Where do I begin?

TaylorDuke

New member
Hello everyone,

I had posted before in here before when I first joined. I talked about my long term goal of building a home recording studio to record local bands. Well fast forward a few months, I still have a burning desire to learn audio engineering but I just can't figure out where to begin. I've watched YouTube videos. I've bought a book on live sound. But nothing seems to be aimed at someone who is a total beginner and needs to start from square one.

I would love to attend the Recording Workshop School In Chillicothe, Ohio as I live only 30 mins away but probably can't until next year.

Where do I begin?? How do I get started??
 
Hello everyone,

I had posted before in here before when I first joined. I talked about my long term goal of building a home recording studio to record local bands. Well fast forward a few months, I still have a burning desire to learn audio engineering but I just can't figure out where to begin. I've watched YouTube videos. I've bought a book on live sound. But nothing seems to be aimed at someone who is a total beginner and needs to start from square one.

I would love to attend the Recording Workshop School In Chillicothe, Ohio as I live only 30 mins away but probably can't until next year.

Where do I begin?? How do I get started??

Can you play an instrument? If so learn to read music. OK! Odd thing to say but it WILL pay dividends. "Back in the Day" Recording engineers and producers were polymaths. They were often good to virtuoso pianists, had a degree in electrical engineering and were very practical to boot (if you didn't MAKE it you didn't GET it!)

Any talent you might acquire in even one of those fields will put you ahead of millions of other wannabees.

So, have you got a mic, mic stand, Audio Interface and at least a pair of decent headphones? If so and you can't play ***t, just sing at the mic to a tune on the radio. Can't sing? Just recite some poetry and record that. Any of those things will get you learning about sound, rooms, mic sensitivities, gain staging and noise.

You want some makes and models (not that it matters much, all pretty good) Mic, Shure SM57(but if perchance you play acoustic guitar a Small Diaphragm Capacitor (aka condenser) AI? Anything with at least 2 mic ins and MIDI. Steinberg UR22 is excellent. Headphones (aka cans) Pay $50 and up for anything from Beyer, Sony, AKG, Stennheiser

Just 'king jump in kid!

Dave.
 
My two cents.

If you want to record bands, I would start with interface and DAW, then research mics.

I don't 100% disagree with Dave in that, the more you now the better you will be, but reading music is not as important as it was 50-100 years ago. Knowing sound is important. Knowing electronics doesn't hurt, but I don't see it being essential.

The math part, while it goes with everything, I don't think you have to be a math genius, but a good understanding of math goes with, music, sound, computers, I mean, the better grip on math you have, the easier all of those other areas will be to understand.

But for starting out, interface, mics and DAW (naturally a computer, but most computers can do recordings with not much problems).
 
TaylorDuke......I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that many of us (not all) began this journey to recording / producing having been in a band and maybe developing a desire to get all that "stuff" on tape. Being in a band does give you some valuable experience with mics and mixers and other controls..............and how they affect the resulting live sound and then the recorded sound. So....you don't mention whether you were / are in a band......and my guess might be that you were not. If you were a "sound" person (working the PA or the like).......that would be great experience as well. Our best advice comes when we have a good understanding of your experience.

So..........if your experience level is that you have none.......then I suggest that you begin as ECC83 has outlined.....perhaps minus the suggestion to learn to read music up front. It won't hurt to read music.....and it's true that it could set you apart from others......but I can't imagine learning to read music not playing some sort of instrument. Do you have a friend who's in a band or plays an instrument of some kind? Do you know a singer? All you need is one person to record. Experimenting and referring to this site will move you along until you can get some training if you wish.

Let us know how it's going!!!
 
Guys I really appreciate the quick responses. And I think "Just jump in" is exactly what I needed to hear.

I play bass with some buddies in a band and a little guitar. I love music so much on an emotional level. I just need to get a decent recording setup and start recording. We play in my buddies basement so I would really like something portable. I also love the idea of having actual knobs..so the Tascam DP-24 peaks my interest more than anything. The reviews are mixed but every day I seem to look up videos of it and it gets me excited everytime.

I'm just gonna get it. I'll keep you guys posted on my journey.
 
***Update for anyone interested.

I stopped by my local Music Go Round and they had a Zoom MRS 1608 for $250. It just felt right so I picked it up. Time to 'jump in'! ...that is after I pick up a mic or too! Haha
 
Do you have a room to do your recording in? Is that gonna be your room for a while? Is your friend's basement a place you're going to do a lot of recording in? Even if it isn't, the room(s) needs to be good, which is to say, treated. That's really important. If anybody you know (or you) is handy, look into building some traps--it makes a huge difference in the sound, believe you me. Look into that, and what kind of monitoring you can afford (in your mix room). You need to be able to hear what you're doing and have an accurate picture (as much as that's possible).
 
My two cents.

If you want to record bands, I would start with interface and DAW, then research mics.

I don't 100% disagree with Dave in that, the more you now the better you will be, but reading music is not as important as it was 50-100 years ago. Knowing sound is important. Knowing electronics doesn't hurt, but I don't see it being essential.

The math part, while it goes with everything, I don't think you have to be a math genius, but a good understanding of math goes with, music, sound, computers, I mean, the better grip on math you have, the easier all of those other areas will be to understand.

But for starting out, interface, mics and DAW (naturally a computer, but most computers can do recordings with not much problems).

My point DM was that IF he plays an instrument at all well, some musical theory can help him but I agree, not by any means vital*.

Electronics nous? That IS vital IMHO (well! I WOULD say th......!) Or at least start to learn the basics, Ohms,amps volts and decibabble as soon as you can. SO many noobs are either afraid of the stuff or make silly mistakes.

Maths? No, very little (other than decibels) My use of the term "Polymath" was in the sense that the early sound engineers were very well educated people over several fields.

*When I was in a 'group' in the 60s we got the guitar chord and words from 'Piano Sheets'. These were invariably written in the wrong key for the singer or/and a weak key, E flat say for guitar. My job as the only one who had even a smattering of musical knowledge was to transpose the sheets!

My son (the S A!) does this instantly, on the fly, on guitar as he tracks a pissed Irishman singing Danny boy in 3 keys!

Dave.
 
Do you have a room to do your recording in? Is that gonna be your room for a while? Is your friend's basement a place you're going to do a lot of recording in? Even if it isn't, the room(s) needs to be good, which is to say, treated. That's really important. If anybody you know (or you) is handy, look into building some traps--it makes a huge difference in the sound, believe you me. Look into that, and what kind of monitoring you can afford (in your mix room). You need to be able to hear what you're doing and have an accurate picture (as much as that's possible).

Thanks for the response, Tim. Majority of recording will be in my unfinished basement and also my buddies. Mine is a large area with cement floors and walls. I have couches and TVs and stuff down there. Also pictures hanging on wall but I assume I should still look into treatment. His basement is completely filled with stuff. Basically a huge storage area and then a small area for our instruments and drum kit.

EDIT: I will be monitoring with stereo headphones, not monitors FYI. At least to start.
 
Thanks for the response, Tim. Majority of recording will be in my unfinished basement and also my buddies. Mine is a large area with cement floors and walls. I have couches and TVs and stuff down there. Also pictures hanging on wall but I assume I should still look into treatment. His basement is completely filled with stuff. Basically a huge storage area and then a small area for our instruments and drum kit.

EDIT: I will be monitoring with stereo headphones, not monitors FYI. At least to start.

Some pictures and dimensions of the basements would be worth a farsand words!

Dave.
 
I would say for now to invest in several packing blankets which can be had cheaply at moving supply/storage places, some big box stores, etc. . They wont do anything for bass/low end damping but you can carry them back and forth and they are great for quickly killing high to high mid reflections that cause things like flutter echoes(hollow sound).
 
Taylor, mate! Where are the freakin' dimensions! (like drawing teeth here sometimes!) Ok, rant over..

A plan would add immeasurably to my understanding. Don't have to call in a surveyor, just pace out the space and draw a rough 'map' Would like a fairly accurate idea of the ceiling height though?

Anywhatist.. Not a bad place. The voids between the roof timbers could be stuffed with GF or rockwool. You seem to have plenty of room for other bass trapping for when (as you MUST!)get some decent monitor speakers*. Is that an AC metal duct I spy? If so that will need totally enclosing in GF/RW and boxing in but you must get the building owners permission before you do stuff, you could impinge on building/fire regs (AKA 'code') and/or insurance. In fact if you are having a few people in there a lot of the time with 'lektriks' you really should find out about the legalities? AFAIK so long as you are not taking monies off peeps you are pretty ok but wise to check? (fire escape routes, extinguishers?)

And! Is that AUDIO cabling coming out of the roof parallel to that mains diss box? Recipe for hum and clicks I fear.

*As your 'genre' seem to be heavy rock? You will need some pretty tasty monitors in terms of sound level output (SPL) and bass capability. A pair of Rocket 2's ain't gonna cut it! I would say 8" woofers are what you need to look at and an SPL at 1mtr in excess of 110dB. If the band does not yet have a PA rig it might be worth looking at some PA speakers that can do double duty? There are a few now that are pretty 'hi fi' but can also kick A in a modest pub/club setting. Or, look for good S/H monitors.

Dave.
 
Dave...thanks for reply!

Please see my beautiful art work below. So as you see, my current spot by the fuse box is the only place in my basement that house an outlet. So for now, that's where I have to set up. Ideally i'd be back where i put 'ideal spot' but I'm not quite ready yet to invest in full electric work to be done. Again, I just now got my first recorder (Zoom MRS 1608 portastudio) and I need to learn how to use it first. So I will more than likely be set up right there by the fuse box with my guitars, amps and friends drum kit. The ceilings are approximately 14' tall. How's it look??

basement.jpg
 
I would recommend looking up marketing techniques as well. No one is going to go to your studio if no one knows who you are. Establish a strong social media presence on as many platforms as you can. Sending out flyers is just not going to cut it these days, and many people have little success doing it that way.
 
Looks good! 14ft is a decent height is that to the 'wood' or the actual roof? Either way I think you could fill the joists with GF and clad with plasterboard although it might be best to leave some just covered with perforated hardboard.

Only mains by the Fuse Box? Perfectly safe to run a mains extension you know! Speaking of 'mains'. I guess you are in the 'Imperial' States? Here in UK it is perfectly legal for a private person to install sockets and their wiring provided a sparks checks it all out then connects it to the fuse box but this might not meet 'code' in your locale. But! Today, now go out and buy an RCD device AKA 'earth trip' This plugs into the mains skt then you plug amp, ext' cable whatever into that. You are then protected if yours or any mates gear goes faulty in a 'deadifying' sort of way. In any case, if you are looking at construction work in there and power tools, need an RCD.
The FB might have one in it but if not get the sparks when you are ready to fit one then run ALL the basement gear off that.

Have you thought about how you are going to set about recording? Top left you seem to have 3 walls of a drum kit area? Not a 'booth' but put in a wooden 'dias' for the kit, serious absorbing above, kill wall reflections..Could be good?

But you have a long way to go . My first suggestion, after a safe, temporary power install would be to some serious monitors and get the place sounding 'right'.

Dave.
 
***UPDATED***

Dave...thank you for all the info. But I realized I was getting WAY ahead of myself. I need to learn about how to operate my recorder before I even think about room acoustics. (at least in my opinion!) So today I spent all day with it. Again, I have a Zoom MRS 1608 portastudio. Today I just plugged in my guitar and played around. I did some reading of the manual and some just tinkering. Early thoughts: 1. Love the features on my Zoom. 2. Learning curve is going to be steep. 3. Microphone sounded like garbage. Very distorted and just bad. But again, I'm starting from square one with no knowledge in this area, so I'm looking forward to beginning my research.

Here is my list of current equipment:
- Zoom MRS 1608
- Behringer XM 8500
- Using my LG shelf stereo unit as monitors (don't laugh)
- Squier Telecaster
- Squier Strat
- Fender Champion 100W Amp
- Brawley Bass
- Peavey 30w bass amp

I will keep posting as I progress. Thanks again everyone!
 
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