danielshawn
New member
I've been reading all I can for 2 days on the boards here, now I want to build something where I can record my own vocals over MIDI tracks or a capella. (I am a male tenor, clasically trained, Renaissance/Baroque-oriented, with forrays into folk song, musical theater, and soft pop [think thin, bright, pure-- http://www.geocities.com/danielshawn_99 and find the very bottom link titled "Come, Holy Ghost, In Love" [recorded with SB Live Value and the Radio Shack special mic!])
For each piece, I want to spend around the amount of the item I suggsted. +/- $100 is no biggie; where applicable, if downgrading one piece so I could upgrade a more important piece is also fine.
After reading much, I realize that at the lower price levels, much sounds and acts the same. I don't have a good reason to pick the MA Audiophile 2496 over the TerraTec DMX 6fire 24/96, Tascam US-122, or Mia except that I saw the MA well recommended here already. And I don't truly expect one will be THAT different from the other (other than logistically, of course, the Tascam being USB and the MA not.)
I just want to doube-check that I have all the pieces I will need and that I'm not missing something due to ignorance.
This will all connect to a P4 1.5ghz with 768 RAM
So I need:
SOUND CARD - other than my SB Live Value which I can retain for MIDI use:
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - Highly recommended and I require few inputs.
MICROPHONE connects to pre-amp? - (I want one dynamic and one large diaphragm condenser mic)
DYN - Shure 57 or 58 - seems to be a staple
LDC - I ask guidance in the $400-500 range here since I have provided a very focused use for the microphone. I've only seen a few posts that referred to male vocal exclusively, but even then Studio Projects C1, AT4050, KSM44, NTK, GT66, Blue Dragonfly, AEA R84, were quickly suggested. That's a lot of mics!
Chessparov perhaps wisely questions buying merely one mic; perhaps 2 at half the cost would be better for different uses (i.e classical, musical theater, soft pop.) Also, he notes that a Neumann mic (very expensive) does not compare to a Beyer mic (lesser?) for HIS particular voice. But how exactly does one test mics pre-purchase? Even if I got them hooked up in a store and sang with them, how would I adequately hear and make a good judgment? I live near Los Angeles, California if anyone works out there and wants an easy comission!
MIC PREAMP/MIXER connects to soundcard?
M-Audio DMP3 ($200) - I've ready so many recommendations for this product. The other suggestion that stuck out was Grace 1 a number of times; the only match I can find on-line is Grace Designs Model 101 Pre-amp (I presume this is a match? It's price tag [$600] seemed way out of line with the DMP3.) And I read in UKs Computer Music about Focusrite's VoiceMaster ($600). I've seen a Yamaha MG102 ($100) with built-in pre-amp also recommended as a budget item. If I choose the Focusrite or Yamaha, I then do not need to worry about the DMP3, Grace 101, or RNMP, right?
I'm confused as to how much effect mixing will have for the work I have outlined above. "All About Mixing" at homerecording.com seems to indicate I would benefit in two steps from a mixing device 1) adjusting the sound so it's recorded properly and 2) adjusting the recorded sound to a more a polished sound.
If I'm using a Sequencer and/or Software Studio, do I still need a Mixer? Do I even want to worry about solid state vs tube amplification?
I'm tired already; are you too?
CABLES connect all this stuff together:
I own a pair of Transparent Audio Reference Balanced Interconnects http://www.transparentcable.com/products/audio/ref_interconnects.html and a Transparent Audio Reference Digital Cable terminated in coaxial RCAs http://www.transparentcable.com/products/digital/ref_75_digital_cable.html , would these be suitable for connecting my "toys" together?
So, have I covered the basics here? Is this all I need to be well underway? The only things left I can think of are headphones and monitors (which I prefer to read more about before I ask questions!)
Thank you to all for your time. I appreciate the thousands of posts you've already made and any you can spare for me
Sincerely,
DanielShawn
For each piece, I want to spend around the amount of the item I suggsted. +/- $100 is no biggie; where applicable, if downgrading one piece so I could upgrade a more important piece is also fine.
After reading much, I realize that at the lower price levels, much sounds and acts the same. I don't have a good reason to pick the MA Audiophile 2496 over the TerraTec DMX 6fire 24/96, Tascam US-122, or Mia except that I saw the MA well recommended here already. And I don't truly expect one will be THAT different from the other (other than logistically, of course, the Tascam being USB and the MA not.)
I just want to doube-check that I have all the pieces I will need and that I'm not missing something due to ignorance.
This will all connect to a P4 1.5ghz with 768 RAM
So I need:
SOUND CARD - other than my SB Live Value which I can retain for MIDI use:
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - Highly recommended and I require few inputs.
MICROPHONE connects to pre-amp? - (I want one dynamic and one large diaphragm condenser mic)
DYN - Shure 57 or 58 - seems to be a staple
LDC - I ask guidance in the $400-500 range here since I have provided a very focused use for the microphone. I've only seen a few posts that referred to male vocal exclusively, but even then Studio Projects C1, AT4050, KSM44, NTK, GT66, Blue Dragonfly, AEA R84, were quickly suggested. That's a lot of mics!
Chessparov perhaps wisely questions buying merely one mic; perhaps 2 at half the cost would be better for different uses (i.e classical, musical theater, soft pop.) Also, he notes that a Neumann mic (very expensive) does not compare to a Beyer mic (lesser?) for HIS particular voice. But how exactly does one test mics pre-purchase? Even if I got them hooked up in a store and sang with them, how would I adequately hear and make a good judgment? I live near Los Angeles, California if anyone works out there and wants an easy comission!
MIC PREAMP/MIXER connects to soundcard?
M-Audio DMP3 ($200) - I've ready so many recommendations for this product. The other suggestion that stuck out was Grace 1 a number of times; the only match I can find on-line is Grace Designs Model 101 Pre-amp (I presume this is a match? It's price tag [$600] seemed way out of line with the DMP3.) And I read in UKs Computer Music about Focusrite's VoiceMaster ($600). I've seen a Yamaha MG102 ($100) with built-in pre-amp also recommended as a budget item. If I choose the Focusrite or Yamaha, I then do not need to worry about the DMP3, Grace 101, or RNMP, right?
I'm confused as to how much effect mixing will have for the work I have outlined above. "All About Mixing" at homerecording.com seems to indicate I would benefit in two steps from a mixing device 1) adjusting the sound so it's recorded properly and 2) adjusting the recorded sound to a more a polished sound.
If I'm using a Sequencer and/or Software Studio, do I still need a Mixer? Do I even want to worry about solid state vs tube amplification?
I'm tired already; are you too?
CABLES connect all this stuff together:
I own a pair of Transparent Audio Reference Balanced Interconnects http://www.transparentcable.com/products/audio/ref_interconnects.html and a Transparent Audio Reference Digital Cable terminated in coaxial RCAs http://www.transparentcable.com/products/digital/ref_75_digital_cable.html , would these be suitable for connecting my "toys" together?
So, have I covered the basics here? Is this all I need to be well underway? The only things left I can think of are headphones and monitors (which I prefer to read more about before I ask questions!)
Thank you to all for your time. I appreciate the thousands of posts you've already made and any you can spare for me
Sincerely,
DanielShawn
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