Do I absolutely need a mixer for what I want to do?

[PCOSGurl]

While I'm not a complete dope when it comes to internet stuff, I'm an utter novice at audio issues, so I'm not sure if I really need a mixer.

I'm on PC, and am planning on producing a 20 minute podcast.

Each show will be in several 'sections' that's I'd like to drop and drag together to make the show (rather than record it live to tape in its entirety). At least 2 phone interview segments will be in each show.

Basic show format:
- Pre-produced intro
- Host overview of show
- Segment one
- brief audio break (what's this called a bumper or stinger or something? :) )
- Segment 2 (phone interview)
- brief audio break
- Segment 3 (phone interview)
- brief audio break
- Segment 4
- Show wrap
- Pre-produced show close

Again, I need to be able to drop and drag this show together.

I'm thinking of using Mixcast live and Skype. (Does Audacity add any functionality?)

But my REAL question...do I need a mixer? (fyi: I'll never have more than one person on my end talking, and never more than one person on the phone.)

Thanks, in advance!

[Craig]

No. You need some way to get your mic connected to your computer but that's it. If it's a USB mic or it has a 1/8" plug at the end of the cord and your computer has a mic-in jack then then you're already set. If it's not a USB mic and it either has a 1/4" plug or a 3-prong plug (XLR) then you need to invest $50 for an inexpensive mixer (Behringer UB802). For dynamic XLR mics, a more portable but less flexible solution is an the micPlug ($40), an XLR to USB adapter from DVForge: http://www.dvforge.com/plug.shtml

Craig

[PCOSGurl]

I don't even have a mic yet, but I'll be sure to invest in a USB one.

I appreciate your help, as well as, everyone else's with my questions!

[Craig]

I don't even have a mic yet, but I'll be sure to invest in a USB one.
If you don't have a mic yet then there may be another option to explore (I just edited my previous post to include it). What's your budget for a mic and what kind of computer do you have? Does it have a mic-in jack?

Craig

[PCOSGurl]

I don't even have a mic yet, but I'll be sure to invest in a USB one.
If you don't have a mic yet then there may be another option to explore (I just edited my previous post to include it). What's your budget for a mic and what kind of computer do you have? Does it have a mic-in jack?

Craig
I'm pretty sure I have a mic-in jack (I'd better, it's a new pc).

Re: budget for a mic, I'd 'like' to stay under $100, but if the 'perfect solution' was $125-150, I could probably go there ;)

Here's the info on the system I'm using. Sorry if it's overkill, but I'd figured better to list more than less:

Processor:
2.8 Gig Intel Pentium 4

Drives:
80 gig hard drive
Sony cd-rw crx216e

Memory
510 Megs installed memory

Multimedia/Soundcard
SounMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device

Communications
56k modem
Ethernet connection

ETA
Just wanted to add that I really like The Living Word and The Godcast Network. I've been listening to shows for days now, and hadn't made the connection that that was you!! :)

[s]

I use Audacity for my post-processing show assembly, it's an excellent program. I record the bulk of my show "live" or on the fly, but I use AudioHijack Pro and I have it create two separate tracks -- one of the mic input(s) and one of the system audio (music & sound effects). I can edit them individually for content and then line them up together in Audacity before laying it all down as one track. For you, you could have individual sound files of you talking, of your recorded interview, and of a couple songs you wanted to play, and then lay it all down as a multi-track composition in Audacity, sliding things to the left and right to line it all up how you want it. Plus you can adjust the volume of individual tracks & sections of tracks, so a song could be loud while you're not talking, quiet behind you when you are, etc. Play around with it, it's very versatile.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the REVERB! There's always an opportunity to add reverb. :-)[/url]

[PCOSGurl]

Kewl - thanks! :) Are you able to use Skype easily with Audacity?

[s]

Like I said, I don't record directly to Audacity, I use that for editing & mixing. I only just recently got Skype and haven't done much with it, but my plan is to record it with AudioHijack and not Audacity. However, one trial recording in which I had a Flash soundboard, iTunes, and Skype all going (routed through Soundflower so that the person on the other end of Skype heard all local sounds & music), and AudioHijack ripping three tracks from it all (including my mic line), I had some serious system sluggishness, and there was some skipping in the recording. This might have had more to do with insufficient buffer in Soundflower than my system (1.8GHz w/ 1G RAM).

Of course, I'm talking Mac setup, and you said you're Windows, right? Is Soundflower available for Windows?

[PCOSGurl]

I've never heard of SoundFlower, but I'm heading off to Google to check it out (along with AudioHijack - that's a new one to me, too.)

Mixcast Live is for Windows, and it [apparently] works easily with Skype, so that's where I'm leaning right now...

All in all, I"m happy to hear that I won't need to get a mixer! :)

[no1slistening]

PCOSGurl,

Here's something that might help you. It was just introduced. It's a USB condenser mic for $79.

http://www.andysmusiconline.com/Samson_C01U_p/samson_c01u.htm

You might be able to find it cheaper, but I did a quick search and this place had it for a good price. Sweetwater.com, Musiciansfriend.com or ZZsounds.com might have it soon. Good luck.

[Craig]

There's always an opportunity to add reverb. :-)
And cowbell.

Craig

[Illinoise]

Well played, Trebek.

[Craig]

Re: budget for a mic, I'd 'like' to stay under $100, but if the 'perfect solution' was $125-150, I could probably go there ;)
OK, in that case here's my recommendation. First of all, the Samson USB condenser that someone else mentioned is a strong possibility but to the best of my knowledge it still isn't shipping and I also haven't seen any reviews so it's still a big unknown. So, I would recommend that you go with one of the following condenser mics:

Marshall MXL V57M ($70 w/shock mount) (http://www.zzounds.com/item--MSEV57M)
Kel HM-1 ($99) (http://www.kelaudio.com/hm1.html)

The Kel is better if you can afford it but the Marshall is fine and comes with a shock mount. (Incidentally, the V57M has received much better reviews for use with voice than the MXL 990 that you'll probably hear a lot about.) With both these mics you WILL need a mixer. I recommend the following:

Behringer UB802 ($50) (http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHUB802)

You'll also need a microphone stand (desktop or floor depending on your needs...$15-$25), a microphone cable (XLR to XLR...$15), and a cable from the mixer tape out to the line-in (not mic-in) jack on your computer ($6), so factor those into your budget. The latter you can pick up from your local Radio Shack or stereo store.

If you're an eBayer then check there for deals to help you come in on budget (although buying the mic through eBay may be risky) and check your local paper for deals on the mic stand and cable.

Just wanted to add that I really like The Living Word and The Godcast Network. I've been listening to shows for days now, and hadn't made the connection that that was you!! :)
Thanks!

Craig

[PCOSGurl]

Craig (and everyone) -

Thank you VERY MUCH for your help!!! I appreciate it! :)

[Twan]

Behringer...cheap + good.

[Keeme]

I am also looking to take that next step to good Mic land.

What are the thoughts on this MXL 990 Cardioid Condenser Mic with Shockmount (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002GIRP2/ref=ord_cart_shr/002-8908782-2437667?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=AIMZUKBRH6H15&v=glance) Vs. the others mentioned?

And I really need to know... The mixer you mentioned... will it connect to my soundcard line in? or are there more pieces I need to buy (besides cables and such)?
This has been the best info I have received so far!!!


Thanks cats.

[Craig]

There are a lot of podcasters using the MXL 990 who are happy with it. It's not designed for voice work though...the MXL V67 is. If you can get the V67 (and make sure you order the package that includes the shockmount for the extra $10) you'll be happier with it. If you can't find the V67 and you can afford $99, look for the Studio Projects B1 (not the same as the Behringer B1).

Craig

[SFEley]

For dynamic XLR mics, a more portable but less flexible solution is an the micPlug ($40), an XLR to USB adapter from DVForge: http://www.dvforge.com/plug.shtml

New on the forums, but I saw this and felt a need to comment. I bought the DVForge MicPlug several weeks back, and I'm very dissatisfied with it. Because it's only a converter with no preamp, the volume is very low and there's a distinct hiss. I found no good way to solve this in software, and buying a separate preamp (an ART Tube MP) and plugging the MicPlug into the preamp resulted in unbearable noise. I think too much gain overwhelms it. (It identifies to the computer as a "C-Media USB Headset" -- I suspect they just bought a bunch of cheap third-party headset chips and rewired them.)

The microphone I'm using is a Shure SM57: not the best for voice, but a very common and well-regarded general mic. If the MicPlug can't produce clean sound with it, and won't work with a preamp, then it's just a bad concept. I've given up on the MicPlug, and -- having briefly tried an expensive Plantronics USB that was even worse -- decided the only thing to do is to spend the money on a decent USB interface with built-in preamps. (Specifically the MAudio Mobile Pre).

That's been my experience. As I found no reviews whatsoever of the MicPlug when I bought one, I hope this is useful to someone.

[Noebie]

like many others i have obsessed about microphones, mic and recording techniques, etc., for quite a while now

i've used high-end mics, various mixing boards, a sony stereo e/c mic into an iriver...yadda yadda yadda

here's the truth: i've gotten the best overall sound using a cheap old pc mic into a griffin imic usb external sound card...i record into audio hijack, using a little compression, eq and reverb...simple as can be

i think the message here is that before you spend hundreds of dollars on equipment, record a lot of things...experiment with different settings, etc.

as a former professional musician, i was such a snob about equipment and almost didn't try the cheap mic because of that...but when nothing else gave me the sound i wanted i tried it out of desperation and i'm glad i did -- i'd go head to head against any rig out there with the quality i'm getting now

http://franktruth.blogspot.com

[Keeme]

I would like to order it on-line as well.

Thanks!

[Will-Casel]

Someone actually bought me the 990 and it sure is purty. I ordered the XLR cable and am waiting for the mixer to arrive (Behringer Eurorack UB802 Mixer). Now what type of cable do I use to connect the mixer to the sound-card? Would it be L & R 1/4" male to single 1/8" male adapter?

I would like to order it on-line as well.

Thanks!

I just recorded my first podcast with my new equipment (Eurorack UB802, Studio Projects B1 microphone, Griffin iMic). All work great, by the way!

Yes, you need a L&R male to single 1/8" male to go from the "Tape Out" to your soundcard. You can probably pick one up from Radio Shack for $5-$10. I'm not sure how much they cost, I just had a couple laying around the house.

Will-Casel

[Keeme]

This is why I love this place!

ROCK ON! :D

[anotherquizshow]

There's been some great advice on this forum, but I haven't found the answer to this question yet.

What kind of setup do I need in order to use 3-4 microphones?

Right now I have the basic beginner's setup:
Laptop, Audacity, and a USB microphone. I was able to record our first podcast with no problem.

My co-host and I share one microphone for now, but we're going to be adding some other people soon. 4 people sharing one microphone will be much too crowded.

I like the convenience of a USB microphone, but do I need a mixer for what I'm trying to do?

BTW, I've tried plugging in two USB microphones directly into the computer, and only one was recognized. Is there a way to use two USB microphones at the same time? That would solve my problem.

Also how does a mixer connect to the computer?

Thanks!
Michael

[Big Mike]

Difficult to comment on your two microphones not being recognized. I don't know the software. However, if you are interested, you can do it this way with the hardware:

A mixer with USB capabilities [like the http://www.podcastingnews.com/items/Alesis/ALEMULTIMIX8USB.htm ] would allow you to put four mics in it and have control of the levels of each of those mics prior to going into your computer.
And although it seems unwieldy to carry around, it really isn't. Most small mixers are on a footprint no bigger than the standard laptop.

This mixer, and any other USB-capable mixer, will hook up to your computer just like your USB mic does.

Four people on four mics in one room....go for total control of the environment. Independent mic'ing. Less room noise, better quality and clarity, among other things.

[Dreadful Snake Guy]

Couple of comments - Tho you don't need a mixer to do what you want - here's 2 reasons to buy one - and like Craig I highly recommend the Behringer Eurorack UB802 Mixer - cheap and awesome - if even has the FX send outputs - we'll get to that.
Reason 1 for a mixer: If you want to talk over music you can make 2 separate tracks and mess with it in audacity in post-production. OR with the mixer, put your mike thru one channel and the music on yr ipod into another channel, mix the volumes up and down live. takes a few minutes to get used to but saves me a few hours of editing time pershow.
Reason 2 for a mixer. If you are using a windows machine and want to do Skype recording where your remote person can hear the music you are mixing in, there are very complicated virtual cables ways OR using the mixer do this: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Gillmor/index.php?p=39 This set up will blind you if you just read it, but if you have that UB-802 mixer just follow those instructions perfectly and it will work - perfectly. I cannot tell you how much this opened up my podcasting - Skype interviews RULE. Oh - I do have one complicating variation I do. I dont have a separate USB mike input so I actually take the final output from the mixer with all my local talk and music and the pc's output of the remore skype audio and I put that mixer output into a little iRiver -795 to record it. I later pull that file onto the pc and import into Audacity as one more track to mess with. Is this even vaguely understandable - i think i just turned technical when i wasnt looking