First studio for violin, voice, and keys.

S

Selvae

New member
Hi, please can you advise what I need to buy for my first affordable, studio. I play the violin, sing and the keyboard. I have a Roland synth. Acoustic violin. I have friends who play guitar, bass, drums etc. But for starting to record my own songs, I plan to use a programme, I have a monitor also. And a laptop. I want to record songs that others can also record with. But first with what I have. What programme and equipment do I need please? I'm 31 and love all music, at the moment I'm playing in an electro swing band! Thank you... *~ Selva
 
For acoustic violin you need a good space and a decent microphone. While you can make a lot of accomodations for the space by close micing vocals, the violin is not well suited to close micing so the acoustics of the place that you're recording in will contribute, for better or worse. You haven't described the space you'll be using for a studio, but unless it's reasonably large and already sounds good, you'll want to budget for room treatment, after you've read everything you can find on just the equipment you'll need and how to get started.

P.S. If you're already playing the fiddle in a band, and it has a pickup, recording direct might be a quicker solution, short-term, so you can use that signal mixed with a microphone, for the violin track.
 
I'll add to Keith's comment. You need a good space and a decent microphone - OR - you want a really dead and damped space, and some really good room simulations in terms of reverb. My studio sounds fine for most things, but I've discovered it records my double bass poorly, and does the same with my saxes. Voice and guitars sound fine, but the saxes especially sound horrible. Heavily damping the room so its quite dead and unmusical sounding lets me record the instruments really dry, with hardly and real room sound, because the room sound is bad and I can replace it with better. It seems to be ok with mixing and other sources, but saxes sound thins and strange, and the double bass has all sorts of my playing defects - left hand slap/rattle and physical noise in particular that it taxes the eq. I think violin would be pretty bad too, as it's another instrument that really needs a wonderful space to make the tone work.
 
Thank you! I will start with the basic list, there. I was wondering whether to buy an all you need home recording kit for £150 on Amazon, but maybe I could work out a better quality condenser mic, etc, and buy the list posted, seperately? Limited budget, so I'm just trying to find out the best way to go about it.- I was planning to record in the kitchen, very small! Better resonance for a fiddle and less rattling? And set up the mixing in my living room. I also have a big understairs cupboard I could soundproof... Not sure about that yet. Lots of time! Autumn and winter project, just really want to get started, so I'll work on this list. Thank you so much, *~
 
'Affordable' means different things to different people. Do you already have a mic, and other gear? What are the specs on your laptop - PC or Mac?
 
Studio SOS: Violin Recordings |

^"Read, learn and inwardly digest" Ok! Might put you off a bit but, with such a tricky instrument as the violin (never recorded one but all said so far seems right from other sources I have read) you need to get some decent kit I think or the results will be bad and kill your enthusiasm?

I have to be brutally honest and say, IMHO £150 will just about get you a suitable microphione or, a modest interface. Regarding the latter, you have a Roland synth, does it have MIDI ports? If so, DO make sure you get an AI similarly equipped. The plethora of instruments "mate" plays leads me to think you will need at least 4 microphone inputs, maybe even look at the Tascam 20-20?

Sorry to be a bit of a misery but strings are hard to REPRODUCE well even from superb recordings leave alone record so you have shall we say some challenging times ahead!

And speaking of "repro", you are going to need some very good monitors and headphones.

And, NOT that you need to spend AS much but the mic mentioned in that article is well on the way to a bag of sand!

Dave.
 
Ok, yes I will.need four inputs to record my friends input as instruments, my synth does have midi inputs,my laptop is average to poor, and I'm not totally fussed about the quality condenser of violin recording, the best I can get, will do, that's what life is like with a violin. SO, please advise the best interface, and mic, I assume, at this stage, thank you so much. It doesn't have to be the best mic, just a basically good one, will do. The interface, as I say, with my experience of recording violin, always trouble, never amazing, so the interface please is most important, I would like advice on.. Thanks
 
Recording a violin is easy. Making it sound nice is damn difficult. The room you record in is usually the biggest problem. Violins sound awful in square, boxy spaces with parallel walls.

What are the recordings for? We have no idea of your quality expectations. Just a record of what you played or something that sounds commercial?

If you have all these instruments then you need multiples of everything, so budget will need to be multiple too. Mics, stands, cables, then at the very least decent monitors will set you back plenty. Number of inputs is the major buying problem. How many sources at one time? Stereo is quite simple - the 2i2 being a cheap interface with a decent reputation. If you need to go more than two channels, it gets expensive, and more than four will be very expensive. It's a bit like asking what car to buy? So much depends on what your expectations and needs are. Could you give us a typical recording session from your head? What will be happening?
 
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Hi,

So I'm not overly fussed on sound quality yet, the violin is always a pain to mix!!! I'll work with what I can! My main purpose is to get the ideas out of my head into a form I can listen to, playback and play around with, learn how to craft and layer songs.

For just me, It will be, violin, voice and Synth. As a typical recording. I think I will focus on that for now. And swap/sell for more people to record, when I've figured out this basic level of recording and mixing :)

I have a mic, stand, laptop, Lenovo ideapad 100s. it doesn't have a discdrive, but seems quite capable of most things. The Synth is a Roland Rs-5 64 voice synthesiser. It has three midi thru, out in, and four jack out inputs.

I don't have, an, audio interface, monitors, headphones, recording software.

I am also pretty unsure about the leads I will need for everything as listed.

Please can you advise me to cost effective purchases, and the leads I will need for this, please? I assume I only need a two part interface at this stage, for just me, I will have to alternate voice and violin anyway as I can't do both at the same time!

Thank you so much, this is so daunting! :/ Selva
 
Selvae - you're making one hell of a jump at once. Everyone always says they are not interested in sound quality, and then realise they really are!

Questions - what do you listen to music, and make your current musical judgements on? A hifi? Headphones? Your phone? We need to assess what your current circumstances are. You have a synth, so what do you listen to that with? You need to have some kind of audio datum you can base your judgement calls on.

A simple interface like the 2i2 could be fine. Your computer is a bit thin performance wise, but might run audio software ok? Have you tried it with something like audacity first - as it's free? Do you have a preference. It needs to be able to handle MIDI too, which Audacity doesn't. Cubase elements might be OK (my choice) but others might prefer something else. If you have a mic, is it a good one for recording a violin? As most mics for recording will have XLR outputs for the interface, I wonder what it is that already fits your computer? Essentially you record one thing at a time. You plug the headphones into the interface. Speakers are really for when you record the synth and do your mixing.

This is a fair learning curve to do on your own quickly? Do you know anyone local who can assist? Some people pick it up very quickly and others struggle for ever, then give up.

The more info you can give us, the easier it is to guide, but more importantly, stop you doing some things!
 
Yes, I'm sure I will be pulling out teeth over the sound quality! I just need to get set up first and am trying to buy what I need without it being the wrong stuff... Yes, you are right!, to stop me doing the wrong things! I don't have anything set up at home yet, so I can't feedback about what I listen on? I've always gone to a studio or friends basic set-ups to record, I just have some basic hi-fi speakers I plug into the laptop to listen to music. They're good, Samsung. I'm not quite sure why they can't count as monitors? are monitors and speakers different? ! Sorry, I've always played in bands and never been on the tech side, ! Ah, for the Synth, I would use my amp to listen to it on. I'm not sure if the mic is good enough yet, I'm just going to run with it for the moment and try to set it up to record for now, as I say. I'm sorry, I don't understand the question, what do you mean by 'I wonder what it is that already fits your computer?' My computer has an hdmi, the smaller end/type input, two usbs and a headphone minijack.
I do know someone local who might be able to help me when I am half-way through, but we had a little affair last year and it's a bit too tense :( So I'm hoping if I get halfway set-up he will answer/help some questions for me.


Ok, I think I'm going ahead with the 2i2, Do you know which cables I will need to purchase for recording with that? microphone and synth? please? or is it not that simple? I really hope at least this part is... :/?


can I also ask, what does midi mean? thank you, Selva
 
also, is the mixing done on the computer now?, across the board? I don't need an actual mixing desk anymore? its all software?, oh yes, and the focusrite 2i2 comes with protools, that has a 16 track mixing, I like to layer a lot so that's not enough tracks for me, I'd like software that lets me record as many tracks as I need, ay reccomendations please?
 
Selvae said:
also, is the mixing done on the computer now?, across the board? I don't need an actual mixing desk anymore? its all software?, oh yes, and the focusrite 2i2 comes with protools, that has a 16 track mixing, I like to layer a lot so that's not enough tracks for me, I'd like software that lets me record as many tracks as I need, ay reccomendations please?
Click to expand...

Reaper is probably the best choice although there are some good freebies about now. Studio One and Sonar/Cakewalk.

Yes, mixers are In The Box now but you might like to investigate MIDI "surfaces" or a controller such as the Behringer BRC 2000? Most run via USB these days but if you are contemplating anything MIDI makes sense to me to get a DIN equipped AI?

Dave.
 
Speakers are monitors. The way most people approach hifi speakers vs monitors is that monitors are generally truthful, while hifi speakers are flattering. If you play music through your hifi speakers recorded by somebody who knows what they're doing - as in commercial releases - what does it sound like? Is there any bass, or are they small and a bit weak at the bass end. You can use these perfectly well, as long as you get to know these speakers well. If you like bass metal music, then little speakers won't really work for you - but if you want to record music with much less bottom end, small speakers can be fine. The critical thing is that you use them to make decisions. If they cloud the process by hiding things, they're useless.

If your speakers make a nice noise, and work well with your computer, then add an interface, a mic and away you go.

The fits your computer bit - you have a mic that you already plug into your computer. Computers won't have XLR connectors on them, so does your mic have a small 3.5mm plug that connects it? If it does, it's probable the computer audio you are getting is pretty compromised. You also need to connect the synth to the computer - plugging it into an amp, then sticking a mic on the amp won't be good enough. So you will need a proper interface, probably a two channel one like 2i2 or similar. You can then plug the synth in AND the mic at the same time, and it can handle a cheap mic and better quality ones as you progress. In essence - your computer becomes the hub. The Lenovo with just 2GB of RAM is going to be working hard. It may or may not cope.

Any of the common software packages will work for you - some even come with the interfaces if you seek out one that has a special offer or beginners package. You need a few cables and a pair of headphones, or long cable in-ears. So much you will learn from trial and error. Try a recording and have a listen. What does it sound like? Move the mic, try again, repeat till you find the right position. Too many people worry about the technicalities and spend little time experimenting. Slap a mic up, point it and record. Train your ear to recognise signal (wanted) and noise (unwanted) sounds. Before long you will start to hear the creak from the radiator, or next door's dog barking, and the horrible noises fingers can make. It's all experience.
 
Ok, thank you so much, I think I have just one final question for now...

Would I plug in my synth to the interface via a midi-jack lead? or a jack to jack?

And I apologise, for confusion, no my mic isn't straight into the computer, it's an xlr cable. So I assume I need xlr to jack for the interface?


Ideally I would like to record synth and voice at the same time, because I don't play guitar and write songs that way....Is that still possible with a 2i2 interface that has two inputs?!


:) I can't thank you enough, seriously, you have been so helpful. In the name of all that is good and music! Thank You! !
 
Selvae said:
Ok, thank you so much, I think I have just one final question for now...

Would I plug in my synth to the interface via a midi-jack lead? or a jack to jack?

And I apologise, for confusion, no my mic isn't straight into the computer, it's an xlr cable. So I assume I need xlr to jack for the interface?


Ideally I would like to record synth and voice at the same time, because I don't play guitar and write songs that way....Is that still possible with a 2i2 interface that has two inputs?!


:) I can't thank you enough, seriously, you have been so helpful. In the name of all that is good and music! Thank You! !
Click to expand...

If you want to record the sound, i.e. the AUDIO from the synth (model please!) then it need to go into the line input of the 2i2 but, IF the synth has MIDI ports, DON'T buy the 2i2! Get the 2i4 at least but there is another slight problem. Synths and their ilk are often stereo and so if you want to record stereo you need two line inputs. Problem. The 2i2 HAS only two inputs and so no mic!

Ideally then you need at least 1 mic + 2 line ins but you won't find that and have to go to 2 mics+ 2 line ins and I think that is the 6i6?

Never bloody ends DO it?!

Dave.
 
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