Using UR44 audio interface with Smule

[[Member hars…]]

Hello Friends. I use Cubase10 DAW Software on Mac computer, using vst effects for vocal like compression ,EQ, reverb, delay etc.Steinberg UR44 external audio interface connected via usb to computer.

Cond. Mic connected UR44 audio interface. UR44 line1 ( attenuated) out to iPad Pro 3.5mm TRRS. Monitoring via lightening connector port. Checked audio quality at UR44 interface headphone out and iPad headphone out ( You need to be on Smule song recording pause). Both ways quality is fine, same. I took measured to audio level while recording in Smule (stayed in yellow orange, bellow clipping). At the same time UR44 mixing level input out put below the threshold.

I am selecting "NONE" recording studio type in Smule, assuming no Smule effect will be added to my recording.

The recorded audio quality is worsen. The highs lows and delay reverb hardly heard, then you have to raise volume. It even gets worst ,Looks like it is compressed, 

I liked this setup for smule karaoke singing, But not happy with the results....Thanks for your time

[[Member open…]]

Yeah, there is no such thing as “no effect” on Smule. Everything is processed. 

[[Member insp…]]

@harshad911 Even when we upload backing tracks, they get compressed and processed. So a mixed and mastered track that one makes on the computer gets changed somewhat - you won't get the same quality once the track is stored on their servers.

Think from their perspective: both in the case of uploaded tracks and recorded singing on these tracks, even the basic users will be using a plethora of hardware (the make of the phones/tablets) and software (the OS) of varying quality. This makes the spectrum of inputs they receive quite big - there is not one standardized quality signal - so they must need to be using complex algorithms just to bring everyone on the same level approximately.

As a result, you won't get full control over the quality of your signal that you are putting into the app, whether it is live sound from your setup, or a pre-recorded and mastered track that one can upload to the songbook.

[[Member _Ram…]]

13 minutes ago, inspired_Dev said:

As a result, you won't get full control over the quality of your signal that you are putting into the app, whether it is live sound from your setup, or a pre-recorded and mastered track that one can upload to the songbook.

After recording say a duet on Smule, I listen to the recording and tweak the Volume and reverb time and room size etc in the Super studio settings and upload it feeling it sounds good. The next day when I listen to the same recording after Smule has processed the upload it is not half as good. This has been my observation for a while now. I have two microphones and with the Sony I have to cut the volume down and with the AKG I have to bump the volume up. 

I am now planning to replace my IK media iRig Pro I/O with Focusrite iTrack Solo to see if it is a better interface

[[Member insp…]]

@_RamKrish1012 Hi! The output quality of recordings has been varying over time - I've definitely noticed this changing during my last 1.5 years on Smule. They must be changing their "black box" of audio and data processing algorithms using some metric, I'm not sure... Some times, they ask for our feedback after a recording: "How was the recording quality? 🙂 or 😞". As I've stated above, the vast number of users and their varying devices introduces this complexity, you cannot NOT deal with it. They are also trying different things.

Try to record a track without singing anything. In the past, this used to keep the vocals completely blank. Now, you can hear ambient sounds from your surroundings that you wouldn't have heard with your naked ears.

You can certainly try different setups at your end: I've tried only 2 different simple setups: either using a cheap earphone that has in-built mic, or using a Sony Headphone that has no mic, so that my iPhone mic is used. I found that more ambient noise crept in in the latter setup, so I've been using the cheap earphones with mic.

Edited February 28, 2020 by inspired_Dev