Nowadays in the digital the opposite it almost true - if you record at quieter levels you will tend to get a cleaner signal - e.g. Cranking up the input preamps on you audio interface (the Focusrite "gain") can introduce noise
Not strictly true.
Turn the gain up as much as you can without clipping your audio interface - Make your meter peak at 0 VU (which is +4 dBu or -20 dBFS). This will maximise your signal to noise ratio, Ensuring your vocal is as loud and clear as possible without clipping or having unwanted distortion.
ExplanationIn general, your audio interface has 2 stages.
The microphone preamp. This is an analogue only stage which is designed to accept microphone level signal (Generally between -60 to -40 dBu) and output 'Line level' signals (much more tightly defined at +4dBu*).
The analogue-digital converter. Designed to be optimal when provided signals of +4dBu.
So in order to make sure we have the best possible signal going into our computer, we need make sure our preamp (or audio interface if it is an all in one bundle) is outputting an analogue level of +4dBu. If your interface has a meter, it will be showing this analogue signal usually on a VU scale. So to get the best possible signal you need to:
- Crank your preamp gain as much as possible (in order to maximise the signal to noise ratio)
- Don't crank it so much that your meter ever exceeds 0 VU**
Analogue vs Digital levelsDigital audio signals are measured differently (argh!). They use a scale called dBFS.
0VU == +4dBU == -20 dBFS. (This isnt a hard standard - some digital equipment allows you to shift the analogue output level of 0 VU to -18 or even -14dBFS ). Most of the time when we look in our DAW, we are once again being shown the analogue *output* level of dbU.
My final tips.
- Record your vocals in mono. (Unless using 2 mics!
)
- Practice mic technique to keep that meter as stable as possible around 0 VU.
*This is true for the pro audio world, but in the hi fi world line level is often defined as -10dBV
**Depending on your preamp & meter it might be perfectly OK for some short signals to exceed this without incurring digital clipping - consult your manual.