Alesis multimix home studio setup ???????

[tribal]

Hello, All to home recording musician, It's really good to know there's like these forum! I like to introduce myself a bit so that it would be more understandable. I need a hand to someone whose been/ being doing home recording. I'm a newbie to home recording but I been doing a bit of recording using a simple computer sound card and I'm starting to enjoy so much and make me go to next step which is to set up a real home studio. And I always wanted to have my own songs record it. But you know me being a full time student and not enough cash to record at real studio. So I save up a couple of thousands and I been buying things which I think best for the price and I tried to get the most out of my money. I don't set up yet but I'll list my new studio system and PLEASE do me a favour as your music mate by saying comments what else do I would really need to get. I asked this because I propbably won't spend much money in the future for my studio. I have a budget of another couple hundreds or so I need to spend it very wisely. The purpose for my studio going to be for a rock band recording in the garage

Cheers, Van

Computer:
Intel Dual dore 3.0 G
1 G memory
120 g Hard drive
Twin views
( I don't think I need to write down other stuff)

Mixer:
Alesis Multimix firewire 16

Speaker moniter:
KRK Rokit 5

Condensed mic:
RODE NT1

Software for recording:
CUBASE LE ( comes with the mixer, should I go for CUBASE SX or any better program which is easy to use,cos I been hearing the LE version could only do 4 tracks and seems I need at least 8 tracks)

Syntheneizer:
Alesis MICRON

Drums:
Mapex drums ( This is my friend's but I am thinking of getting Alesis DM5 cos I lived in the suburb and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, anyone using DM5 please let me know the quality of the drums)

Guitars:
I have 1 Acoustic and 2 Electric 1 Bass

Processer:
Alesis midiverb 4

Thank you for reading thru..

[Bluester]

I believe you can upgrade to SE for about $100. It will handle 8 track recording simultaneously. You might want to get some dynamic mics...Maybe SM57 or SM58. A direct box for your bass might come in handy as well. The monitors look OK they are studio monitors...should suffice. A good pair of headphones is always a plus. Maybe a headphone amp for multiple mic'd recording and vocals. If you can hold a beat you might want to get something like a BOSS 'Dr. Rhythm' for playing 'finger drums'...... sounds more natural.

Looks like you have a great start. Good luck...

[tribal]

Thanks, Bluester, I appreciated for your ideas. I would defintely get the multiple headphones amp! And about the mic is Shure dynamic mics are better than Rode condensed mic?

Cheers, Van

[tribal]

Hello, forget to mention something else, would I record guitars directly thru guitar amps to the mixer or should I record it indirectly using mic to the amp?

Thanks Again, Van

Save Rock Music

[ReagaNoah]

I have a question similar to yours. For the guitar, do people recommend going through the amp; or going through a direct box?
thanks

[knugen]

It depends... Recording direct gives you a cleaner signal than mic'ing you guitar amp. The donside is that it can often sound way too sterile. The amp and the speakers in your amp cabinet colors the sound in variuos ways and the room can add extra flavour to the sound as well. If you want to capture these parts of the sound you have to use a mic.

My latest demo recordings for my band, we recorded both guitar and bass directly connected to my Multimix 8, which worked fine. You can check it out at http://www.myspace.com/masterstheband

When recording guitaramps with a mic, at least if it's rock, i reccommend using a dynamic mic such as e.g. the shure sm58.

[tribal]

Hey, knugen, that's very nice play. That's sound awesome! How about your drums do you record live or electic drums? Keep on rockin

Thanks Van

[Bluester]

I have had good luck recording my guiter by mic'ing the cabinet with 3 mics placed at varying intervals. One technique I like is to place one mic on the speaker grill, one mic about 3 to 4 feet away and another about 6 feet away and then record the three mics on separate tracks. You get a close-up 'ear to the speaker' sound, a mid-range 'standing in front' sound and a 'room' sound. You can mix them to your heart's content until you come up with the 'fattest' sound. I have always found it harder do go 'direct'....Seems to lose a lot of ambient room sound.

If noise is a problem, you can try to build an enclosure for the front of your speakers. Styrofoam "stuccomate" (the stuff they use when they stucco homes) with foam stuck on to it works pretty well. You can cut it with a knife, glue it together and it is very light.

[tribal]

Hi, Bluester, your technic of recording guitars using a couple or three of mics is great idea! I should definite try it when I complete setup my studio. When I know any new ideas for recording I always write down in my recording technic notebook, I going to write that down if you permit..he he. I bought a new workstation desk for the studio, I think a good furniture play very important part particular for home recording. I'm appreciated for your idea of me getting a multiple headphone amp, I been researching on the net and I found some, one from ebay that's 4 outputs which is stereo, will it be allright using stereo, could you please let me know if you know some?

Cheers, Van
Melbourne, Australia

[Bluester]

I have a Behringer Power Play Pro. 4 channel. 3 headphone outputs per channel. I think there is some way to isolate the track you are recording with this headphone amp so you have independent control but haven't figured it out yet. Maybe I'll post that question. Good Luck...