Complete NEWBIE. What do I need?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Monique L
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Monique L

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Been a Singer/ songwriter for 20plus years. I've recorded (not myself)one album.....I've run my own sound plenty of times but... I have no idea where to start. I just want to be able to record vocals, probably more than one track, and a keyboard track. Pretty simple. Maybe some basic effects. That's it for now...once I get that down I'll take on some more!

Mac?
Software?
Etc?

THANKS GUYS!!!!!

Monique
 
Well this would be my suggesting (there will be others who will suggest something different too, all of them are good options).

A Macbook Pro (for peace of mind and not having to deal with a bunch of driver issues and crap. PC's are ok too, but Macs are going to be straight up and ready to work with)
Tascam US1800 (a US800 or 144MKII if you want something smaller, but if your going to upgrade in the feature later why not just get it over with now?)
MXL 990 and 991 combo condenser mics
Shure SM58 (if you like the sound of it)
XLR cables
Logic (or Cubase or Pro Tools. Reaper is a cheap and very good option too though.)
KRK monitors


Just a simple set up. Oh, and don't forget acoustic treatment in a room (bass traps and such, there and numerous things on here on how to build them).

Good luck! :D
 
PC...Reaper software....maybe one of the M-Audio interfaces (there are other brands), something with a couple of preamps...a decent mic or two.
That should get you going.
 
Reaper runs on Windows AND Mac...


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 - $16
Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books

PC Recording Studios for Dummies - $16
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Stu...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273169612&sr=1-2
(Wish I'd had those 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!

Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

Home Recording for Beginners by Geoffrey Francis
Amazon.com: Home Recording for Beginners (0082039538815): Geoffrey Francis: Books

When you get a bit into it, I highly recomend The Art of Mixing by David Gibson
Amazon.com: The Art of Mixing: A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production (9781931140454): David Gibson: Books

A MUST READ: Kim Lajoie's "Lifesigns from studio" - FREE - http://www.errepici.it/web/download/KLBD.asp

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at Tape Op Magazine

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!!!
 
TimOBrien said:
Reaper runs on Windows AND Mac...


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 - $16
Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books

PC Recording Studios for Dummies - $16
Amazon.com: PC Recording Studios For Dummies (9780764577079): Jeff Strong: Books
(Wish I'd had those 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!

Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

Home Recording for Beginners by Geoffrey Francis
Amazon.com: Home Recording for Beginners (0082039538815): Geoffrey Francis: Books

When you get a bit into it, I highly recomend The Art of Mixing by David Gibson
Amazon.com: The Art of Mixing: A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production (9781931140454): David Gibson: Books

A MUST READ: Kim Lajoie's "Lifesigns from studio" - FREE - http://www.errepici.it/web/download/KLBD.asp

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at Tape Op Magazine

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!!!
Click to expand...

This. Enough said.
 
Hi Monique,

+1 to Tim, read everything you can.

I would strongly suggest not buying a computer for recording as yet, virtually anything made in the last 5 years will do to record a couple of vocal tracks and do a bit of MIDI. We regularly use a P4 3G XP jobbie for a lot more than that.

Basically you need an Audio Interface, a microphone and a pair of headphones (but speakers ARE better)
For an interface look for a Focustite Saffire usb 6, or an Emu 0404usb. For a mic people will jump in and say "Shure SM58" and that is ok but my reccomendation would be a small diaphragm capacitor( aka condenser) mic, one such is the AKG Perception 170 but there are shedloads of them at under £80/$100.

Software? Audacity is pretty simple but does not do MIDI so look at the free download of Samplitude Silver but it has to be said that all recording software will boggle you at the start and so best to try before you buy!

You might not "get it". Some folks just don't find computer recording a satisfactory way to go and there are alternatives but PC (or mac) audio is a very powerful creative tool, geeky yes, but very powerful.

Bottom line: Get stuck in!

Dave.
 
Tim, do you have that posted anywhere as a sticky? Or is there some way to mark a post for reference? That's a nice list.

--
Diff
 
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