Help? Where to start?

  • Thread starter Thread starter meissner
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meissner

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We have a small ensemble with acoustic guitars, electric bass, cello, vocals and hand drums (congas, bongos, dumbeck, etc.) We have a Yamaha sound board with 8 inputs. We have tried to make tapes ut find getting the balance right to be very timeconsuming and frustrating. Would digital recording work better. What's the simplest place to start for novice's who are busy professionals but who love to make music.

Thank you
 
Is it my imagination, or is there "new" Monty in town? :eek:
 
I went through the pages and am still lost. Would we be better off with a Tascam, a MP3 recorder, a DAT or AHHHHHHHHH!!!! Help.
 
well i think pc based recording is the way to go ... although it sounds like you need help with mixing music and getting an even sound.. well im not really the man for that but definetly just take the time to browse other peoples questions and even ask your own , cos im in the same boat , i think we all just want something that takes years to perfect yesterday , thats all.. but ive seen my own improvements , i think we all do , so just take your time ... and i spose if u actually dont have time to set levels then find someone to do it for you .... just a few suggestions......i hope it helps ...
cheers
spider
 
No. Digital recording wouldn't work better in this case. Yes, it IS very time consuming finding the right levels and stuff. Let me guess: You have the mixer and the tape recorder in the same room as the musicians? That way you have to mix "In the blind" since the sound of what you are recording is mixed with the sound of the instruments, so you can't really hear the mix. What you need is a way to only listen to the mix, and not the instruments, while you are mixing. This can be done in two ways:

1. Build a studio, with a control room and a control room windows, and, well, it's bloody expensive anyway, so forget that. :)

2. Multitrack-recording. That way you record every instrument separately, and you mix and pan and filter them afterwards. This is WAY cheaper. :)

Then you arrive at the next questions:
A. Do you want to record all instruments at the same time (gives a nice live feeling, and is not as booring for the poor musicians) or can you do them one at a time (cheaper recording equipment).

B. Do you have a computer around that you can record with? (Other people know better what the miniumu requirements are. Pentium II 200Mhz, 64MB of memory and one gig free of HD space is my guess.)

C. What and how many instruments are you using in your ensemble?
 
Try to get a good balance when you're playing together. Your ears can hear every instrument well? It's fair to keep the percussion instruments further away from your microphones, because off their dynamics.

*1 )
Record your music with two AKG's C1000S.(good price and quality). A regular stereo recording will get you trought the first recording skills/steps.
Just plug them in a regular tape deck.
*2 )
After this experience you can record it again with better mike placements. Listen with the deck in record + pauze, on good headphones. (Sony & Sennheizer)
* 3 )
Now record it again with the two mikes plugged in the mixer and add the vocals to it, again into your regular tape deck.

Maybe after this experience, you are ready to consider a regular Minidisk recorder for recording. Even if you consider more, this will serve as a good first quick mastering tool later on in your recording life.

This is just a good way to start. There 's always more "along the watch tower".
Good luck.
Above all:"Enjoy the music first".
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Something to think about and discuss. Keep em coming.
 
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