Re: [solved] Re: Live recording

[Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com>]

Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com> writes:

> Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> According to:
>>
>>  http://www.upubuntu.com/2013/05/how-to-record-your-voice-from.html
>>
>> I record live sound via microphone just doing:
>>
>>  $ sox -t alsa default output.wav
>>
>> Now I was wondering about the stereo o non-stereo character of such a home
>> made recording...  I tried to use two microphones together, plugging them
>> together into the PC with a small common connection doubber.  Can we say the
>> result is stereo...?  I would doubt...  and how to have - if possible - a
>> stereo effect with the above basic recording instruments?
>
>
>
>
> Thanks to all.  The problem seems to be solved with such a cable:
>
>  https://www.thomann.de/at/pro_snake_78219_yadapterkabel.htm

Well, actually better this one:

 http://hosatech.com/product/ymm-261/

> as suggested by deloptes and other listers.  The cable consists in two female
> 3.5mm terminations, each of them mono, and a male 3.5mm stereo.  One mic at
> one female end, the other one at the other female end, and the male end
> plugged into the microphone input of my netbook.  All this seems to produce a
> perfect stereo effect: the two channels sound to be very well separated.
>
> I'll be using the above simple connection system to live piano recording: mic
> 1 on the basses (left), mic 2 on the high (right).
>
> My next step is trying to add human voice, say in the middle.  I'll see if
> this is possible by slightly complicating the above solution, without preamp
> or mixer or multi-channel audio interface.  I'll be posting here if the
> attempt succeeds.


For human voice, I bought a USB audio card and plugged a third microphone into
it.  So now I have:

 mic1 for piano basses; |__________ plugged together into the
 mic2 for piano highs;  |           above Y cable
 mic3 for voice         -> -> -> -> plugged into the USB dongle.

Then I do:

 $ sox -t alsa default piano.wav

and, at the same time, on another xterm session,

 $ sox -t alsa wh:2,0 voice.wav

where wh:2,0 is the USB device (do: `arecord -l' first).  This way I get two
audio files: piano.wav and voice.wav.  The first one is stereo and the second
is mono.  In the end I merge the two together with Audacity.  By default,
Audacity puts the mono file just in the middle between left and right channel;
but, if you like, you can have it weight more left or more right, in the
percentage you want.  I must say that the result is acceptable, and more...

Thanks,

Rodolfo