Some few questions regarding recording setup

K

Klagen

New member
Hey everyone,
im new to Homerecording.com, this is my 2nd post in fact. definitely gonna be using this website more :)

I've been producing (Read: Attempting to make hiphop beats) for about a year now, and its going pretty decent i'd say. My girlfriend is really into singing, so my friend, my girlfriend and I started a little "band" if you can call it that.

Our setup right now is:

Cakewalk A-500PRO midi keyboard
Blue Bird Mic
2 headphones (1 expensive and 1 cheap pair)
An arsenal of guitars
Lexicon Alpha audio interface and a preamp to go with it (Tube MP I believe its called, mainly cause the audio interface does not have phantom power in it, the preamp supplies this.)

Getting a pair of monitors soon too, considering the KrK rokits, I heard those to be fairly good for the price

now the question is:
What should we get after I buy the monitors. Im considering a new audio interface, but i'd love some opinions, maybe some ideas as to what specific item to get within a reasonable price.

I've borrowed a reflection filter from my school just to test it out, and im considering getting one myself (can get 1 for $200 or so, its not too bad) but something I was just wondering. My microphone is cardiod, would a reflection filter even make a difference theoriticly? I mean, its not picking up any sound from behind anyway...might just be me being stupid :P

and last, i just wanted some comments on the place we've been doing our recording.
https://img249.imageshack.us/i/micposition.jpg/

The red lines are carpets, which is hung from the wall (Sort of like drapes). theres 2 carpets hanging at the same spot, so that its more thick.
The black dot is the vocalist and the blue dot is the microphone.
My friend told me this was the best way to record in a non treated room (I cant do any treatment to this apartment unfortunately :/)

Thanks a ton for the replies :)
Klagen
 
Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies.
I've already gotten a midi keyboard :)
I dont know what a electribe is. I was considering a sampler/groovebox, but I think I want to upgrade my recording chain first. :)
 
I believe an Electribe is sort of a sampler/groovebox. Useful for hip hop I suppose.

Which Blue Bird do you have? You could really increase the quality of the vocals with a good mic, so a good studio condenser mic is what I'd be investing in. But you probably have a good condenser already, if you needed the phantom power.

Furthermore: do your tracks only have rhythm, guitar and vocals. I'd get someone to play keys or (synth) bass, or get a (virtual) analog synth for bass grooves :D But that's just my cup of tea.
 
♫♪Tyson♫♪;3536874 said:
if ur going hiphop, your gonna need some beats. get a midi keyboard and you'll be on ur way
Click to expand...

Klagen said:
Our setup right now is:

Cakewalk A-500PRO midi keyboard . . .
Click to expand...

If you're going to post in other peoples threads then you should probably READ THEM!!!!!!


As far as what you NEED . . .

Only you can really know that. If you don't notice you're missing it then you don't need it right now. I know that buying a bunch of gear is fun, but if you don't know you need it, or you aren't unhappy with an aspect of your chain, then I'd save you're money.

However, it really depends on the type of hip hop you want. A lot of old-school gear can be gotten pretty cheap and you can make some really cool dirty old-school hip hop on it. So I think you need to let your needs dictate your direction. (But a few different mics never hurt anyone.) (and yes, your interface is the weak link right now.)

Try this place for some direction.
 
Hm, he could have just missed that sentence

But yeah, surely if you don't think something is missing... no sense in buying stuff you don't really need, or you'll probably end up not using it anyway. If you do wanna invest, replace the components of the gear you have with better ones. Or give some money to charity :p
 
Hey everyone,
thanks alot for the replies, greatly appreciated :)

- I got the Blue Bluebird. Brand is blue, and the mic is the bluebird :) its a condensor microphone, a pretty good 1 at that :)

-Oh yeah, we have the keyboard to lay down some keys, and strings etc where fit :) various VST and soundfonts to compliment that

I was also having my eyes on the audio interface, I thought that was my weak link right now.

Thanks alot for the replies :)
 
For starters, get your vocalist out of that corner. Get out in the room. Even untreated, it will be better. The corner of an untreated room is like standing wave central. You don't want to be there.
 
Even if you're in an apartment, you can treat the room you're mixing in. It's the biggest bang for the buck to improve your mixes.... you NEED to hear your mixes accurately.

You can probably get away with treatment for under $200 if you're a DIY'er.

Fabric covered OC703 panels in strategic locations and held on the walls with small nails or pushpins that you can remove and spackle over when you move out. Check out the Studio Build forum here at HR. Lots of good info.
 
Hey guys,
thanks for the replies.
the corner is somewhat treated (It has a pretty thick layer of blankets hanging at both sides)
Would it be better to record in the middle of the room?

I will check that chili, thanks alot :)
 
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