How did you start

[Pitseleh]

Hello

I've been watching these boards for a while, trying to soak up some knowledge along the way. Most everything goes over my head though. I want to really start getting serious about recording, but it's hard for me to grasp the lingo and vocabulary that comes along with it.

So how did you guys get started into recording? Where did you start off in your learning process?

[mikemorgan]

I started by buying a computer and a copy of Cubase $525). After a week I realised I was in way over my head, so I took the software back and got a Tascam 4 track. I never really used it but about three or four times. I knew I wanted a functional computer based recording system like the "pros", without the huge learning curve. Then I discovered Cakewalk Home Studio for a measley $80 and got up and running.

Today, a lot of people recommend REAPER as a great starter software. The download is free, and the license is available for a pittance.

Things you must have:

a quality microphone
a good pre-amp
a recording medium
a good monitoring system
a great listening environment

oh, and good ears and talent too!!

[daav]

I bought entry level gear (little behringer mixer, fostex mr-8, borrowed Sure sm58 and sm57 for mics) and started to try it out. as soon as i learned a few things, i upgraded all of it but the mics, each time taking a big leap forward in quality. Over time i have replaced nearly all the first items (recorder/interface, monitors, mixer/preamps, and now i am working on getting my core mic locker together, removing some of the spam). One thing about buying used is that if the gear is in good shape, you can usually pass it on for cheap downt he road. Take the m-audio DMP3 a respeced budget 2 channel preamp, those go new for over $150, sell used for as little as 110. I got mine for about $120, and I might sell it for $110 some day- $10 to "rent" that piece of gear for two years is nothing.

If you are on a budget, I recommend buying used and skip the entry level, but keep it simple- get a USB or firewire interface with a couple channels and preamps cheap, a decent mic and get reaper and some decent self powered monitors and start there. Resist buying all sorts of extra gear until you get something decent with that gear, and experiment like crazy. Before you buy more gear, treat your room (see the studio buidling forum) there is no more cost effective way to improve your recordings than room treatment.

After some months of that setup and trying out different mixing techiques with reaper (or similiar software), then you can start making good decisions about where to invest more money. I have way too many mics right now, and i am about to whittle them down to jsut some good ones.

good luck,
Daav

[Dani Pace]

Damn I must be getting old! I started with a little mono reel to reel in an untreated bedroom with a no name guitar and a piece of junk amp. Of course that was way back when even major studios were still using two and three track tape machines.

[Minion]

I basicly started with a PC and a Mixer some mics and a Delta 44 and some Yourkville active monitors, it was easy to use but I eventually needed more inputs so I just got a Delta 1010LT to use with my delta 44 and I racked up some DIY Mic preamps and now have 14 inputs and Midi and still have spent less than $1000 on equipment......

[steve.h]

I started out with a borrowed fostex 4-track tape recorder, and some random mics various friends had laying around (two or three tops). Up until very recently (literally 10 years later) I recorded only my own band(s) at the time. In fact, with one or two small exceptions, I've never had anybody else record me, it's always been me!

After the four-track, I joined a band that had a nicer four-track with eq built in, which I used for summing drums to my built-in soundcard on my first real computer. At this point, all of my mic's were still 1/4" jack mic's, so the preamps on the Fostex worked just fine!

I've probably upgraded about 6 times since then, to the point I'm at now with my MacBook Pro/002/Rokit RP5's/presonus digimax LT/OK mic 'locker'. Up next? Plugins!


*edit: on a more helpful note, what equipment do you have now? What specific questions do you have? This is why the n00b forum exists!

[mikeh]

I started in the late 60's with what was available at the time and grew from there. While each step up required a learning curve, it was probably better than trying to jump headfirst into computer recording (I still miss the simplicity of the 4 track cassette). My progression has been as follows:

Two track 1/4" reel to reel
2 - Two track 1/4" reel to reel (bouncing tracks)
Four track 1/8" (cassette)
Eight track 1/4" reel to reel
Eight track 1/4" reel to reel with SPMTE (to sync to MIDI drum machine)
ADAT (with SMPTE time sync)
ADAT with computer (Cakewalk 1.0 for MIDI)
Computer with Cakewalk 9.0
Computer with Sonar 7.0 & Pro Tools 7.0

[Lectric_Lab]

I started back in the late 60's using a reel to reel, one side guitar, the other for vocal, jus song writing mostly, then went to 4 track cassette, same premises, after owning 4-4 trackers and 1 eight track cassette, I went to mixing console/adat 8 track (2 units synced for 16 tracks) and then adat 24 track HD and after a few years added lightpipe/firewire, software and computer technology.

If you need recording termonolgy go over to sweetwater, they have a whole section on recording and maximizing your system.

[rayc]

a) 2 stereo cassette players, one with built in auto limiting mics. Recorded into the mic one, took the tape out & into the 2nd machine, rewound, pressed play & played another part whislt recording the whole thing into the 1st machine.
b) From there to a decent stereo cassette player with line & mic in as well as level control - but with wires, cables & another cassette player almost the same as above.
c) THEN a 4 track cassette (yamaha MT100), mixed to cassette player, that I still enjoy using but now mix to comp to make CDs.
d) THEN those tracks mixed into a computer wave recorder & played back onto two tracks of the 4 track (until I learnt about track bouncing) to de OD'd & then mixed to a wave recorder for burning to CD.
e) THEN Cakewalk Pro Audio 9.3 which I still use as my comp recorder in concert with an INCA88 card.
f) THEN uploading songs to the MP3 Mixing Clinic to learn how to do things on a projects/peer review/pros & cons basis.
Is the a) recording fidelity better than e)? You betcha!
Are the songs, talent, performances better? No idea, probably not a whole lot.

[jpmorris]

Ignoring the crap things I did as a kid with cassette recorders, basically I got into this to compose music for games I was developing as a hobby. So I started out with MODs at first, because those were the technology of the day.

Then people started to switch back to MIDI and I followed, using a free copy of Cakewalk 3 from a coverdisk. Eventually people started to use ADPCM, Ogg and MP3 and at that point it didn't matter what the underlying composition tool was because it was all an audiostream at the end of the day.

By this point (around 2002) I started to get fairly good with Cakewalk, but the sounds I had sucked, so I bought a Roland MVS-1 which was fantastically better, shortly followed by a JV1010 with orchestral module. To begin with, both of these were hooked into each other (the MVS-1 being able to take an extra input and mix it). At this point I was recording straight from the sequencer into GoldWave.

Then I went out and bought a Behringer MX802a mixer, and began using that instead. I bought a few more synthesizers and some outboard gear and my compositions were getting sufficiently complex that the sequencer (now Cakewalk Home) was starting to buckle under the weight of all the MIDI tracks and would screw the timing up, so I realised that I needed to invest in a multitrack machine.

Before I did that I went slightly insane and bought a Tascam 32 which I would record to first, before dumping things back into Goldwave for use in the game. In 2003, the price of a digital 8-track was pretty much on par with an analog one, so I bought a Fostex A8.

It had a number of problems and fixing it would have cost more than it was worth. In fact I still have it boxed up downstairs, since I'm reluctant to see it parted out by someone, even though it doesn't really work very well.

Anyway, about this time people were starting to comment about the music and I realised that it was getting good enough to stand on its own merits rather than as background music. I began idly to think of recording songs, but it wasn't until I saw the 'Dark Side of the Moon' DVD and heard Roger Waters sing with no effects or accompaniment that I realised my voice was probably good enough.

I then purchased a TSR-8. The difference in sound quality was like night and day, and it is still the centrepiece of my studio. Everything is still done in MIDI, with Cakewalk SONAR and laid down track by track onto tape using a timecode on the multitrack to sync everything and mixed down to a Revox B77HS at 15ips. I usually use Rosegarden for the actual MIDI playback for the recordings, but the composition is still done in SONAR.

When I have a 2-track mixdown tape, I then digitize it at 24/96 and send it for mastering.

[Freudian Slip]

I started years ago with a 4 track. I went away from it for years. Went to a studio and payed the money. Wasn't that happy with what I got. Decided for the price I paid the studio I could have my own setup. Did a ton of research and built a custom cumputer, bought a echo layala 24/96 and cakewalk PA9.
Been learning every since


F.S.

[Cosmic]

Started at 15 with an old reel-to-reel and a cheap cassette deck, and did the old tape-bounce blues like so many have described.

Years went by with little chance to record. My first "little big" production was a piece of music I composed and recorded for a girl I was in love with.
It had real multitracking (all 4 of them ) and I used a DX-7 at someone's house, for a case of beer.

The girl turned me down anyway, but a good recording experience.

Later, working at a video facility in the late 80es, sold a piece performed on a POS Casio keyboard, recorded on a Scully 8-track at 3am at my work. I think I earned $100.

Got a Tascam 788 in 2001, and a Yamaha P80 piano and got into recording at home for real (as much as you can in a small closet.)

Over my wife's strenous objections, bought a Tascam 2488, and suddenly had all the tracks I could want.
Had a chance to track a young lady singer at home, and build an arrangement around her song, again, a big learning boost.

Got into a couple of on-line collaborations, very interesting way to work.

The 2488 is my current machine. I also now have a 1/4-inch 2-tracker, some good pre's, and mics way too good for my room. (I think of them as an encouragement to move; I love acoustic music )

So far, I have sold/given away 3 little pieces of music over the years and I don't ever expect to get rich or famous from any of this. But it sure is fun.

Best,
C.

[Dags]

Originally Posted by Pitseleh

Hello

I've been watching these boards for a while, trying to soak up some knowledge along the way. Most everything goes over my head though. I want to really start getting serious about recording, but it's hard for me to grasp the lingo and vocabulary that comes along with it.

So how did you guys get started into recording? Where did you start off in your learning process?

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away.......

I started out with MIDI sequencing, firstly using the on board pattern programmer of my old Casio HT3000 (or something like that), then the clunky internal sequencer on my Korg M1, followed by utilising an external MIDI sequencer (Korg SQD-1) and finally the good old Atari 1040STe with C-Lab Notator (which became Emagic Logic on the Mac)

My first real audio recording was sampling into my Roland W-30 and later the Ensonig ASR10. I sung phrases into the keyboard, assigned a key to them and triggered them via MIDI.

Once I stepped up to the Mac and E-magic software, I was able to use HD recording - cool!
I got hold of two (count 'em - 2) Yamaha CBXD5 audio interfaces for 8 track playback within Logic (had to buy the audio recording and CBX extension software separate from the MIDI component) but could only get 6 working at any one time.

Nowdays I'm using a G4 with Delta1010 card running Logic Pro 7.2 a few budget priced preamps & compressors, a couple of choice mics and no time to do anything with it all

Pitseleh - just read as much as you can about recording, mic setup, compression, mixing etc while you experiment in your own space. There's so much stuff available now over the internet that just wasn't accessible when most of us were learning. You've got to get your hands dirty, try out a few things and play around so that you can understand more about what you are trying to achieve, then do a google search for whatever topic you're chasing.

Got to go - meeting calls. Good luck!!
Dags

I started on a PC microphone and a free program called WavePad.

Then I started recording with my guitar plugged directly into the sound card.

Then I bought a microphone and can't imagine ever having to do either of the 2 again. When I first started I wasn't even exactly sure what a mixer was for.

You can read all the stuff you want but the only way you're really going to catch on is to do it yourself.

[Dags]

Originally Posted by danny.guitar

You can read all the stuff you want but the only way you're really going to catch on is to do it yourself.

Absolutely! That's the point I was very hurriedly trying to make towards the end of my post (damn work getting in the way of life again).
But there's more resources available nowdays if you get stuck or need a bit more information to understand what it is that you're doing.

Dags

[Pitseleh]

Originally Posted by Cosmic

I don't ever expect to get rich or famous from any of this. But it sure is fun.

It can be an expensive hobby, but your absolutely right, its fun

Thanks everybody for your input. It's cool to see where everyone has started from. As for me, looks like its gonna be grueling but satisfying process. Now while I wait for my gear to get here... I have some reading to do.

[Sinistah]

*blazes some green and exhales thru ear canals*

so one day in 2004 i was pissed off on a hip-hop message board, so i said "why are ya'll praising this bullshit" (artist and song will remain nameless)

one dude replied "shut the fu*k up" and another "get the fu*k outta here"

so i posted a song called "Falling" me and one of my 2 Co-CEO's recorded in about 2002 or so at this studio that Naughty By Nature records at when they out here in Jersey......

the naysayers were impressed and from then on it gave me the spark to keep at this, being that back then i wasnt nearly as serious about it as i am now, though my start is late artist-wise, i still got plenty to bring to the table...

and the mixing was just second nature.... my first set-up was a cheap ass $50 all-purpose mic plugged right into my PC's soundblaster card or whateva, lmaoo, Cool Edit Pro, and a bunch of instrumental tracks from popular hip-hop songs at the time!!!

i did what i could, some recordings came out nice, some just didn't hit the target at all, so i started asking more questions, started getting further in-depth with general mixing and terms....

as time passed i realized "this $50 dollar mic ain't cuttin it" so i started looking into things such as polishing up on my mixdowns to be able to at least leave it listenable, even if the overall quality wasn't that great i just wanted the listener to be able to acknowledge beyond the mud and air they was sonically ingesting talent.....

then as i began to record more and more from home, i said "fu*k this" and did a mass upgrade of all things, my CEP became AA-2, my $50 mic became an AKG Percep. 400, and i discovered the benefits of Phantom Power and Analog compression........ as well as did some software research to st... err... borrow" a few plug-ins i needed to turn my bedroom into a low-level vocal studio, equipped with enough stuff in a tight space to actually make the lack of a booth a non-factor......

the more and more i got into recording myself, the more and more i got enthused to wanna learn how to make my songs sound "just right" so i'd spend hours on end mixing stuff down sometimes with many different approaches and theories to it, some just with blind luck and that helped me develop a feel as to what settings do what digitally, and when to apply them in a very minor aspect

i'm a newb too and anything i need insight on i just ask, and unless you askin some caveman-ish type questions, you won't get clowned on too heavy here, trust me i've seen a few threads turn into "roast" sessions....

[pandamonk]

a little behringer mixer plugged into the mic-in of my on-board soundcard, a bunch of cheap mics, and cubase sx that i got from my school. I tried and tried to get a good sound, but there was always hiss, clicks, pops, etc. I spoke with my cousin who recommended i get a usb soundcard, so i got a creative sb mp3+ external sound card, and used the line-in. I got better quality, but always struggled with latency, until i knew what i was doing.

I later sold the behringer mixer, and bought an 8 channel powered mixer, which i used for live sound, and recording. I have since sold that and bought another 8 channel mixer, which is much more suited for my needs. I also upgraded mics and recently bought decent monitors(alesis m1 mk2s) and a studio projects b1 . I have used a few programs since the start, and settled on audacity, however i will probably move to reaper very soon. I still have the sb mp3+, but my tascam fw-1804 arrives tomorrow

EDIT: I just remember that before all this, a friend of mine did all the recording. We used a mixing desk, duno what one, plugged into a minidisc player. We recorded everything live with just a few mics. It was awful haha. Then we got use of a 4-track minidisc recorder. We recorded everything, but had to give it back before we could bounce everything down. So we had a 4 track minidisc, and only a 2-track player. Who knows how the fuck my mate managed to get it on the pc, but it sounded shit anyway.

We will re-record the music from then(5 years ago) once my studio is complete. Can't wait

[jeffmaher]

I got solicited at a gig by a guy from Sony to submit song demos. I had Audacity and a Shure58 mic. I wanted to make a nice showing, so I got a couple good mics and tried recording the guit and vox stereo....only to find out that Audacity can't keep tracks aligned in stereo. Sonar Cakewalk....Izotope....new soundcard.....compressor/limiter..DCM preamps, drum kit...synth.... a rack for all that stuff I was collecting...never stops. Now, a year later, I have stuff cabable of producing nice sound....if only I can figure out how to maximize the potential.

Nothing ever came of the submission. Crickets. But I'm learning something I can make money with when I can't huff a PA anymore....and I'm just some old dude who used to play OK. Shooting for production of music "floors'" for commercial advertizing. Got another opportunity. And in that biz...it's more important that your stuff sound fab, than how well you play it. I can play and write and arrange.........but my recordings sound like ass. That's why I'm here.

[Sinistah]

Originally Posted by jeffmaher

I got solicited at a gig by a guy from Sony to submit song demos. I had Audacity and a Shure58 mic. I wanted to make a nice showing, so I got a couple good mics and tried recording the guit and vox stereo....only to find out that Audacity can't keep tracks aligned in stereo. Sonar Cakewalk....Izotope....new soundcard.....compressor/limiter..DCM preamps, drum kit...synth.... a rack for all that stuff I was collecting...never stops. Now, a year later, I have stuff cabable of producing nice sound....if only I can figure out how to maximize the potential.

Nothing ever came of the submission. Crickets. But I'm learning something I can make money with when I can't huff a PA anymore....and I'm just some old dude who used to play OK. Shooting for production of music "floors'" for commercial advertizing. Got another opportunity. And in that biz...it's more important that your stuff sound fab, than how well you play it. I can play and write and arrange.........but my recordings sound like ass. That's why I'm here.

hey if ya ever need something a little hip-hop/urban oriented as a song or just from a writers perspective, feel free to reach out bro... i'm ASCAP'd and could use the back-end $$$$

[Todzilla]

Back in the 70s, we had a couple of casette recorder/players.

We would record a stereo guitar.

We'd play it back INTO THE AIR while playing a new part, the second recorder capturing the first track that was now being played out loud, while we layered the second part.

Took lots of trial and error and ultimately you hear some cool multi-tracking deep behind the wall of hiss.

Taught us a lot about recording hot, about parsimonious track usage and noise reduction.

[zacanger]

I got sick of people asking if I had a CD, so I bought a cheap little 8-track digital recorder (MR-8) and started recording. In the first year I cranked out six CDs and sold about 500 copies total, so it was worth it.
I guess before that, when I was 8 or so, my parents bought me a 4-track cassette recorder, but it sounded like crap and ended up frying.
So I got sick of the limitations of the MR-8 and moved up to a computer-based system with an Alesis Multimix 8USB and freeware DAW, and then to a Delta 1010, and now to an Alesis io26 and Cubase LE, and I'm soon to add a Firepod and n-Track.

[liv_rong]

i started out, as im sure many did, just playing music and jamming with friends. we would record ourselves with a video camera, or even send the stereo mix from a pa to a cheap cassete deck.

my friend had a sony minidisc recorder, we started to mess around with that, but i never really liked them, or any "all in one' recorders that much.

what really sparked my interest is two different friends of mine started to get pretty nice set ups around like 2000 or so, using a computer. once we started recording on those i was hooked.

i only played drums up until then, once i started playing guitar i got much more interested in writting songs and recording them.

i had a couple different four track tape recorders, or other borrowed equipement to record. i moved back to my parents house and they had a nice computer so i started to hook a a mixer with adaptors to their computer going inot the 1/8th" input hahaha. it sucked!!! i even plugged my acoustic in doing the same thing.

i finally got my own decent computer and i was off. now i have a bunch of nice stuff to do what i need it too.

its funny to look back on what i used to do to record music. sometimes every couple years i will watch the old video tapes of us jamming and laugh, good times those were!!

[pandamonk]

I'm really liking the thread. Very interesting hearing all the different stories

[acidrock]

I played out in an acoustic duet and wanted to practice leads so I bought a Fostex four track cassette which lead to getting a drum machine,a cheapo keyboard and a multieffects rack unit.From there I went to a VS880 which just about kicked my ass but I finally got the better of it.
I had been reading recording magazines and that made me jump into computer recording.I bought ProAudio9 before I even had a computer.I may have bit off more than I could chew trying to Learn how to work a computer at the same time as learning to record on one but I'm still here.
When I had both my JV30 and DR660 synced up to my computer I thought that was the coolest thing ever,then I heard Gigasampler and realised that those were just toys.

Thousands of dollars later I'm still at it just as a hobby,still no regrets.