Newbie on a Budget, Please Help

[asengup6]

Hi everybody, this is my first post. My objective is to record acoustic guitar and vocals simultaneously (that is recording myself playing and singing songs) and to make videos. I have been looking around for advice on this, and here are three of them :

1. a dynamic microphone for vocals, a cardioid microphone for guitar, and an audio interface (not sure what an audio interface does).
2. a condenser microphone and a pre-amp
3. a guy whose youtube recordings i have admired told me he uses a blue yeti and a zoom h2n for his work

As you probably would have figured out by now, I am a bit confused about all this. What would be your recommendations? Also, where does the video part come in? Can I use the video camera of my phone or the webcam on my laptop? I am looking for acceptable video quality and good (good, but not really 'professional') audio quality. I am on a budget of around $200, but can stretch it by around 50% if required. Thank you all for your replies.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi everybody, this is my first post. My objective is to record acoustic guitar and vocals simultaneously (that is recording myself playing and singing songs) and to make videos. I have been looking around for advice on this, and here are three of them :

1. a dynamic microphone for vocals, a cardioid microphone for guitar, and an audio interface (not sure what an audio interface does).
2. a condenser microphone and a pre-amp
3. a guy whose youtube recordings i have admired told me he uses a blue yeti and a zoom h2n for his work

As you probably would have figured out by now, I am a bit confused about all this. What would be your recommendations? Also, where does the video part come in? Can I use the video camera of my phone or the webcam on my laptop? I am looking for acceptable video quality and good (good, but not really 'professional') audio quality. I am on a budget of around $200, but can stretch it by around 50% if required. Thank you all for your replies.

Hey,
A dynamic mic for vocals is a good idea because they're more forgiving to blast noises etc and allow you to get closer.
The closer you get, the less background noise is heard.

'A cardioid mic isn't a type of mic like dynamic/condenser/ribbon is. Cardioid is a polar pattern - The direction in which the mic is most sensitive.
You could have a cardioid dynamic mic or a cardioid condenser mic.

Have you any interest in the guitar recording being stereo?

An audio interface is the box which amplifies your mic signal, turns it into digital audio, and then transmits that to the computer as data.
If you had a Zoom h2n or any hand held recorder it would either be your audio interface or eliminate the need for an audio interface, since you could record straight onto it then import the recordings to your computer later.

You could record the video using your phone or webcam, but I imagine you already know how good that's going to look, right?
Forget about audio with webcams/cameras. That gets thrown in the bin.

Depending how serious you are, look into some of the popular you tuber's cameras. A lot of them use the more basic canons. Some use go pros.
I have a samsung nx1100 and a canon FD 1.4 50mm lens which throws out a very smart picture. It's (comparatively) very cheap, but would still eat your budget up.


$2-300? Have a serious think.

You're probably better just throwing a USB mic on the table, recording from webcam for video, and just saving your money to upgrade another day.

I just started doing YT videos with a Tascam DR40 (built in mics for guitar), sm58, and my nx1100.
The total bill there is about probably about $450 or so without cables, headphones, stands, etc.

 

[asengup6]

Hey, thanks a lot for your detailed reply. I just thought that the stereo guitar recording ( if I correctly understand this means using separate microphones for vocals and guitars and isolating the two tracks) would sound better than a mono recording (using a single microphone ??).


I am thinking of going with the sort of set up I mentioned in (1) - a dynamic mic, a cardioid condenser mic, an audio interface ( I just read up about what it does..), a camera and a video editing software. I wouldn't have to buy a camera- we have a few of them in the house ( some Canon digicams, some SLRs..).


So you are saying you use the Tascam for guitar and the Shure mic for vocals and record the video with your camera? How do you create the final video? You use some video editing software?

Thanks!

 

[TimOBrien]

First get a good book and learn the basics before you waste precious money.

A $20 copy of Home Recording for Dummies (don't laugh at the title) will save you $$$$$$$.

Then you can get an interface, an sm-57, a sm-58, some headphones and save up for monitors.

We've all been there, but you're not gonna learn everything from a few posts....

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hey, thanks a lot for your detailed reply. I just thought that the stereo guitar recording ( if I correctly understand this means using separate microphones for vocals and guitars and isolating the two tracks) would sound better than a mono recording (using a single microphone ??).

No, stereo doesn't just mean two channels. It means left and right accurately representing a real stereo field.
Maybe I'm complicating matters but some people like to record guitars in stereo. 2 mics on guitar (l+r) and 1 mic on vocals.
I guess you don't know or aren't fussed so don't worry about it.

I am thinking of going with the sort of set up I mentioned in (1) - a dynamic mic, a cardioid condenser mic, an audio interface ( I just read up about what it does..), a camera and a video editing software. I wouldn't have to buy a camera- we have a few of them in the house ( some Canon digicams, some SLRs..).

Yeah, that sounds like a plan, since you already have the camera end sorted out.
You'll still struggle with your budget but, say, a Tascam us122 , shure sm58 and rode nt1a would go a long way.
Either that or a handheld plus a 58..Whichever.
Some handhelds won't let you use internal and external mics at the same time though. Research is needed here.

So you are saying you use the Tascam for guitar and the Shure mic for vocals and record the video with your camera? How do you create the final video? You use some video editing software?

Thanks!

Exactly. You'd import your video which will have crap sounding audio with it, usually.
Then you import your proper audio that you recorded and expertly mixed.
Line the two up, then mute the raw camera audio. Done.

Take Tim's advice! It's solid.