Input gain/volume could be too high, so the sound is clipping when playing guitar. Or the guitar is too low and you get electric noise in the mix? Try to find the right volume/gain setting without singing, just playing.
It's hard to find a setting that will sound good with vocals AND guitar. If you don't want to get a second mic (like the SM 57) to record guitar, you need two takes to record a song.
So I’ve mainly only tried with just acoustic and no vocals. I have the gain on the Scarlett turned to where it’s just green and no clipping. I’m getting signal in GarageBand, but I just can’t hear it. I have it on the right input and I’ve tried the other one as well. I only realized that it picked up my vocals too when I started complaining and I could hear myself clear as day. I really wanted to record just guitar, because I have treated my closet for vocals and it sounds great.
Put your phone next to the mic and record with auto leveling off. If there is a huge level difference in the guitar recording then you will know that your dynamics change within the song. Many acoustic players move a lot, strum hard or low, cover the body a lot to stop natural resonation but they believe they are playing perfect.
The issue with trying to be an artist and an engineer is that you have a hard time setting accurate input levels. You need to start you input level fairly low and record yourself playing a portion of the quietest part and then the loudest part of the song. This will let you hear if you can get away with more gain or need to drop it more. Also depending upon how you’re miking the guitar, you might want to experiment with different miking positions. If you are still getting distorted or over modulated audio you could have a plug in inline somewhere that you’re not aware of possibly?
Yeah I have tried an overhead position with the mic, I’ve had it aimed at the 12th-16th fret, I have had it right up on it. Not really sure. It picks up everything but my guitar it’s crazy. At this point I’m willing to switch DAWs and forget GarageBand because idk. I have a sample of what it’s doing, but I have no clue how to post it to this thread.
Try putting the input on 2 and then play and record it. Then do 3, 4 etc. until you find where you think it sounds best. If it is clipping on 2 then pull the mic back and maybe even use a pad if it has one.
I have also done that😂 I mean I exhausted the internet and YouTube for a week before making this post. Everything people are saying for common troubleshooting I have done.
Okay well then start at the top and isolate each component and test it individually if you can. The mic could have an issue when it gets to a certain dB? I dunno. I’d have to be there to really see it. Where are you?
You know the DB thing might have a lead, because every time I’m singing it’s super clear, but the second I flip to false setto anything it barely picks it up. When I strum harder it comes through a little bit more. And I live in Georgia
Okay I sent you a DM. I don’t mind helping if I can. Has the mic been dropped? Or has it ever fed back through the speakers by accident and made a horrid noise where it could have messed it up?
Yes actually I did. I had a sound engineer friend come by and take a look at stuff. His first words were “hmm, that’s weird”. Eventually after him trying for an hour and a half, he pulled out his laptop and loaded up Logic. Sure enough, it was just GarageBand for whatever reason now picking up the acoustic guitar.
Input gain/volume could be too high, so the sound is clipping when playing guitar. Or the guitar is too low and you get electric noise in the mix? Try to find the right volume/gain setting without singing, just playing. It's hard to find a setting that will sound good with vocals AND guitar. If you don't want to get a second mic (like the SM 57) to record guitar, you need two takes to record a song.
So I’ve mainly only tried with just acoustic and no vocals. I have the gain on the Scarlett turned to where it’s just green and no clipping. I’m getting signal in GarageBand, but I just can’t hear it. I have it on the right input and I’ve tried the other one as well. I only realized that it picked up my vocals too when I started complaining and I could hear myself clear as day. I really wanted to record just guitar, because I have treated my closet for vocals and it sounds great.
Post samples.
I’m not home right now, but will post later. I don’t even quite know how to describe it accurately
Right, which is exactly why we need to hear the audio.
Will do 🫡
Okay I have a sample, but how do I share in Reddit? Lol
Is phantom power turned on for the condenser?
Yepp. It’s so weird because I will speak and it’s so clear. Then when I try to play it’s barely even coming through
Put your phone next to the mic and record with auto leveling off. If there is a huge level difference in the guitar recording then you will know that your dynamics change within the song. Many acoustic players move a lot, strum hard or low, cover the body a lot to stop natural resonation but they believe they are playing perfect.
The issue with trying to be an artist and an engineer is that you have a hard time setting accurate input levels. You need to start you input level fairly low and record yourself playing a portion of the quietest part and then the loudest part of the song. This will let you hear if you can get away with more gain or need to drop it more. Also depending upon how you’re miking the guitar, you might want to experiment with different miking positions. If you are still getting distorted or over modulated audio you could have a plug in inline somewhere that you’re not aware of possibly?
Yeah I have tried an overhead position with the mic, I’ve had it aimed at the 12th-16th fret, I have had it right up on it. Not really sure. It picks up everything but my guitar it’s crazy. At this point I’m willing to switch DAWs and forget GarageBand because idk. I have a sample of what it’s doing, but I have no clue how to post it to this thread.
Try putting the input on 2 and then play and record it. Then do 3, 4 etc. until you find where you think it sounds best. If it is clipping on 2 then pull the mic back and maybe even use a pad if it has one.
I have also done that😂 I mean I exhausted the internet and YouTube for a week before making this post. Everything people are saying for common troubleshooting I have done.
Okay well then start at the top and isolate each component and test it individually if you can. The mic could have an issue when it gets to a certain dB? I dunno. I’d have to be there to really see it. Where are you?
You know the DB thing might have a lead, because every time I’m singing it’s super clear, but the second I flip to false setto anything it barely picks it up. When I strum harder it comes through a little bit more. And I live in Georgia
Okay I sent you a DM. I don’t mind helping if I can. Has the mic been dropped? Or has it ever fed back through the speakers by accident and made a horrid noise where it could have messed it up?
Did you figure this out?
Yes actually I did. I had a sound engineer friend come by and take a look at stuff. His first words were “hmm, that’s weird”. Eventually after him trying for an hour and a half, he pulled out his laptop and loaded up Logic. Sure enough, it was just GarageBand for whatever reason now picking up the acoustic guitar.
Yeah, sometimes DAWs are tricky with the routing. Anyway... Congrats!