I'm starting to build my studio, and I need some help and ideas. HELP!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter abrahamstokley
  • Start date Start date
A

abrahamstokley

New member
Hello everyone. I'm a newbie, of course. I'm about to build my studio, and I have a $2500-$3000 budget. I don't need to buy everything right away, but I'd like to get most of it. I will probably wait and get Monitors down the road, since I have a pair of really nice headphones. I have mics and instruments and cables already. Everyone that helps me, I want them to realize that I want a VERY PROFESSIONAL SOUND QUALITY! I realize that having good equipment doesn't automatically mean that It's going to sound good. I want the best equipment and software I can afford. I want a very professional sound. I don't need nor want it to be portable. It will stay where it is. I know I have three options. PC, Mac, or PC with Digital Workstation. I really want to use a PC, because I know them inside out. I have experimented with demos, so I kinda know what I want. The computer will just be for the studio. I'm not going to use it for anything personal. I've read and read and read many many articles, reviews, suggestions, and setups, and there are so many options, I came here for expert advice. I don't nessecerily want to know your setup. I just want to know what I need to get the most HIGH END PROFESSIONAL SOUNDING SYSTEM within my budget. I have my eye on a computer system: Athlon XP 2200 MHz, CD burner, 512 DDR Ram, SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Sound Card (Will this do a professional job or not? Or does it depend on my software), 80 gig hard drive 7200 rpm, etc, etc, etc. I want to know if that soundcard will work, or should I upgrade? And what input system or preamp should I use? I've got software in mind, but am very flexible. CEP 2.0, Cakewalk, Fruity Loops, what else? I am going to record country music, if that helps. I won't be using a bunch of star wars effects or anything. I need a system, where if I knew what I was doing, it would be professional enough quality to sell. And, I also know some people are recording on digital workstations dry, and then putting into the computer. Regardless, I really want a PC. So, I guess I have 2 options. PC for recording, editing, mixing, mastering, or have a digital workstation for recording, and PC for the rest. What's the best for ME? I am willing to change everything if nessicary. I just need some help. I've tried to get people to help me elsewhere, and they think I'm doing it for sh*ts and grins. That's why I came here. I am SERIOUS about recording. I'm willing and wanting to learn all I can, but I want a system that will record VERY PROFESSIONAL Stuff when I get to that level. And, I'm sure I'll build on to it once I learn more. So, I guess this is just the beginning, but I want a great system. I don't want to blow $3000 on a system that won't have a clean and smooth sound. I know it will take time to learn, but I realize this. I think most of you know what I'm saying and can help me. I appreciate it. Thanks in advance.


Abraham
 
Whoa, abe!

Slow down bro! One question at a time, please.

You also shouldn't cross-post and maybe try some searching before asking questions or you'll piss people off. If you do that they won't help ya'.
 
Well Abe - I'll answer your questions from the perspective of the forum you posted in. No matter how professional you make your equipment purchase you will not get a professional result until you put the gear in a professional environment acoustically. So I would suggest you make some allowance in this area.

As far as your gear is concerned I would recommend a P4 over the athalon. (There are 500+ instructions burnt into a Pentium just to handle XP that are not in other processors according to my computer expert)

A P4 with the 512 DDR ram will handle anything you are likely to throw at it. (I just mixed a 30+ track country album on a PIII 866 with 640 Meg Ram)
I'd make sure I purchased the full Waves Pluggins, Soundforge 6 for it's pluggins, and I'd go with either Sonar or Nuendo. (Nuendo's pluggins are pretty cool also).

The sound card is obviously an important purchase. For multiple inputs (8 analogue) look at the delta 10 or the RME soundcards IMO

cheers
John
 
Thanks John. This helps me out. I'm sorry for cross-posting. I just needed some help, and I didn't know if everyone would look at all subcategories. I didn't mean to make anyone mad.
 
studio, and I have a $2500-$3000 budget. I don't need to buy everything right away, but I'd like to get most of it. I will
Click to expand...

If you want VERY PROFESSIONAL SOUND QUALITY your $2500 just bought a single microphone (though I'm sure your music store will throw in a cable :-D )

Being a little more serious, you have a budget that will insist on some serious limitations, at the moment. Thats okay, just know what they are.

Lets define professional sound. Actually YOU need to define professional sound. There are decades of quality recordings made on older (affordable, used) analog gear, and you might considering combing some of the online-auction websites as well as checking with your local music store. Sometimes good pieces of gear can be had on the cheap. Worry more about quality, maintanence, and current state of operation more than dings, nicks and scratches.

Do you need four tracks? eight tracks? How many busses do you need on your mixer?

You can save money by purchasing a 4-buss analog mixer over a more flexible 8-buss mixer, and if you don't mind multitracking rather than recording everything "one shot" this is fine. Maybe an all-in-one digital unit for under a grand? A nice microphone, an outboard effect or two, and you're good to go.

Regarding headphones - I would recommend against it. I know one guy who mixes better with his headphones than most do with JBL or Genelec monitors, however he's a fluke. Headphones rarely produce a flat frequency response regardless what you pay for them.

having good equipment doesn't automatically mean that It's going to sound good. I want the best equipment and software I can afford.
Click to expand...

I've said it before both here and in my studio - a untrained chimp operating a $1mil Neve or SSL will never produce the same results as a highly experienced engineer utilizing a $99 4-track :)

Mac, or PC with Digital Workstation. I really want to use a PC, because I know them inside out. I have experimented with demos, so I kinda know what I want. The computer will just be
Click to expand...

If you really desire PC, Sonar XL with a Motu 2408 mkII would be a good starter option. Works better on a MAC because you can use the awesome DP software that comes iwth the Motu interface, but Sonar is okay too. Learning curve of course, but it makes for nice sounds. And it supports plugins which saves you dollars on outboards.

my eye on a computer system: Athlon XP 2200 MHz, CD burner, 512 DDR Ram, SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Sound Card (Will this do a professional job or not? Or does it depend on my software),
Click to expand...

Will do the job fine, however for any audio stuff I highly recommend getting something with a Pentium 4 chip. The reason is because its has a major advantage in that the floating point arithmetic is significantly faster than any of the competing chips on the market. Since analog audio is converted into numbers, then modified (pitch, EQ, panning, etc) utilizing floating point arithmetic, well, the P4 is the winner. Its worth the few extra bucks.

Hope I pointed you in the right direction. Personally, with your budget, I would opt to purchase a stand alone digital recorder/mixer thingy and get an all-in-one unit. I hate using PCs in my studio (except for midi).

But I'm old fashioned too, I like knobs and blinking lights :)

Good luck.
 
The floating point math on an AMD is why thier slower prossessors do work faster than intel's
 
Wow! I can't beleive the help I'm getting on this forum!! Man, I'm so thankful. Man, you guys really know your stuff!
 
An Article...

There's a most interesting article in the recent issue of "Electronic Musician"...
It talks about what music people would buy if they had specific amounts of cash for stuios ranging from 1000.00 to 30,000.00...

It also points different setups - ie: 2,500.00 studio with computer / 2,500.00 studio without computer, etc...

I don't know if this will help you - But, I found it to be most interesting reading...

Please check it out...


Riverdog
www.homepage.mac.com/riverdog
 
Yeah, I read the same article as Riverdog and thought it was great. I'm still fleshing out my studio and it gave me some really great ideas. My wish list is growing!
 
Let me throw this out for consideration....

Digi001 with ProTools LE - Cost $500-600 Used or $799-1099 New. You'll be able to record 24 tracks in WinME/Win2000/Win98 or 32 tracks with WinXP and PTools LE version 5.3.1.

The Digi will allow you to record 8 tracks at once, but has potential of 18 simultaneous tracks with Lightpipe and SPDIF inputs. With that said, I would also suggest a Presonus Digimax which gives you 8 add'l digital inputs with separate EQ. Great mic pre's in this unit! Cost of Digimax is $1300. An alternate would be the Digimax LT for only $900 but you lose the individual mic EQs.

If you really want PRO SOUND, you should check out the Mixing and Mastering forum... you'll see several recommendation for getting your tracks professionally mastered. The majority studios use ProTools so the transition from your home studio to the pro studio is seamless.
 
Let me throw this our for consideration....

Digi001 with ProTools LE - Cost $500-600 Used or $799-1099 New. You'll be able to record 24 tracks in WinME/Win2000/Win98 or 32 tracks with WinXP and PTools LE version 5.3.1.

The Digi will allow you to record 8 tracks at once, but has potential of 18 simultaneous tracks with Lightpipe and SPDIF inputs. With that said, I would also suggest a Presonus Digimax which gives you 8 add'l digital inputs with separate EQ. Great mic pre's in this unit! Cost of Digimax is $1300. An alternate would be the Digimax LT for only $900 but you lose the individual mic EQs.

If you really want PRO SOUND, you should check out the Mixing and Mastering forum... you'll see several recommendation for getting your tracks professionally mastered. The majority studios use ProTools so the transition from your home studio to the pro studio is seamless.
 
GUYS GUYS GUYS, SLOW DOWN!!!

Start with telling us WHAT kind of music you want to record!!!!!

and is this going to be a sealed environment seperate from your house or is it going to be in an office room in your house.

-DAN
 
It will be in my bedroom, but I've got the sound stuff (styrofome or whatever it is) on the wall to absorb sound. I was donated by a freind whos retiring. Traditional Country Music Is what I'll be recording. Also, I can raise my budget to about $4500, so if you've got better equipment I can use, please suggest suggest suggest. hehe,

I did buy that Electronic Musicians Article. It helped! I mean, I'd like to know if those setups are genuine.

I appreciate all the help. you guys have to enjoy this forum and helping people, or you wouldn't do it. And, you guys are a big family, and I'm glad to become part of it. I hope to be able to help people too someday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top