Questions about EQ, soundboards etc and theremins

[mpic...@earthlink.net]

Hi experts,

I have some questions to get a better mix that is less muddy and boxy when recording and broadcasting with the theremin.

As most of you know I do these weekly broadcasts singing and playing the theremin.

I have been gradually  (as the money came in) upgrading the equipment to make  better recording and broadcast quality.

So here is what I have:

Peavey 8 USB soundboard

Fishman Amp w/2 channels & Auxiliary input, one for mic and one for theremin both channels with EQ (which I have set to neutral), reverb and a few other effects which I really don't use except for a tiny bit of reverb on both

it also has 2 channel Direct out with XLR connections which I plug into the soundboard each on their own channel

Subscope theremin, plugged into amp then from amp to soundboard w/XLR cables

Sennheiser side address mic for vocals and talking (nice clean sound), plugged into amp then from amp to soundboard all  w/XLR cables (I would plug in the mic directly to soundboard but there is no reverb on this little board)

My iPod is plugged into the soundboard on its own channel. I am using the "effects send" output on this channel to send the backing tracks into the aux in of the amp so it also acts as a monitor for the ipod. This way I don't get a short and I can hear the backing tracks. (This was recommended by a sound designer friend of mine to do it this way and it totally eliminated any hum, I also do not have enough electrical outlets for another monitor)

So what I hear in the amp is theremin, pre soundboard; vocals, pre soundboard; and backing tracks, post soundboard.

I have been fiddling with gain and fader levels to get everything consistent to what I hear live and what is recorded. I know you are supposed to maximize the gain as much as possible without clipping and then use the channel faders to control the volume mix.

EXCEPT for in the recording mix it sounds muddy and boxy.

SO how would you recommend I EQ this stuff? The forums I have gone on recommend cutting low and mids rather then adding.

The subscope has more of a flutey quality than an etherwave. It is sounding like I am blowing into a bottle in the recording mix.

I am here to learn.

Thanks for your help.

Sarah

[RIchard Kram]

I take it the problem is that the mixer has no preamp so you are using the amp as the "preamp" - instead of using a good (there are zillion levels of "good") preamp and going right into the mixer? As a simple test, I would try taking off any effects in the amp and put them on with the mixer as a first try to see if you get any sound changes. Or take them all off entirely and get a sense of where the muddiness might be coming from. Eliminate stuff from your signal chain. And try different (i.e. better cables). 

[Dean Stiglitz]

2 things pop out at me reading this....first, try eliminating the amp...plug the tman into the board and see if it sounds better.

Second, you may need some eq....always better to cut rather than boost.