Input for voiceover tool??

I am using the new mac pro 3 ghz, 4 gb RAM, G Raid and internal Hitachi..latest tiger..FCP 5.1.4 etc and I now it is tricky getting analog sound into fcp. I have an AJA Kona 3 with the AJA breakout box which has 4 XLR inputs..can I put a mic through and use the voiceover tool? And if I can, How Do I Do This? Cheers..

An easy way is to lay a few minutes of black in your timeline, then if you have a mixer or mic-line amp, you can plug a mini-jack into the line-in. Open the voiceover tool and select "line-in". You need to lay an inpoint at the beginning of your timeline as well.

I haven't tried it thru my Kona card.

<<<mixer or mic-line amp>>>

And it only works if you have one of those. Neither the Kona nor the Mac have microphone level connections. Line level only.

Line levels--like the audio output from your DVD player or your iPod headphone jack are thousands of times louder than the output of a microphone, hence the "micro" part of the name. Some method must be found to boost the level of the microphone thousands of time higher before it's applied to the Mac.

If you have a "computer" microphone instead of a theatrical microphone, it may also need a power supply as well as a level booster. PC sound cards tend to supply both at the Red Connector on the rear of the computer. Macs don't.

You can solve some of these problems cheaply with the iMic device from Griffin Technologies. We tend not to recommend that solution because it's probably the worst microphone amplifier on earth. I borrowed one from a friend at work and I gave it back. Only about two-thirds of people who buy one are happy with it.

Koz

This baffles me...I worked on Discreet software for years with the old Targa boards and I always used a voiceover window with a senhieser mic. All this time and niether Kona nor Mac have'nt solved this niggling problem. Thanks guys.

Well, it won't cook your breakfast either and that's a problem for some people.

No sir it won't cook my breakfast but Voiceover tools give you count ins and place V/O exactly where you want it in the time line so why does FCP have a voiceover tool that cannot be used. Phil in the UK

> so why does FCP have a voiceover tool that cannot be used

No need to jump to conclusions. I use the Voice-Over tool all the time and don't have problems. I use a USB audio/MIDI interface with it and it works just fine. Final Cut Pro's Voice-Over tool could be improved, like so many other things, but it's far, far from "unusable".


www.derekmok.com

> so why does FCP have a voiceover tool that cannot be used

I'm with Derek. I use a mic through a pre-amp and the voice-over tool works quite well.

I plug my mic into my mixer which goes into the audio in jack; I have to boost the gain a bit on the mixer output to get decent volume but it works well for scratch recordings.

Alternately, I just use Quicktime Pro to record VOs when I don't need to match back to video. The levels are much higher and I get a stereo AIFF track to boot...

JK

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

<<<I use a USB audio/MIDI interface >>>

Whose name is:

<<<a mic through a pre-amp>>>

Whose name is:

<<<I plug my mic into my mixer >>>

Whose name is:

Come on guys, I can't plug my mic into a highbrow philosophical discussion. We need part numbers.

Koz

<<<I use a USB audio/MIDI interface >>>

Whose name is: Griffin iMic

<<<I plug my mic into my mixer >>>

Whose name is: Tascam FW0182

I run the mic into the mixer, then out of the headphones jack into the iMic that plugs into the audio in jack. Then in the VO tool I choose "iMIC" as the input option.

OR...I can plug into the mixer, which interfaces via Firewire with FCP. So in the VO Tool I choose TASCAM FW1082 and it works fine.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

I just have a Behringer mixer -- not sure of the model number but it has a couple XLR inputs for mics and stereo line out jacks which is all you need. Just pick up a cable that converts the stereo out (RCA or Phono) into a mini plug for the Mac and you're good to go. All can be had at Guitar Center for peanuts.

Incidentally I used to plug the mic into the Grffin iMic on my G4 but I could never get enough volume. You definitely need an amp of some kind to boost the mic level before it enters your machine...

JK

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

<<<a mic through a pre-amp>>>

i run an electro-voice re20 mic through a focusrite 'voicemaster pro' pre-amp.

> <<I use a USB audio/MIDI interface >>>
> Whose name is: Griffin iMic

Not in my case -- I've used the iMic before and don't like it very much -- but same concept. My interface is closer to your FireWire mixer -- I'm using a Tascam US-122 audio interface. It has one disadvantage, which is that it doesn't do 48kHz, but since with these recordings I never need frame accuracy, 44.1kHz (CD quality) does fine. I'm sure the newer generations of interfaces...and more expensive ones...would be able to do 48kHz. The US-122 has input level controls, XLR and 1/4" input jacks, its own headphone jack, a Line/Mic vs. Guitar switch, optional RCA outputs, and best of all, phantom power so you can use higher-quality microphones.


www.derekmok.com

any usb mic will solve your problems just fine. but keep in mind, its not going to sound as good as a large diaphragm condensor mic through a good mic preamp.

this one gets good nods:
[www.fullcompass.com]

these are good as well:
[www.sweetwater.com]

- this aint rocket science here

I boost the audio of the iMic by routing thru the Mixer.

You need a mixer or pre-amp of some sort for this. Avid did too...


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

By the way, I've done the ADR and all the foley for two features using the v/o tool and it's saved me zillions of dollars in studio rental costs.

Best

Harry

If you have a cassette recorder, you can record the VO into it and then use the input of the G5 and go into Soundtrack Pro.

Do a Process > Normalize and you'll get great sound.

Maybe not the best way, but you don't have to spend any money.

<<<I've used the iMic before and don't like it very much >>>

That's about right. They made the iMic so cheap (how cheap is it?) it's so cheap that they didn't isolate the USB power from the amplifier inside the little pill box. People have reported being able to hear their hard drives wake up and other processes happening inside the machine just by listening to the whines, growls, and pops on their audio track.

It doesn't affect everybody, but still, nobody ever says "good quality audio" and "iMic" in the same breath.

I use it every day when I'm on the road. Coles 4104B lip mic into a mic to line amp then an XLR to miniplug adapter into the line-in. Works great.

<<<a mic to line amp >>>

And that would be the part number we need...

Koz

some classic comment in this thread. My next mac will definitely make me breakfast.

And for the record I use my Digidesign 002. a cheap second hand Mbox would probably provide the best results at a cheap price point.

For voice recording for one of my clients I don't use the VO tool - I go from the mike in the voice booth to a .. I think it's an old Sony .. 8 faders .. mixer, to a DSR-11, set to Video - not DV - into the mac. Capture as non-controllable device, with video turned off if required. I usually leave the video on, though as space is not a problem for us, and I can 'see' any hiccups during recording.

This is on an old FCP 2 setup - been working perfectly for nearly six years and is broadcast quality.

That sounds like a good way to go Jude.

There are really three parts to this as I see it -

1. Getting the audio signal into the computer - really, this is the easy part, with a multitude of options. Nothing wrong with doing the video route as per Jude's setup.

2. The microphone (duh) - more money is (almost) always better! What mics are you all using out of interest? I just use a Rode condenser.

3. The mic pre/input. This seems to be the main point of contention here. And again in my opinion, the more money the better! Look for a good brand (my personal fave are Focusrite) - and you'll be rocking.

<<<There are really three parts to this >>>

Right. Last time we did this, I used an old Shure SM-58 "performance" microphone in the quietest room we could find, plugged into a Tascam M-06st small microphone mixer/amplifier. After the signal became high enough, I plugged it into the high level input of my PowerBook which performed the analog to digital conversion. Capture at 48 KHz, 16 bit stereo with the Audacity free audio program and then dropped right into Final Cut. That's all the components necessary.

A microphone (the Shure SM-58).
An Amplifier (the Tascam mixer).
The A/D converter and audio capture software (PowerBook, Audacity).

That converts from variations in air pressure to ones and zeros, hopefully with a minimum of distortion and noise. The USB microphones are becoming popular because they pile the whole front of that list into one device. Launch Audacity, GarageBand, QuickTimePro or other audio capture program and press record.

There is only one problem with USB microphones I can see, other than you're stuck with whatever processing the manufacturer decided to use. How long can you stretch a USB cable? Carefully designed and run microphone cables will stretch hundreds of feet between the performer and the mixer--and run properly that way, too..

Koz

Kozikowski Wrote:
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> <<>>
>
> And that would be the part number we need...
>
> Koz

Well,
It's like this:

[www.whirlwindusa.com]

but I think it's made by GKC. I've got the week off or I could tell you exactly what model it is. If you really want to know, PM me and I'll make a call.

this one gets good nods:
[www.fullcompass.com]

That's what we use.... love it.

mark

<<<[www.fullcompass.com] >>>

That link will get us to the generic web site. Which of those many items do you use?

Koz

Tim,
Most of the kits got a Shure FP33, not sure about the Americas tho.
Cheers
Andy

Yeah,
I've got one of those too, but it takes up too much room in the travel case. What I'm talking about is a simple battery powered mic-to-line amp.