UltraStar: Setting up the Microphones

Please note: my UltraStar guides now have their own dedicated website on UltraGuide.net. An updated version of this article can be found here

Probably about time this game was actually playable, right?!

There are a couple of options when it comes to microphones for UltraStar. You can simply plug one into the microphone slot on your computer (this can be any working type that fits that slot), or the best option is to simply buy some SingStar microphones, complete with a USB connector, like the ones below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001J6N8BM/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d1_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0JE19CC93DQD8STWVY7A&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001TK3GVU/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d1_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0JE19CC93DQD8STWVY7A&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

I haven’t tried the second option yet (wireless mics), but I’m hoping to get some soon and I believe that they’re very good. Obviously, it means a lack of wires, which is always a bonus. The only way to have over 3 people singing at once is to fix it up so that there is a ‘dual display’ (that is, having both the computer screen and another TV/computer screen connected). I’ve never tried this, but if you know your stuff, setting this up won’t be too hard. For everyone else, this means that you need 1-3 microphones (probably best to buy 2 lots of 2 mics, that way you have a spare if one of them breaks!). I currently have only 1 USB connector, as one went missing. I therefore have it set up so that 2 SingStar mics are plugged into their USB connector, and 1 is plugged into the microphone slot in my laptop. As these are what I have at my disposal, I will demonstrate how to set up the microphones in this manner. However, I’m fairly sure the microphone input on the laptop is not quite as sensitive as the USB connector (poor player 3 is at a disadvantage!) – I would recommend using 2 USB connectors, with only 1 microphone plugged into 1 of them (into the blue slot), and 2 plugged into the other.

Left: Red microphone plugged into default computer soundcard (player 3)

Middle: Blue microphone plugged into USB connector (player 1)

Right: Red microphone plugged into USB connector (player 2)

So, you’ve got your microphones, and you’ve set them up as demonstrated (if you only have 1 or 2 microphones, this guide still applies). Before you go into UltraStar, you’ll need to edit the settings on Windows (sorry Apple fanboys, you’ll have to find instructions elsewhere). If you go to the Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Manage audio devices, and click on the ‘Recording’ tab (or something to that effect if you’re not on Windows 7), you can test the microphones to see if they’re working. You’ll notice that the USB adaptor is listed, and its settings need to be configured separately to the default soundcard.

For the USB connector with 2 microphones, you’ll need to tell the computer that the adaptor has a dual input, or else it’ll only recognise 1 microphone. Right click on the 2 USBMIC option, and click ‘properties,’ then select the ‘advanced’ tab.

As shown above, select any one of the ‘2 channel’ options (preferably the highest quality setting if possible). Apply the other settings above, too, if they’re not in place already.

For a USB connector with 1 microphone, you can leave the settings as they are. Nothing needs doing to the default soundcard (i.e. the microphone plugged into your laptop’s ‘normal’ input), though you might want to adjust the settings to make it as sensitive as possible. This way, player 3 will be at less of a disadvantage. You don’t want to go making the microphones plugged into the USB connector too sensitive, or they’ll pick up too much background noise.

Once the microphones are set up in Windows, load UltraStar Deluxe. Once loaded, go into tools -> settings -> ‘record.’ At the top of this section, you’ll see one of the inputs listed at the top. This just means that you are altering the settings for one of the inputs (USB adaptor or default soundcard) – it does not mean that you can only use one input at a time. It does not matter what is left there when you exit the settings configuration. Use the left and right keys to select USB adaptor. If you have more than one USB adaptor, you can determine which is which by talking into the microphones (the program will respond to your voice).

The numbers alongside the ‘Channel1’ and ‘Channel2’ channel indicate which player will be assigned to which microphone. For the USB adaptors, the left channel is the blue mic, and the right channel is the red mic. Make the left channel player 1 and the right channel player 2 (as demonstrated above). Then select the other input (either the other USB adaptor or the default microphone slot). Again, test to make sure that you have the correct microphone selected. Make this microphone player 3 on the left channel, and leave the right channel at ‘Off.’

I hope this makes sense! If you want to sing with multiple players now (or just test it), you’ll need to configure the game settings to say you’re playing with more than 1 person. Press escape to exit the microphone settings, and go into ‘game’ (also under the settings menu). At this point, simply change the number of players to 3. Press escape twice to come out of settings, go to ‘sing,’ and test the microphones. Players 1 and 2 should correspond to the microphone colour. Player 3 will obviously be a blue or red microphone, though its colour onscreen is green. To avoid confusion, I dressed that mic with a green ribbon!

This article isn’t finalised… I can imagine it’s extremely un-user friendly right now. In the meantime, have a play!