Vargmork said:
1 - Can I record 1 Electric Guitar track ( mono ) using one microphone next to my amp, then use the same method to record the Bass Guitar in another track (mono) , then record the volcals in another track ( mono ), then record the drums using (lets say 4 microphones) and after this is done, can I mix everything together in one setero song? Using only the Zoom R24 for everything?
Absolutely.
Vargmork said:
2 - Can you tell me how many different microphones I would need to record my guitar, bass and vocals?
It's a huge subject with a lot of variables.
If you're only doing individual tracks you only need one mic. As your mic collection expands you might find that different mics will suit different recording tasks better than others but it's a trial and error process that relies on getting to know each new mic's strengths and weaknesses. You can read about it for years on the internet but that will never be a substitute for experimenting and listening to the tools yourself in your recording enviornment.
As a sidenote, the room itself is a pretty big deal, especially for monitoring and mixing. Without a good monitoring setup and probably some acoustic treatment like bass traps, you could easily find that your speakers are lying to you.
Vargmork said:
3 - Can you recommend me the microphones I would need to record the guitar, bass and vocals?
Lots of options. The Shure SM57 is a good place to start. You can record anything with it. It's been said that this mic is rarely if ever genius on anything, but it rarely if ever truly sucks on anything either. It's a midrange presence peak microphone. This means it's not flat or accurate or detailed, but it accents the range of frequencies that humans hear the easiest. They're very rugged and durable. They're very popular on guitar amps and snare drum, even when there's lots of other choices available. Can be a good vocal mic for the right type of voice and song. Could also be good for things like toms and horns. They're pretty inexpensive and you're not likely to outgrow it over the long term. They're also very good for anything on a stage.
After a while you'll probably find that the SM57 is lacking in deep bass response and the really high "air" frequencies that can make things sound "open". But it's a great starting point and it can teach you what to look for in other mics that the 57 lacks. And it's something you can fall back on if other options don't work.
There's a lot of cheap large diaphragm condenser mics out there. It's very hit and miss territory. A lot of these mics suck for a lot of things, but people seem to love them until they get used to the sound. They offer a lot more detail and range than a 57, but they can also be really harsh and overly bright. Over time you could find that it's difficult to get things to sit in a mix properly. The really nice large diaphragm mics can sound wonderful and don't have these problems, but they're usually a lot more expensive. Still, there are a few cheaper ones that sound okay. The MXL V67g is very popular, very inexpensive and doesn't have some of these problems. There are a few other options depending on your budget and what kind of sound you want.
Small condensers or "pencil mics" are another option. They tend to have smoother off axis response than larger side address condensers, making them sound more natural while still being full range and very detailed. Modern internet culture suggests that you can't use these as vocal mics. This isn't really true unless you can find a reason why another mic is better. It's a case by case analysis. You might not be able to use a condenser of any type for a number of reasons that might include:
- High SPL - the sound source is too loud for this mic and it's overloading. Some mics have a pad switch or low sensitivity to help work around this. Close mic on a snare and fully cranked Marshall Plexi are examples of high SPL. There ARE examples that can handle this
- The mic pops easily when you sing into it, or it's sibilant and spitty - whether a large or small diaphragm, this makes for a very bad vocal mic
- the mic emphasizes too much of, or not enough of the correct frequency range for what you're recording. Some mics have adjustment switches or features you can use to tweak this a bit.
- too much detail makes it sound thin and weak. The SM57 has fairly slow response, so sometimes more detail is better. Other times less detail sounds bigger and thicker, so it's an advantage to have a few options available.
- the mic picks up too much room and the room sounds like crap. Learn about polar patterns for mics. Omnis pick up sound from everywhere. They can sound excellent and very natural, but as you get farther from the source they pick up more of the room. It can be a good thing. Depends on the room. Hypercardioid is another polar pattern that isolates a lot and gives more of a direct sound but works more like a laser beam when you're aiming it. Can be useful if you want to lose the room sound. Placement becomes more of a big deal.
Vargmork said:
4 - Can I use some of the microphones I would use to record my guitar, bass and vocals to record the drums?
Absolutely. The only time you really run into serious problems with a mic is when it can't handle the source. Kick drum is a good example because you could damage a lot of mics by putting them inside a kick. Outside the kick is a little easier because there's less air moving around that could damage the mic. The 57 can handle just about anything. Moving coil dynamics like the SM57 are okay just about anywhere. Again, it's a good mic for snare, amps and often vocals.
As an overhead, or a mic in front of the kit and farther away to capture the whole thing, you're probably better off with a condenser or ribbon or something that can handle more detail. This helps to get a more accurate capture of the cymbals. Especially if you put new heads on the drums and tune them up well, there's a lot of fast transients coming off a drum kit. Condenser mics and ribbon mics are generally good with details and percussion things. They MIGHT also sound better or give you different options for guitar or vocals than a 57. Barring a few exceptions they'll have way better bass response than a 57 as well. A pair of Behringer ECM 8000's might be good as overheads but they're omnis. Also, beware fo Behringer in general, but these mics are actually pretty decent and dirt cheap. Again, a halfway decent condenser like the V67g or similar should be able to pull double duty on lots of things including drums.
Ribbons (especially - lots of air destroys them very fast) and condensers typically aren't used inside a kick, despite often having very good bass response. A dedicated kick mic like a Beta 52 or something might be good for metal. It's very scooped in the midrange but has huge bass response. Might also work for bass amp depending on what you're going for. There's lots of other options for kick drum mics. Usually these are all moving coil dynamic types and some of the best ones are very good mics for just about anything.
Most of the time mic placement is more important than mic selection. If you start with a simple setup - maybe 3 mics so you can pull off a decent drum recording - if you experiment as much as possible to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each one, you'll be in a better position to evaluate new ones as you add more. It usually takes at least a couple of months to learn a new piece of gear through recording, experimenting with placement, mixing and developing your ears for critical listening.
Also, it can be a bit overwhelming with all the choices available. Once you have a basic setup to start with, read Supercreep's post and go record something! Don't sweat the gear TOO much when you start out. Things like the digital recorders and DAW software that's out there give you lots of toys to play with and learn. Regardless of any gear choices in the recording chain, things like song structure, arrangement, quality of the performance, quality of the instruments used... the sound of the room... TONE... these are always more important to the end result than whether or not the mic is "a little off".
Vargmork said:
5 - If this is possible, in which file format the final song would be? .wav? .mp3? Any other format?
If you transfer the files to a computer and install the right software, you can use any format you want. Ogg Vorbis, Flac, whatever you wish. Wave files are the standard starting point.
