Home Studio

[TragicTravisty]

Hi, first post. I'm a guitarist/pianist (unfortunately without piano), and I'm planning on setting up a small studio. I've got the space, I've got some old pc's which I plan on cleaning up and possibly modding, if not I'll shell out the cash. I plan on setting up a studio to record my guitar work mainly, as well as some other musicians who I play with, and use a midi controller w/sonar. I've been doing some reading, and it seems like the essentials are a mic or two, a mixing board, an audio interface, and monitors. However, since I am a noob, I'm probably missing something...

My question is what mixer, what interface and what monitors? This is not going to be a professional studio, but I'd like to be able to create CD's to listen to in the car, send to friends, maybe radio play...

also, are there any problems i should be aware of with sonar?

oh yea, i have a windows pc which im planning to use, but would linux be more suitable?

thanks

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad:

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ce&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and suggestions: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

 

[TragicTravisty]

great, that was very helpful!

 

[Dogbreath]

Don't forget some room treatment. I think just about any room will sound better with at least a few bass traps.

Check out
http://www.realtraps.com/index.htm

and
http://www.gikacoustics.com/

Both these guys are very cool individuals and know their collective shit.

IMHO...the order of importance is
Room
Monitors
Mics
everything else...

Luck man...
Kel

 

[TragicTravisty]

I dont have that kind of money to spend on room treatment. what would you suggest for temporary, and cheap? (maybe diy?)

(this room will not be mine once i leave for college)

 

[Dogbreath]

Yeah...you can do a DIY.
Maybe do a google on diy bass traps and 703 rigid fiberglass.

Treatment has made THE biggest improvement to my tracking and mixing. Mixing more-so. If ya can't hear it, ya can't fix it. Right.

Maybe make up some portable traps that you can take with ya.

Peace..........Kel