Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

  1. #1
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    346

    Default Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Good afternoon Cafe friends. I have a Shure SM57 microphone and the appropriate XLR cable (D'Addario). I want to record into my computer so I can evaluate my playing and hopefully improve. I don't want to spend a ton of money. I have two questions.
    1. Is there an adapter for my Shure SM57 cable (XLR D'Addario) to a USB plug so I can put it into my desktop or my Surface tablet?
    2. What is a software package to record my playing that is not overwhelming in options that I will never use? There is one that came with my Microsoft Surface but I am afraid to open it because it might be bloat ware that causes me to send upgrade payments for stuff I will never use.
    3. A program that combines video and audio would be awesome, if that is possible. I want to use this as a learning tool. That said, I still want sufficient quality so I can clearly hear my mistakes. LOL

    I am sure some of you Cafe friends have a handle on this. There are probably others like me, that want to ask the same question. Thanks in advance.
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Ms
    Posts
    398

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    This is probably no help ha and I'm not very technical when it comes to recording. What works well for me is recording video on my iPhone. I'm using a Shure MV88 condenser mic that plugs into my phone and it comes with Motiv video and Motiv audio apps. It makes nice audio and videos. I have a tripod to sit my phone on, record video and there's an option to upload the video to other sources. I upload to my Google Drive

  3. #3
    Resident Hack
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    295

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    I've used an Apogee Jam+ with great success. It has a standard 1/4" input that could take a mic cable or an instrument cable.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    You need something like an M-Audio analog to digital box. The XLR plugs in the front and USB comes out the back. There are many sorts of these around. Mine's at least a decade old and works fine but I'm not up on what's a good deal today. Most of these things come with a stripped down version of a DAW [digital audio workstation] which should do what you want software wise. A 57 is a wonderful mic but is more commonly used in live sound. There are allot of more sensitive mics out there these days for a good price as so many people are recording with the computer in high resolution. The box will have an input for a high impudence quarter inch cable like what comes out of an electric guitar too. I did a quick look and here's a cheap one...it doesn't seem to have included software though. There were some free recording apps around for PC, probably do a search and get one if you need to. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-...audio&index=19

  5. #5

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    The hardware is the easy part. Learning to operate the software and focus on the playing is the hard part. A controller with the basic play/record/stop/FF/RW is handy.

  6. #6
    Registered User BoxCarJoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Brooklyn, NY
    Posts
    248

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    These are very popular:

    https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface

    As for software I use Audacity. It free and works very well.

    https://www.audacityteam.org/

  7. #7
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    346

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Thanks, BoxCarJoe: Anyone from Brooklyn has to be right!! Great city. I am an OLD Dodger fan. Went by the old site where Ebbets Field once stood a couple of years ago and had lunch at Junior's Deli. Love that city.
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  8. The following members say thank you to dulcillini for this post:


  9. #8
    Registered User dulcillini's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Central Illinois
    Posts
    346

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Thank you. I am looking into this now.
    Michael A. Harris
    the dulcILLINI
    Collings MF5 Mandolin
    Collings MT2 Mandola
    McSpadden Custom Mountain Dulcimer
    KLOS Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar
    "Home is the place we grow up wanting to leave and die trying to get back to." Nash

  10. #9
    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    2,526
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Well .... you can just buy a USB mic and use the programs your computer came with. That will likely be the simplest way to go. You could also buy a mic camera combination and use your computer recording software either video or audio. Things get complicated when you want to mix or edit the recordings. Luck R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  11. #10
    Registered User BoxCarJoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Brooklyn, NY
    Posts
    248

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Quote Originally Posted by dulcillini View Post
    Thanks, BoxCarJoe: Anyone from Brooklyn has to be right!! Great city. I am an OLD Dodger fan. Went by the old site where Ebbets Field once stood a couple of years ago and had lunch at Junior's Deli. Love that city.
    Ha! I haven't been to Junior's in years.
    That will be my 1st stop when the pandemic is behind us.

  12. #11
    Registered User Paul Cowham's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    manchester uk
    Posts
    495

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Hi dulcillini,
    I don't consider myself to be a "technophile", so sorry if this isn't really answering your question. That said, the pragmatic side of me thinks that if you want to record yourself to evaluate your playing (which I think is a really good thing to do), couldn't you just use your mobile phone? Obviously the sound quality wouldn't be as good, but should be ok enough for you to "appraise" yourself. When I was learning guitar many years ago, I used to record myself using an "old school" cassette recorder for the same reasons. For me, that was a useful thing to do. To visually assess your technique, you could always practice in front of a mirror?
    Good luck!
    Last edited by Paul Cowham; Feb-22-2021 at 8:49pm.

  13. The following members say thank you to Paul Cowham for this post:


  14. #12
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Outer Spiral Arm, of Galaxy, NW Oregon.
    Posts
    17,103

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    Shure them selves has a XLR in and a USB out the X2U .. which also adds phantom juice via internal battery for condensers,
    the 57 you have doesn't need it
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  15. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Ms
    Posts
    398

    Default Re: Sound Reinforcement Mandolin to Computer

    well I'm no help as I don't do windows, I have garageband on my imac but as someone said I mostly record videos on my iphone, if you just need one track phone videos work just fine and then upload them to a cloud

    just to kinda show phone video, a little something I recorded on phone shortly after I bought my mandolin, just trying to learn a little and I'm no good yet, thats why I practice all the time, I transferred this to my google drive account

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F0q...ew?usp=sharing

    and a little acoustic phone recording...

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DLY...ew?usp=sharing
    Last edited by CBFrench; Feb-22-2021 at 11:27pm.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •