First, Audacity is OK for live recording (which is probably most of what you're doing) but it causes many computers to hang if you try to play back two tracks simultaneously - so not so good for multitracking. So if you decide you want to record an historical ensemble with you playing all the instruments, you may need to actually buy a program.
The ideal mic for recording a lute is a large diaphram condenser. (Some will say small diaphram - which will record the highs more accurately but IMO is too harsh). A really cheap mic like this will run you about $200 and you also need a preamp that can supply phantom power to the mic - another few hundred $ at least. You could also get pretty good results with a pro dynamic mic (Shure SM-57 for example). You'll still need a preamp between the mic and the computer but you can probably come in 25%-50% cheaper than a condenser system. If you really want to stay cheap - the built-in mic in your laptop is probably a small diaphram condenser and will actually do a pretty good job if you have a very quiet place to record. The built in mic is probably better than a cheap Radio Shack dynamic mic that could plug straight in to the labtop, the plug-in mic would allow you more flexible options on positioning the mic. > I know that there was a thread on recording with a laptop/notebook a while > ago, but I have now got it into my head that I would like to have a go at > recording myself to see quite how terrible it sounds when sitting on the > other side of the instrument... > > I've downloaded Audacity, which seems great. The problem is a microphone. > I tried the crappy computer microphone which came free with the Gatway > 2000 > that I bought in 1994 and I was most disappointed with the results(!). > > I've trawled round the various audio shops in parochial little Exeter, and > rather surprisingly there was no-one who had any experience in recording > historical plucked instruments. So I thought I would appeal to the > general > wisdom of the list. > > I really don't want to spend very much, because I am only messing around > (whilst I wait for the inevitable call from DG offering me that record > contract...). And every penny I save I can spend on lessons with Great > Lute-Master Lindberg. I also don't particularly want to buy any other > bits > of equipment - just me, a microphone and the laptop. And the lute, of > course. > > Any thoughts? > > Thanks, > > Peter > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > -- http://DoctorOakroot.com - Rough-edged songs on homemade GIT-tars.
