New to Recording and Reaper - Where to Start?

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willmur

New member
Hi everyone, I came across this forum recently and I decided to register in hopes that I might be able to find some guidance in learning how to record. I've scoured the internet and I just can't seem to find anything that effectively teaches what I want to learn about Reaper and recording in general; everything is either too basic or much too advanced. I was wondering if any of the experts (or even hobbyists) here on this forum would be able to point me in the right direction or give me some advice as to what I should be focusing on.

I know the very basics of Reaper; how to set up my audio interface, applying VST effects (although I don't know if I'm using half of the plugins properly), and I even learned how to double track mono recordings from a friend (again, I doubt I'm doing it in 100% correct way). What I'm looking for specifically is the type of information that will improve the quality and professionalism of my recordings. Almost none of the guides I've come across online give much attention to any "tricks of the trade" (like double tracking, I wouldn't have known how to do it without my friend's help) that enable better sounding recordings. I don't expect to become a Reaper aficionado, nor do I expect to be producing the next Dark Side of the Moon any time soon, but I would like to be able to push my abilities beyond that of a novice.

Things I'm clueless on:
-Setting up EQ and compression with VST
-Proper track and audio interface settings (ex: amount of gain on my AI)
-Proper double tracking methods
-Proper miking
-Recording higher quality audio (right now, even slightly higher volumes sound muddy and unclear when payed back)
-Any must-know recording techniques (such as double tracking)

My Equipment:
-Scarlett 2i2 audio interface
-Shure SM57
-Scarlett CM25 condensor mic (this came with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 studio bundle, I don't have a stand for it and I only have single speaker amps anyways so I don't use this as of now)
-Reaper DAW
-MSI GX60 1ac-021us laptop

Sorry for the long-ish post, and thank you in advance to anyone who decides to help me out!
 
Not using Reaper a lot yet, so I'll leave setup questions alone

Gain staging through your interface: Play hard and turn up the volume until the little red light starts flashing. Then turn it down a bit. If the input into Reaper is still coming in hot (red lights kicking in), turn it down a little more. Noise floor in the digital world is nothing to worry about.

Double tracking is fairly easy. You play a part and record it. You REPLAY the same part and record it. Then you take the pan controls for those two tracks and make one a certain percentage left and the same percentage right. You can do this multiple times at different pan levels with different performances to layer that "wall of sound".

Proper miking depends on what you're miking and how you want it to sound. Experiment with distance, placement (on a speaker cone), axis and pitch. Vocal should have 6-12 inches distance for tight (main) vocals, and a bit more for backups, but that is only suggestion. Do what sounds best. Acoustic can be done with just the condenser pointed at 12th fret (or thereabouts), 8-12" distance (or thereabouts) and use the axis (what angle the face points at the guitar) to vary how much soundhole (boxyness) is getting into the mix. You can also use the 57 on the neck (or the soundhole) and the condenser in the other position. Tailor the positioning to what sounds best recorded...the problem with miking technique is every acoustic sounds different. Every voice sounds different. Every speaker has it's own character, so there is no set in stone for that. Drums are difficult with your setup and I'm not good at miking drums, so I'll leave that completely alone.

Again, high quality audio has nothing to do with higher volume. Noise floor in the digital world is not a problem. If, however, you mean miking a Marshall 100W stack comes out muddy, but your Vox 15W sounds fine, that's a horse of a different color.

As far as Must know techniques. I would say one of the first rules of thumb is don't chase your tail. When something sounds low in the mix, turning it up is the knee jerk reaction...but is 99% wrong. It leads to something else being too quiet and you just keep turning everything up in a circle.. The correct way is to make more space for it in the mix. Find the primary frequencies that make the instrument in question pop out and notch those out of other instruments that don't particularly need those frequencies (google subtractive equalization, as my explanations are a bit hard to understand sometimes :)).

I'm sure others will kick in (maybe while I'm typing this. You'll get a load of good information by hitting the sticky notes on each sub forum.
 
Hi Willmur
You may want to hire a tutor who can walk you through the basics you are asking in person. Alternately: search for some youtube 'how-tos' - there ar ea tone of them for Reaper; use the Reaper manual (you didn't mention it). It goes through some examples/samples when it comes to using various VSTs.

You have not mentioned how you are monitoring your recordings - are you using headphones, do you have monitors? (not sure what 'single speaker amps' means)
On your recording itself - WHAT are you recording? (i.e. vocals, acoustic guitar...)

Best thing that can be advised at this stage is try to improve your recording techniques. EQ and other VSTs should be used to modify the sound and make tracks blend together. Each track should sound good by itself when recorded, so you may need to look at how you are miking, as well as your recording environment.
Not sure what yoru friend showed you no what you mean by 'double tracking methods'.
 
I would suggest posting a track you've recorded into the "mp3 mixing clinic" and letting people hear what sounds you're getting. It's impossible to tell you how you should be EQ'ing or compressing or placing mics or anything at all really if we don't know what you're getting now. Once we hear the issues, we could give specific recommendations (probably more than you've bargained for) on how to improve things. But for now, we just don't know what "better recordings" means.

No specific settings for EQ or compression are universal. Focus on why you use each and when the right time for them are. Learn about what they do and then experiment with them. Most of us have been in your position - being here and asking questions, getting involved, only means you'll go up. In 6 months you'll be happier with what you have recorded and mixed, so get something up in the clinic and let's hear where you're at now.
 
Glaring omission! No monitors.

You cannot hope to make decent musics unless you can hear accurately what is coming out of the AI.

Good ones, even pretty basic ones are unfortunately expensive especially if you have a large room and want serious bass and high volumes (but Google for "Monitor Calibration") Then money must be spent on room treatment, more reading! Realistically you will need to spend your whole budget so far again.

N.B. This all is because you expressed a desire for "pro" high quality results. If you just want to build some tracks in your bedroom for fun, that is fine too. Look out for a pair of shronky KRKs!

Yes, you can do a bit on headphones but you will need two types. Open backed for "quality" mixing work and closed back for tracking with live mics.
 
Oh, and a bit I missed on the first read through. You'll need some sort of boom stand and a shock mount for your condenser. They are pretty sensitive (which is their forte). Also, if you plan to sing into it, protect it from pops (and your gleeks) with an adequate filter. Condenser mikes are fairly prone to damage from moisture.
 
Thank you all for the quick and helpful responses, I honestly didn't expect so much feedback! I'm definitely going to be spending some time looking around this forum, and I'll try to see if I can get a sample recording up in the mixing clinic sometime soon.

To answer mjbphoto's questions, I'm currently using a pair of headphones to monitor, I was referring to my guitar amp when I said "single speaker amp", and I'm currently recording electric guitar, acoustic, bass, and digital piano.
 
I recommend the book Home Recording For Beginners. It covers the basics and uses Reaper for examples.

(kindle version available)
 
joey2000 said:
I disagree, though "expensive" is another subjective term. :)
Click to expand...

Indeed it is! But do note I am putting this FOR THIS THREAD, in the context of the OP's stated desire for "pro"/ high quality results. Certainly the vast majority of ~$300ish ppair "monitors" will get the noob far better results than headphones or PC speakers but they are a very long way from "studio" monitors in terms of bass extension and smoothness, SPL delivery, lack of colouration and, often forgotten but most important* consistent sound sample to sample.

*June 16 SoS, Graham Audio "Chartwell" LS3/5 review and extensive background to what is surely THE start of the compact nearfield monitor.
£1650 (~$2000?) a pair and those are PASSIVES! You need to cost in a decent amp. Then, as it says in the magazine, though the speakers have unparalleled sound quality and very low colouration (and V tight QC!) they are necessarily limited in their ultimate SPL and LF extension.

Myself and son are very happy with our Tannoy 5As but I do not fool myself that they are in the ballpark of the Chartwells!

Dave.
 
Further to "expensive".
I reserve my opinion that you have to spend a lot of money basically to monitors and to a degree, microphones. There is no reason in any technical sense nowadays why pre amps and converters (and hence the whole AI package) cannot approach the very best studio gear for very little money.

This depends however on makers being intelligent in the compromises they employ. It costs almost no more to make a circuit with low noise and decent headroom and so long as these factors are right, economies can be made in facilities (leave out the light show, give me decent headroom and MIDI!). Even build quality can be less than stellar since most AI say, will never leave the bedroom.

For sure, if you want the ULTIMATE in a low noise preamp, for a ribbon say, that will cost because you need to use some paralleled devices, in quantity and that puts up power consumption and hence cost. But the bedroom wannabee will be well served by most modern AI pres. Again, if you want "attitude" in a preamp, that will cost you (well, to do it properly! Not a $50 "TUBE" abortion) .

But, transducers are slippery, tricky beasts and demand time and money to make right.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
in the context of the OP's stated desire for "pro"/ high quality results.
Click to expand...
Also somewhat subjective. :) Or perhaps more accurate to say a question of degree.

There are precious few people out there who truly need or will get their money's worth spending thousands on studio monitors simply for recording purposes, including professionals. There are many very good quality ones well under $1000 a pair, active and passive.
 
To add to the fuel: Most monitors will serve the purpose for beginner to moderate mixing if the spectrum is there. Training your ears to a set of monitors and realizing their strengths and weaknesses and how to compensate is a key tool for mixing. There are lots of decent monitors out there that could fit the bill for the immediate. Yes, if you get serious (and seriously good) you should invest a good chunk to a set of great monitors, but up to the point where it becomes worth (financially or from a hobby standpoint) the cost, sticking with the low to mid range monitors will suit very well. Lots to choose from. Due diligence to get the field narrowed down to a dozen or so and then see how many you can hear some reference tracks through at a local store...
 
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