NEW! A good place to start??

[Scroats]

Hey guys, So I am brand new to these forums and I hope to learn a lot from everyone!

I just got my first recording set up containing the following:

-Macbook Pro
-Apollo twin Interface
-Akai mpk49 keyboard
-Pro tools 11
-Komplete "Elements"
-Thunderbolt connection cable

MISSING: Condenser Mic / Headphones / Speakers... ANYTHING ELSE?

These are just the basics (some very nice basics for a new set up so i am told).

I have just started downloading all of my programs.

I am really into Dubstep, Electronic, Techno, Hip-Hop, Raggae, and Rap as well.

Looking to make my own music...but...

I REALLY need a good place to start my knowledge base with recording, mixing, and beat making.

If anyone could please point me in the right direction or help out a beginner PLEASE DO!

Thank you!

-Scroats

 

[ecc83]

Hey guys, So I am brand new to these forums and I hope to learn a lot from everyone!

I just got my first recording set up containing the following:

-Macbook Pro
-Apollo twin Interface
-Akai mpk49 keyboard
-Pro tools 11
-Komplete "Elements"
-Thunderbolt connection cable

MISSING: Condenser Mic / Headphones / Speakers... ANYTHING ELSE?

These are just the basics (some very nice basics for a new set up so i am told).

I have just started downloading all of my programs.

I am really into Dubstep, Electronic, Techno, Hip-Hop, Raggae, and Rap as well.

Looking to make my own music...but...

I REALLY need a good place to start my knowledge base with recording, mixing, and beat making.

If anyone could please point me in the right direction or help out a beginner PLEASE DO!

Thank you!

-Scroats

Well, you don't seem short of a bob or three so let's go nuts!

First of all you will need a decently sized room. If you are stuck with a sub 2,000cu ft bedroom then frankly most of that kit is a waste of money IMHO. But! Bright side! Nice sized room. You need to treat it, mainly for recording purposes and others will give you lots of guidance here. It will also need further and rather different treatment to be optimal for monitoring, unless of course you can use two rooms!

Monitor speakers: I would guess you will want something with a good bass extension and high potential sound levels? That will cost. Look at Adam, Genlec, Tannoy and many more and you probably need to go for 8inch bass drivers. I would NOT go for smaller speakers with a sub-woofer. Unless you spend a LOT of money and get an "integrated system" the results can be unsatisfactory.
I reckon you need to start at the $1000 pair mark.

Headphones? You need a closed back set for use when using a mic but for the very best sound quality open back types are said to be the best but if you have good speakers you don't really need expensive cans.

Microphones: Impossible area, there is probably no such thing as a truly BAD mic! You will not go far wrong with a large, side address jobby from Rode but since you are loaded get a Shure SM58 as well!

Dave.

 

[Pinky]

MISSING: Condenser Mic / Headphones / Speakers... ANYTHING ELSE?...

I am really into Dubstep, Electronic, Techno, Hip-Hop, Raggae, and Rap as well.

Looking to make my own music...but...

I REALLY need a good place to start my knowledge base with recording, mixing, and beat making.

If anyone could please point me in the right direction or help out a beginner PLEASE DO!

Unfortunately the shortcut is to spend a lot of time making mistakes. Come up with song ideas then try to execute on them. When you reach a specific hurtle ask and/or google search your way over it. I've been intermittently active on this forum for almost 12 years, been doing home recording longer than that. And I'm still learning a tremendous amount with each new track. This is a rewarding way as a musician to spend my time, but it can be frustrating and time consuming.

If you're doing dubstep or any bass heavy music, you WILL need a sub or a very expensive pair of 8+" (three way) studio monitors. Those lowest frequencies are tough to get out of smaller monitors, and as ecc83 explained you might create more challenges trying to integrate a sub into the setup to work with them. What sort of budget are you working with?

Mics and headphones - search the forum. This is so frequently discussed it pains me to imagine discussing it at length ever again. You'll again need to establish a budget then determine the best options in that budget range.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Can't hammer it home enough. Dave put the least info into his mic bit and there's a good reason for that.
Have a read around the studio building section of the forum. The room and the monitors are of massive importance!