Equipment to start with(vocal question)

[mechiez]

My studio consist of a shure58 mic, 2 big blankets making a room against a wall(blankets hung from ceiling(like theblankets are walls or whatever) and my computer. I use Sonar. My question is: I rap, so i was wondering what equipment should i get to enhance my vocals....i dont have very much money to spend but im willing to spend $2000 here in the next week...so what all equipment should i get?(note, i dont play any instruments so its just vocals i use....the beats are custom made for me.)
thanks...also any tips on vocal effects would be appreciated =]


-mech

[c7sus]

Well..... first off is the signal chain.

Large diaphragm cardiod mic > mic pre with phantom power(maybe EQ and compression as well) > soundcard.

Think about your entire chain. It doesn't make sense to buy a $1000 mic and a $1000 pre and then run the whole thing into an SBLive card.

Got monitors? Real monitors? or headphones or cheesey computer speakers........

Good quality cables are a must, too.

If you go with a LD condensor you will want a pop filter, too. Not only does it help with sibilence and pops but it protects the capsule of the mic as well.

[mechiez]

I got nice Klipsh 500 watt speakers( thats 4 speakers and subwoofer=450=500 watts) and i got some 60 dollar head phone. Hmm, What does a pre do? and can u summerize this Phantom Power i hear so much about? also, what style of music are you persuing? rap?

p.s. I plan on investing in a Shure condensor mic for like $295 next week. so what is the best pre to use for that?

[c7sus]

Condensor microphones REQUIRE a power supply to power the circuit of the mic itself. In some models this is accomplished through the use of batteries but most require an outboard source. Most mixers provide a phantom power supply. I can't think of a commercially available pre out there that doesn't have phantom power but I'm sure there must be some somewhere.

A mic pre or preamp is needed to boost the very weak signal from the mic to a line level that can be recorded. Mic pres range from very simple gain circuits to gain+ EQ+ Compression (these are the most common) to including de-essers. Prices range from under $100US to pretty much the sky is the limit.

The Klipsch speakers will probably do for now (stepping into flamesuit) but be careful not to get too much bass emphasis when listening to your vocal takes. The job of the monitor is to provide an UNCOLORED view of your work. Home stereo speakers are designed to boost highs and lows so they don't provide an accurate enough reference of your work.

Now I don't know if you are planning to mix too but whatever you do DON'T MIX WITH HEADPHONES! Headphones are very inaccurate for this purpose.

As far as my music........ well Jerry Garcia was my main man and I play/record mostly acoustic guitar. Some bass. Very very little keys. And vocals that can make paint crack and curl.

As far as vocal FX......... well there's reverb for starters...... panning, phase shifting/flanging, software FX. It really just depends on your imagination and how the FX sit in the mix.

So what soundcard and software are you using? Most of the software comes with at least some FX. Maybe not the most musical but............

[wes480]

I guess I will start the flamesuit?

The Klipsch won't work

Heh, well...yes and no I guess. I see 2,000 as a *very* large budget for someone who is just going to be recording vocals....so, i would work monitors into that price so I could accomplish something good...and know that my speakers/ears arn't lying to me.

as my man c7sus mentioned...you'll need several things.
Just to summarize..

Soundcard
Preamp
Microphone
Cable
Monitors

If you don't have a good soundcard, I'd pick up either an Aardvark 2496 which will have 4 preamps built into it. You can record from all 4 of them at once..if you ever needed to. This will run you around 500 dollars...and the preamps are all discrete, have phantom power, and are very good.

I use an Aardvark Q10 and I find the preamps to be quite acceptable (a bit above Mackie XDR in my book).

So, with that you kill the first two birds with one stone.

If you are getting a Shure condensor mic, that is fine. In the 300 dollar range there are a lot of good options these days, so it would be a shame if you didn't check out similar offerings by Studio Projects, Rode, Marshall Electronics or Audio Technica.

I think thats a good price point to be in for a mic though. So, that puts you at 800 bucks. Spend 40-50 bucks and get a pretty nice mic cable that is long enough to work with and fairly high quality for you....your signal chain will be strong.

Then, get yourself a pair of monitors. Something like the Event 20/20bas will do you quite well...and last a *long* time. Others to look into would be Yorkville...maybe the Mackie HD624s. In fact...I saw the 624s for like 750 a pair online somewhere...that is a steal. A pair of good monitors is so essential man...

its your only connection to reality in your studio..

you don't hear anything else - and isn't that what it is all about.

Klipsch will kill ya I used to sell them at a HiFi store, they have those horn drivers...accented bass response..etc.

BTW - all of that wattage stuff is irrelevant. But, that's another story.

Other options for soundcard would be like a Delta44, with an outboard preamp like an Audio Buddy or DMP3 or something from Midiman.

A lot to digest I know, but...that is a good thing

All of this stuff will work as well for rap as it will for anything else.

That will put your total cost around (500 soundcard/pre) (300 mic) (50 cable) (800 monitors) ...around 1650 or so...at the most.

Should be all you need. But, don't rush to buy...spend a little time researching whats out there. You might regret it.
-Wes