Help please?

[prodigy8901]

Hello, i am new to home recording and i appreciate good sounding mixes. i have a band that just recently got back from a $10/hour studio that was decent but i would love to mix here at home. I want to record drums, 2 guitars, a bass, and 2 vocalists. they do not need to be recorded at the same time. For example, i would be fine recording drums first, then add in a guitar, then add in the second guitar, etc. The problem is i have no idea what would be the cheapest solution for good quality recordings at home. I am buying drum mics soon but I have no experience with what type of mixer i would need or if i would even need one. My mics will be 1 bass drum mic, 1 snare mic, 2 tom mics, and 2 cymbal condenser phantom mics. Can anyone please recommend exactly what products i would need to get good sound on a very low budget? Also, could you recommend a good vocal solution that can be used on the same mixer (if i need one)? I would like to record through my computer and i already have recording software installed. Thanks for any help!

 

[ez_willis]

Can anyone please recommend exactly what products i would need to get good sound on a very low budget?

I could, but until you learn how to use it it won't do you any good.

There is no cheap and easy way around a lack of experience and commitment to the craft.

So to answer your question, no.

 

[P-J]

I don't think you can get a great sound on a very low budget.

Perhaps you could post your budget?

 

[Minion]

I would say you have half decent recordeing from modest gear, and you need to have the gear before you can learn how to use it.....

I have a Very modest setup that I use and I get half way decent recordings....

I have a 8 Channel Mixer, and Delta 44 sound card and a Couple fairly good Extra Preamps and a Variety of shitty mics.....

What I do it I use my 2 good preamps to Mic the Snare and the Bass drum of the Drum kit and Put then into Chanels 3 and 4 of the Delta 44, I then mic the rest of the Kit (Toms ,overheads ect) and put them through the Mixer and out in stereo into inputs 1 and 2 of the delta 44.......

Here is were all the Tricky stuff comes in ,Now you have to get a Good mix for the Toms and overheads ect comeing out of the Mixer and Pann the Mics properly so you get better stereo seperation....

Once you think you got a Good mic you can record a drum track in your software and then adjust the Levels of you Mic Pres(Bass and Snare) so they mix in well with the Toms and then when it all sounds good you are ready to record......(Remember to try to record at about -16db to -20db)

After you have the Drum Track recorded you can record a Guitar track but useing just one of the Delta inputs and use one of the Good preamps for this type of stuff over the mixer if you have to......You just keep recording extra tracks untill it sounds the way you want it and add your effects and filters ect and then you are about done (Becides Mastering).....


i know this is a Really Cheap setup but I have heard a Lot worse recordings that were actually released by major labels (Maybe 20 years ago but thats becides the point).....


Good Luck

 

[jdier]

I would say you have to be looking at around $1000 to have some fun and make some recordings that you would like. Obviously it will take some time too.

Assuming you have a PC, get a Firepod (http://www.presonus.com/firepod.html) for $500 and plug it into your PC, load the bundled version of Cubase that comes with it and plug in some mics and you are off and running.

Do some searches here for ideas on mics to use for various applications, but I would say you would likely be well served with a handful of used SM57's, maybe a Beta 52 or D112 for kick if you can afford it, and perhaps a cheap chinese condenser like a Studio Projects B1 or C1 or something like that.

I have two buddies that record with nothing more than a PC, FirePod, 2 SM57's and a handful of old AT and Shure mics that they used to use when they played live.

Watch out for saying things like "I want professional quality" or "as good as pro results." Comments like that seem to get people upset around here.

Also, avoid posting questions that could easily be answered using the search function. "What is the best vocal mic for $100?" or "What is Phantom Power?" or "Do I need preamps?" All perfectly fair and valid questions.... but they have been answered here well over 100 times each. Each time you ask something like that, some nutjob with nothing but spare time will come off the top rope with a personal attack on you. We were all newbies once, we all have to start somewhere... In the end, it is about the music, not the equipment. The Velvet Underground's "Live at Max's Kansas City" was recorded with ONE mic at the back of a bar, and that record rocks.

Use the search function... there is a LOT of good info here.

Here are some GREAT starting points:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=27030
http://www.mercenary.com/bainrofge.html
http://www.mercenary.com/3micdrumstuf.html
http://www.mercenary.com/fltaabsmandh.html
http://recording.org/ftopic-9909-days0-orderasc-0.html

Good luck and have fun