Attack of the Newb!!!

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Blakeb

New member
Hello recording masters

I want to create a home recording studio but I am confused on several key issues. I'm looking to spend (in total) around $1,500. First I will outline my current gear...

1) Computer
- Pent 3 2.0 gig processor
- 80 gig hard drive
- Will purchase 1 gig memory
- Soundcard is factory = crap

2) Instruments
- Epiphone Les Paul
- Fender 60watt amp
- Yamaha CS1X midi capable synth

3) Software
- Reason 3.0
- Cubase (whatever the highend version is called)
- Fruityloops

My list of things to buy...
- New Soundcard
- 2 studio monitors
- Mixing Board = been looking at some of the smaller Eurotrack (?) Berhingers (spelling?) - any good?
- Condensor mic

What I want to do...
- Record Vocals & Guitar
- Use my synth to write most of the music direct to the software.

My Questions...
1) What kind of soundcard seems the best fit? - I want quality over price.
- Where should I look for soundcards?
2) If I purchase a mixing board... The channels should have preamps + phantom power correct? So, I wouldnt need to buy a seperate preamp?
3) Will I need to buy a compressor?
4) To record quality vocals (aside from having a good voice, mic & room setup) what gear will I need? Can I get away with recording through a mixer onto a software program or is a compressor necessary?
5) What is the most common all-in-one (recording,mixing,mastering) software used in amateur-semipro home recording studios? Is it protools or cakewalk?
6) If I use seperate software to record vocals, can I move the vocal files into Reason 3.0?

Thank you in advance for any responses!
 
I can't help but you might want to post this in the recording forum, more traffic there.

I am a full amateur and a mixing board is not a reqiurement but definitely useful if you're not buying an outboard recorded. I don't think there is a consensus on software, people use different things in the home/semi pro arena. Personally I prefer to record with an external recorder and send to the PC for mixing.

I very much doubt you need a compressor, I would guess most people record their vocals (and other things) without effects (except probably guitars) and then compress them in the software.

I am also looking for a new soundcard and price is a factor. There are expensive version basically with built in mixers or cheaper one's (still good) without. Very much a choice where you need to decide what you want.

Sorry I could not help more.

Tony
 
Well IMO behringers sucks and you shouldn't waste you time or money on them. Also you don't really need a mixer, yeah its nice for the ins and outs but with the proper soundcard/interface you really won't need a mixer, control surface? Maybe but really IMO a mixer is just a waste. Now what I'm going to recommend is just average quality home gear, nothing amazing but the stuff is good enough to get a high quality recording and if you're talented and with some work you can get close to pro level, or what one would perceive as pro level. The firepod by presonus is an 8 channel firewire interface which is compatible with cubase(which is what you have and I recommend sticking with it). Just plug it into your firewire port and you'll have 8 mic pre's to work with, which for what you want to do will be plenty. Some decent starter monitors would be something like KRK's RP-5, they're 300 bucks a pair and sound pretty damn good. Now for a mic, don't cheap out on the mxl's they have their uses but fall short on vox. A Blue BlueBird, Rode NT1-A, Shure KSM27, Studio Projects C1, any of those mics are acceptable, problem is everyone is different when it comes to mics and one that sounds great on me might sound like poo on you so just stay away from the really cheap ones, Studio Projects is about the lowest quality I would go. So your interface($600) Monitors($300) and Mic($150-$500) all total should keep you were you want to be for under your total. Now all of these are examples and there are many other options, I just wanted to give you a place to start.
 
What about soundcards?

I only have my factory soundcard in my comp.

Does the presonus firepod require a better soundcard.

I guess I unfamiliar with how this all works.
 
it requires a firewire port. the presonus is a "gateway" for 8 mics to send individual tracks of music to your computer.
 
So...

The soundcard on my computer will not affect the quality of my recording, mixing etc.?

Thanks.
 
To clarify, the Firepod IS a soundcard (though we use the term "audio interface" around here). It connects through a firewire port, so there's no need to physically replace your current soundcard - rather, you'll just configure your software to record from, and play out to the Firepod. So, you'll have two, independent soundcards (that have no effect on each others' sound). From there, you can tell your OS (probably Win XP) to play all your other sounds through the Firepod, OR you can just leave it like it is, playing through the old soundcard.

I'd also like to throw in my 2 cents on the compressor deal - start without one, and just compress in the software. You may eventually decide you want to step up to something outboard, but its not like you're going to suck until you get one.
 
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