a question from a newbie

  • Thread starter Thread starter Botulism
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Botulism

New member
Hey all,

I bet you guys seen this question like a million times, but here is it another time :)

I'm a guitarist/ singer can play the bass if i have to.
I been writing songs for awhile, varying from nu-metal too just accoustic guitar and voice.

Im not in a band currently cause my personality tends to clash with some people, actually people in general, lol

I just wanna start recording my songs, just for me as a challenge and for fun.
And maybe in the future if manange to get a decent recording, record a demo os some bands my friends play in.

Since im into computers the best way for me is to go digital i guess.

so what will i'll be needing?

a decent souncard:

i was thinking bout picking a m-audio off ebay, but not sure which model i should get?

mic's:

Shure SM57 for guitar and bass
Shure SM58 for voice
i also heard good thing bout the AKG C 1000 S
ne good tips?

Then software, i was thinking bout cubase vst since i heard its very good, and i can borrow it from my guitar teacher to test it out.

So what will i'll be needing more?

a pair of studio monitors?

i heard some mackies the other day and was quite inmpressed with them, but i think they where kinda expensive.
btw how do you guys hook up monitors to your pc's, cause i have no clue, you can just plug en in you soundcard where you normally plug in the pc speakers?

What i want to do is record both electric and accoustic guitar, bass, and voice.
Since i dont own a set of drums i have to figure something out how im gonna do drum parts?
Maybe a piece of software?

I wanna make a decent sounding recording wich i can burn on cd, but nothing pro, cause i dont have money for that.

So you guys have any tips reccomendations on what kind of gear i should get?

greetings,

Rob
 
...looks like you have a good start. Most of the things you're considering will work pretty well for you.

- Yes, I'd go digital - it's probably the best way to go if you're proficient with computers.

- As far as mics go, if you're trying to save cash, just buy 1 Shure SM58 for now and use it for both. Unscrew the cap, and you have an SM57. If you're not recording drums, and you want a step up for vocals, try and Okatva MK-319. $150, and it's a great sounding condenser.

- M-Audio is a good choice for recording - you'll get much better results with a 24 bit card. Check out the Audiophile, but hit their website and see what's the best option for you.

- Fruityloops and Acid Pro are the most common programs used for drum programming. I prefer drum machines myself (I swear by the Zoom 234)

- You can mix with anything, but you'll want good studio monitors. Check out Yorkville's, or the new M-Audio monitors (I have no experience with either, but we hear good things about them here). If you go with active (or amplified) monitors, you can plug them right into your sound card. If you get passive ones, you'll need an amplifier.

The only main thing you still need is a mic preamp or a mixer. Do some searches and see what works best within your budget.

Good luck, and welcome to the neighborhood :)
 
It seems as if you have a pretty good grasp on things, Botulism. ;)

You might want to look at a pair of Event 20/20 reference monitors.

http://www.event1.com

If you get powered monitors you would go straight out of your soundcard into the monitors. If you purchase un-powered monitors, you would go OUT of your soundcard IN to an amp, then OUT of the amp IN to the monitors.

BTW.................. the website for M-Audio is http://www.midiman.net
 
thanks for the warm welcome and the good tips guys :)

on the mixer versus preamp issue:

If i understand it right from reading lots of post, i would need a mixer if i'd wanted to record several tracks at once.
Since i'll be recording only a single track at once i dont think i have need for a mixer at this time.
So it be better to invest in a decent mic pre-amp then go off and buy an expensive mixer.
I think i'll get more bang for my back with just a good pre-amp.

your opinion?

Can you guys advice me on a good mic pre-amp i'd say for about $200.
It may cost a bit more if its noticable increased quality above a $200 amp

On the studio monitor side i think i just gonna visit a good store and have a nice listening session.
I'll take the brands you guys stated in account, maybe some more tips on studio monitors.

Btw i still live at home so i aint got no big room to record in, i have to make a choice between my bedroom, or the computer- room my dad build me.

He build me a computerroom in the back of the house, its not used anymore cause i moved my rigs to my bedroom.
its a small 2x2,5 meters room.

Since my bedroom is an accoustic nightmare i was thinking abouth movin my stuff to the computerroom and isolate it with some sort of dampening material?

is this a good idea?

Ans what material should i use?

sorry for all the question :)

greetings,

Rob
 
I'd say buying a good mic pre is a good way to go. If you decide to expand later on with multi-channel recording, you'll still have the pre, so it's not necessarily a wasted investment. Again, there's lots of good mic pre discussions, try searching in the Microphones forum. You can probably get a fairly decent starter pre around $100. Check out the Audio buddy as a possibility.

If you're not recording drums and you're only recording yourself, you won't need a whole lot of space or a lot of isolation. If you want to minimize reflections you can use moving blankets or studio foam. If you want to keep sound from invading the house, you could lay in sheet rock (it's fairly cheap), then blankets or foam on top of that. Check out the Studio Building forum. I don't know my metric system very well (I know, shame on me), but I'd go with the computer room if you can pull it off.
 
Bot, you're doing OK. Good advice above. I'll add this- For your purposes, the M Audio SP5B's will work. They're not the greatest monitors in the world, but they're useable for $300 the pair. AKG C1000S- Don't do it. Many better deals out there. First, you will need a preamp to get phantom power for condenser mics and better sound quality. Mics- for acoustic, check Behrenger ECM 8000 (wicked cheap- $38), Oktava MC012, Marshall MXL603.
For vocals, Marshall V67, V93, Oktava MK319, Studio Projects B-1.
In the beginning, you may just want a Shure SM57 or SM57 beta. Doesn't need phantom power. Fair for voice, fair for acoustic guitar, great for micing electric guitar amps, good for drums. While not ideal for anything except electric guitar cab, it is at least OK for everything, making it one of the most versatile mics ever made, and nearly impossible to break. You can't go wrong for $80!-Richie
 
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