So am I correct to assume this SB40 with its DYNAMIC (not electret) microphone will work into my focusrite 2i4
I have researched the sb40 vs the sb45 on several HAM radio sites etc and its clear that the sb45 requires Pip while the Sb40 doesnt
So i should be good to go with the sb40 then?
If that’s the case, it should work. If it doesn’t, just return it.
Ill find out in a few days lol.
there may be a workaround anyway. I could try using ASIO for all for my audio output rather than the focusrite which I normally use. Then I could use the usb jacks for the headset/mic and also put the guitar/sm57/focusrite into the other usb jack for the guitar input
confirmed:
The Koss SB40 headset (dynamic…doesnt need PiP) WORKS into a focusrite
SB45 (electret…needs PiP) does NOT work. of course the SB 45 works fine into the headphone/mic jacks on the laptop but thats not what I needed them for
That’s good news! Now it’s time to start making music!!
yeah, actually this is pretty fat!
already wrote a song tonight…nothing Earth shattering but it shows how much easier it makes it when u can keep it more spontaneous.
The method is pretty cool. I started with a ez drummer drum track I had used before that was already structered. Intro/verse/chorus blah blah
So then I just armed 2 tracks. track one was gtr thru input 1 of the focusrite, track 2 was headset mic thru input 2 etc.
I skipped ahead to the verse and just started hitting a rhythm in E while singing a basic melody that went with the drumbeat etc.
Its cool because you can then go back and change EITHER track, for instance try different chords against the same vocal melody etc. Or the other way around, once you have chords u like, try slightly different vocal melodies
Obviously this will work best for more simple stuff like nice punchy songs etc.
The cool part for me is that I can now easily write songs while relaxing sitting up in bed.
The main downside is that its very hard to sing really good like this lol. Its hard to really get a good breath while sitting in bed and there is the whole neck bent forward things making it hard to sing. But as long as u can accept that it wont be your best vocal quality then its all good. Its better in a way because you KNOW you can sing the vocal much better later when its “for real”
Like I said, this is probably better for more simple songs etc. One might miss out a bit on writing the really soaring vocal parts because its hard to sing those sitting up casually in bed etc.
I think what Ill have to do is learn how to do easy falsetto approximations of high parts, knowing that ill be able to do them much stronger later etc. Its more of a mental thing to try to hear in your head what the final product could be while actually laying down lower quality vocal versions etc
In any case this is HUGE because writing vocal melodies is THE hang up for me
Sounds to me that getting this working has really lit a fire under you. Love it when that happens!! 
maybe not a fire but its just a better method or maybe just getting some impediments out of the way
Relaxing and taking my time trying vocal ideas as opposed to dragging out a mic stand and standing on these tired feet. Huge difference
gives new meaning to “laying down” vocals
In reality, ANYTHING to get me singing is going to be a major improvement. Its just such a huge mental block. Its still hard because u cant just sing from a cold start like u can play guitar. U have to take some time to warm up the vocal cords etc.
With the whole “set up a mic add get all official” approach, I usually just get really strained, uptight performances. Im hoping I can figure out how to sing decently enough while relaxing to at least lay down ideas that can then be sung “for real” later
My whole approach so far has been to scribble down some lyrics and then stand up to the mic. No idea of melody etc, just stand and start working and try to get it all in about 1 hour. Obviously thats a terrible approach so hopefully ill work out some better methods and habits
love this quote… it’s a beauty!
Keep in mind that no one else is hearing this demo, but you. Forget any thoughts about being able to use the recording and just let the music take you. Let it fill your soul and just bellow it out. Don’t worry about it being up to professional snuff, worry about that later right before you start the mix down. Put yourself in a position where you can just let it all out. Don’t anticipate it either, don’t carefully plan it. You have to look forward to singing, don’t dread it. It doesn’t have to be good or in key, just sing for the joy of singing and your performance will come through.
yeah, so far the 2 times ive tried the headset I have more or less come up with 2 songs or 2 good starts anyway.
there must be something biomechanical about playing a rhythm with the hands while also singing something with the mouth. Its like by doing it that way they are probably really synchronized in a more natural way
So far its worked really cool on the verses. Just singing random lyrics but what comes out is very rhythmic etc. I remember reading that Ozzy was listening to Zakk wylde jam and Ozzy stepped to the mic and said “Im looking for a miracle man…to BUY ME SOME CHIPS”. Of course the changed the line later to say “to tell me no lies”…point being that the first thing out of his mouth ended up being the rhythm and melody of the final song.
The drawback to it is that its a little hard to sing sitting up (laying back) in bed because the neck is bent forward and also its hard to get a good deep breath but i think i can work around it.
As you say, one impediment to writing or demoing is that I cant stand listening back to my own voice if it isnt a perfect take etc. If I can mentally adjust to where I am just listening to the rhythm and melody ill be cooking with gas.
In other words I hope I develop the ability to lay down a relaxed vocal line, even if its weak or even falsetto, and hear in my head that its going to sound powerful when I go thru a real warm up and give it more effort etc. Thats one of my biggest roadblocks right now because I dont want to go thru the tedium of warming up on my off (from work) days but I also cant stand trying to sing thru a scratchy non-warmed up voice…so a lot of my off days get wasted
Then the last thing to make this work better will be to get some lyrics sitting next to me or at least some phrases so I dont have to try to sing gibberish. Dunno though, its hard enough for me to remain calm with stupid headphones on, guitar cable to fight with, having to reach over and hit record etc…if I add trying to manage a lyric notebook and pencil it might push me over the edge lol
if I had a microphone in my car or on my forklift at work id be SET!!! Half the time I cant record on my first off day from work because I sang too much at work and my voice is a little shot lol
30 minute drive to and from work is where I do all of my vocal training. Maybe I need to start going for a drive when i wake up on off days and then coming back in to record once im fully warmed up lol
Now understanding what it is you’re doing I saw this on Amazon…
I could connect that into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and run it from the laptop.
But I can’t find a real “need” for it - hate it when that happens.
Was three seconds away from buying one yesterday…
S
it would come in handy if you are chatting online such as on Discord chats. Skype calls
I wanted it just to get WAY more hours of practice writing hooks etc than ill ever get standing on my feet in front of my regular mic.
Already just on the 2 songs I worked on, it makes a pretty big difference as far as playing guitar WHILE laying down vocal ideas. I assume there is something about playing WHILE singing that will come out natural because the body is functioning in a natural way…as opposed to laying down a rhythm track and then laying down a vocal separately which may or may not come out natural
long story short it will help me get much more vocal writing practice in. BTw sound quality does suck lol
Yeah,
Playing guitar while singing is one of the creative barriers I haven’t broken through yet…
Perhaps if I get one of these…
well me neither, other than like strumming acoustic chords while singing
but just the little bit of recording I did in the last few days sort of gave me some good ideas and insights. I set up 2 tracks…one track was guitar, one was vocals. Then I just played and sang against the drum track and it came out REALLY rhytmic even though I was singing gibberish lyrics and wasnt fully aware or in control of what i was playing lol. I was just playing some sort of low grooving part in E
nothing of the sort of quality to be listened to but enough where it gives a nice idea of how to rerecord the parts and keep that nice rhythmic basis
Hopefully it will sort of sink in and i can start recording my guitar parts sort of with vocals in mind to start with and make my stuff much groovier and hookier
Think of how funky Jimi Hendrix was while singing and playing at the same time
We use similar gear to record our podcasts via Skype.
Somehow I overlooked this thread since I first saw it. Much more robust conversation here than I anticipated (thought it would just be a technical/troubleshooting discussion 
).
30 minutes is completely normal and understandable. It’s just that most people don’t have the patience or make the time (including myself on many occasions). I’d say you’re trying to take care of your voice and do it “right”, while also “tuning up” your voice for singing. The body isn’t completely unlike a musical instrument such as a guitar. It does take some time to warm up or tune it each day, just as you would with exercise.
If the time investment is an issue, maybe look for techniques that help you get the same results in less time. If you’re focus is on doing a rigid routine, and 30 minutes is the goal rather then when your voice “feels” ready, then you may be doing more than necessary. I’m not suggesting short cuts, just sense what you’re voice needs that day, and try to use the most effective routines (which might mean learning some new ones for the toolbox) to get you where you want to be in the least amount of time.
Not terrible at all. Whatever works for you works for you, no need to compare to others or judge yourself. Finding better ways would be good if you find your current process frustrating. The main thing is to find ways that bring you joy and support you rather than thinking it is “less than”. Some of the classic singers and composers would sit down at the proverbial rehearsal piano and hash out a new tune with pencil/eraser and blank music sheets, spending hours until the task was complete and the results impressive. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
thats the point…that method doesnt work so well lol. It might be better to a degree if the lyrics were more fully worked out but I think the BEST would be to work out the melodies etc in a more relaxed way and then record it “for real” when u have a good idea what u r doing
I do know that some people step to the mic and see what comes out. ozzy said when he wrote ‘miracle man’ that Zack got the riff going and ozzy stepped to the mic and said “im looking for a miracle man…to buy me some chips”. He kept that melody etc and just changed the lyrics
its not really time itself. Im single/no kids and I only work 3 days per week. So there is plenty of time. Its more of a laziness/procrastination thing that is aggravated by the fact that it does take 20-30 minutes to get the voice going to get to the good stuff.
its too easy to get distracted online lol.
Plus its sort of hard (so far) to sing while sitting in bed. Im sort of used to singing in the car now though so it should be about the same. There is a difference though. When u wake up to go to work you do actually WAKE UP and get stirring around etc. On off days though you can “wake up” and still be lounging in bed hours later etc so your voice is still going to be really sluggish.
its like a hardcore mental thing. On my work days I feel like an elite singer. I warm up on my 30 min drive to work. I get to work and sing all this stuff etc…sounds and feels great.
Then on an off day if I try to sing without that same warmup process…I sound like a stale turd lol. Very uninspiring
In any case im making some slow progress. Im calculating that if I live to 240 yrs old ill be ready for my album release