I give up! (before I even began)

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kevinb9n

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I've been playing the acoustic guitar for about 16 years. A few years ago I discovered that I could sing, and within the last year I started "writing" some of my own "songs".

I thought, I should record some stuff!

I'll just get a few books, study some catalogs and websites, buy what I need and be off and running!

It all seemed so simple then. Back when I thought I might be able to pull this off. Since that time, the more I read, the more discouraged I get.

See, I don't have more than ten hours a week to spend on this. And I don't have more than maybe $500 to spend on this either. I just don't. (I've got a wife and kid, who are very good at relieving me of both!)

Was I foolish to ever think that I could do this? I am completely flabbergasted at how complicated everything is that I have tried to learn. There is seemingly nothing that is just simple or affordable or understandable.

I think part of the problem is that every resource I find seems to assume that you're trying to get professional-quality sound -- like I'm going to take my CD-R to a radio station and try to get it on the air or something. HA.

If any of these people ever listened to albums like Iron & Wine's "The Creek Drank The Cradle" or Elliott Smith's "Elliott Smith" or older Guided by Voices stuff, they would think these were the worst albums ever recorded. But I love these albums, and I'd be perfectly happy with recordings that sound no better (and maybe even a bit worse) than these.

I just want to RECORD, dammit.

Right now I'm thinking that if I just get a sound card like the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 and a microphone like the Shure SM-57 and some free software like Audacity or something, I can hopefully do OKAY.

We'll see how it goes... no, of course I don't expect professional-sounding results, I just want it to sound like me. If it sounds like a frog singing I will probably feel like giving up for good.

Just venting. Does anyone out there have any words of encouragement that will save me from my funk?
 
Doing it on a computer immediately adds a certain level of complexity to the whole deal. If you are completely comfortable with either a PC or a Mac, this is a good way to go, because presumably all the issues that might face you (IRQ conflicts, optimizing the system to avoid hiccups, etc.) will not be any more daunting than things you have probably already done, and with everything on the computer, the flexibility you have is matchless.

But if you don't already have a computer and/or you are not comfortable running one and with understanding all the concepts involved with file management, drivers, etc., I think you are right -- it is a bit overwhelming, probably too much for the average joe in this boat. In that case I think it might be wiser to think about one of the stand-alone digital units made by Yamaha, Roland, Boss, Teac, Fostex, etc. -- especially if you don't already have a suitable computer.
 
boy have you come to the right place!!!

welcome to Distortedrumble's cheap-o-recording! your on the right track though....now your not looking to do a bunch right? ok well here we go....
audiophile 2496 $149.99 (this can be bought online or at some music stores with pro audio equipment in your area) this is the most expensive thing you really need...aside from your computer.

Behringer UB802 $49.99 www.americanmusical.com or www.musiciansfriend.com or a local music shop that sells behringer stuff

Studio Projects B1 $79.99 its a condensor microphone which is cheaper than buying the sm57 new and it goes well with both guitar and vocals....it needs phantom power which is on the behringer UB802.

Behringer Headphones $20 cant beat'em good all around use for cheap stuff.

and as for recording software....Cakewalk Guitar Tracks2 $49.99 you can get that at Best Buy.

fun low budget stuff shouldnt cost more than $400 bucks


now heres some maneuvers....if you get the mixer....you can plug it into the direct input on your computer's soundcard. this is a really low level way of doing it but if you pick up everything else except the audiophile 2496....you can still use it for some decent (your ears only) kind of stuff. and that would knock $150 off your cost. any other ideas for cheap-o-recording....just HOLLER!! cell phones cost too much.
 
AlChuck:

Oh. Here's the irony: I'm a software engineer. Have been for eight years. I'm not bad at it, either -- which perhaps gave me a false sense of hope. ("I can write multi-tier multi-threaded enterprise apps in java! how hard could this home recording stuff be!" Ha ha ha.)

So, I have four computers, I'm comfortable with them, etc.

The problem is I know sh1t about audio. I think I'd be equally clueless using a standalone unit, but even more out of my element.
 
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well you need to start somewhere man.....the question is....where do you want to start?

lets start here......first things first....read the manual http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG

you'll see a picture of the mixer and it points out what knobs do what and where you need to plug things into
 
hell i recorded 2 full cds with just an audio technica microphone plugged into the mic in on my computer and used Guitar tracks2 as my software....burned over 100 copies, sold most of them, actually was asked for an autograph on 3, picked up a few shows and ended up being the host of an open mic night for 5 months.
 
Now THAT's encouraging!!!! Thanks you guys!

And thanks D.R. for the product advice. I had never imagined that a decent mixer could be that cheap. It's in the cart!

Perhaps I'll feel better once I get all this hooked up and see how it goes. It will probably sound better than I've been led to believe by reading all this stuff.
 
My first setup was a cheap radio shack dynamic mic plugged directly into my cheap (you can buy it for $6 now) soundcard. I recorded and mixed it using programs found for free at www.harmony-central.com

The sound quality was bad, but I recorded and mixed a version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" with three vocal tracks, two guitar tracks, and a banjo track which I programmed into a boss dr-5 rythm machine and then mic recorded through after running it through my guitar amplifier.

After final mixdown into 1 wave file I used another free program to encode it to mp3 and then posted it on a webpage for friends and family.

Total cost $0. I already had the mic, which would have been the only thing I needed to buy.
 
lol I'm not going to say i got the bomb sounding stuff out of what i had but i did the best i could with it. compared to what i have and how much better i can mix, my older stuff was crap. but i still listen to it and say "that was some of the worst sounding shit but damn it was fun doing it"

I still have that old mic too lol. I might have to bring it back out for something....actually i like it better as my stage mic.
 
Kevinb9n,

You're a software engineer? In the Bay Area? With a job? I'm one (sort of) without a job... it really sucks...

I'd say a computer is probably your best bet. Don't worry, it's really not hard, much less like rocket science than C++ or assembly language
 
recording

The only investment i made was a good soundcard, and upgraded my 2nd hard drive.
I was fortunate to already have a copy of Cool Edit Pro.
I run the guitars and bass thru the amp, and i Mic it to the PC.
Drums and vocals directly to the PC.
Mix the tracks..play with it...and done.

I can relate to not having the time, but once you get the process down, you can certainly record a song in 10 hours...thats a song a week! 3 months...you got yourself a CD!

Have fun....always remember to have fun...or it ain't worth it...
 
Re: boy have you come to the right place!!!

distortedrumble said:
Behringer Headphones $20 cant beat'em good all around use for cheap stuff.
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. Their headphones suck buckets. I have a pair and they're terrible.
 
Welcome to the board!

Try this website first to walk you through the very basics one by one:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nikkeefe/

I have put some gear reccomendations on there but here's what I'd do if I was you:

You need a preamp for any mic. The Behringer mixer is fine, but might just complicate things for you with multi-tracking and panning your channels etc.

I'd get an M-Audio Audio Buddy ($peanuts USD) and a dynamic mic because its phantom power isn't great. Many people will suggest the ubiquitous Shure SM57 (similar to the SM58s you see at live venues) but I happen to prefer the Sennheiser E835. Both are fairly cheap (the Sennheiser is cheaper over here).

The Audiophile soundcard is a MUST for anyone looking at decent sound for cheap.

For £20 here you can get some Sennheiser HD202 headphones - way way way way WAY WAY WAY WAY better than the Behringer ones and the same price. Or you could get some of Harvey Gerst's MoreMe phones:

http://moreme.info

Which aren't pretty but do an excellent job for the money ($25) by all accounts.
 
Re: Re: boy have you come to the right place!!!

christiaan said:
Absolutely not. Their headphones suck buckets. I have a pair and they're terrible.
Click to expand...

compared to $80+ headphones, I'm sure they are.

hes not trying to do radio quality...or even demo quality...hes trying to get some of his ideas down and mess around with them.

a $20 pair of headphones is good for messing around and getting an ideas down
 
maybe maybe not lol.

thats more of a convienence. if I'm out picking up the other stuff and they dont have the sennhiesers but they have the behringers....I'd get the behringers.....on the flipside....if they had the sennhiesers but not the behringers....i'd get the sennhiesers
 
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