$1500 and no clue!! :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter prezz
  • Start date Start date
P

prezz

New member
Hello, I'm a quite a beginner to the whole recording scene and im currently looking at purchasing gear for myself. I have to buy my gear for college and my own personal preferences. I have approx $1500 to spend, and really dont know where to start with buying things.

I have a little recording knowledge, the past year ive been making beats on fruityloops and then rapping over them on Cool Edit Pro just for a laugh using a headset microphone, the quality being suprisingly good.. only if I hold it close then the P's punch and the S's hiss, and far away it has to be amplified too much and sounds like shit.

Well, i got quite good at emceeing (say my friends) and now looking to get more serious about it for a hobby, and so have had the idea of getting some proper recording equipment over the past few months. I seeked advice from a friend who told me to buy a preamp, sound card and a condenser microphone and then i'd be all set. I thought id wait a while though for more money. Since then, i'm now in a thrash metal band and have the course to look forward to for college and I also play the guitar now, so my gear needs to be more multi purpose. I would preferably like to bring the PC into the garage and record through the PC somehow for practices? If this would work ofcourse... Otherwise my friends multitracker when he gets it.

I have a shuttle PC so I can easily transport my PC around with me to college and my friends garage if I needed to record there. I also have a sound proof room avalible for use down the road.

I have everything set apart from the recording equipment and what to buy. The only thing I am currently certain on at the moment is a Shure SM58 microphone for live performances and practices with the band, I also heard Wu-Tang recorded the 36 Chambers with the SM58, so it could also suit my emceeing needs.

So this is where I need your help, I really dont know where to start with the whole recording thing, but I'd like to record through my PC. What kind of mic is good for rapping and the metal band, and for solo guitars. Should I get a Condenser and the Shure? And is a RODE NT2 a good budget microphone? My friend recommended me it for rapping. I also dont have a clue what preamp/soundcard to buy.

I have $1500 to buy microphone, soundcard, preamp etc, but I would like to save some of that money if need be. Im looking at budget but with good performance (like The NT2 apparently) and for multi-puproses. My friend in the band is buying a multitrack soon, so a mic compatible with that type of recording would also suit me. And all this needs to be computer comptabile really.

so, ANY help will be great!

*sorry if my english is bad, rushing post lol.

Im not looking for really high studio quality, im looking for some rawness like the oldschool rap albums (krs one, kool moe dee etc) and the same for the metal band really.

the current hardware ive looked at is;

- Rode NT1A or AKG C 1000S Condensers for Band recording + hiphop Vox
- Shure SM58 for live performances and possible hiphop recording?
- M-Audio Omni I/O soundcard
- M-Audio DMP 3 preamp with Phantom Power

Now is this all I need for hiphop/band recording. I really dont even know what preamps do and why I need a special soundcard. does the mic go into the preamp which connects to the soundcard?

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP ME

THANKS.
 
there's a lot of things you'll need, and then you can decide the importance of each.

Microphones
Interfaces/mixers - what you plug into (the preamp things)
Headphones - for during recording NOT MIXING THE ALREADY RECORDED TRACKS
software - lots out there
monitors - what you'll listen to your song and adjust volumes and whatnot after its been recorded.

now just use google and this site's search function to find the information you need.

this site will give you the reviews/suggestions for gear, and google will give you where to buy and for how much.
 
You will definatly want a pop filter for your mic. If you are just looking to get some stuff recorded, that Shure 58 will do fine for vocals. It is a great mic to start out with and like you said works good for live stuff too.
 
Ok thanks for the advice, ive been browsing different threads and have gained more clarity about what im dealing with.

I think all buy the above things apart from the monitors and work solely from a decent pair of headphones instead.

What are the names of some of the brands which produce pop filters and what kinda price are they? Shure SM58s come with pop filters dont they?

The gear I have currently lined up is;

Rode NT-1a
M-Audio Audiophile 192
Shure SM58
M-Audio Buddy
Sennhesier HD-215

so.. is all this comptabile and a good standard? Comes up to about $650.... And are there any specific cables that I need to buy?

Thanks :]
 
$1500... that's gangsta. give some to me. I'll do all of it for you. Listen to the stuff in my sig. I did it all with a sm58 straight into the soundblaster. :D
 
Now the honest answer:

I'd add a compressor to that list. Probbably be best off getting a mic in the $400 range AT4040 seems poopular around here. Then get yourself a nice preamp. I like the VTB1 as a cheapie... people like to sweat the DMP3's tits around here too but it costs more. Then get yourself a decent interface for putting into your computer. If two channels is cool I'd just recomend an M-audio 2496. people like the 1010 too. Now if this were ME... I'd get an AKG414 ($800) and maybe the DMP3 ($150). send it into whatever interface you fancy. That mic is gold in my opinion and you will never be sorry you bought it.


oh... and get an 'O' of the good stuff with what you got left. :D at least that's what I might do.
 
prezz said:
I think all buy the above things apart from the monitors and work solely from a decent pair of headphones instead.

What are the names of some of the brands which produce pop filters and what kinda price are they? Shure SM58s come with pop filters dont they?

Thanks :]
Click to expand...

I would seriously consider getting the monitors for mixing. I mixed with headphones for a long time and always got a final mix that sounded nothing like it should outside of the headphones. It would take me way too long to get the mix right. The last demo I recorded I used a set of monitors and it was soooo much easier to get the levels right.

The SM58s do come with a pop filter of sorts, but its not that great, especially for recording. Most mic companys make them. Or you can get some cheap ones from like Nady, On Stage, CAD... etc. I think these work fine for the money. They will run you about $15 - $25 a piece. If you are only doing one vocal at a time, you will only need one. These will greatly cut down on the "pop" you hear in "p" and "b" sounds.
 
What's wrong with a home-made popshield? Why bother paying £15 or whatever when you can stretch some tights over a coathanger for the same effect?!
 
Elton Bear said:
What's wrong with a home-made popshield? Why bother paying £15 or whatever when you can stretch some tights over a coathanger for the same effect?!
Click to expand...

Fuckin A man... Fuckin A
 
Elton Bear said:
What's wrong with a home-made popshield? Why bother paying £15 or whatever when you can stretch some tights over a coathanger for the same effect?!
Click to expand...
You can do that... I just dont happen to own any tights.. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top