Good place to start...

[TOdisturbedOL]

im a total newbie. I want to get into recording as a profession, not just to record myself. Where is a good place to start? I was thinking about getting l like a Zoom type digital 8 track. would that be good?
any feedback is much appreciated.

[powderfinger]

Do you have a decent computer? If so, I would suggest starting to record on your computer. You can get a cheap multitracking demo version for free. Learn your way around it, how certain techniques work, etc. Once you've establish a basic understanding, then you can decide what the best route for you is. This is exactly what I did....started w/ a free multi-tracking program and have worked my way from there.

[TOdisturbedOL]

well, as of now i have a decent PC running n-track. im trying ot make due with it, but ive heard that for audio apps, Macs are the way to go. should i invest in a Mac? andif so, should i stick with n-track until i know it fairly well, or are there any other good ones to start out on?

[powderfinger]

a mac will be no better than a good PC.....

this is what i did
- started on n-track for about 6-8 months.......learned the basics
- upgraded to cakewalk pro audio
- got an 8 channel mixer and used it into the stereo in in my soundcard
- got a powerhouse computer & cakewalk sonar
- got a new pro-quality soundcard (m-audio)
- got some better mics

i have the hardware and software to make pro sounding recordings now.....i still don't quite have the skill though.......it's a slow path, but the more the learn, the better you get

basically, as of now ask yourself the question , "what does n-track not have that i want?", "what is the weakness of my mix and is it because of n-track?"..........n-track can be a powerful little program, so make sure you've gotten the most out of it before you move on.............

[jcmm]

If you want to do this "professionally" then in the long run you will be staring at dumping some serious coin!

I have read alot of posts from the studio guys in here and they stress the fact of focusing on what type of music you want to record for your gear. Since you want to be a Pro, then you will need a variety of gear eventually. The more ground you can cover, the broader your customer base will be.

With that in mind, every dollar you spend now should be weighed carefully! Learn as much as you can about the process so that when you do make the bigger purchases, you will be getting something that will remain useful to you in the future!

Good Luck
Joel

[VOXVENDOR]

Digi 001 (Pro Tools)


So simple, that a 5 year old could learn it, and you'll not have to upgrade after 6-8 months.

Anyways. Thats my mileage.

[Sennheiser]

Well, I hate to say this, but if you want to do this as a profession I would recommend a good recording school to start with.

That's probably not what you wanted to hear.

After you graduate, you then go find you a Studer or Otari 2" 24 track machine and an eight or twelve buss board, sink another $100,000 into other equipment and microphones and there you are.

Or look for a job at an established studio.

[Roker1]

ohh c'mon sennheiser...it's not all so bad....give the man some encouragement..the school bit is ok, but you don't have to have 100s of thousands of dollars in gear to record hits

[Sennheiser]

I was being slightly facetious.

But he did say he wanted to do this as a pro.

If it were me, I'd go to school and try to land a job at a major studio.

[Richard Monroe]

Essentially I agree with Sennheiser. You said professional, didn't you? What would you think about a surgeon who told you, " I can take out your appendix, no problem. I've been reading a lot and getting advice on line. I practiced on my dog, and I've got some wicked sharp knives, so I should be able to do it."?
If you want to be a professional at anything, you have to learn from other professionals, and pay a hell of a lot of dues first. What the hell, go to recording school, do an internship, and then get an entry level position at a respected pro studio. Establish your credentials, and begin collecting expensive equipment.-Richie

[Flick]

yeah, ive been blessed...

I was going to go to a recording school like School of Modern Recording in Tempe or Full Sail in Florida, but then realized that right after that schooling, I would have to find an internship of some sort to build a resume for future use.

I then got hooked up with Josh Niemyjski, President of Uprok records, a subsidiary of BEC recording and Tooth and Nail. I am interning there, learning the music business from the inside out. He is then hooking me up with the studio engineer that works for them, where over half of the LPs released through BEC and Tooth and Nail are recorded. Bands such as MXPX, etc etc...so, God is good...

I guess my advice is to read as much as you can...manuals, tutorials etc, so you know as much as you can possibly know...then hook up with someone who genuinely knows their stuff. check the recordingconnection.com if you need help in this...

then learn and invest money into your trade man...

[FullSailer]

Go to www.fullsail.com Thats where I go to school. It is awesome. Ive been going there 4 months and ive learned more than I couldve learned on my own in 2 years. It is a bit pricy but well worth it. Cool, peace