Setting up a studiofor fun. recording vocal, violin, and acoustic guitar

S

stevenbob0

New member
Hey,
I want to sent up my own recording studio just to goof off in and have fun. I don't want to invest a lot of money right now. I have never really done any recording before so no tell how much I will enjoy it. Right now its something fun to do over Christmas brake.


I don't want to spend more then $150 tops. I don't mind buying used stuff over ebay or wherever.

I will be recording vocals, violin, and acoustic guitar to my computer.

I want to be-able to use one microphone to do all the recording.

I will be using Audacity for my software because its free.


What kind of microphone should I get? Is a USB microphone the best option so I don't need a preamp? How bad is it to use my laptops sound card ( I dont think it a very good one) What are your recommendations?
 
Take the $150 and just buy some beer and save yourself a lot of headaches (unless you drink too much beer :D) not to mention your bank account.

Just say NO....recoding is addictive! :eek:
 
sure, for that price get a usb mic that is half decent. you can probably get one for around $150 at the upper end of the quality range.

trust me - for recording violin and so on, get the best mic you can afford.

in your case, to save from buying a preamp, usb is a good choice (but not the only choice of course).

You want a FLAT response mic as much as that is possible in that price range.

I would highly recommend a large diaphram condensor mic if you room is extremely quiet and you won't have any background noise (like the fan from a computer etc). I don't know if/what would fit that description when it comes to usb mics. non usb would be MXL V67G, Cad M177, stuff like that, but the only one you can afford is the V67G and it's not as flat as the M177 but still a very nice mic. Neither is perfectly flat, but certainly not hugely hyped like a lot of other inexpensive mics are.

By inexpensive I mean less than $300... just thought I'd clarify that it's inexpensive by studio mic standards, not by "starting out to record" standards.

If your room is not very quiet, get a nice dynamic mic like a shure sm57 and some kind of usb recording card that has an xlr input with mic preamp built in. probably your best bet to start out at that price range.

cheers,
Don
 
as low as I would go...

Pair Behringer C-2 Small Diaphragm condensers $60
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...82094&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=343967855


Presonus Inspire 1394 Firewire Interface $105 (used)
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...1394-FireWire-Audio-Interface?sku=241483#used

--or--

MAudio MobilPre usb $120
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...lePre-USB-Portable-Audio-Interface?sku=701368


Use your home stereo to monitor with.

I don't trust a usb mic. They seem like a toy to me (I havent done any testing of these- just my perception).

Besides, you'll have a lot more possibilities with 2 mics, than one.
my 2 cents. :)
 
valid idea too, although for me the c-2 mics are too bright for entry level use. But it's totally subjective, they're good mics. But when I was learning I found flatter mics (maybe even slightly rolled off in the highs and lows) worked great for my learning curve.

but yea, totally good suggestion too, and I don't own c-2 mics so can't say from my very limited exposure if they're honestly as bright as I seem to remember them being.

so if I'm writing mis-information, please correct me :-)
 
I wouldn't go the usb mic route personally, unless your desired goal is to simply hear what your song sounds like as a whole -- because it'll sound like shiza.

I'd go with what Jeff_D suggested.
 
whjr15 said:
I wouldn't go the usb mic route personally, unless your desired goal is to simply hear what your song sounds like as a whole -- because it'll sound like shiza.

I'd go with what Jeff_D suggested.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree though. people use USB mics all the time for recording and podcasting when starting out. the sound quality can be absolutely amazing, it's not limited by the usb connection, it's limited by the mic quality, and some usb mics are absolutely amazing. check usb mics by blue, cad, and others.

usb recording interfaces can result in some pretty amazing results - check the history of the mbox for example and albums done with that little unit, all done with usb 1.1.

you can't upgrade so easily from a usb mic into a full fledged studio, but I think for his uses it would be perfect. very easy to use. quite professional all in all.

all it is is a mic with a built in preamp, a/d converter and usb interface. takes a lot out of the equation.

if you say they sound bad then imho you haven't used one.

There are some great analyses of usb mics on the web.

cheers,
Don
 
Pod casting is a great application for the usb mics. Vocals is another ok use (I'm thinking hip-hop type stuff where all the instrumentation is already computer based). I'm sure the mic its self sounds as good as any comparably priced standard xlr mic and yeah, there is no inherent problem using usb as a means to get audio data into your computer.

The reason I think a separate interface / mics is a *better* option is because, when I record acoustic guitar I'm usually looking to setup more than one mic, and a lot of times I want different types of mics- personally my go-to is small diaphragm condensers for acoustic guitar. So, really, it isn't the *quality* of the usb mics, but the limitations it imposes. Since a separate interface and pair of mics is damn close to his budget, I think its worth it for the added flexibility.

If you don't like the C-2's, or wont buy from Behringer for moral reasons :-)p), here is another pair of SD Condensers for the same price...
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/CAD-CM217-Condenser-Mic-Buy-One-Get-One-FREE?sku=271324
 
dkelley said:
I have to disagree though. people use USB mics all the time for recording and podcasting when starting out. the sound quality can be absolutely amazing, it's not limited by the usb connection, it's limited by the mic quality, and some usb mics are absolutely amazing. check usb mics by blue, cad, and others.

usb recording interfaces can result in some pretty amazing results - check the history of the mbox for example and albums done with that little unit, all done with usb 1.1.

you can't upgrade so easily from a usb mic into a full fledged studio, but I think for his uses it would be perfect. very easy to use. quite professional all in all.

all it is is a mic with a built in preamp, a/d converter and usb interface. takes a lot out of the equation.

if you say they sound bad then imho you haven't used one.

There are some great analyses of usb mics on the web.

cheers,
Don
Click to expand...

First off, I said nothing about the USB protocol itself. When it's only streaming one channel (i.e usb mic,) of course it will be seamless.

Secondly, to say they sound "absolutely amazing" is "absolutely hilarious."

I mean, come on, really? :confused:

I see you're a session player. With that in mind, let's say you're somewhere cutting some violin, and the engineer pulls out a USB mic and an M49, but uses the USB. You wouldn't think the guy was a nutjob? Well, maybe not since you think they sound amazing. :p

Joking aside, for a "good" usb mic (oxymoron?) you're gonna be spending about the same amount as the example Jeff gave... BUT, with the interface, you'll be able to add another mic, or plug in electric instruments and possibly MIDI capability (all of which is impossible with just a usb mic,) and EXPAND if desired... What if he really takes an interest to recording? It would be a wasted purchase, and he'd have to buy the interface anyway!

For the same price point, why would you pick the crippled non-flexible option?
 
whjr15 said:
First off, I said nothing about the USB protocol itself. When it's only streaming one channel (i.e usb mic,) of course it will be seamless.

Secondly, to say they sound "absolutely amazing" is "absolutely hilarious."

I mean, come on, really? :confused:

I see you're a session player. With that in mind, let's say you're somewhere cutting some violin, and the engineer pulls out a USB mic and an M49, but uses the USB. You wouldn't think the guy was a nutjob? Well, maybe not since you think they sound amazing. :p

Joking aside, for a "good" usb mic (oxymoron?) you're gonna be spending about the same amount as the example Jeff gave... BUT, with the interface, you'll be able to add another mic, or plug in electric instruments and possibly MIDI capability (all of which is impossible with just a usb mic,) and EXPAND if desired... What if he really takes an interest to recording? It would be a wasted purchase, and he'd have to buy the interface anyway!

For the same price point, why would you pick the crippled non-flexible option?
Click to expand...

if you read the rest of my post you'll see I already said things that made it evident I wasn't comparing apples to oranges, I was comparing apples to apples.

I mentioned the usb interface's sound quality because I can't imagine why else you would feel that a usb mic would be crappy sounding, and you yourself just said that you expect a usb interface to be perfectly fine for recording a single mic. So if the mic interface is just fine, and it's included with the mic much more cheaply and conveniently than buying a separate outboard interface, than I guess you think the usb mic itself must be inferior.

Let's look at that possibility:

For example, you can buy an at2020 for something like $120 new. (great mic by the way for the price). there is also a usb version of the at2020. the usb version is no where NEAR as expensive as buying a new at2020 plus a computer interface that has phantom power+ xlr mic input. And it sounds EXACTLY the same, just as great a mic for the low budget engineer.

Same with the mics I mentioned from blue - have you tried a snowball or yeti from Blue? incredible mics. both usb.

for the price paid for one good sounding usb mic such as a LDC or even SDC or, for sake or argument, could be a dynamic... you would have to get a much cheaper non-usb microphone to go along with the recording interface you'd have to buy.

So you actually get MORE mic for your money if you buy one good usb mic than you do buying one non usb mic plus a computer recording interface that has xlr mic inputs (preferably with phantom assuming a dynamic mic isn't all one would ever own).
 
by the way, I'm also a recording engineer, but no room for that in my sig here and I get more business from my sig pointing out my session playing skills. I'm only saying that so you understand that I actually do know mics pretty well from an engineer's point of view.

anyway, a usb mic is imho a more economical way for the OP to get more bang for his buck, as long as he chooses wisely.

there are plenty of reviews out there.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/microphones/usb-microphones
 
I have a pair of C2s.
I find them flat but lacking some body.
Not bright at all though most of the Behringers are.
In all honesty, I'll probably never buy another small condenser as two are plenty for me. They are the best deal I've seen for home studio mics.
Mind you, I'm not playing for studio engineers.

If all you are going to spend is $150 then you need to buy this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/480168-REG/Samson_SAGM1U_G_Track_USB_Recording_Microphone.html
It's a USB interface/microphone all in one.
Some people are quite capable of setting up a small studio for $150 and never spending another penny on it. I'm sure you're one of those people.

I also thought Ricky Hatton would kick Mayweather's bahouki but that was before I saw the size difference and the "I'm firm but I'm fair" referee posing for snapshots with the pretty one.
 
You're clearly not understanding what I'm saying, so I'll just leave it at that.

Get the usb mic, then buy an actual interface plus a mic/cable when you decide you enjoy recording. Then wonder why you wasted the 100+ dollars on something you'll never use again!
 
whjr15 said:
You're clearly not understanding what I'm saying, so I'll just leave it at that.

Get the usb mic, then buy an actual interface plus a mic/cable when you decide you enjoy recording. Then wonder why you wasted the 100+ dollars on something you'll never use again!
Click to expand...

wouldn't he jsut sell the usb mic when he decided to spend more on upgrading into a multi-mic setup? craigslist is your friend when you want to sell something.

even if only 50% return on initial investment, it would have proven to be invaluable to him as an easier way to get started doing what he wants to do right now, recording the acoustic instruments he plays, while getting a better sounding mic for the price than he would get buy buying separates.

I get what you're saying, I just think you're answering a question about how to start a low budget recording studio, rather than what the OP was asking.

For the OP, I think you're pointing out something for the future. I'm pointing out something that should, potentially, give him a better solution for right here and now for the same price as what you're suggesting which would give him much less performance now with the possibility of spending more in the future without having to sell anything he has now.

And I don't really see the value in that when he's just starting out. Better sound quality now for less money? go usb.
 
Jim Lad said:
I have a pair of C2s.
I find them flat but lacking some body.
Not bright at all though most of the Behringers are.
In all honesty, I'll probably never buy another small condenser as two are plenty for me. They are the best deal I've seen for home studio mics.
Mind you, I'm not playing for studio engineers.

If all you are going to spend is $150 then you need to buy this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/480168-REG/Samson_SAGM1U_G_Track_USB_Recording_Microphone.html
It's a USB interface/microphone all in one.
Some people are quite capable of setting up a small studio for $150 and never spending another penny on it. I'm sure you're one of those people.
Click to expand...

yea, C2s are unbelievable for the money, I actually prefer them to stock mxl 603s which cost somewhat more but are very bright.

good call.

and that USB mic is exactly what I was getting at in my posts. Very good research there, should be a perfect unit for what the OP needs for now and the forseeable future.

Thinking back to the first things I recorded at home (after being an engineer for a while mind you by that time) when I started playing with home daws in the original cubase days (before software daws were really useful professionally and when software midi-only sequencers were the studio standard instead). I recorded some pretty successful songs with just a radio shack electret condensor mic (sdc) that I got at a pawn shop for $20. used my soundblaster, all fx and mixing were in the box. got radio play from one of those early efforts.

So it's about how much work you put into it, not the gear. Consider that I spent a month on the track that ended up going to radio play alone, albeit some of that time due to learning cubase and dealing with the terrible bugs and early problems where audio tracks would gradually get further out of sync, dropouts, blue screens of death, and so on. but MOST of the time was spent listening, experimenting and perfecting what little skills I had as an engineer, trying to maximize on my much more advanced skills as a player/arranger.

It was a blast, had a great time, and learned a lot of the most important daw tricks I still use today professionally just by messing around wtih cheap gear in my apartment living room in my 20s.

so OP, have fun with whatever you buy and don't be afraid to experiment and push the boundaries of your knowledge a bit! Make it fun :-)

cheers
Don
 
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