Introduction and of course questions..

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jackstraw67

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Have been really enjoying reading all of the posts on this site and am just starting out recording as a hobby.. I was wondering if I could list my current hardware and software list and ask for some recommendations on level or type of additional eqipment needed so I can get started.

This is just a pastime for me, at most might post some stuff on you tube to share with friends.. I play guitar only plus vocals. (classic rock, some blues and also folky Dead type music)

Currently I have an extra room in my condo, set up a desk and some furniture, will try and upload photos.

Currently have:

1 year old Imac 23" (running Garage Band)
Zoom G9.2TT Guitar Effects
Fender Blues Jr. Guitar Amp

plus several electric and acoustic guitars.

What I need: Microphone for vocals, monitors and interface. I am extremely "under educated" as far as what kind of interface I need, I just know plugging my electric guitar staright into my Imac via Garage Band the latency is really bad. I think I would like to upgrade to GB 2011, I have heard that the amps and stompboxes are very good.

As far as the mic goes, for mainly recording my voice.

How many tracks will I need? Not 100 Percent sure, but would probably error on the side of having more inputs on the interface than I think I might need rather than have to upgrade shortly down the road.

How crazy do I need to go on the monitors? Again, a hobby, but would like to have great sound.. Reference monitors?

Thank you in advance for any and all responses! Kevin
 
Hello. Great questions.

I think you need an interface that has 2 inputs, one of which can be an instrument input. That way, you can sing and play at the same time if you need to. There are many good 2 input interfaces in the $100 - $200 price point new. For example. the Tascam US-200 is $149. I tend to buy even new equipment on eBay, you can really save some cash.

If you have a little more to spend, I love my TC Electronics Impact Twin. It has 2 preamps, both with XLR (mic) and instrument inputs, and 2 line inputs with no preamps. They run $399 new, but I got mine new on eBay for $299. The Mac drivers are rock solid.

For a microphone, I'd go with a Shure SM57 or 58. They run about $100 new, and they can be used for vocals or on your guitar amp. There are better vocal mics out there, but the SM57 or 58 are great all around mics, and you'll get use out of them for decades.

As far as monitors go, you can get by at first with just headphones, but at some point you'll want some good studio monitors. The interface you go with will have TRS or RCA outs to go to the monitors. Make sure the monitors you choose have an input that matches your interface.

I have a pair of KRK Rockit 5, and I like 'em. I think they are great for the price, around $125 each.

I think you are good with Garage Band for now, but in the future you might want to move to a more traditional DAW. I use Pro Tools, but it can be expensive. I've heard good things about Reaper, and it's only $40.

Also, you'll need an XLR cable and a microphone stand.

Good luck, let us know what you end up with.
 
Hi Kevin. Personally I'd want at least 8 inputs (more, actually). Now if you're in a condo you may not be doing to many full band recordings so you could get by with a lot less (two?). Good monitors are a must not to mention room treatment. How addicted do you plan on becoming?
 
TR- The "addiction" question is a good one, but the answer is I'm not sure till I get going, that s why I don't want to sink a bundle of cash into this until I see how much I will enjoy it. I have a feeling though that I will get hooked. (I know me..) Thank you Geek for all of your input also! What do you guys think of the Mackie MR5's (monitors)? Sweetwater has them on sale for 149/159 each with free shipping..

Thanks again. Kevin
 
Welcome Jackstraw!

The first thing I'd invest would be a Audio Interface. Such as Focusrite Saffire PRO 14, M-Audio ProFire 610 or TC electronic Desktop Konnekt 6. There are a bunch of Audio Interfaces to start out with, these are just a few examples. For your use, I don't think you will need so much better.

For microphone I'd highly recommend the Shure SM57. Great microphone for micing up your amp. Can also be used for drum micing and vocals. It's one of the most amazing low-price mics out there. All studios need that one, anyways how professional or newbie your studio is. I use it for amp micing. For vocals, I use the AKG C2000, which I find very good.

Alright, moving on the monitors. I don't know how many money you're going to spend on these, but monitors is a pretty important piece. When I started my homestudio, I had Behringer ms20. They were surprisingly good for the price. But I personally don't like Behringer. Now I am using the M-audio bx5a, whice are great. You could also upgrade to bx8a.

Cheers.
 
You can get by with a 2-input interface, but chances are you'll outgrow it quickly. If you get something that has a single mike input and a high-z "instrument" (i.e. guitar) input, then when you want to record your acoustic, you'll need to do some finagling. Acoustics, even if they have internal piezo pickups and electronics, generally tend to sound better miked. If you're going to do vocals at the same time, that's two mikes minimum. If you want to double-mike your guitar (which is usually a good idea), you'll need three mikes. If you're miking the guitar with condenser mikes (also usually a good idea), you'll need phantom power. Most interfaces these days will supply phantom power, but not all of them. You'll also need to consider whether to go with firewire or USB. Since you are using a Mac, firewire is probably a reasonable choice, but also consider flexibility: USB will be available on any computer you use or buy in the foreseeable future; firewire is much less common (even some Macs don't have it; who knows about the future?). To mention a couple of interfaces nobody has yet talked about in this thread: if you go with firewire, the Mackie Onyx Blackjack or Blackbird are options, while for USB, there are the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra or Ultra 8R.

The Mackie MR-5s are excellent monitors for the price (generally running in the $135 to $150 range), and you definitely don't want to skimp on your monitors. Get the best you can afford.

As many others have said, the Shure SM57 is a very good all-around mike at a reasonable price, and you should have one in your studio. You should also consider having at least one condenser (a matched pair would be even better). Prices on mikes vary widely; if you're on a tight budget, the Behringer C2s are not a bad bargain-basement choice. If you can afford better, the MXL 604s are a decent choice in the $150 range. Don't forget enough mike stands to go around: if you're double-miking your acoustic guitar, and singing at the same time, you'll need at least three. However, you'll probably get better results miking the guitar by itself and then singing your vocals separately. Think about how you plan to record, and make sure you have enough gear (microphones, stands, cables, inputs, phantom power) to handle everything you want to record at one time. And then, if you can, add a couple extra inputs, because it probably won't be long before you want to do something you hadn't initially planned on, and you don't want to spend the money on an interface only to have it become a bottleneck for you a few months later.

Good luck, and have fun!
 
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