 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ed Lowry
Date: 2020-06-30 02:11
I'm looking for a microphone to enhance my zoom lessons during this time of CoVID - 19.
The built in microphone for my iPad, and the auxiliary microphone on an inexpensive webcam are deficient, with lots of notes being cut out. I hooked up a Zoom Recorder H2 , but when set on low gain, I couldn't get the high notes, and when on high gain, the low notes didn't come through. The middle setting knocked out random passages from all registers.
It's possible that it's my internet provider, but most internet - connected activities occur without problems.
So does anyone have a recommendation for a microphone to try, or any other ideas?
Thanks.
And stay healthy!
...Ed.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-06-30 03:08
The H2 should have a compression-less setting! Look at the manual and see if you can find where to turn OFF the auto settings or turn ON custom setting.
The point of all the stuff that is ON when you get the recorder is to avoid distortion (EASY to get distortion if you don't know enough about the recording process). The first thing one does when TRACKING (recording anything) is to set your levels........that means you make sure the loudest sound that will hit your mic/amp/protools will be well within the limits of your equipment (usu. -6dB....or a few yellow flashing lights if you have GREEN/YELLOW/RED as indicators. RED is almost always bad.
I have to ask, what would you use for an interface (mic pre-amp) if you get a separate mic?
...............Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2020-06-30 03:09)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2020-06-30 04:49
Ed, It is most likely the settings on the Zoom software causing most of your issues. If you email me I will send you the instructions I use and have my students use to correct the issue.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2020-06-30 04:53
I'm a little confused. Are you taking these Zoom lessons or teaching them?
I want to add, at the risk of going off on a tangent, that when we tried to hold Zoom auditions for our Youth Orchestra of Bucks County students in April, we had the same problems with notes and even whole phrases dropping out, so much that we switched to recorded auditions. The kids were auditioning using I-Phones, Android phones and occasionally tablets and Chromebooks mostly with the built in mics, and the result at our end trying to listen to them was awful. So, I'm curious if there *is* a mic that will improve this specifically with Zoom. Or, at least, one at a price that the average student will be willing to pay.
Karl
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Author: MarkS
Date: 2020-06-30 05:09
I had gotten a Zoom H4nPro to record my playing. However, I wanted a better microphone so I bought an Audio Technica AT4040 to connect to it as an external microphone. The combination works well.
This summer, I am taking some lessons via Zoom using a Windows laptop. To improve the sound quality, I connect the AT4040 to the H4nPro, and use the combination as an external mic to the laptop. I also make sure the Zoom audio settings are appropriate for music. There are some short videos on Youtube that explain the settings that are needed (e.g., use original audio). This arrangement seems to work quite well. In my setup, the H4nPro connects to the USB port on the laptop. To use with an Ipad, you would need a different connector.
Mark
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-06-30 05:14
Let's not confuse the latest internet sensation, ZOOM (meeting software) with the electronics company that makes great all in one recorders ZOOM such as the H2.
I don't think you can set up the H2 as an interface (I may be very wrong). So you'd need to get a basic interface (a mic pre-amp that also functions as the way to get that amplified sound into a digital format that then gets sent to your computer).
Interfaces start at around $160 dollars (for stereo....and you'd want that as a baseline). Then you can start talking microphones. There are some cheap large diaphragm condensers for about $100. So for a basic set up without all the horrid sound, your talking $260 plus tax (and possibly shipping if you don't live near a Guitar Center).
Of course you do need to learn a little about setting levels and better mic placement too (about 10 to 15 feet away from the clarinet MINIMUM distance). But it's always good to know something about how the recording industry works. The multi Grammy Award winning Billie Eilish was basically all done on a laptop by her brother. That's the way things are going these days.........you don't need a multi-million dollar studio anymore.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: JohnP
Date: 2020-06-30 11:21
You can use a USB microphone with an IPad connecting it via the USB to lightning camera connector which Apple sell, or the USB to USB-C version if you have a recent iPad Pro. I have a Rode NT-USB mic which I use with Garageband, it’s way better than the iPad mic but I haven’t tried it with Zoom. In Zoom itself I believe it’s advisable to find the setting “turn on original sound" which is off by default.
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Author: MarkS
Date: 2020-06-30 13:15
I explained my setup for taking lessons over Zoom earlier. However, Zoom limits sound quality no matter how good your mic. Thus, to be able to provide finer grained evaluation of student playing, my teacher has each student upload to Dropbox recordings of the pieces they are working on prior to the lesson (night before) so he can download and listen to them ahead of time.
Mark
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Author: Ed Lowry
Date: 2020-06-30 21:16
Karl --
Taking lessons, not giving them(!)
But attending an on-line program (clarinetmaestro) in mid-July. They may have some ideas, too -- have a phone call scheduled tomorrow.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-07-01 04:20
Ok, I just watched a 59 second tutorial that showed moving to the settings in "Zoom Meetings;" Audio; Microphone.....drop down menu, and chose your source such as Focusrite Pre.......or whatever.
Is it NOT that simple?????
When I looked for this drop down for FaceTime, I found it under "Video" in the top of screen navigation bar.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris J
Date: 2020-07-01 14:18
If you are transmitting music, you must enable a setting called 'Original Sound'. Zoom does all sorts of electronic stuff to optimise voice with minimal background noise during meetings, but it kills music dead. Original Sound stops all digital modification of the sound and transmits it raw, as it were.
Looking at my iPad, open Zoom and go to settings, then meetings, and about 2/3 of the way down there is a slider to allow 'Use Original Sound'. Slide it on.
This gives you access to switch to original sound while in a meeting. It is always default off, but in the meeting press the settings/options icon and you now have the option to use original sound (it was hidden from you as an option until you enabled it in the main settings).
As for microphone, I have found my iRig Mic Studio to be excellent
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigmicstudio/
It plugs directly into an iPad by lightening cable. It also comes with registration for software app called Mic Room - this app tries to emulate characteristics from well known microphones during input. Fun to play with while recording into something like GarageBand on the iPad.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/microomios/
Chris J
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Author: anonrob
Date: 2020-07-01 17:06
I think the host or organizer has to allow users to select "Original Sound."
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2020-07-05 09:02
If we have other microphones to choose from, can we just try them and see if the playback sounds okay, or is it hard for an amateur ear to spot the problem? I would like to enter one of the ABRSM remote performance exams, which means I have to record my playing.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-07-05 13:37
Well, to try out the sound of your OUTPUT, you need to listen on another device. What I did to check out the situation was to have my wife set up a Zoom meeting with me on her iPad in one room and I joined her meeting with my laptop in another. Then we switched rooms. Yes there was clarity improvement using a better mic but I did this prior to some of the advice above and there were still "cut outs."
So you need to make sure the HOST enables the "Original Sound" (if you're the host, that's easy), and you need to set that as well.
Looking at the "non-original sound" settings, there are "Persistent Background Noise Suppression," "Intermittent Background Noise Suppression," and "Echo Cancellation." All of those will mess up a musical signal big time!
................Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2020-07-05 20:46)
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2020-07-06 22:15
I gave several lessons today through Zoom and after enabling "original sound", both in my settings and having the student select it in his/her settings, the experience was infinitely less frustrating, as all the note-suppression dropouts were eliminated.
Thanks for pointing out this feature,
Simon
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