What do I buy next?

[fattmudge]

I am using a motu 8pre and am pretty happy with my mic collection but I am wondering what the next piece of gear is that I should buy. A compressor? mic pre? I also have not really done much with regards to room treatment either. What's the next logical step?

[NYMorningstar]

Originally Posted by fattmudge

I am using a motu 8pre and am pretty happy with my mic collection but I am wondering what the next piece of gear is that I should buy. A compressor? mic pre? I also have not really done much with regards to room treatment either. What's the next logical step?

The next logical step is to buy yourself an education. You can through money at mixes all you want but they won't be all that good until you know how to use your equipment. Buy yourself some recording and mixing books and learn the art to the point you don't need to ask someone else what to buy. Ugh, logic, it's overrated

[andyhix]

Originally Posted by fattmudge

...room treatment...

Answered your own question!

[jdier]

Originally Posted by NYMorningstar

The next logical step is to buy yourself an education. You can through money at mixes all you want but they won't be all that good until you know how to use your equipment. Buy yourself some recording and mixing books and learn the art to the point you don't need to ask someone else what to buy. Ugh, logic, it's overrated

What a load of shit.

The next thing to do is to lock youself in your basement and start recording. Record a lot. Get a CD worth of stuff done, have someone do a quick master for you and then evaluate. There is a load of great information on the web to get you on the right track but most of what you need is time to make mistakes and learn from them.

Start with the Harvey Gerst mic polarity threat (I think it is called the Big Mic Thread or something.) There is so much information there that it could overload your brain.

Then do a search on Ethan Winer and room treatment. Ethan has shared more practical and useful information for free on the web than you could buy in $500 worth of books.

For drums there is a great thread that a guy called Recorderman was involved in related to drum micing and overhead phase. He talks about one specific drum micing method but the thread veers off into discussions about mic choices and other micing strategies and even some on mixing.

For guitars check out the Slipperman Recording Distorted Guitars from Hell. Great stuff there.

Finally, hit the mercenary audio site and check out some of the articles there. A lot of great info.

I would say you likely do not have to buy anything to make big improvements in your recording... you just have to hit that red button and start making music.

Good luck.

[NYMorningstar]

Originally Posted by jdier

What a load of shit.

"There is a load of great information on the web"
"Start with the Harvey Gerst mic polarity threat"
"There is so much information there that it could overload your brain"

"Then do a search on Ethan Winer and room treatment"
"For drums there is a great thread..."
"For guitars check out the Slipperman Recording Distorted Guitars from Hell"
"Finally, hit the mercenary audio site and check out some of the articles there"

Good luck.

Ye who meaures information in terms of shit, thank you for help making my point. What he needs is an education. If you thinking buying a computer and internet service is the way to go then more power to you. Personally I like to sit an read a book.

[jdier]

Originally Posted by NYMorningstar

Ye who meaures information in terms of shit, thank you for help making my point. What he needs is an education. If you thinking buying a computer and internet service is the way to go then more power to you. Personally I like to sit an read a book.

Big differences in our posts. While we are both making nearly the same point, only one of our posts provided any assistance to the original poster.

Here to help, not belittle.

(well, I guess I am trying to belittle you here, so scratch that last part.)

[solo2racr]

Originally Posted by fattmudge

What do I buy next?

BEERS for everyone

[fattmudge]

thanks for the help, jdier... those sites really do have a lot of great info. Personally I believe information is information, whether it's from a book or a webpage. I have read a few books on home recording but have also read some great things online by people who seem to be just as experienced. I fail to see a big difference. As long as the source is reliable, does it really matter?

[andyhix]

Originally Posted by fattmudge

thanks for the help, jdier... those sites really do have a lot of great info. Personally I believe information is information, whether it's from a book or a webpage. I have read a few books on home recording but have also read some great things online by people who seem to be just as experienced. I fail to see a big difference. As long as the source is reliable, does it really matter?

Right on. Some of the more experienced folks seem to imply newbies can either (a) learn stuff or (b) buy stuff or (c) record stuff, but that they somehow can't do all three things at once. In reality everyone on every level does all three all the time.

Anyway, if you are happy with your gear, more or less, I'll say it again - spend some time learning about room treatment, and spend some money improving yours. Cruise the studio construction forum, learn about OC703 and other similar rigid fiberglass. Drop a hundred or two hundred bucks on some, and some fabric. It's not as glamorous as a fancy piece of gear with blinky lights, but it is an investment that'll make every piece of gear you have now and buy in the future work better for you.

What are you monitoring on? If you don't have good minitors, it's maybe a toss up between that and room treatment (imho).

[fattmudge]

I'm currently using some KRK RP5's (Rokits). I know they're budget monitors, but from what I can tell, they seem pretty good. I was hoping they would be good enough for now until I can afford better. I guess a big part of it is getting used to how your monitors actually sound by listening to music you are familiar with on them and taking that into account while mixing your own stuff.

I will definitely check out some of that treatment, too. It is probably the thing lacking most in the studio. Thanks for your input.

[andyhix]

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

[Almy]

Definitely DIY Bass Traps. I use those monitors and they do me just fine. Just set them up in the right spot and have room treatment for them when mixing and such, not just room treatment while tracking.