound Forge it is a check box "DC adjust". Not sure off the top of my head how you adjust in Vegas. Either way, it will lower your noise floor. You can also use the noise gates to automatically open and close the mic during recording at a specific level. Theoretically this will record silence when you are not "actually" using the mic.

Many tricks.......just experiment.

Good luck.
MarkWWW wrote on 5/1/2005, 7:42 AM
If you are using the Mic input on the motherboard and cannot get enough level by adjusting the input sensitivity (Volume) slider in the recording mixer, click on the Advanced button below the slider and then tick the "Mic Boost" box.

But you will get better quality audio from a decent mic and a suitable mic preamp feeding the line input or, better still, a decent soundcard.

Plenty of discussion (though not necessarily a lot of agreement) of this in the Vegas audio forum.