Stupid mic cable question

[sean79]

I'm just about ready to order a dynamic mic. Realizing I would need a cable to hook this thing up to my Toneport interface thing, I clicked on the mic cable link.... Lots of choices.

I've never recorded anything (even though I got that Toneport months ago), and I probably shouldn't. But, if I do, what length or mic cable should I get? They seem readily available in lengths from 3 feet to 25 feet. Would a long cord just get in the way (and/or lose signal)? Is a short cord too limiting? As always, any advice, input, and/or suggestions appreciated.

[StuH]

I have both long and short mic cables.

The long one can be a tripping hazzard and untidy but it is so nice to be able to have the flexibility to mic something in different places in your room other than right near your computer.

If you keep your cable run under 20 feet you shouldn't have a problem.

[Tim Armstrong]

Nice thing about mic cables is that you can link 'em together if you need to go longer!

Tim

[sean79]

Thanks, Stu and Tim. I'm probably just buying one mic and one cable (I don't think there's anything else I would need for recording with this Toneport thing), so, given the choices of 3 feet, 6 feet, 10 feet, or 25 feet... I'm thinking 10 - maybe 25. I know 25 is longer than 20, should I expect some kind of signal loss with the 25 footer?

[woodman]

go with the 25 if you can't get a 15 ... low-Z cable length isn't nearly so much an issue as the quality of the cable. pay a little extra for a good one rather than the cheapie store brand. JMO — not so much of a difference live, but for recording, the little things add up.

[sean79]

Thanks, Woody. I'm sure I was looking at the cheap ones; I'll see what else they have that might be a little better. I'll probably either not really get into recording stuff, or I'll end up upgrading most of these components down the road anyway. Part of what I want to do is give my daughter something to record her voice and listen to her speech. She's ten years old, and she's had hearing and speech problems since she was able to talk. She's improved some, but we're hoping she can use this setup as a tool to help her out a little more with her speech.

[Old Cane]

"I've never recorded anything, and I probably shouldn't."

That's gonna be a classic. I'll be nice and say that I doubt it but know it's true for a lot of people.

That said, a 20 footer works fine. I have them from 10-50. Sometimes 20 will just get in your way and sometimes 20 just isn't quite enough. 20' and 30' are usually what I use on stage.

[wcap]

Originally Posted by Old Cane

"I've never recorded anything, and I probably shouldn't."

That's gonna be a classic. I'll be nice and say that I doubt it but know it's true for a lot of people............

I first got the bug to do some home recording about 3 years ago. About two years ago I got as far as buying a mic stand, but life gets busy and the big hurdle of figuring out what else to buy (what mic, what interface, etc) kept me from doing more until this summer. Its probably just as well - I'm only just barely able to get clean performances for recording now. I think it would have been much harder 2 years ago.

But even so, recording allows me to hear my guitar playing in a different light. I hear strengths and weaknesses (sometimes only the latter) that I am not so aware of when playing, and this helps me to improve my playing.

And the challenge of getting a really good performance of a piece without annoying buzzes or other sounds (and without loud breathing and such!), and without fumbles and crashes gets me to work on the piece in a different way than I usually do, and I think precision of my playing is improved just by this challenge.

[tboy]

I vote 25'. You won't notice any tonal quality difference between a 5' and a 25'. And someday you might want to put the guitar amp in the bathroom, and BR might be 21' away from the recorder. So I say 25'

[woodman]

Originally Posted by wcap

... I'm only just barely able to get clean performances for recording now. I think it would have been much harder 2 years ago.

But even so, recording allows me to hear my guitar playing in a different light. I hear strengths and weaknesses (sometimes only the latter) that I am not so aware of when playing, and this helps me to improve my playing.

And the challenge of getting a really good performance of a piece without annoying buzzes or other sounds (and without loud breathing and such!), and without fumbles and crashes gets me to work on the piece in a different way than I usually do, and I think precision of my playing is improved just by this challenge.

obviously you're listening to the angel on your shoulder in the true and noble spirit of a pure musician! i'm not being sarcastic, that's truly commendable. but at the risk of being the devil on your other shoulder, i'll mention that you can clean up a lot of imperfections in your DAW. i don't mean going the Britney Spears route, but just ducking the loud breathing on the vocal track or whatever. not trying to lead you down the paths of sin — i'm just sayin'!

sorry for the hijack, sean!

[sean79]

Originally Posted by woodman

sorry for the hijack, sean!

No worries, Woody. I learn a lot from you guys - I'll probably be bugging you all a lot more if I ever get started.

[wcap]

Regarding the breathing thing....

When I really get into my playing, and really concentrating, I tend to get into a really deep breathing pattern, sort of like when sleeping, because I'm so totally focussed on the music. I didn't even realize was doing this until my daughter mentioned it to me.

I'm not doing any vocals in my recording so far (its not part of the music I personally do at home), so all my stuff is solo fingerstyle guitar, or maybe several instrumental tracks. Breathing noises, sniffs and snorts (I have allergy issues sometimes), etc are a big distraction to the music!

[Old Cane]

If that's the case, rig up some kind of gobo between your mouth and the mic. Duct tape a clipboard to a mic stand if you have to. A music stand with an open book works too. Oh, and if you use the clipboard be sure to pad the top with something absorptive to cut down on reflections......just thought I'd throw that in before somebody else does.