Confused Newbie

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MusicMan91

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Sorry, I Just got some more questions. I want to get this all straightened out...hopefully.

Okay. First of all, I need monitors. I read on this site that I should use some crappy ones for mixing. Okay. Also, Can someone explain Amplifiers to me. I know that sounds odd, but like what is the purpose of headphone amps?? Also what are "Racks"? Phantom Power??? Where can I learn all about this stuff?? I will go check out the Home Page for this site.
 
MusicMan91 said:
Sorry, I Just got some more questions. I want to get this all straightened out...hopefully.

Okay. First of all, I need monitors. I read on this site that I should use some crappy ones for mixing. Okay. Also, Can someone explain Amplifiers to me. I know that sounds odd, but like what is the purpose of headphone amps?? Also what are "Racks"? Phantom Power??? Where can I learn all about this stuff?? I will go check out the Home Page for this site.
Click to expand...
Mixing with crappy monitors is not a good idea.
Now, if you need to stay within a budget you could get the M-Audio Studiophiles for $200 new.
An Amplifier is a device that amplify's...plain and simple, but in reference to what ??
Racks ? A device that will hold several rack mountable pieces of gear.
Phantom power normally found on a mixer is used to power mics that require a dc voltage in order to operate.
 
Alright, I was also advised to get the Soundcraft M12 and the M-Audio Studiophiles. How does the Headphone Amp work?? And, can someone explain the patchbay thing to me. www.homerecording.com\patchbay.html The link provided on this page with all the pictures doesn't work. That is where I am lost. I get lost with all the compression and effects and all that. Could someone possibly spare some time and explain it to me. Tomorrow I am going to buy a couple of books, but I always learn better when things can be explained and re-looked at when your talking to actual people, instead of just reading text which is not really open to discussion.

Thanks.

Chris
 
Yo Chris:

You might want to get a 4 track recorder and make it a starting point.

With this 4 tracker, you might want to buy a low priced effects unit if your 4 tracker doesn't have one built in.

Effects will give you reverberation, echo, or presence; too much reverb will equal MUD but you have to get dirty first and then wash up as you read and learn.

That's how I started. And, each time I turn on this site, I learn something.

Once you get started, it's a life-long learning experience and a life full of fun and discovery.

Green Hornet :D :p :cool:
 
The Green Hornet said:

Once you get started, it's a life-long learning experience and a life full of fun and discovery.

Green Hornet :D :p :cool:
Click to expand...

Amen Hornet !
 
Alright. I have a 4 Track. I am looking to get a Fostex MR-8 Digital 8 Track Recorder. Thanks for the input thought. I do not have much know (not including the 4 Track, Moog Opus 3 Synthesizer, and a DR. BOSS SP-303 Sampler) but I will be getting more gear soon. BTW, Does anyone here have a Sampler that they use? If so, what do you guys use it for? I find plenty of ways to use mine. Is anyone else a Moog fan in here?
 
MusicMan,

Since I had a lot of the same questions you did when I started, I will try to answer in a way that I hope helps...some here say I am good for giving good answers to newbies because I am so patient! :)

1st, unless you are only planning on working with the music for your own listening, don't get cheap monitors. If you plan on mixing music to be sent off for mastering or plan on releasing your music to be heard by the public, you will not be able to do good mixes on cheap monitors unless you have a really, really professional ear. I learned this the hard way after trying to use headphones and cheap monitors myself!

2nd, as for the amp, that is a device that basically 'powers' whatever it is you are using it in conjunction with. If you had an amp for a mic, it would power the mic. If you had an amp for a speaker, it would power the speaker. (Example...a regular stereo receiver is basically an amp in that you can plug it in, connect speakers to it and the speakers play the sound. If for whatever reason the receiver didn't have a built-in amp, your would have to have powered speakers that plug into an electrical outlet. (The same goes for monitors...passive monitors do not have any power built into them, so you need an amp to run them. Active monitors plug into an electric outlet and run independently without an amp).

3rd, As for racks, racks are usually effect components that are used to process sounds (reverb, compressor, distortion, etc) and are kept in shelve-like areas like stereo components and hence, the 'rack'. Rack components can also be sampler units and component-only synths (no keyboard).

4th, As someone else wrote, phantom power is for microphones.

Well, that's about all I can offer-hope this helps!

Micro
 
Mic preamps are needed to get the signal strength high enough for your recorder. You may not need external ones if your recorder has built in preamps.
 
most headphone amps work like a mixer in reverse, they should allow you to split the siginal out from one headphone to several,
handy if more than one person at a time wants to listen.
 
Musicman- Any recorder, and some preamps, have a headphone jack. If you are recording yourself only, you probably don't need a headphone amp, because you are the musician and the tracking engineer. If you are recording someone else, or even more than one someone else, you need a headphone distribution amp to give you more headphone outputs. This is necessary for overdubbing, where you are recording music to go along with something you've already recorded.
Another advantage of this arrangement is that the engineer can listen to the headphone jack off the board, what's actually being recorded, but you can take an aux send from the board to the headphone amp to customize the mix the musician is hearing. So the singer says, "I can't hear myself, can you turn me up?" With this arrangement, you can turn up the singer on his headphones without recording him louder.
Other simple stuff- Some mics, generally all condensers except tube mics, require phantom power, which is sent back up the cable to the mic by a preamp or mixer to charge the mic's diaphragm. All mics need a preamp (with a very few exceptions) to raise their weak signal (mic level) up to something strong enough to record (line level). The quality of the preamp is critical in producing good sound, and they vary from dirt cheap to wicked expensive. All you can do is get the best preamp your budget will allow. Right now, don't worry about effects, compressors, etc.
Get the right mic or mics for what you want to record, the best preamp your budget will allow, and either a stand alone recorder or a good sound card for your computer. BTW- what is a crappy monitor is debatable. I use the M Audio SP5B's, which are pretty cheap, and they work for me.-Richie
 
Ah! That gives me an entirely new question. What is a soundcard? What is the purpose of one? What is a decent one for a Mac OSX? Additional Information??

Thanks

Chris
 
Okay, I'll assume you are serious.

First, you'll need to answer this question.

Are you recording to a computer or to a stand alone digital recorder or tape recorder?
 
I don't understand the properties of the external soundcard. Yes I am serious, lol. I don't get the whole idea of the Input/Output and hearing people talking about plugging their amp directly into a soundcard. Is the purpose of a Soundard so you can take things and record them digitally and put them on the computer?? Can someone explain???


Thanks

Chris

P.S. I am a NEWBIE, so that is why I am asking just DUMB questions! :)
 
Chris,

I didn't mean to put you down.

Yes, a soundcard is used to record directly to the computer. If you are using a computer to record, you will need a soundcard or USB audio interface which you will plug your mics or instruments into. Depending on the soundcard you get, you will need external preamps to bring the level of the signal up to a recordable level. Some soundcards come with preamps.
Midi keyboards or instruments are connected to midi input. Some soundcards have midi inputs, others don't. Midi instruments trigger sound samples, which are recording of instruments. For instance, from your midi keyboard, you can hit a key and hear different instruments, say, a Steinway Grand Piano, a flute, drums, etc.

Here are some additional questions for you.

What instruments are you recording?
How many mics will you be using at one time?
What is your budget?
 
I am going to be recording mainly: Guitar, Vocals, Drums and any other instrument I can get my hands on! I am going to be using a Fostex MR-8 8 Track Digital Recorder with ProTools, so would a sound card still be necessary?? Well, 4-5 Mics on the Drums, 1 for Vocals, one for Guitar and other instruments. My Budget is in the $100-$350 dollar range depending on how necessary this is. Is this what I would want to get next? Or, should I save up a little more and get a Soundcraft M12 Mixer??

Signed,
Slowly Understanding This All.
 
I've never used the Fostex recorder, so I don't know anything about it. If it is a stand-alone recorder, then you won't need a soundcard, unless you will be sending your mix to your computer hard drive.

Do you have a soundcard in your computer now?

I'm assuming the Fostex has basic mixing capability. What kind of mic inputs does it have? Does it have mic preamps and phantom power?

Do you already have mics, or are you needing to buy some?

What will you be using Pro Tools for?
 
Chris,

I did a web search and found this article on the MR-8 .

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/FostexMR8.htm

OK, it has two XLR mic inputs, and no phantom power. It can record two tracks simultaneously, and play back 8 tracks. If you will be laying down one or two tracks at a time, you won't need an external mixer. But if you are recording a band, with everyone playing at the same time and with a mic on everyone, you will need an external mixer, so you can mix all the mics down to two tracks and into the MR-8.

The MR-8 can be used standalone, but if you want to you can send your mix to the computer via USB. So it doesn't appear that you would need a soundcard.

You will be limited to dynamic mics or self powered condenser mics, unless you buy a mixer with phantom power.
 
Thanks a lot for the research! I was told that the Soundcraft M12 is a good buy. Since, I am just starting to record people I won't be recording a full band for a few months now. Do you know anything about the Soundcraft M12?? Are there any other ways I can get Phatom Power until I can get this money for it?? (i.e., any thing OTHER than a Mixer?)

Thanks

Chris
 
Chris,

While the M12 certainly seems like a nice mixer, it's well beyond the budget you stated earlier. You can see it here

http://bayviewproaudio.com/soundcraft_spirit_m12.html

Unless you are thinking of abandoning the idea of the MR-8, you are moving into a totally different realm.

If you can swing the budget, you would get more professional results with the M12 and a good soundcard, like a Delta 1010lt

http://bayviewproaudio.com/delta_1010lt.html

You can buy preamps that will provide you with phantom power, but I think you are getting ahead of things a bit. Have you decided on the mics you want yet?
 
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