Can you help a nebie?

[-A-]

Hey guys,
I just want to start by saying HI! I kinda new so let me start by introducing my self. My names Austin, I'm a part-time musician. I've been playing acoustic and electric guitar for 4 years, keyboard and sax on and off for about 2 years, and vocal for about 2 months.

I've recorded a few cover songs with a vid camera, cheep mic, and a small amp and reliezed that it sounded like crap. Since I'm new to this whole recording thing my question is what should I get with a budget $500-700.

Thanks in advance and I hope I posted this in the right place.

 

[Yonce N Mild]

Hey guys,
I just want to start by saying HI! I kinda new so let me start by introducing my self. My names Austin, I'm a part-time musician. I've been playing acoustic and electric guitar for 4 years, keyboard and sax on and off for about 2 years, and vocal for about 2 months.

I've recorded a few cover songs with a vid camera, cheep mic, and a small amp and reliezed that it sounded like crap. Since I'm new to this whole recording thing my question is what should I get with a budget $500-700.

Thanks in advance and I hope I posted this in the right place.

I think you accidentally posted in the right place.

I assume that when you ask what should I get with $500 you are talking about gear. You will find that most member here will suggest that acoustic treatment is by far the best investment you can make in your studio.
You just happened to post in the right forum to get lots of great advice on that subject.

I recently treated my modest home studio and I was immediately kicking myself for not doing it years ago. If I had it to do over it's the first thing I'd do.

You could treat a home studio really well for $500 especially if you aren't afraid of a little D.I.Y.

There are tons of threads here about treatment and building it yourself. Have a browse around read up a bit and stop by with any specific questions. You'll find plenty of help here.


Good luck and welcome to the forums!

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)