Getting Started

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Knopfler Fan

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Hi Everyone,

I know this may have been asked many times, but please bear with me.

I am a novice in this recording hobby. The key word being hobby. I am just interested in recording some stuff for my own enjoyment. As such, I really don't need all the bells and whistles. But I do need a good starter kit, if you will.

My recordings would mainly consist of vocals with keyboard, or vocals with guitar....and (gasp) maybe all three!

Can someone please suggest a good starter kit (if there's such a thing!) and the approximate cost to get myself into this hobby?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you
 
Yo Knop of "de" Fan:

Long time ago, I started out with a Yam 4 tracker/cassette recorder. Kind of cut my teeth on that unit.

If you want a nice sound and an easy to operate box, the Yam MD8, or any MD 4/8 tracker will give you a decent sound but not CD quality.

But, you certainly can burn a CD from your mix and get a decent result.

Trouble is, if you do something that comes out good, you'll be wishing you had a digital box or some good PC application. Kind of like being in a cherry orchard and climbing a tree only to see bigger cherries on another tree a few yards away.

Look around and try some hands on at the vendors' stores and keep reading this forum.

Green Hornet:D :D :p
 
there are a million ways to start

but... I'll suggest one possible inexpensive (relatively speaking) route.

headphones, $90.
Shure 57 , $79
microphone cable, $20.
Boss BR 532 multi-track, $394.

this all in one digital multitrack is made for those who do one at a time recording with overdubs. Mostly for songwriting purposes but gives damn good results for beginners. Beware though, this is appropriate only if you want to do what you described. It will become a fancy paperweight the second you decide you want to track drums....

miles
 
Fisrt of all...
WELCOME TO THE BOARD...

Your task ain't that hard if you know what will you chose as a primary workstation. There's a stand alone workstation (others mentioned above), or computer based workstation (takes soundcard, and recording software). Many of us use computer for recording and doing audio stuff beside their daily job. If you have a good condition computer with average soundcard in your bedroom, then you may simply buy some cheap audio software to go. Anything else was mentioned above (mic, cables, headphones, etc...). Shure SM would be a good, reliable, and rough start.
 
Don't underestimate the power of the cassette 4-track either. I started with a Tascam 4-track sometime back in the 80s. It cost me something like $850, and the recording quality and character was just superb. Now for 850 you can get a lot more than that... I'm amazed at the way technology has progressed in favor of the low-budget musician... But I still love many of the recordings I did with that deck. Anyway, modern cassette 4-tracks are cheap and will definitely do the job for you as a hobbyist, and are a good introduction into the concepts of home recording. I bet you could find a great deal on ebay...
 
charger said:
Don't underestimate the power of the cassette 4-track either. I started with a Tascam 4-track sometime back in the 80s. It cost me something like $850, and the recording quality and character was just superb

'Superb' and 'Casette 4 track' do not belong in the same sentence. You are allowed to use words like 'character', 'charm' or 'it replayed sounds'. ;)
 
Thank you for the suggestions gentlemen. Your fountain of knowledge amazes this newbie.

Does anyone know of a good store in Toronto that sell these items or will allow me to test around with these gadgets?


KF
 
In the Yellow pages under 'Music Stores - Instruments, retail' or something similar. Look for stores advertising keyboards, recording and software.

Don't go on a Saturday - they'll be way too busy to take much time with you, and it will be noisy as hell.

(Those damn guitar players!)

:cool:

foo
 
Kind of like being in a cherry orchard and climbing a tree only to see bigger cherries on another tree a few yards away

Hornet O' the Green is right. When I moved from the four-track world into eight, it was still cassette based and I was wanting more and better.

I sold the cassette eight track after the first recording I mixed on it and moved up again. For now, I'm satisfied.

Buy the best sounding unit you can afford without it being so complicated that you loose interest, or give up trying to learn how to use it.
 
getting started

Hey there...I too am just getting started, and like you, this is just a hobby to keep my head on straight. I bought a used Tascam 4 track for about a hundred bucks, and found an old Shure SM-57 in my dresser drawer (relic of a previous life). I'm having a great time playing around with this rig. Most of the questions I might ask have not yet occurred to me, but I do know that when the day comes that I sing and play well enough to need better stuff I'll happily put out more money. In the meantime this is a really neat way to practice!
 
Yo, Knopfler fan! Check my post back to Takeesha on this forum.
"Need help with mini studio". My version of the answer is there.-Richie
 
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