another new guy who is going to be

[zebedy]

recording his own band.

We are a three piece band guitar drum and bass 3 vox

We are planning on using Cubase. Which I'm told is simple. I use it in college for Audio for Multimedia projects but haven't used it for anything else yet.

Were going to be buying a MOTU Pre 8 for recording everything.

Can anyone tell me what else I may need.
I know Microphones. Can someone recommend some CHEAP but EFFECTIVE microphones for me.

And I want to have a wee mixer aswell. Can someone explain what the main use of it will be. and maybe tell me what type to go for and what it has in the purpose of our whole recording process.?

Remember to dumb things down for me

 

[Waffleness]

So basically your going to need to buy:

Mics - Kick, Snare, Hats, Toms (optional) and Overheads. If you buy an sm57 for the snare, it will double as an excellent guitar mic, and probably a vocal mic if you want to save money. Bass guitar will need a DI box - the Kick mic can be used to mic the bass cab.
Kick microphone - my suggestion would be e901, beta91, B52 or D112. All are good mics for the job.
Hats I would say a SDC like an SE1, e614, e914. Overheads you will want either another 2 SDC's or 2 LDC's. These are typically a matched pair of microphones. Again, any of the SDC's I mentioned would work. I am a real fan of the AKG 414's. Rode NT1A's are a budget option. You will find a lot of diverse opinions on mic's.

Software wise - if you want to use cubase you will probably want to buy essential 4 as a starting point. This does all your basics. Studio 4 (I own) is a good peice of software if you feel essential is limiting.

Mixer isnt important if your strapped for cash, can be done with the mouse on cubase.

 

[zebedy]

Software wise - if you want to use cubase you will probably want to buy essential 4 as a starting point. This does all your basics. Studio 4 (I own) is a good peice of software if you feel essential is limiting.

Mixer isnt important if your strapped for cash, can be done with the mouse on cubase.

I will be just using a simple Window XP Laptop, if this helps.

What is Essential 4 and what does it do?

As for a mixer, Would it be used just for anolog EQ or what else could I Use it for? And When buying one it would be a FIREWIRE one wouldn't it as the PRE8 is firewire style.?

 

[Everybody]

I think essential 4 is just a version of cubase...but if you have some sort of cubase just go ahead and use that.

i really wouldnt worry about a mixer, you can do everything in cubase just fine. but if you get one you dont HAVE to have firewire, its just faster than usb.

as for the mics how cheap are you looking for all the mics?

i agree with waffleness on mostly everything

id go with..

MXL990 for vocals and hihat if you want to mic them

Shure Beta 52A for kick drum and micing bass cab (as stated above)

SM57 for snare and micing guitar cab (stated above)

MXL604 pair for overheads (or if you need cheaper Nady CYM-2 pair)


Best of luck!

 

[zebedy]

I'm alright on the mic front for now for drums, as I'm a session drummist
I say that but I only do sessions at one studio.

Would like to have a fairly decent vocal mic to be honest. I've got a thomann flyer the other day, Do you know if the StudioProject B1's are good quality on thomman they are £86 a pop, But would I have to have seperate power thing for it as it needs 48v phantom power, or would pluggin it into the MOTU PRE8 be fine enough. Could I use it also to mic up my guitar players amp He uses a line6Flextone amp. ( It's got two speakers in it )

Remember keep things dumbed down for me just a learner yet. lol

*thanks so far guys*

 

[suprstar]

The MOTU Pre 8 has phantom power.

Studio Projects makes some really good mics, I got a friend with a C1 that sounds AWESOME, best vox I ever heard on any amatuer recording! I've heard great things about the B1 on this board as well. In fact, a B1 or a C1 will definately be my next mic purchase..

Maybe consider a Presonus Firestudio instead of the MOTU. It also has phantom power. The FS has 8 analog outputs and 2 inserts, so you could connect those outputs to any standard mixer and run comfort fx for musicians while tracking, or record live shows with all the fx you want, while still recording a dry signal. The MOTU has no line outs or inserts, so I'm not sure how you could accomplish all that with the MOTU. The MOTU 828mk3 has outs and inserts, but it costs $200 more than the pre 8.

 

[zebedy]

Thanks for the feedback on B1 microphones sir.

Trying to keep things cheap to a certain level, But I know in pro audio equipment you pay for what you get.

So realisicaly all i need to record my band would be for example

Cubase SXi
MOTU Pre8
Laptop (WindowsXP)
Mics of choice
thinking of getting some used Yamaha NS10's as they are known as the industrie standerd to mix through but they don't make the NS10's anymore apparently.

is that all?

 

[suprstar]

That'd be a decent little setup, but like I mentioned before, I'd make real sure that Pre8 does everything you need. Maybe the Pre8 can do what I mentioned above, i dunno. I know for sure the Firestudio can.

 

[Waffleness]

I would add some kind of closed back headphones for monitoring.

 

[Dani Pace]

Don't forget mic stands. Decent boom stands make studio work so much easier than straight stands. And try to use a good sounding room to record in, the better it sounds going in the easier it will be to work with and produce a decent sounding recording. BTW welcome to the world of home recording.

 

[WhiteStrat]

...thinking of getting some used Yamaha NS10's as they are known as the industrie standerd to mix through but they don't make the NS10's anymore apparently.

You might want to check out this thread regarding the NS10's. Talks about just why they are an "industry standard" and may make you re-think them as your first choice.

Good luck in your recording ventures!

 

[mousedadrummer]

If u decide to get NS10s, make sure they are either powered, or come with a decent amp to power them....or they wont work!

I agree with "Everybody" for the choice of mics, and try and employ either the "recorderman" or "glyn johns" method of setting up overheads (google them)

 

[zebedy]

think mic wise

going for 57's top and bottom of snare
AKGD112 for kick
C100's for over heads
Sennheiser e604's for the toms

and a B1 Project microphone for a room microphone, Sound healthy to you guys?

Now thats 8 microphones yeah.

Say for tracking my drum parts with a headphone mix of my guitar player playing, and me hearing him and a click in my headphones, even though I've used all 8 inputs on my MOTU pre8 is this all possible yeah?

(i haven't bought any of this yet btw)

 

[blazingstrings]

Say for tracking my drum parts with a headphone mix of my guitar player playing, and me hearing him and a click in my headphones, even though I've used all 8 inputs on my MOTU pre8 is this all possible yeah?

(i haven't bought any of this yet btw)

That's were a mixer could help. And while it maybe nice to have a lot of mics on your drums it may not be necessary as you may only use a few of the tracks in the end. Experiment with it and see what works best(I only use 4 mics on a kit at the most), It also depends on your Genre of music too. Some music needing more clarity.

But you would want to have the guitarist isolated(Amp in another room and miced or if not using all the inputs on your interface he could use a guitar multi-effects or just D.I. into the interface and scratch track along.

Cheers and have fun!