Complete Noobie to recording

[qmccormick13]

Hi all!
My name is Quinlin, and I am just starting to delve into the world of recording. I have played the drums, bass guitar, and piano as long as I can remember and am looking for a way to record songs with me playing on all three instruments (I want the piano to be hooked up to a synth- I'm going for a sound like 'Atoms of Peace', if you've ever heard of them). Anyways I don't have any recording gear yet and am looking for advice on setups for making music like this. I have been searching the internet and have found a lot of information but still do not think I know enough to put together my own setup. My budget unfortunately is pretty low, around $600-$800, so I am going to try to buy most equipment used from craisgslist/ebay to maximize cost effectiveness.
Synth, mixer, DAW, audio interface, mics, etc.? Help me out here experts!!
Some background information I have a 5 piece drum set that would probably need 3-4 mics, a bass guitar, and a Yamaha Portable Grand DGX-500 that I would like to use to control MIDI output.

Once again I am a complete noob to this stuff, but very serious about getting the right equipment and getting into this right away. Any suggestions/feedback would be greatly appreciated- thanks ahead of time for any responses!!

 

[JMac52]

Hi Quinlin,

Welcome. Hope you enjoy your delving.

Your challenge as I see it is that your budget and your desire to record drums with 3 or 4 mics are not compatible. An audio interface with enough inputs is going to eat half your budget, and you don't have any mics yet.

Just to get started, and learning, you might consider something like the PreSonus AudioBox 2x2. This will limit you to two mics at a time, but it does also have MIDI I/O for your Yamaha.

Mics - are you going to be recording vocals? For dynamic and for the money you can't go wrong with Shure SM57 or SM58. But for drum overheads, you'll want condensers. I'll defer to others to recommend good and cheap ones.

DAW - most audio interfaces come with a lite version of a DAW, so you wouldn't necessarily have to buy one. Reaper gets a lot of recs around here and it's like $60.

You don't need a mixer.

What do you have for a computer? I'm hoping any needed upgrades don't also eat that budget up.

Good luck...

J

 

[qmccormick13]

Thanks for the response! I have been searching craigslist and found a Tascam US-1800 listed for $120, which is a great price compared to what they sell for online. Looks like it would work well, 8 mics and also has a MIDI for my keyboard. Do you think this would work? I've done a good amount of research on the condenser mics and have that figured out. With the tascam and mics, I'd still have some cash to spare (assuming I use a free DAW). next purchase in your opinion? Synth, mixer, preamp? I am running a fairly new PC, so I shouldn't be too constrained with it, and may upgrade to a newer PC soon.
Thanks again for your help I appreciate it!

 

[JimmyS1969]

The US 1800 should come with a Cubase LE5 or 6 version. Enough to get you started. If not Reaper is free to try, and inexpensive to buy.

I would suggest you start with the interface, and learn the DAW before you make any decisions as to your next purchase. It is different for everyone.

From my experience, I would go for room treatment and monitors before looking at any preamp or mic upgrade. But that is just what I learned for myself after spending/wasting money previous to doing so. Then again, nothing was ever really wasted. Just expense in learning. Room treatment was definitely the most drastic 'oh yeah' purchase I have ever made. Much more so than any $1500-$2000 purchase of gear. You will eventually learn this yourself.

 

[JMac52]

Thanks for the response! I have been searching craigslist and found a Tascam US-1800 listed for $120, which is a great price compared to what they sell for online. Looks like it would work well, 8 mics and also has a MIDI for my keyboard. Do you think this would work? I've done a good amount of research on the condenser mics and have that figured out. With the tascam and mics, I'd still have some cash to spare (assuming I use a free DAW). next purchase in your opinion? Synth, mixer, preamp? I am running a fairly new PC, so I shouldn't be too constrained with it, and may upgrade to a newer PC soon.
Thanks again for your help I appreciate it!

That's a great price on the US-1800. Make sure you get the Cubase disc from the seller.

You're gonna use the Yamaha to control synth sounds on the computer, so no additional synth unless you want to buy additional software for that. No mixer, you'll do that in the DAW, and no preamp, the TASCAM will be good enough.

jimmys69 is right about room treatment and monitors, and vastly more experienced than I, but I would look at decent monitors first. When you have those, you will figure out that you need room treatment. But you will be up and playing and recording with a basic rig and finding out just how much you want to commit this endeavor.

J

 

[qmccormick13]

Update: So I snagged the US-1800 today, and he set it up at his house to let me test it using the Cubase software, but he did not have/could not find the cubase software discs.. so I am leaning towards downloading Reaper based on yalls (and lots of other people online's) suggestions. I guess I'll put up with the nag screen until I get used to it and dish out the $60, or if I hate it try something else. I found a pretty cheap listing for 4 Audio-Technica ATM63 dynamic mics, so I think I'm going to try and get those. Still working on a condenser for an overhead. My last purchase I believe will be a Eden World Tour Direct Box to use as a DI for my bass guitar.
Any thoughts?
Yall have been awesome, thanks for the responses

 

[JimmyS1969]

I would suggest 2 overhead mics for drums.

I am not sure I heard what genre you are recording?

I have a Eden WTBD and I find it is kinda cool sometimes. I get better results from direct signal and PSP Vintage Warmer (VST) tho. Half the price.

I could easily show you samples of both if you upload a direct signal track.