cheap mic stand and other equip?

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michaelq

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hey all. i'm on a really really tight budget and after buying my mixer and other things i'm having trouble scraping $45 or so for a boom mic stand, does anyone know where i can get an inexpensive one? and also where cables are cheapest, etc. also-are monitors always so expensive and does anyone know a decent set of monitors or where i might look for one that doesnt cost a few hundred a pair? and is it necesary to have monitors if i have headphones. i know thats a lot of quesitons but i anyone can help me out with any of the above that'd be awesome. thanks.
 
Don't feel bad. A ghetto rig was all I had for years. While my recordings didn't sound as good as I would have liked, I learned a heck of a lot - especially the value of creativity (like using a broomstick, a folding chair, and some duct tape for a boom stand)
:)

For most things, unless you've got a small local music store hookup (like Mike Carey's in the Detroit area), you're left with Guitar Center, Mars, or mail order (or rolling the ebay dice).

I've learned over the years that scrimping on important stuff like cables and monitors is going to cost you more in the end. I ended up spending tons of time tracking down problems and replacing most of it with quality stuff later. Money wasted. However, if that's your only choice, it's better than nothin'.

Roland MA-8's for monitors. You can find them on ebay for about 50 or 60 bucks. They're not perfectly flat, not very loud, and they have crappy low-end, but they're powered and they're a step up from cheap-o stereo speakers. Add a cheap-o powered sub and you're in business. Ghetto fabulous :)

Mixing with headphones is very misleading when you're trying to mix (especially the exaggerated stereo separation and low end). Try completing a mix, then burning a CD and playing it in your living room or your car - where'd your mix go?. If you understand up front that it will be incredibly frustrating, give it a go until you can afford something better. It's good to check your mix on headphones, but certainly not to do any fine tuning.

Most importantly (IMO), spend some time listening to regular CD's you're already familiar with on the monitors you're going to use. It's important to develop a basis for comparison and let your ears get used to them.
 
Do you think I should get some real monitors? I only have a simple setup.

I use Yamaha YST-MS55D Speakers

I like the sound of them for listening to music.

Will more accurate monitors be a huge step up?
 
Real monitors will be a huge step up because they are "Real Monitors". The deceit in speakers that sound good in recording is it is never the true universal sound that "Real monitors" will give you. For just listening to music and relying on speakers to give you that stereo sound is Good! But in Studio Recording, when you are editing your final mixdown, it is less frustrating if you use "Real monitors. Read the 2nd response: It was key to my final mixing projects. I took a couple of Factual cd's and got accustom to the sound in my monitors, and learned to duplicate that quality. IT WORKS.....Notice that most projects on Stereo Speakers all sound pretty good. That is the purpose of regular Stereo speakers, to enhance the sound of whatever you're playing, not to give you the flat sound so tweaks standout. (That is what you want.....)

But the truth of the matter is, we all start somewhere, so if mixing without "Real Monitors" is your allowance right now. Do the Damn thing! It's not illegal and it can allow you to enhance other aspects of your recording, just don't let your ear get accustom to Stereo speakers in Mastering your Mix.
Good Luck!
 
Hey Seanmorse, I'm in the same "trying to make a ghetto studio" situation while I'm in University and don't have the cash. I have a set of Altec Lansing satellite speakers with a sub on my computer right now.......would a set or these Roland MA-8's be an improvement from these for mixing?? Thanks ....BJ
 
cheap stuff

Cheap mic stands? I just got one from Musicians Friends for $12.00... it's a Nady MST 5B tripod with boom.. I thought it would be a pile of crap but it's actually a descent stand... (nothings crashed down yet...) Also for good prices go to large music stores (Guitar Center!) These employees usually work on commision and have the ability to bring down prices a lot (at cost if you're really nice:). Guitar Center owns Musicians Friend and can bring down those prices a lot lower than MF does... and of course keep eyes out on newspapers and pawn shops... (especially newspapers... you'll find a lot of old people selling nice vintage equipment that they have no idea of the value! you'll usually find old organs and pianos from these type.)
 
also... monitors are much better than headphones for really critiquin' your work... headphones are meant to give you a good sound while monitors will give you "true" sound... and it will be apparent where improvements will need to be made... Holy sh*t they cost a lot though!!
 
Antz_Marchin said:
Hey Seanmorse, I'm in the same "trying to make a ghetto studio" situation while I'm in University and don't have the cash. I have a set of Altec Lansing satellite speakers with a sub on my computer right now.......would a set or these Roland MA-8's be an improvement from these for mixing?? Thanks ....BJ
Click to expand...

Yes, they would definitely be an improvement. If you go that route, keep the sub and use the MA8's. The thing is, 60 bucks is about 1/3 the way to a fairly decent set of monitors. ...gotta love ghetto dilemmas :)
 
yeah, duct tape works great! I only have two mike stands but I can duct tape overheads so they hang from the ceiling and I've got an extra cymbal stand from my drum kit that doubles as a mike stand when duct tape is applied. Old desk lamps with those movable arms work well too, as long as you take the lamp part off.
 
Mike Carey's

Hello!
I was just at Mike Carey's tonight. Steve called me about a mm 1642 Samick mixer.
Do you know anything about it?
I just discovered Mike's place about 2 month's ago and have got some great deals!
Are there any other Mike Carey fans out there?

I was using some Pioneer House Speakers for a couple years. Then I broke down and bought a pair of Event 20/20 monitors. That was a huge difference! I just recently bought a Crown DC300A amp from MIKE CAREY's and it also made a huge improvement! Very Clean and just loud enough for my basement studio.
The 3 M's - Mic's, Mixers & Monitors! All important pieces to a good mix. :)
 
Mike Carey's is awesome, and Steve is a very sharp guy (impatient at times, but very sharp and very cool).

I used a Samick powered mixer he sold my father-in-law for a bunch of years. I don't remember the model, but it held up like a tank through all kinds of ridiculous abuse :)
 
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