I absolutely hate trying to set levels and mess around with mic placement when trying to record myself on guitar. Im fine using the same old set-ups Im used to, but when trying something new late at night with no one to assist it gets to frustrating slithering through mic stands,cables and being forced to sit in front of my board to see if anything is working. I usually just quit. Im looking for some practical advise on making something like this a little easyer.
recording alone sucks ass
- Thread starter snapper
- Start date
Tom Hicks
Well-known member
all that will become automatic
If you got a job in a studio they always start you out with the shit work,running cables and setting up gear.They won't even let you set levels till you get to second the engineer. So already you have a promotion in your home setup!These boring details just makes you more self sufficient as well as making sure IT GETS DONE RIGHT.It gets more fun.Keep tracking,buddy.
regards
Tom
If you got a job in a studio they always start you out with the shit work,running cables and setting up gear.They won't even let you set levels till you get to second the engineer. So already you have a promotion in your home setup!These boring details just makes you more self sufficient as well as making sure IT GETS DONE RIGHT.It gets more fun.Keep tracking,buddy.
regards
Tom
dobro
Well-known member
Snapper, I feel the same way you do - I tend to rely on formulas that worked in the past (and then discover months down the road I couldda been doing it better if I'd experimented a bit). You want to drive the car, not get under it and be the mechanic, right? Thing is, I think the experimenting/tinkering/getting under the car comes with the territory in this gaff. You pay a studio, and someone does it for you; you do it at home, and you DIY. 
BTW, the best sounds I've got out of my studio have been on the occasions when I started in the afternoon, and took the time to experiment with mic placements: place, record, listen; place, record, listen and compare, etc. You decide. There's Good Enough, and there's Good As I Can Get It.
BTW, the best sounds I've got out of my studio have been on the occasions when I started in the afternoon, and took the time to experiment with mic placements: place, record, listen; place, record, listen and compare, etc. You decide. There's Good Enough, and there's Good As I Can Get It.
John Sayers
Solar Power!!
Get a Girl Friend - girls make great tape ops. Just make sure she's not too good looking or you'll be wanting to poke her and that will distract from the guitar playing. 
no - I'm serious I've had a couple of girl tape ops are they are great.
no - I'm serious I've had a couple of girl tape ops are they are great.
Jon X
New member
I don't want my wife around while I'm recording, as she certainly loses patience with it after the first 30 minutes of hitting record, stop, rewind, record... I understand that though as I wouldn't want to hang around turning pages while she reads a book. I wonder if I could talk her into letting me get a "Tape Ops Girl" to come over a few days a week and help me with the recording. Yeah, right. 
Since that option is definitely out, I got an infrared keyboard and mouse and just hook it up and carry it to the drums when I'm recording. It's almost as good as a remote control. Of course that wouldn't work for anything but a computer controlled setup.
Since that option is definitely out, I got an infrared keyboard and mouse and just hook it up and carry it to the drums when I'm recording. It's almost as good as a remote control. Of course that wouldn't work for anything but a computer controlled setup.
Ifrared remote control!!! Now if I was marketing my stand alone 16 track 24/96 digital recorder with fader autamation and all the bells and wistles and it included an infrared or even uhf remote control, who would be buying that. Even if it just does trim and transport control I would be in heaven.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
I've got a jack for the wired remote for my ADATs out in the sound room and I can see the ADATs thru the control room window. I can't set levels from there but I can see the meters and I can record a pass, listen back, move the mic, record a pass, listen back, move the mic.........
I use a spare headphone jack to plug in a remote for my ADAT. I've also used a mirror to see the ADAT levels through the window while playing. Also, if you can set up in front of the mixer, get the level/effects/comp how you like them .... then move your mics in the other room, but use the same mixer channels ... you can probably avoid slithering a lot. If you have good headphones, you can hear differences in mic placement ... so you shouldn't really need to go back and forth that much anyway. As long as you don't make drastic changes in mic placement (moving way close ... or way far away), your levels and such should still be pretty close to what you originally had.
Doing it all by yourself is definitely more challenging ... and time consuming, but it forces you to be very methodical with the whole process and ... in my opinion ... ultimately gets you a better result. Maybe you use your ears more because you have to listen for problems instead of looking for them.
Don't get discouraged ... the more you do it the easier it gets.
I've also used a mirror to see the ADAT levels through the window while playing. Also, if you can set up in front of the mixer, get the level/effects/comp how you like them .... then move your mics in the other room, but use the same mixer channels ... you can probably avoid slithering a lot. If you have good headphones, you can hear differences in mic placement ... so you shouldn't really need to go back and forth that much anyway. As long as you don't make drastic changes in mic placement (moving way close ... or way far away), your levels and such should still be pretty close to what you originally had. Doing it all by yourself is definitely more challenging ... and time consuming, but it forces you to be very methodical with the whole process and ... in my opinion ... ultimately gets you a better result. Maybe you use your ears more because you have to listen for problems instead of looking for them.
Don't get discouraged ... the more you do it the easier it gets.
this is what you need,the keyspan digital media remote. you can check this out at http://www.keyspan.com. it connects to the usb port and give you a hand held tv/vcr type remote for your computer. plus with the wireless headphones jensen 900mhz headphones let you wander around your studio without cables. like the op girls ideal ######### my wife got to go.
In my experience,
Watching levels distracts from the creative process. One of the great benefits of 24 bit depth, as opposed to 16 is that you have much more dynamic range to work with. So your levels never have to be so high that they're in danger of peaking. I'm assuming that you're using a computer. Set your levels then back it down a couple notches before you start recording to allow some headroom that insures that you won't peak.
Also, I've found that recording in an uncluttered room and setup is good for the mind, so clear out your control room if necessary. Position yourself where you can atleast reach your fader to change the level without leaving the chair. If necessary, put the noisy computer in a closet or in another room. Some of your frustrations come with the DIY territory, but you should atleast give yourself the best chance to succeed.
Rev E
Watching levels distracts from the creative process. One of the great benefits of 24 bit depth, as opposed to 16 is that you have much more dynamic range to work with. So your levels never have to be so high that they're in danger of peaking. I'm assuming that you're using a computer. Set your levels then back it down a couple notches before you start recording to allow some headroom that insures that you won't peak.
Also, I've found that recording in an uncluttered room and setup is good for the mind, so clear out your control room if necessary. Position yourself where you can atleast reach your fader to change the level without leaving the chair. If necessary, put the noisy computer in a closet or in another room. Some of your frustrations come with the DIY territory, but you should atleast give yourself the best chance to succeed.
Rev E
MISTERQCUE
Not Just Anutha Brutha
.....and plenty of PATIENCE!
dobro
Well-known member
"One of the great benefits of 24
bit depth, as opposed to 16 is that you have much more dynamic range to work
with. So your levels never have to be so high that they're in danger of peaking."
Is this true? Rev E, you're usually a reliable source of information, but I have to double check on this: 24-bit means you don't have to have the level meter ticking up near 0?
bit depth, as opposed to 16 is that you have much more dynamic range to work
with. So your levels never have to be so high that they're in danger of peaking."
Is this true? Rev E, you're usually a reliable source of information, but I have to double check on this: 24-bit means you don't have to have the level meter ticking up near 0?
From Dobro "24-bit means you don't have to have the level meter ticking up near 0?"
Dobro,
Not having the level meter ticking up near 0 is the same thing as saying "more dynamic range". With 24 bit recording you have a theoretical dynamic range of 144 dBs = 24*6 (not that we even come close, since the best A/D converters Apogees max out at about 118 - 120)
With 16 bit the maximum theoretical dynamic range is 96 dB (16*6). So we're saying the exact same thing.
Rev E
Dobro,
Not having the level meter ticking up near 0 is the same thing as saying "more dynamic range". With 24 bit recording you have a theoretical dynamic range of 144 dBs = 24*6 (not that we even come close, since the best A/D converters Apogees max out at about 118 - 120)
With 16 bit the maximum theoretical dynamic range is 96 dB (16*6). So we're saying the exact same thing.
Rev E
dobro
Well-known member
Look, if I eased off maybe 3-6 dB when I was tracking, my life would be much simpler. Less compressed and limited, too. And no sonic deterioration, you reckon? Forgive me, but I'm knocked out at how I've been uselessly knocking my head against a particular wall these past 10 months.
Let me clear something else up - what does bitdepth determine exactly? People talk about how a greater bitdepth means a greater dynamic range. Okay. But I thought it also determined the sonic equivalent of resolution in photography - the greater the bitdepth, the higher the resolution, so to speak - the more detail it captured. Is there anything in this idea, or is it just a figment of my fevered imagination?
Let me clear something else up - what does bitdepth determine exactly? People talk about how a greater bitdepth means a greater dynamic range. Okay. But I thought it also determined the sonic equivalent of resolution in photography - the greater the bitdepth, the higher the resolution, so to speak - the more detail it captured. Is there anything in this idea, or is it just a figment of my fevered imagination?