(LOOK) What to buy to record me rapping?

[jooniebaby]

Hello homerecording community!
I'm just another average person trying to start rapping in their closet. I see many people do it and i have a great interest for it. Unfortunetly i'm a complete failure at knowing what to buy. I am on a small budget and would like only the essentials. Up til now i only know that i have to get a:

microphone (im getting a condensed one)
a pop boom
cable?
software?

Is this all? I heard about pre amps and all this other stuff but is it really neccesary? I plug the cable into the mic and into what? I know my laptop does not have a port for that. Soo many questions. If anybody would take the time to make a detailed response to me it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Damian227]

Pre-amp is absolutely necessary... or your condensor microphone won't even turn on lol. They require 'phantom power' supplied by the preamp/interface.

I'm away til the 23rd and don't have time to really help right now, but PM me and I'll help when I'm back (I run an Urban record label and am regarded as one of UK's leading unsigned hip-hop mc's myself, so I'll be able to help you out a fair bit)

 

[strangedayz]

You should check out the tweakheadz guide:

http://tweakheadz.com/

I think it's a bit much to ask anyone to write you out a detailed run-down on what you need. You should do your own research first. No offence meant.

 

[jooniebaby]

And none taken, I actually have done research but the thing is i do not understand what i found when i was researching. Plus all the guides out there involve you setting up keyboards and a lot of other stuff. All i want is to hook a mic up, with a pre amp, phantom power ,etc. But thanks for the reply! And if anybody still can find it in their time to help me out that would be great

 

[Armistice]

• microphone (condenser, not condensed..)
• Microphone stand
• microphone cable
• USB interface to PC - this is probably your source of phantom power for your mic and also your preamp
• Software on PC - try Audacity for starters, it's free... others will have better, cheap packages they can suggest, however
• A few bitches, tattoos, guns, bling and other rap accoutrement...

You plug the mic into the USB interface with the cable, and I'm assuming the USB thing comes with a cable to plug into your PC. You'll have to configure Audacity to find your USB interface but that can't be that hard..

In its simplest form that's it. Once you get that working, there are many other paths you can follow to upgrade / improve your gear and sound...

When you're the next Fiddy Cent, remember I knew you at the start and saw your potential for greatness and helped you when no-one else would... Send me a few bucks when you make your first mill...

 

[strangedayz]

I guess it all depends on how much you want to spend and whether you see yourself continuing with this stuff into the future.

Try and buy products that you wont end up throwing away because they really are just cheap junk.

For instance, when I was starting I bought a cheap Behringer condenser. While it was ok at the time and was very cheap, it's now just a waste of money and I wish I had spent the money on some leads or something.

This is a good mic for the money:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Nova.html

You'll have to think lots about what kind of interface you use too. You could buy a small mixing desk that has USB or Firewire to go into your computer or you could buy just an interface. I'd go with the mixer because if you ever buy something bigger you can always use that mixer for something else BUT thats your own choice.

USB mixer: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/X1204USB.aspx

USB interface: http://www.presonus.com/products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=53

So you set the mic up on the stand with the pop filter, plug a lead into it then the other end of the lead goes to an input on your mixing desk or interface. The USB or Firewire cable will then take the signal from your desk or interface into your computer. Then your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software will record the signal.

You can then process (mix) the recorded track(s) using EQ (equalisation), compression, panning (moving the track to the left or right of your speakers).

I guess if you're doing rap you might want to think about how you're going to get drum loops or tracks into your DAW?

 

[jooniebaby]

So TECHNICALLY speaking, would this work?

Microphone
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...one-with-Shock-Mount?sku=273156&rec=product_A

Microphone Cable
http://accessories.musiciansfriend....-20-Microphone-Cable?sku=331174&rec=product_A

Mic stand
http://accessories.musiciansfriend....-Low-Profile-Tripod-Base-Mic-Stand?sku=451038

Pop filter
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musician's-Gear-Double-Pop-Filter-?sku=483280

USB interface
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-UCONTROL-UCA202-USBAudio-Interface?sku=702540

Yes i realize this is all very cheap equipment but it's what i would have to settle for, i might be able to spend a little more but that is only if it is needed. So all in all i want to know if the USB interface is compatible with my mic and my mic cable! Like will the cable connect to the interface? Is this all i would need?

By the way thank you soo much guys for your responses so far! Keep them coming if you have the time!

Joonie

 

[AbuseTheMuses]

what to get... what to get...

I've been there man. I think the best way is to find a mic and an interface and a DAW.... however... the EASIEST way if you are just wanting to make your own demos.... is to look for the basic elements on Ebay and go with outboard non-computer gear. Like real hardware gear.

Then run some free program like Audacity for compressing and normalizing the final mix. A half-way decent dynamic mic is really all you need for rap vocals... and you don't need a fancy pop-stopper you can use kleenex or cotton balls or whatever to get the same effect.

(I found mine vocal mic on Ebay for 10 bucks), take a dedicated vocal mic, plus a recorder/mixer like the Boss microBR or tascam DP4 or DP8 or whatever cheap multitracker that has USB that all run for around 200 bucks and let you USB your stuff into mp3s on your computer.

Finally, something to make beats with. A keyboard? maybe if you can play it. Most rappers I know don't actually play their keyboards, just use them for sound sources. Good no-brainer drum machine is a nice start (you can find those for less than a hundred bucks nowadays), but if you can afford it, a sampler (Boss has a relatively cheap one, that you can program like a drum machine but use your own invented sounds) greatly increases your creative options.

At its most raw level... you just need a dedicated vocal mic, some kind of beat, and a recorder that will let you layer stuff and overdub... then dump it via USB to a computer and make your 'master' using whatever plugins from a free dowloadable thing like audacity. That is the cheapest, least complicated, most stripped down way to go IMO. Good luck. mic: 50 bucks, beat machine: 100-200 bucks, recorder: 200 bucks, lyrics: priceless... of course buying used gear drastically reduces those prices.... It's a good place to start.

 

[kcearl]

my first audio interface was a Line 6 Toneport DI for $60...it came with bundled software, mainly for guitars, but also with 6 software preamps...combined with a cheap behringer mixer it did everything I needed to find out if I was going to take this a bit more seriously..I still use the preamps in the line 6 software (podfarm) they are excellent


also you can use a dynamic mic...no pop filter or phantom power required...a sennheiser e 835 or a shure sm58 will set you back $60 -$100 and are both excellent mics...its not always about condensers though admittedly they are probably better for "spoken" vocals..

 

[strangedayz]

So TECHNICALLY speaking, would this work?

Microphone
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...one-with-Shock-Mount?sku=273156&rec=product_A

Microphone Cable
http://accessories.musiciansfriend....-20-Microphone-Cable?sku=331174&rec=product_A

Mic stand
http://accessories.musiciansfriend....-Low-Profile-Tripod-Base-Mic-Stand?sku=451038

Pop filter
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musician's-Gear-Double-Pop-Filter-?sku=483280

USB interface
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-UCONTROL-UCA202-USBAudio-Interface?sku=702540

Yes i realize this is all very cheap equipment but it's what i would have to settle for, i might be able to spend a little more but that is only if it is needed. So all in all i want to know if the USB interface is compatible with my mic and my mic cable! Like will the cable connect to the interface? Is this all i would need?

By the way thank you soo much guys for your responses so far! Keep them coming if you have the time!

Joonie

Yes that would work.

Some good suggestions above though too - dynamic rather than condenser mic, but that one seems very cheap so it's really up to you.

Also just check that mic stand to make sure its not one of those really short ones.

I do think you need a decent pop filter though. Especially for rap.

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

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/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421
(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/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

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 tested suggestions that WORK: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.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 and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

 

[Lo-Fi Mike]

No, your set-up will not work

Pre-amp is absolutely necessary... or your condenser microphone won't even turn on lol. They require 'phantom power' supplied by the preamp/interface.

I don't think your choice of interface has either a preamp or 48v

 

[philbagg]

I don't think your choice of interface has either a preamp or 48v

Me neither