MOBY from the ground up!!!!

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pisces7378

pisces7378

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Ok I have asked a lot of questions already. And gotten a lot of answers. They are all wonderful answers and I appreciate them dearly... However they were all in Chineese. Metophorically speaking of course. DAT, aDAT, analogue, Hard Disc, Mini Disc, Multi-Track, Stereo, Stereo Buses, Synthesizers, sequencers, CDR's, vocal recordings with effects loops to recording in the bathroom. I am 23 years old and been in one "rock" band or another since I was 14 years old. I use the term "rock" loosly. Anyway, my guitar player bought a Fostex 4-Track. It had Stereo busses and all kinds of inputs and out puts. Even this cool little knob that you could slow down and speed up the tape which was useless except to make our singer sound like a chipmonk as a joke while were fumbling through down mix after shitty down mix into our home stereo casette deck. The tapes had so much noise that it was a waste of time and money. I still to this day have NO F´ing clue what the hell a Stereo bus is. (Please don't answer that part). Now I realize that I am about to ask a huge favor from you guys. Can SOME gentle soul with a heart of gold, write EXACLTY what I should buy to make as close a copy as possible to an albumn comparable to MOBY's "Play". Everything from the way he samples old afro-american spirituals to the voice effect on "body-rock"! Oh yeah, and as if things weren't complicated enough for this brave and golden soul.... could you keep in mind that I hate computers and never intend to sit infront of one when making music. I will plug in and waste money of 10,000 samplers, EQ's, amps, weird machines before I would buy a couple of discs, a keyboard synth, and patch drum sounds together with a mouse. I might be and probably are over simplyfying computer generatet music. And I appologize if it is in ANY way offensive sounding to anyone that makes music that way. Anyway. I have about $2,000 to spend initially. NOTHING MORE PLEASE!! Can someone tell me what Gear EXACTLY and which brands EXACTLY to make a solid album of techno-esque music completely alone without a drum kit. All I have is a guitar and an amp. No Recorder NOTHING!!! Not even cables for microphones that I DON'T HAVE!!! I read this stuff on this website and it is totally intresting but it is unfortunatly GREEK to me. Can anyone hold my hand through my first purchases. I am very poor and am sinking all I haev into this. Analogue or aDAT? What mics, what is a sampler, synth, mini disc, blah blah... WHAT DO I NEED???? Please HELP ME!!!
 
Analog or Digital, Your most basic tools needed are
flat response monitors, a decent mic,good cables, patience and money.
Do you wanna record to a computer,daw,adat,cassette,reel-reel (though that may be a lil expensive)?
Answer this question and we can begin phase 2.
 
Man, first you say that the answers is complicated, then you ask us to tell you how to build a studio. ;)

What you probably need to do what Moby does:
- sequencer
- sampler
- synthesizer(s)
- mic + preamp
- multitrack recorder + mixer + effects
- Some old a capella blues recordings. (Ha!)

The next question is then WHAT, sequencer, WHAT sampler and so on. THAT is a question of budget. How on earth you are going to get this stuff for $2000 I don't know.

Maybe start off with a BOSS BR-8 digital multitrack. Thats $700. And a mic + preamp ($300-$400). Otherwise I don't know what is good value.
 
Thanks a Million

Regabro... thanks a million. I finally had someone lay it on me in a list form. I said $2,000 but that was just to get started? I will have more later. Now about the BOSS digital multi tracker. How many tracks does it have, 8? Also what is the advantage of digital recorders over analogue other than CD companies usually only except DAT masters when mass producing CD's? Keep in mind... NO COMPUTERS!!! Don't say, "well DAT can be used with your computer to.... so on and so on." I have been called a dinosaur already. But thanks again for the information.

Mike
 
Yes, the BR-8 is an eight track. To me, the BIG advantage of a digital recorder is the EDITING capabilities. Low-end analog recorders will give you a lot of hiss unless you're "JOE-ENGINEER" which I am not, and it sounds like you are not. High-end analog recorders (digital tape) give a nice tape saturation that will make your recordings sound "fatter" - for lack of a better word. I have mostly worked in the digital world and love it and couldn't go back. My best advice would be to find a dealer that is willing to help you make decisions with your purchases. Sweetwater comes to mind, but I'm sure there a lot others out there. Hope this helps you a little. Good luck.
 
your setup

Don't rule out computers too soon, just because it is a computer doesn't mean it is electronic. Generally all I record is acoustic stuff and I use Protools (computer based hard disk recording). I used to do it all on analog (reel to reel) until a 4-5 years ago when we upgraded our studio. Now I couldn't go back

Here it is in english

what you need

1. mics
2. cables
3. mixing desk, to send all your signals to everything else, eq stuff etc.
4 multitrack recorder
5.outboard gear. Reverb, delays, compressors etc
6. good speakers and amp
7. something to mix down to. Dat, CD recorder, cassette deck etc

now if you buy all this no matter how you cut corners it is going to cost more and all cost cutting is going to lower the quality of the sound. (at every stage)

if you consider a computer, it could in one purchase cover no. 3,4,5 and 7.
I will use protools as an example as it is the one I know best. Here in Australia at the moment you can buy a Digi 001 (Protools) which is a hardware box (that has 8 line ins and outs and two mic inputs with phantom power (for powered mics) plus software for $2000 (approx $1000 US). Then you need a computer I use and love the mac, however this system also works on PC so maybe another $8-900 for that. Someone else here can probably help with prices. This will give you a 24 track 24bit digital system (only 8 ins and outs but you can overdub up to 24) with on board fx...............if you have a burner you can burn the finished mixes straight to CD.................awesome for the money

The big thing with computer based systems is you can do so much more than with outboard systems and you can call up a mix at anytime and tweak it a bit as opposed to redoing the whole mix again. You can, in the middle of mixing a song decide to work on another one for a while. (this is the thing I love the most about them)

I know you said, "no computers" but I think you should look into everything before you spend anything.
Hope this helps
Brenton
 
I get the feeling that these people are assuming that EVERYTHING you do is either going to be a direct sample, or that you're going to record it using an instrument. I'm pretty sure that's not your intention. You know what may be a great resource, MOBY HIMSELF. He often speaks in interviews about the equipment he uses and how he uses it. If I were you, I'd go to http://www.moby.org and look around a bit. I'm sure I've seen him talk about how to get started on there before. Good luck, and try not to make "Play II", it will suck, make your own record.
~james
 
Thanks James and Everyone else.

Man, thanks a million everyone for all the advice. You talked me out of buying a lot of expensive shit that I am SURE the guy at a music store would have shoved in my face. With the exception of the "Din-o-saur" reply all were helpful. I do not intend to make Moby's "Play II". I don't even listen to Moby. I just know that his style is very close to the mixture between completely electronic music and good old fashion guitar, basss, and drum music. Keep the ideas coming if you get more because I am a baby at this. Thanks.
Mike
 
hey pisces,

that typewriter I use works just fine for me. I don't care what people are saying about crap like wordperfect or MS word.
 
Pisces…the “Din-o-saur” comment was for Mr Q, aka Kid Din-o-mite. I sincerely hope you survive the shock of my irresponsible actions.
 
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