Quote:
Originally Posted by aeb2016
when I sing there is still a lot of clipping/distortion
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Looks like alanofoz beat me to it since I'm too wordy, but here ya go anyway:
Welcome to Reaperland!
Two things to look out for:
1) When the track you're recording to in Reaper is Record Armed (record button on the track is red), the level meter displays the signal from your microphone.
Make sure that the level from your microphone is not clipping. In fact, it would be best to set your microphone input level to where your microphone track in Reaper peaks at -12dB or less.
Note that you don't adjust your incoming microphone level using the fader in Reaper. You have to adjust it on your audio interface (there should be a knob where your microphone plugs in. Lower that knob down until the absolute maximum level on your microphone track in Reaper peaks at -12dB (this is to play it safe to make sure you don't accidentally clip which causes distortion).
2) Make sure that the maximum volume level on Reaper's Master Track fader isn't coming anywhere near 0dB. If it looks too hot, lower the level on the fader of your microphone track.
Distortion comes from clipping on the way into your computer, or on the way out...
Input signal flow:
Microphone -> Interface -> Computer -> Reaper Microphone Track with record button enabled (signal clipping? Lower the level on the interface)
Once you've recorded something, the rest of the signal flow is:
Audio Item on your microphone track -> Fader on microphone track -> Master Track (signal clipping? Lower the level on your microphone track) -> Computer -> Interface -> Monitor Speakers.
This is a very simplified view but will hopefully help you to narrow down on the most likely cause.
I also forgot to mention that once you disable the record button on your microphone track the level meter shows the level from the recorded Audio Item that's on the track and no longer shows the input level from your microphone.
Hope that helps...