Band needs to record demo, need help

  • Thread starter Thread starter misanthropy
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misanthropy

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After about a year of work, we finally have 12 songs fully worked out and perfect that we would like to record, but, none of us really know how. We have a Behringer mixer, and a Tascam PocketStudio 5 digital recorder. Also 2 mics, but i'm not sure what type they are. Both the guitarists and the bassist uses digitech pedals. We have no problem getting a decent sound on our clean parts, but when it comes time to kick in distortion, its very weak. So far we've just been plugging the pedals straight to the Tascam PocketStudio, i was wondering if we could get help with recording distortion, and vocals... please reply
 
if you had a compressor that would help with the vocal sound.
plus what farview said.
 
Are you guys set on doing it yourself?

You may want to consider going to a studio somewhere to get it done. With the equipment you listed you probably won't get a great sound. Also, from what you said it doesn't sound like you have a lot of recording experience, so you may want someone who can achieve the sound that you're looking for. I don't mean any offense by that.

If you guys just want this for yourselves, or you want to learn how to record, then by all means do it yourself. But if you want it to be a professional sounding product, like I said you might want to go to a studio.

If you do end up doing it yourself, then I would recommend upgrading your equipment a bit. Good luck with everything.
 
If I were you I would go to a local studio. With the amount of gear you would need to buy to get a recording you'd be proud of it would be cheaper. Then you have to account for the fact you don't record much and lack the skills needed (just an assumption). I would beat you could get it done buy someone with a home studio for $500.00 or so. Where do you live? You may wont to post a new tread offering to pay someone in your area to record you. I'm sure there is someone here close by. You might live across the street from me. :)
 
I second all of the above. With all the hype about bedroom studios, it still comes down to monetary and time investment. Just because so and so recorded a platinum album with a PortaPotty doesn't mean squat to someone in your position. So and so probably had a big name engineer and big bucks budget for the mastering and lots of experience. If you want to get into recording, do it, but not on the expectation you're going to set the world on fire with a couple of cheap mics and no experience. You could easily spend the same amount on equipment that it would cost to record your material in a real studio and then be faced with a large learning curve to boot. The music comes first: do what you need to do to get the music out there.
 
lpdeluxe said:
If you want to get into recording, do it, but not on the expectation you're going to set the world on fire with a couple of cheap mics and no experience. You could easily spend the same amount on equipment that it would cost to record your material in a real studio......
Click to expand...

The truth in writing right there people.
 
After about a year of practicing I have a "Hondo" guitar and a pod and I want to sound like Jimmy Page... whaddaya think?

Recording is a discipline, a learned skill, like an instrument is a learned skill. No matter what the dipstick at the Banjo Mart told you, you can't buy a few cheap trinkets and make a record... well, I guess you can, but your record will be no better than my guitar playing with the time / skill investment I outlined above.

There are people at all levels of this game with varying degrees of skill and tool sets... some can wank you out a quick demo for $500, $1,000, $5,000 and chances are with each exponential increment you'll attain a slightly better result. Yeah, I could outline how to record vocals and loud guitars for you, but it's not going to do you a whole hell of a lot of good. While you could buy a good entry level audio compressor for like $175-, the next step from there will run you in the $1,000+/channel range, which at your level of skill [vis a vis operating a studio] probably isn't worth your time and expense.

If you've taken the time to rehearse and demo a dozen songs, that sounds like you're trying to make an album... I would suggest that you pass on the concept of doing the album at home... and you put as much pre-production energy into choosing the production team for your album as you put into the writing, arrangement and refinement of the material.

Do some homework as to what studios and what engineers are available in your market... what do they charge? how does their work sound? do they have a personality that is compatible with the personality of your band? similar musical interests? a similar philosophy as to how records should sound?

Don't let the "waka waka" hardware mumbo jumbo get in the way of your decision making process... that's like thinking that with a '59 Gold top Les Paul and a Marshall 'Plexi' I'd be a better guitar player than I am with the "Hono and pod"... machines don't make music, people make music... in other words, it ain't the gear it's the engineer.

While a good engineer with superior tools is a job to behold, a shitty engineer with the same tools can actually make more of a mess than a shitty engineer with an inferior tool set. The way to tell the difference is to listen to their work with similar sounding artists... maybe hang out with them for a bit... do they have an "I'm always right" kind of attitude? ...are they kind of aloof and passive about their work? ...do they inspire confidence in you that they can do the job and have the demo reel to back up the statements? These are all questions it will be in your best interest to answer before you spend another dime on recording your band.

FWIW we're actually looking for a band to record in our 'methods and application laboratory'... which I know sounds strange, but that's where we are. We're looking for a band that can write worth a damn, can play worth a damn, and isn't in a hurry... our facility can only be used on nights and weekends, and the primary focus isn't making the band a record but trying out new gear and devising new methods and applications for the hardware we currently possess. So... if you're in the Southeastern Massachusetts area and don't suck, give a shout and maybe you can be the sound source for our trials... if not... spend the requisite time and energy doing homework to find an environment that will be conducive to your band's creativity at a price you can afford.

Best of luck with it.
 
we arent trying to record a cd at home.... we really just want to record a demo. We know that we arent going to get a studio recording at home, we really just want something to send to a few local companies that may wanna help us get into an actual studio, and sign us. What are your suggestions for recording a demo? Mic the amps and just, record it that way? As long as we can listen to it, and feel the music, thats all we care about. After we get a few replies from some companies, and everything, we'll go to a studio
 
You still would be better off going to a local studio to recorder your Demo. In fact if thats your plan you really need to get someone to do it. You will learn a lot buy getting a studio to do it that why you have more of an understand about micing etc.

You would get a better Demo for less money buy having someone do it.

Where do you live? I'm sure someone around here would be happy to work with you guys.
 
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You really would be better off going to a studio, even if you can only afford to do one song. I was in a band for a while, and I was checking around about sending demos to record companies, and the ones that accept unsolicited demos ALL say, "Do not send us 10 songs. Send us 1 or 2 songs."

I know you're not looking for advice on managing your band, but I honestly would not send a record company a cd with more than 3 songs on it. 3 songs is pushing it. If they don't like the first song, they're not going to keep listening. And look at it the other way; let's say they do like the first song, and they hate the next 5.

Point is your better off doing one or two songs well, than doing 12 songs not so well.
 
....dont you love it when you ask how much is that bottle of deer park water and they give you the prices of everything but what you asked for like you had some deep urge to know what the price of the Starkist Tuna on the shelf 6 rows away costs because somehow you're conveying the thought of not wanting the bottle of water thats in your hand?

can we help him do what he wanted to do in the first place and then tell him what we think he should do?

try micing your cabinets or getting a preamp/amp modeling pedal. micing the cabinets is what people usually choose. i bought a boss Gt-6 board for the preamp and amp modeling and for the fact that it drove me crazy setting up my pedals almost every day and then taking them apart again to go to the next practice or show. if you're looking for a good thick and punchy distortion, you're going to have to play with how you mic the cabinet. and remember that the super volume levels and gain arent needed for recordings as much as they are the stage
 
distortedrumble said:
can we help him do what he wanted to do in the first place and then tell him what we think he should do?
Click to expand...


Well, this is what he said in his original post: " . . . we finally have 12 songs fully worked out and perfect that we would like to record, but, none of us really know how."

Direct quote.

Given his criteria, I think it's pretty obvious where he is, what he wants and what he's looking for. As far as I'm concerned, his concers were very directly, honestly, and thoughtfully addressed.

Perhaps it was a case of too much information . . . but if the guy wants to know how to get better distorted guitar or whatever, then why doesn't he just ask how to get a better distorted guitar sound? :D Maybe pick a more appropriate title perhaps . . . how about something like: "How do I get a better distorted guitar sound?"
 
misanthropy,

Listen to the good, solid advice here....

Go to a REAL studio!!!

You're NOT going to make a good demo with the horse-shit equipment you've got. Maybe Todd Rundgren or Alan Parsons could do wonders with the crap you've got, but certainly not you. There's a steep learning curve to grasping all you would need to know in a short period of time.

Forgettaboutit!

There's probably a whole bunch of home-based studios in your area that would do a terrific job at a meager price. You really should look into that.
 
I doubt if anyone could get a pro recording using their equipment (and that equipment only).

Go to a studio... help support your local studio geek who lives, eats and breathes this kind of thing.
 
Another thing you could do is play a live show and have it recorded in the audience by a fan (or friend if you have one into that hobby).

All the artists I listen to have a rabid taping fanbase. Someone sets up their two mic rig in the crowd, and as long as you have a decent soundman, you'll get a pretty good recording.

Any of the shows listed at www.archive.org or www.sharingthegroove.org are excellent sound quality, so it's not that uncommon to do and would work perfect for a demo. It also shows that your band can pull it off live if you are interested in getting signed.

Best of all, it's free. At worst, you'll have to buy the guy a couple of beers! Most people just do it as a hobby and for the love of music.
 
if u want to present ur music to companies you should go to a studio cuz u wont get a decent sounding demo ur first time recording
or u could spend a few years gathering up knowledge technique skill and money tht u will need to put together an "ok" sounding demo
but i assume u cant wiat tht long so u might as well go to the studio and save urself time and money and mabe learn a thing or two about recording as well
goodluck
 
If you want to send it to companies, it better sound good. If your demo sounds like a bunch of amateurs recording in a bedroom, you'll get the same respect. A good demo can only help you....a bad demo could KILL your chances. If you want to be taken seriously, have a demo that sounds like you want to be taken seriously.
 
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