My first home recordings

[debndunk]

I've just done my first ever recording's, three of the same song I tried different volumes but two were what I call over modulating or booming and inaudible, the other was quite and muffled. I used a laptop with a guitar amp in front of a 36 inch brass horn. Has anyone got any idea's. Thanks Gordon.

[edisonphonoworks]

The mid range adds clarity or muddiness 1k needs to be reduced -8db, 240 area increased for the lows, about +3db highs in the 10K range boosted, as the diaphragm curve falls off at 4K so increase the 10K range about 6db. Sometimes adding a little loose cotton in the small end of the horn, will reduce blasting, you will need to boost your volume a bit. Best recording temp is 85-100 degrees. Adding a washer that is slightly smaller than the diaphragm cup and then burr out the center hole in the washer so it fits over the tube plate, and does not interfere with it, this will reduce lifts, and reduce the amount of blast.

[Chuck]

There are some very subtle and mostly non-intuitive things that happen when recording.

The shape of the recording horn has a lot to do
with how the recording will end up sounding.

I would suggest that especially when starting out making recordings, that some voice tests be done. Make some talking recordings. This will show you firsthand what the level needs to be in order to get nice loud deep cutting without overmodulating, which causes blasting.

Also, if you do not have this small horn, you
can make one. Many years ago I borrowed 20+
recording horns from a well known collector
in my neighborhood. For talking recordings the
speaking tube worked very well and so did a
small narrow round metal horn.

This horn was 3 inches diameter at the bell,
it had a straight taper just a plain cone
ending in the .62 inch diameter for the connecting hose. It was 29 inches long.

I have made a horn that same size constructed
by rolling up some office type file folders.
It is taped at the seam, and I added a small wire ring at the end for it to hang from the
crane. You can see this horn being used
in the "finishing operations" video on my
web site.

I suggest making one of these horns and then
doing a bunch of talking recordings.
I tend to talk sort of across the end of the horn to keep from blasting directly down into
it, and I often cup my hand to help direct the
sound down into the horn.

Trying to record music using a speaker near the
horn is tricky. The volume has to be just right. It is very easy to overmodulate these
recorders. You want to be right up almost
overmodulating but not quite. When making
electrical recordings on a tape deck, this
same idea applies. The VU meters need to
spike up into the red once in a while but
not often and not for very long. Same idea
for the cylinder recorder only there you don't
have meters to watch. If you listen closely
though, you will hear it buzzing like a kazoo
sometimes. That is when it is overmodulating.

Have fun and try those things.

Chuck

[edisonphonoworks]

Chucks recording horn using the manila folders works quite well, I have seen his used in person. Here is some of the recording horns I use for various purposes.