What exactly am I missing???? Also compatible software

[onlymistercap]

Hello guys!!!

I purchased a neumann tlm 102 and an M-Box 2



I make hip hop music and I'm eager to record. I'm just confused a bit as to how to actually get things set up. I have a friend who works out of a high end studio and he told me the neumann would do the majority of the work as far as vocal quality goes. Other than the neumann(w/ pop filter, shockmount, mic cables, etc...) and the M-Box, am I missing anything to go ahead and get started recording at home???

I have another friend who's a great engineer and while he know's how to use quite a few DAW's, the only ones we have access to at the moment are FL studio and adobe audition. What other software could we use to get a professional sound out of my living room?? I don't have an arm and a leg to spend at the moment. If I did, I'd just purchase pro tools, correct me if I'm wrong but aren't some M-Boxes meant to be used with pro tools?

Any suggestions and information would help greatly!!! Thanks!

 

[andrushkiwt]

The benefits of that expensive microphone will most likely not be reproduced in your home studio environment. Personally, I would have taken that $650 and spent half on a microphone, and used the other half for room treatment and maybe a Waves bundle or some good synth toys/virtual instruments, especially for hip hop.

A lot of people here use Reaper, which they swear by. It's free up to a point, I believe, and then something like $40 after some time. Someone else will be along to clarify that, I'm sure. I haven't used it. My interface came with a stripped down version of Studio One 2, and then I just upgraded the DAW once I became familiar with it.

But yeah, after a certain point, microphones won't be able to show their best characteristics unless you're in a great sounding room to begin with. This is just my experience...again, see what some of the other smart dudes around here say.

 

[RAMI]

The benefits of that expensive microphone will most likely not be reproduced in your home studio environment. Personally, I would have taken that $650 and spent half on a microphone, and used the other half for room treatment and maybe a Waves bundle or some good synth toys/virtual instruments, especially for hip hop.

A lot of people here use Reaper, which they swear by. It's free up to a point, I believe, and then something like $40 after some time. Someone else will be along to clarify that, I'm sure. I haven't used it. My interface came with a stripped down version of Studio One 2, and then I just upgraded the DAW once I became familiar with it.

But yeah, after a certain point, microphones won't be able to show their best characteristics unless you're in a great sounding room to begin with. This is just my experience...again, see what some of the other smart dudes around here say.

Agree^^^^^

REAPER is free and not limited in any way as a trial version. If you like it, you pay $60.

Just to be clear though. Getting a "professional sound out of my living room" has zero to do with your DAW. They all "sound" good, in the sense that they just host what you put into them. One doesn't sound better than another. Some might be more suited to certain types of music maybe, just because of what they come with, but that's about it.

 

[Chili]

Pro-Tools should come with your MBox. It used to be, PT required specific hardware units, but they have long since removed that requirement. Now you are free to use any DAW software you want.

So, if you don't have the free version of PT with your MBox (the free version is quite capable, and will be everything you need to do your vocal tracks), you can look at reaper. It's cheap and very good.

You'll need:
- a computer and most likely, the one you're using to post on this forum is good enough to do vocal tracks.
- A decent room to record in. Vocal booths are a myth unless you make it completely dead. But you mentioned your living room and that might be okay.
- Tracking headphones. Should be closed-back so you don't get bleed.
- Monitors for mixing, unless you can use your buddie's high-end studio.
- A good room for mixing. It's as important, if not more important, as a good live room. The mixing room should be acoustically treated to remove nulls and peaks in the audio response. Otherwise, you won't get a true representation of the mix.

- Probably a lot of other stuff.

Enjoy the ride.

 

[andrushkiwt]

- Monitors for mixing, unless you can use your buddie's high-end studio.
- A good room for mixing.

Er, knew I was forgetting something! Yeah monitors. obviously important. I use headphones...but shhhhhh, don't tell anyone!!! i do ok with them, but the difference would be vast if i had good monitors and a good room for them.