$900 budget, help me out

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slaytanic Dude
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Slaytanic Dude

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alright, well im going to a new college again next fall and want to open a home-based studio for high school bands and musicians on a budget. Over the summer i'm going to build myself a super computer solely for recording; 1-2 gigs of ram, 3+ ghz, massive hard drive, etc. I have many guitars, a bass, drum kit, a keyboard, 2 vocal mics, a crate glx 2x12 amp, various pedals, etc.

Besides the super computer and software I plan on dropping only $900 into a studio for starters. Here is what I plan on getting...

- M-Audio soundcard (either the audiophile or delta)
- Behringer 16-24 track mixer w/ phantom power & pre-amps
- M-Audio 2-channel pre-amp
- Studio Monitors
- A couple Condenser mics

Am I missing any core components necessary to get good recordings? I know $900 isn't much, but there are great prices on ebay for what I need. I might have a friend buy anything else I need and run the studio with me. Input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Skip the Behringer and get a Yamaha MG series mixer. Honestly. You can't do that much when you're mixing down to only two or four inputs on a soundcard anyway.

The software you use is also crucial. Crucial. Choose well, don't skimp and don't pirate!
 
You mention the audiophile, that'll only give you two simultaneous inputs, if you'll be wantingto record drums and full bands (some like to record live) etc. you'll need at least 8 ins I'd say. And of course you'll need more mics, dynamics for toms, guitar cabs etc and possibly a dedicated mic for kick drum.

I've not used a Behri mixer myself but the reputation isn't good. I'd take a look at the Yamaha MG range, I've used one live and they're good and cheap, probably not much more than the Behringer.

What recording software are you planning on using?

Another thing to bear in mind is that all the bits and bobs like stands, cables, pop screens, headphones etc. really add up so make sure you set aside a good chunk of your budget for all that stuff.

good luck with it and have fun.
 
noisedude said:
Skip the Behringer and get a Yamaha MG series mixer. Honestly. You can't do that much when you're mixing down to only two or four inputs on a soundcard anyway.

The software you use is also crucial. Crucial. Choose well, don't skimp and don't pirate!
Click to expand...
Steal my thunder why dontcha? :rolleyes: :p
 
Thanks, I don't have much experience using various kinds of equipment to see what sounds best, so thanks for the mixer suggestion. I did have stands/cables/headphones/etc. in mind already. As for software, I would like a suggestion on something good that doesn't take a year to understand the basics. One friend of mine uses Cool Edit but the program seems a little amature, I know there are many out there to choose from.
 
If you were to get an 8 input interface such as the Presonus Firepod it comes with a version of Cubase. But that would take most of your budget.
 
I use Cubase SE and would recommend it, I think it's $100 over there.

It's a stripped down version of Cubase SX but it's still a very full useable package and I don't find myself wanting for any of the features in SX to be honest. 48 tracks, 5 inserts per channel, blah de blah.

If you ever felt you wanted to upgrade, the cost of SE would be deducted from the upgrade cost so it wouldn't cost you more money.
 
Do you use the MIDI on SE at all, Nick? I've been thinking about it myself, but I need to know there are reasonable (fairly basic) functions for flexible use of VSTis and in particular soft samplers.
 
noisedude said:
Do you use the MIDI on SE at all, Nick? I've been thinking about it myself, but I need to know there are reasonable (fairly basic) functions for flexible use of VSTis and in particular soft samplers.
Click to expand...

48 tracks for $49 with unlimited MIDI with _____tracks from __music.com!!!

Oh, sorry...I just miss that guy sometimes. :p

SE does have unlimited MIDI tracks, but I have only used the built in MIDI drum machine, which works fine for laying down a demo groove. I don't know of any problems with MIDI implementation in SE. On the other hand, I tried to do MIDI keyboards with Cubasis VST once and I just about blew a gasket. I pretty much gave up on MIDI after that.
 
noisedude said:
Do you use the MIDI on SE at all, Nick? I've been thinking about it myself, but I need to know there are reasonable (fairly basic) functions for flexible use of VSTis and in particular soft samplers.
Click to expand...
I don't mate no. I keep meaning to get a cheap little midi keyboard and start playing around with some VSTi's and stuff but I just haven't got round to it yet. Can you get hold of a .pdf of the manual? that might give you an idea of the midi capabilities in SE. I could always email you one (all 8 meg of it :eek: ).
 
Speak of the devil, Manning1 is viewing this thread as I type this! :eek:

Nick - if you could email me the manual that would be great. Then I can see how it compares to SX and SL which I've used. n i k k e e f e a t g m a i l d o t c o m ... remove all the spaces etc! :)
 
noisedude said:
Speak of the devil, Manning1 is viewing this thread as I type this! :eek:

Nick - if you could email me the manual that would be great. Then I can see how it compares to SX and SL which I've used. n i k k e e f e a t g m a i l d o t c o m ... remove all the spaces etc! :)
Click to expand...
Nik I'm going to compress it with ICEOWS other wise Cubase will be obsolete by the time my mail server sends the thing and yours receives it.

Get ICEOWS here if winzip won't open it.
 
Nice one, cheers man. Not come across ICEOWS before, looks interesting! :)
 
noisedude said:
Speak of the devil, Manning1 is viewing this thread as I type this! :eek:

Nick - if you could email me the manual that would be great. Then I can see how it compares to SX and SL which I've used. n i k k e e f e a t g m a i l d o t c o m ... remove all the spaces etc! :)
Click to expand...
like this?

nikkeefe@gmail.com

?
 
noisedude.
BOO !
missed me did you ?
actually i miss leeds !
very dear to my heart in my younger days.
actually dragon sent me an email.
i sent him an email in response stating my position that i
have to stay true to my professional recommendations as
a studio owner, and professional computer engineer.
and if that meant he would boot me - so be it.
And that my position was people complaining about what i recommend
(ie....powertracks over other packages) might have vested commercial interests in play in seeing me booted from here,
as well as my recommendations.
I offered him ample time, and felt i owed it to him as a courtesy as he is the owner to decide. As i see he is still letting me post.
here i am ! He can still boot me if he wishes.
but i refuse to be budged from my professional recommendations.
anyway i had another death in my family noisedude to contend with.
been busy.
all the best to you and leeds.
 
manning1 said:
noisedude.
BOO !
missed me did you ?
actually i miss leeds !
very dear to my heart in my younger days.
actually dragon sent me an email.
i sent him an email in response stating my position that i
have to stay true to my professional recommendations as
a studio owner, and professional computer engineer.
and if that meant he would boot me - so be it.
And that my position was people complaining about what i recommend
(ie....powertracks over other packages) might have vested commercial interests in play in seeing me booted from here,
as well as my recommendations.
I offered him ample time, and felt i owed it to him as a courtesy as he is the owner to decide. As i see he is still letting me post.
here i am ! He can still boot me if he wishes.
but i refuse to be budged from my professional recommendations.
anyway i had another death in my family noisedude to contend with.
been busy.
all the best to you and leeds.
Click to expand...
I remember talking about academic salaries with you, but I don't remember the Leeds conversations themselves ... but anyhow, nice to see you here.

Don't worry too much about getting banned ... I signed up with a couple of fake usernames impersonating other members last week and as of this point those usernames haven't been banned, despite me emailing Dragon to explain and flag them up to him!!

It's pretty much still marshall law out here ... ;)
 
noisedude.
actually heres a story from the annals of computer history.
just to show computer engineers like myself will always
upset someone when making techincal equipment recommendations.
whether its music software or big computer networks.
Many senior computer engineers/consultants i've met and of my acquantance have been through the same as the following scenario.
one day we will all meet up probably in the computer engr's retirement home and laugh about it.

years ago in the middle part of my career a very large orgn
wanted to purchase a new major computer solution.
It was worth many millions to the successfull supplier.
So of course supplier interest was very high.
I was hired and asked to draw up the technical specifications which had to be met.
I already warned the orgn that hired me for this high profile assignment that it might get ugly due to the amount of money involved.
Wont bore you with all the gory details - but suffice it to say one unsuccessfull bidder tried to get me fired from the project and went over my head to the "big cheese". Who was not amused , and the supplier was shown the door.

I was vindicated. The winning bidder i recommended was the correct solution
and things went hunky dory.
In summary - when market share and money is involved you can bet things get ugly.
Thats why i'm enjoying my retirement. Away from the madness.
peace.
ps...some good pubs in leeds. miss the place.
 
noisedude.
late 60's /early 70's.
i dated a lady in that area. we were very young.
studied degree/science with a noted renowned physics prof in yorkshire.
visited leeds many times. then i went into the computer industry madness as an engr post grad. You probably wont believe this but met the who at uni once complete with the swinging out into the crowd mic that daltry used.
if i remember they came in a red "roller". those were mad years.
at the height of their popularity. my uni was packed to the rafters.
moon was amazing on drums if i remember. in fact they were an amazing live band.i never did the drugs. people called me a geek back then for ahem...
"not conforming". peace.
lot of its hazy now as sooo long ago.got drunk in leeds.
 
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