Brand New Home Studio - Need Advice!

[btref]

Hey, I can tell that there are many people in this thread who know a hell of a lot about production and engineering. I don't have much of a story yet, I guess im just a starry eyed kid trying to make some hiphop music that people can enjoy.

So to be blatantly honest, I came fore some advice. I have been recording in a tiny closet on a yeti usb microphone using garageband to do all my post production (I know, it is very advanced )
But next year me and a few friends are getting a place together and we are setting up a studio, most likely in a medium sized bedroom.


I currently have a macbook pro running Logic Pro 9
I have a pair of M-Audio monitors
I have a MPD 32

So my real question is, what equipment do you veterans recommend I have a budget of up to $4000 - So, How would you spend it?

Microphone? (Ive heard good things about the Rode K2, Nuemann TLM 103 and the Shure SM7B - any other suggestions?)
Interface?
Preamp?
Acoustic treatment (basstraps etc.)?
Anything else?

Thank you for your time and input
-B

 

[aaronmcoleman]

I know you have posted in a couple other places, so just to clarify here...

what do you plan to record? whole band? just vocals?

whatever you're doing you're gonna need a good interface and mic. but, again, that's gonna depend on how many inputs you're gonna need and what all you're gonna record.

I have a focusrite saffire pro 40 ($500) which is a great interface with 8 inputs and 10 outs (expandable to more), and the inputs all have really nice preamps.

For mics, my first purchase would be that SM7B ($350). It'll be good for all kinds of vocals and will work as a kick mic sometimes.

 

[xbxrxixtx]

For a hip-hop set up you don't need nearly as much as if you're going to be tracking a full band. The thing you need to think about is the number of inputs you want. If you're getting outside beats and just recording a vocal track then you don't need a lot of inputs. However, if you are going into beat production and things like that you may want more inputs.

Personally I have an MBOX 2 Mini which would do the trick for most rap studios. 1 XLR (mic) input, and 2x 1/4" inputs which could be used for something like a turntable or whatever. Also, it comes with ProTools which is essentially the standard for software at most professional studios. They also make more models with more inputs if thats what you want.

The most important piece of gear in my opinion is a mic. It captures the sound so you're going to want the best quality (that you can afford). Personally I really really like the Rode NT1a. For the price I don't think there are many mics that can come close. That doesn't mean you have to get that mic for good sound, you can find plenty for cheaper, or more expensive. I just really like that Rode mic.

Next I would look at a preamp. If you get a really cheap interface, then I would move the preamp up the list a bit.

Acoustic treatment is always a plus. I would suggest continuing to record in a closet because the size is similar to an iso booth. I've gotten great results in a walk-in closet with clothes in it to help absorb the sound. An empty closet probably wont sound great, so any kind of acoustic treatment will be good. For mixing I would strongly suggest bass traps if your making hip-hop. It will help you keep from weakening the bass because of all the reflected noise.

Anything beyond that is really up to you. Maybe upgrading plug-ins on your software would be nice.

 

[GuitarLegend]

I have a focusrite saffire pro 40 ($500) which is a great interface with 8 inputs and 10 outs (expandable to more), and the inputs all have really nice preamps.

I love my Focusrite Saffire PRO 40. I know there are higher-priced interfaces than this but the Saffire PRO 40 never gives me any reason to upgrade.

 

[nsterken]

I ould have to say spend as little as possible on equipment as you can whilst still maintaining quality (i.e., buying an interface that has only the number of inputs you plan to use, a cheaper, quality DAW that can handle what u need to do< same for rest of the rig.) Here's why.

Especially for making hip-hop music, which needs to be crisp, clean and above all, PRECISE, where you'll want to spend ur money is acoustically treating the room, ESPECIALLY if it's gonna be a rectangular bedroom with flat, parralel walls and cielings. Ur money will be WAY more well-invested in taming the acoustics of the room for accurate frequency response than anything else. Cuz you can go ahead and spend $3500 on a rig and $500 on acoustic treating materials (be it bass traps, corner buffers, diffusors or absorption panels) and be able to crank out only mixes that suck and translate nowhere, save your control room. IMO, ur better to buy some of the crappiest, used gear and treat the acoustics of the room as near perfectly as possible than to splurge on fancy equipment. I see no advantage to making crappy translating mixes on expensive equipment over cheap equipment. Either way, if your room is "out of tune", your mix will not translate either way, expensive gear or inexpensive.

Go for the first weakest link: the limited and imperfect strcture of the parralleled surfaces of a bedroom. You'll be thanking yourself when you print your final mix. Oh yea, Investing in a good set of cans is good, too. Try the Sennheiser HD 280 pros, they got a really wide reach into the low range and are extremely flat and crisp.