Another Dubious Cry For Help

[Bunk]

Well, I just started tryin to record our bands music in my basement using what I would dub very very VERY shitty equipment. The one song we've recorded is Here. I was wondering if someone could give me some guidance to what equipment/any cheap tips or tricks that a starving 17 year old musician could use to make the basement a lil more soundproof/acoustical or even just a general way to go about it. Im pretty clueless and just tryin stuff out. Well anyways sorry for askin alot...any help would be appreciated!

Oh yea...the room in the basement is about 18 x 13 I have to cement walls that meet together in the corner were the amps are, and the other side of the room is set apart from the laundry and bathroom by 2 bookcases as a makeshift wall. We record with Cakewalk Sonar 4 Software!
Amps -
Laney HCM60R
and old Fender Bantam Bass Amp

Sorry again...thats alot of info...Thanks for your time! If you need anymore info just ask.

 

[NYMorningstar]

Welcome to the BBS Bunk.

Cool song.

First off, write down the set up you have now because some day you may want that sound again to start a song or something like Pink Floyd did on 'Wish You were Here'.
The best thing for you to do at this point is to do alot of reading and learning here, it's free and knowledge the most important tool you need to make good recordings. Grab yourself a copy of 'Modern Recording Techniques' by Huber & Runstein. You're going to need a few mics, probably a mixer or mic pre's and monitors to get yourself started but for now read, read and read somemore.

 

[garf]

to the excellent advice above, i would add:
-always buy used ( ebay, local shops, instrumentexchange.com, the free list here)
-search the links for opinions on the gear you are considering getting
-about the time you think your current setup is not working, spend alot of time experimenting with how you are using it rather than getting different gear

 

[Bunk]

Thanks

Thank you for your compliment!

Thanks for all the great advice - I have been reading here alot in the last couple days. Now to save up the money haha

 

[Bunk]

Ive got another question - what type of equipment would I be better off investing in at first, mic preamps or a mixer, I can see the obvious double use for the mixer being able to use it for a pa and what not. When we record we generally do one instrument at a time, and also if it would be better to go one way or another what would you suggest would be the best value ie:cheap is best, but not if its gonna be shitty.

 

[Rokket]

Ive got another question - what type of equipment would I be better off investing in at first, mic preamps or a mixer, I can see the obvious double use for the mixer being able to use it for a pa and what not. When we record we generally do one instrument at a time, and also if it would be better to go one way or another what would you suggest would be the best value ie:cheap is best, but not if its gonna be shitty.

One instrument at a time, pre amp. But ask yourself if you are going to record like that all the time. If you decide to record yourself live, how are you going to do it? A mixer. If you know for certain that you will never record all at once, then pre amp. Also, drums should be mic'd with more than one mic, so a mixer in that case is almost a necessity (unless you are recording to your pc with an awesome multi-input soundcard).

 

[Bunk]

(unless you are recording to your pc with an awesome multi-input soundcard).

Haha I most definatly am not, and I was realizing as I was re-reading and thinking that same thing, drums need lots of mics. Either way, do you have any reccomendations on what mixer would be the best value? Or whether I should look into digital or analog mixers? Powered or Otherwise? wow thats alot of questions sorry... Thanks for your help.

 

[Rokket]

Haha I most definatly am not, and I was realizing as I was re-reading and thinking that same thing, drums need lots of mics. Either way, do you have any reccomendations on what mixer would be the best value? Or whether I should look into digital or analog mixers? Powered or Otherwise? wow thats alot of questions sorry... Thanks for your help.

Price being the object, look into (I'm going to get it for this, but..) look into Behringer, they are the cheapest. But a lot of folks don't like them on here for various reasons.
The best "bang for your buck" is the Yamaha MG series, great pre amps, and moderate price (great sound).

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[Bunk]

Thanks so much for all your advice. DDDD

 

[Rock Star 87]

the best piece of advice i can give u as another starving 17 year old musician is to buy only the equipment u need, spending as much money as u can afford, and then learn it. NO REALLY!, EAT, SLEEP, AND GET HIGH w/ ur preamp, learn everything about how it works. A lot of times u buy more 5 preamps because the 1st one didn't sound right, and if u would have used it right, it would've worked. not saying that ur an idiot, but it's the biggest mistake i see everyone doing.

 

[Bunk]

Hahah

Ok, I will make sure I sleep with it, and set it a place at the table for dinner. Only thing is, can it pitch in 5 bucks for weed like the rest of my friends? Hahaha Thanks for the good advice.

 

[Rock Star 87]

if it does start pitching in weed money, let me know the make and model.

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Technically speaking, a 17 year old working part time probably has more disposable income than many adults. Money shouldn't be as much of an issue given about 2 years to save/work and build up the gear.

In 1990, by the time I was 19 I had 3 guitars--a Gibson V, a San Dimas Charvel and an Ibanez RG--a tube halfstack (JCM 800 & 1960a 4x12), more pedals than you could shake a stick at, a 4 track portastudio, a 4 channel mixer, and a couple of SM57's. Plus I had an Ibanez bass I used to record, and a Boss DR550 drum machine. This was before the great gear deals you get on eBay. I bet my setup cost me at least 8000 bucks!

And my parents bought exactly NONE of it. I earned it at minimum wage, which was 2.50/hour at the time, plus a LOT of lawn mowing/snow shoveling, and some money from gigs. I was able to buy the JCM800 after doing some construction work for a rich friend's dad who paid us 20 bucks an hour (!!!) to put a dock in their backyard (they lived on river property and had boats). I made about 1000 bucks that week.

If you work hard and focus on acquiring music gear you can do it.

Note what I *DIDN'T* spend money on at that time:

1.) Women--I'd date them, but I didn't spend a dime on them.
2.) Drugs--if I could get them free that was fine.
3.) Booze--see above.
4.) Car--my car was a piece of crap, but it was "paid for."
5.) "Toys"--if it wasn't music gear I wouldn't spend money on it.

 

[tedluk]

I would add to all the excellent advice given previously that, if you're going to be using that basement for any length of time, spend some time and money acoustically treating it. It doesn't matter what equipment you buy, nothing is going to reproduce well in an untreated rectangular room with 4 cement walls and a cement floor!

Spend some time in the Studio Building Forum here for lots of info on what works and what doesn't work.

Cloneboy- Where'd you find these women that you could date but not spend any money on? Half the women I know want me to fill out a credit app before giving me a phone number!

Ted