Rookie set up questions.

[soulsurf]

Ok heres the deal. I've been playing guitar for 15 years, recording a lil using pc/midi basically sonar with combo amp setups very basic. The setup I seek would be for vocals and guitars to start out. I have a open basement and was gonna have a vocal/console/guitar room built. So my first question is what equipment (basics) would I need to start one out. I was thinkin maybe of spending around 2-3,000 on equipment to start and I have a good pc with sonar 5 producers edtion on it. So What I'm really trying to say whats the best kinda gear to get started. Also for the guitars anyone know a good mic for instruments I have always heard direct connection is not good for guitar better to mic it? So any help with this or suggestions of using a pc based or non pc based system would be great. And the 2-3k would just be for starters I can always add later. I know this is a repost from h*ll I apologize but the other post I searched didnt seem to answer my questions

[Creamyapples1]

Equipment wise, it sounds like you've already got a great start. PC and software wise it sounds pretty solid. You'll probably want to get a sound card for the PC. I use M-Audio Delta 410s, two of them, which give me 16 analog outs from the PC and 4 analog ins as well as 4 digital ins and 4 digital outs. I'm using a 12 channel mixing board right now, but upgrading to a 16 soon. The mixer thing is optional though, these days all of your processing and what not can take place "in the box" so the need for rack gear and mixers isn't what it use to be. Depending on your needs M-audio makes several different PCI cards, 4in 4 out, 6 in 6 out, 2 in 2 out, 8 in 8 out, take your pick. If you are happy with your amp, check out the Shure SM57 mic. Popular and I think damn near everyone will agree that it's a pretty good dynamic mic. I also use MXL 990 and 991 condensor mics and I'm happy with those. As far as mic preamps, there is where I lack alot of experience, but the Studio Projects VTB-1 is pretty popular as well as M-Audio DMP3. I'm planning on using the preamps on the new board I'm getting, and that's always an option for you too, just depends on what route you want to take.

For starting out though, I'd say go with Microphone > Preamp> Soundcard and you're set. Direct ins for guitar can work it just depends on the sound you want. I use DI with acoustic, but I usually mic it too. DI for bass is pretty standard. You'll also want some "studio monitors" with some reading you can find a decent active pair to suit your needs, but this is another area that is very grey with me. You can get most of this stuff for a fraction of your starting price, so there's alot of room to play with there.

[soulsurf]

Thnx for the response. Thats sounds great just the kind of info I was seeking. This is a great site I just found it. I plan on in the future building up a nice lil recording place for me and my friends. Thnx again for the reply.

[Creamyapples1]

No prob man, happy to help, not that I did I usually tell people to spend some time reading and figuring out exactly what they want to do, recording wise. Just guitar? or do you want to be able to expand later into recording acoustic drums? Will you have any midi based equipment or do you foresee taking that plunge in the future? If you are deciding on a mixer, pick a decent one with good preamps so you don't neccesarily have to spend money on a board AND preamps. Also pick a board that you can grow into if your budget will allow it. If you take the mixer route, you'll also need to decide how you capture your "mixdowns" be-it DAT or CDR or Cassette or whatever. Compressors and reverbs and the like, it goes on and on lol but if you have the money at the time, whatever you are getting, make sure it has some long term value and get stuff that will give you a little room to grow.


Just to give you an idea, my finished setup is going to be a Yamaha 16/4 board, two M-Audio Delta 410 PCI soundcards, Sonar Cakewalk Home Studio 4.0XL. That's pretty much my input chain, minus the mics which vary. Mixing wise, from the cards back out to the board, I'm looking to get atleast 6 channels of compression through rack gear just because I already have some and I still want an RNC. I use an Alesis Microverb 4 on one of the effects loops just to add a little bit of character the some tracks and adjust each track individually as needed, not always on all though. I've also got some hum elimination and denoising stuff that I can plug in there somewhere should I need it. Mains outs on the board going to a Samson Servo 120 amp, and I haven't decided on my Passive Monitors yet. Mixing to a Pioneer Component CDR bruner using REC OUT to the analog ins on the burner, still looking for a A/D converter to put inbetween there so I can use the digital ins on the burner. Other than that, the only other thing I can foresee needing is maybe a headphone amp, but I typically do the solo thing so we'll see if I have company anytime soon lol