Just starting out...Please help...

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Cooney

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Hello,


I am a newbie to home studio recording. I’ve done straight and comic voiceover work for numerous regional radio advertisements but I always go to the advertising agency studio and record my copy and that’s the end of it. I would like to do some recording of my own in my own home and I am wondering what affordable mixer/software/mics/sound card… would get me up and cooking with professional results. This is what I would like to do, nothing fancy, I would like to record voice copy and then mix in background music and perhaps some sound effects. I’d like to make my own radio advertisements and I also have some comedy fake advertisement ideas in mind that I would like to record. I’d like to be able to burn my advertisements to CD and also record them to cassette.

The reason I am looking at n-track is because it looks to give the most bang for the buck. I am also looking at the Behringer mixers as they also seem like a dependable and affordable choice. But what about sound cards, mics, other software alternatives…etc.

The computer I would like to use for the recording is an antique, it’s from 1999 and is a Dell P-2 400 running Windows 98 with two 10 Gig hard drives and 224 megs of SD RAM.

So please do let me know your recommendations and remember I’m trying to keep costs to a minimum.

Many Thanks for your time.

I also posted this to the n-track thread since I am considering using n-track.

-Cooney

PS By day I am a cartoonist/illustrator/artist. Here’s my website: http://www.DavidCooney.com

Enjoy!
 
greetings!

Your computer is certainly capable of doing what you want.

My question is, are you going to be recording any of your own backing tracks with more than one mic at a time, or are you going to use samples or sound effects from outside sources?

If you are just recording voice, or a single instrument at a time, instead of a Behringer mixer, you might want to consider a 2-channel microphone preamp instead. The money you spend will go farther on a preamp vs. a mixer (which is essentially a bunch of preamps tied together).

As far as sound cards, make sure whatever you get supports full-duplex recording - meaning you can record a track and listen back to it as you record another.

For microphones, shop around and try some out, find one that complements your voice. There's lots of inexpensive stuff out there that isn't bad at all - Oktava's MK-319 comes to mind, a nice large-diaphragm condenser mic that I've used for doing some video-game voiceover work. I got it for $99 at Guitar Center.

Software - N-Track has a lot of people recommending it. I would also suggest downloading demos of Sonar, Cool Edit Pro, Pro Tools Free, and any other software you see mentioned on these lists - some software tools are a better "fit" than others. I like Sonar and Vegas, others like Cubase, still others swear by Pro Tools or Logic - but Sonar and Vegas fit me better than those others. Give 'em a spin before you plunk down cash.

also check out www.audiomelody.com , www.databaseaudio.co.uk, and http://audacity.sourceforge.net - there's plenty of free software out there, and some of it is damn good.

hope this helps.

- housepig
 
Many Thanks for the helpful advice.

Please keep the responses coming.

If you do not want to post advice here feel free to e-mail me at dcooney@sunlink.net.
 
I second the suggestions of N-Track, a mic pre instead of a mixer, and the Oktava MK-319 (make sure your mic pre has phantom power).

Check out the M-Audio Audiophile for a sound card. I'd stay away from the Soundblaster family. You'll probably want a 24 bit card to keep the noise floor low. You'll also need a mic stand and a pop screen. Short of that, you should be in business (unless, like housepig said, you'll need to record backing tracks with more than 1 instrument at a time). If you do, replace the Audiophile with a Delta 1010 or a C-Port, and replace the mic pre with a mixer.
 
If your up for spending a bit more cash (or, perhaps, as business heats up? wishful thinking?) your microphone collection for voice-over work would never be failed by the addition of an ElectroVoice RE-20 {the voice over classic} or Shure SM-7 - Sennheiser also makes a mic thats good for this but i don't recall its model number - but these are more in the $4-700 range - best of luck to you!
 
If your up for spending a bit more cash (or, perhaps, as business heats up? wishful thinking?) your microphone collection for voice-over work would never be failed by the addition of an ElectroVoice RE-20 {the voice over classic} or Shure SM-7 - Sennheiser also makes a mic thats good for this but i don't recall its model number - but these are more in the $4-700 range - best of luck to you!
 
If your up for spending a bit more cash (or, perhaps, as business heats up? wishful thinking?) your microphone collection for voice-over work would never be failed by the addition of an ElectroVoice RE-20 {the voice over classic} or Shure SM-7 - Sennheiser also makes a mic thats good for this but i don't recall its model number - but these are more in the $4-700 range - best of luck to you!
 
Many Thanks to all who offered your advice both here and via e-mail.

-Cooney
 
Cooney, the Sennheiser referred to here is the classic Sennheiser
MD 421. It can be bought used for around $250 or less in excellent condition. Many of that series have a five position roll-off dial on the microphone to tailor the "proximity" effect to the
individual user. Be aware that the new MKII model is substantially
brighter sounding than the old ones. That can be great for "snap"
in miking drums, however, for voice the old ones sound smoother.
As long as their not majorly abused, they last almost forever.

You can buy the Shure SM7B new for $300, and the EV RE20 new for $400 at www.bswonline.com

The RE20 is the easiest voice-over microphone to use since it has
"Variable D" that mitigates the proximity effect, and keeps off-axis
sounds still sounding O.K.

The Oktava 319 is probably too sensitive in most home studios
for VO work IMHO, and the ones at Guitar Center are hit and miss
in build/sound quality. (of course, housepig could have a "good one" and his home sonics are good too!)

Hope this helps.

Chris
 
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