Or at least have a
sticky here in the noob section that addresses most of the basics - like "don't use a usb mic and expect quality recordings", "Are you sure you have the phantom power is on" etc. ~ BUT right at the top it should read..... please consult the SEARCH button it's the 3rd one from the right in the header, right under Welcome.
Alas in the world we live in now one can't be bothered to put in a few hours and read (I know it took me several hours to read Harveys' post under microphones) People need the answers NOW so people ask and people answer.
And you know once and a while you just have to say ....I'm I using the right string with this can?
But probably my favorite response comes from TimOBrien
My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):
First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...SIN=0470385421
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!
Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Guit...5734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)
And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at
www.tapeop.com
Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!
Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/..._beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-...echniques.html
21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm
Also Good Info:
http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm
Other recording books:
http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html
Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions that WORK:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards...ome_studio.htm
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface -
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep0...interfaces.htm
Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:
Sony ACID Express (free 10-track sequencer):
http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/
Audacity:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur:
http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal:
http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware:
www.hitsquad.com/smm
Another great option is REAPER at
http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...
Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages -
http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.
And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)
This pretty much covers it all folks..... unless after you read all that has been offered to you from Tim here and you have some questions. Please lets start a conversation.