Newbie Recording pleaze give advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter CheesecakeXLR
  • Start date Start date
C

CheesecakeXLR

New member
I am new at recording, I mean I've done it twice but soon it the future I want to do it right. I am not trying to prepare a demo for a record company or something like that I just want to get a decent quality recording that I can to people in my area... I take music very seriously but not as a job or anything. SO I want to record a my band (drums,guitar,bass,vocals) and I have about a 700$ budget. I have mic cables and 3 low quality mics already but that is pretty much it. I have a rough Idea of what I think would work best but I want to hear your suggestions please.
thankyou for taking your time to read this. I can post previous recordings that I have done if you are curious.
 
right now I was thinking of getting:

3 mic stands

a mixer with atleast 4 tracks

an sm57

a boss br8

and I was thinking I could record onto the br8 and then transfer the tracks to my computer and mix with n-track studio. that is what I had in mind.
 
Assuming you're doing PC recording:

You need the following:

mics - mic cables - mixer - processors - soundcard - software - monitors/headphones

Assuming you're doing recording with a mixer/hard drive

you need the following

mics - mic cables - mixer - processors - back into mixer - to mixers hard disk - monitors/headphones


That is what you need for each set up, plain and simple!


Let me know if you already have a PC to use or not. If you don't, I would suggest going with a mixer/hard disk......

If you want more specifics on how to do this the cheapest and still best lemme know here!
 
I do have a PC(22 gHz, 25 gb hard disk free,128 mb of ram, cheap sound card) and I think that using it would be the best way to record, but I'm am kinda shaky because them I would only be able to record where my computer is and it isnt portable, but If it really is much better to use that than a stand alone recorder, than I would deal with that setback.

some more details:

I havent considered money for sound proofing the room

I have considered fake drums but I think that it would work for the music.

I need to be able to atleast 2 tracks at once, and preferable more so I wouldnt have to "premix" the drums a lot when I record them.
 
Well - what do you mean the computer is not portable? In otherwords, you need it where it is and would have to "tote" it to the place you're recording?

If you did tote it around you could save a hell of alot of money.

Because instead of getting a mixer/record you could get a great soundcard with lots of inputs - and do your stuff each track on it's own while multiple people are playing.

I would use the PC - it'd be better.

So I would get a good soundcard so you can record a few things at once but on different tracks.

And some mic stand if needed, and perhaps the sm57 to replace some of the bad mics.

And then I would recommend some kind of processing unit

then you could run your mics into the processor, and then out to the soundcard and have a well controlled digital sound.

If you need headphones for the players great.

If needed you COULD add a small mixer before the processor...

Because of your budget I would recommend you record each track one at a time. THis way you can trade off the best mic to the person recording, and only use the cheaper mics on the drumset, which is fine....

got it?
 
Fake drums is an excellent idea - I use DFH which sounds better than most drumset - however you'd have to fire the drummer!!!
 
A lot of people like using the Fostex MR8, then transferring to PC to use n'track. The MR8 runs about $299.00 The VF80 with a CDR runs $699.00 and you could have a complete master in your hands and the end of the day.

Getting one Studio Projects B1 with a shock mount would run an extra $99.00, plus you want a pop shield... Vocals are great on this mike, as are acoustic instruments.
 
BPRecords said:

And then I would recommend some kind of processing unit

then you could run your mics into the processor, and then out to the soundcard and have a well controlled digital sound.
Click to expand...

Wow. You really don't have the first fucking clue what you are talking about.

Do everybody a favor and quit handing out your "free" advice. You don't know your ass from a hole in the ground and it's painfully obvious...............

Yeah......... you're a record producer AND an attorney................

ROFLMFAOUIPMP
 
Well... if you need to record two tracks at once, then you can't use n-Track. It's a great, cheap tool... but you can't do simultaneous tracking.

I would maybe even go so far as to suggest that you get an all-in-one bundle... such as a digi001. You can pick one up used for 400-500 which would leave you with money left over for mics/whatever. With the digi001 you would get 2 pres, 8 analog ins, 8 digital ins, 8 analog outs, Pro Tools software, a sound card, etc... It pretty much takes care of a lot of stuff that you need all at once.

Just a thought.


WATYF
 
huh?????? I use N-Track and I routinely record 2 tracks at once, and since I have a Delta 44, I could record up to 4 tracks at once. I'm assuming if your PC/Interface can handle it, N-track should be able to record >24 tracks.
Just wanted to make that clear...
Now back to your regularly scheduled "help the newbie"

PS - Good luck CheesecakeXLR! Cool name :)

WATYF said:
Well... if you need to record two tracks at once, then you can't use n-Track. It's a great, cheap tool... but you can't do simultaneous tracking.
<snip>

WATYF
Click to expand...
 
Hhhmmm.... Sorry... didn't mean to mislead. The last version of n-Track I used couldn't record multiple inputs simultaneously. If that's a new feature Flavio added then more power to him. That makes it an even better entry level multi-track software (If I hadn't gone the PT route, I'd still be using it).


WATYF
 
No problems! You need to make sure you have N-Track setup properly. First make sure that multiple input devices are selected from the File | Options menu (or something like that). Then from the recording VU meters window, you want to make sure that the inputs you want to record are armed (they'll have options such as "Record to a new track", "record to track n", or "Don't record"). This option has been available as far back as 2.x. Let me know if you still have problems!

WATYF said:
Hhhmmm.... Sorry... didn't mean to mislead. The last version of n-Track I used couldn't record multiple inputs simultaneously. If that's a new feature Flavio added then more power to him. That makes it an even better entry level multi-track software (If I hadn't gone the PT route, I'd still be using it).


WATYF
Click to expand...
 
dude... that sucks! :eek:

I know someone here told me that n-Track didn't do simultaneous ins back when I was using it... :mad:

ah.. oh well... I only had a two channel pre back then anyway, so it didn't matter. :p


WATYF
 
ok so I am convinced that i shoud use my computer.

as far as a a good sound card goes, I'm not sure what kind I shoul dget and what the specifications mean(4inputs, 6 outputs)
I'm under the impression that this would cost a few hundred dollars

I have mics and cables and I could get one sm 57 so I have atleast one good mic

do you need a separate mixer when recording on a computer?isnt there one on the sound card? anyway I dont think I can afford a good mixer and a good sound.

i cant think of any processors I would need except for a compressor and and enhancer. and with my budget, I dont think I could afford good one

could some one please explain?
 
You need preamps. So, you can get a decent mixer (which will have pres in it) or you can get a stand alone pre.

As far as compression/effects... you can use plug-ins for those.


You should really decide on what type of interface you want to use. How many inputs do you need? What type of instruments are you going to record?

A decent 4 input sound card (delta 44) goes for around (or just under) $200. n-Track is 65 bucks (or something like that). An sm-57 is $89 or so. A decent 2 channel pre or 4 channel mixer would be ~200 bucks. That's aboot 550 or so. That's well under your budget. I'd recommend a different mic though. You'll need an LD condensor for decent vocals.


There are a lot of variables. What is it you're going to be recording? That would help narrow down the decision.


WATYF
 
I already own n-track

in this style of music there are vocals but they arent as important as they are in other forms of music

The instraments I need to record are a
Drum kit
Distorted guitar
Bass

I might be able to work extra and get up to 900$ or so

and what mixer would work well?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top