Options?

  • Thread starter Thread starter zerotosixty
  • Start date Start date
Z

zerotosixty

New member
I'm going to be recording my 3-peice band (guitar, bass, drums, vocals) in my house, and I was wondering what surface and techniques I should use to record. There will be distortion on the guitar on some songs. Thanx.

This is my gear,
-Shure Beta SM57A
-Shure Beta SM58A
-Fostex FD-4 Digital Multitrack
-Marshall SLX head
-Crate Excalibur head
-Hartke Bass head
-Radioshack Unidirectional Dynamic Mic
-Some random Condenser mic from the 70's or something (not really sure)
-5pc, 5-cymbal drum set
 
What are you asking? Do you have a specific problem? Why not try setting the stuff up how you think it should be done and try recording? Then if you have any problems, you can ask for help. We can't do that for you, at some point you've got to jump in and do it yourself.
 
I love how cool your trying to look behind your computer, but you don't need to say anything at all if what you have to say sucks. Anyway, I've had troubles recording in my garage because of how open it is, and I was wondering what surface that's normally found in a house is best to record. Also any friendly tips I could use. Thanks for your input though.
 
Let's not get tetchy, eh? :-)

Anyway, after your second post, I think I understand what you mean about surface.

If you record in a garage, there are lots of hard surfaces which will reflect sound very readily. This means that you will get an ambience which is formed out of lots of early reflections ie a kind of natural reverberation - this can be very useful in some cases, but not necessarily for recording all the members of a band.

What studios normally do is record the band members in isolation in an acoustically 'dead' environment ie where you don't get any sonic reflections. They then add reverb (and other effects) afterwards using electronic reverb.

If you have access to some effects, you can recreate this by recording in a room with loads sof furnishings and heavy curtains.

Something that may have caused you problems previously in the garage may have been because of the hard walls, square shape, frequencies involved - it's possible to set up standing waves in the air - resonances, which can badly affect what you hear/record.

Are you recording live or individually?

Hope I am of some help,

Matt
(Physicist)

[This message has been edited by Cakey2 (edited 03-24-2000).]
 
Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. You should have been more clear in your original post if you wanted a precise answer. Your second post made more sense.

Of course Matt is dead on in what he said (what did you expect from a physicist?). I'd recommend not recording your drums in a room with overly reflective surfaces like a garage. While it can work just fine, since you have so few mics, you'll be fighting the reflections more than you'd like. Particularly from other instruments. I know isolation isn't always possible, but using a little creativity with some easily movable household items (like draping a moving blanket over an amp & it's mic) can help lessen the severity of the reflections. Not a perfect solution, but it might help.

The reason I told you to just record something is because it's the only way you can really learn this stuff. I'm not trying to belittle anyone, it's not my style. Do you want a good recording? You aren't going to get it solely by reading what some guy in Toledo did. You'll have to jump in and do it for yourself. Make mistakes, better yet make mistakes work for you. If you think that's me trying to be cool behind my computer, get used to it.
 
Hey, CMiller IS cool! ... :)
He's delivered some really good advice in many of these forums. He just gets a little cranky when the questions aren't asked very clearly. :)
I didn't get 'surface' reference at first either.
You should try to find something to absorb as much sound as possible, blankets, sleeping bags, some uphostered furniture ... anything you can get your hands on.
As far as techniques ..
I'd try the SM57 on the snare
SM58 in the kick
The 70's condensor as an drum overhead mic
The Radioshack dynamic (or preferably another SM57 if you can get it) on your guitar amp
and the bass into the Fostex direct.
Sing the vocals after you record the basic tracks.
 
I apologize for my reaction, I wasn't feeling so great. Also my recordings suck, so that is kinda getting to me. I was incredibly vague on my first post, thanks for all the input :)
 
No sweat man, I know how frustrating it can be. What gear is the best solution for my needs, where can I get it, how can I make this all fit into my budget? These questions have so many different answers that it makes your head want to pop! Keep asking questions and we'll do our best to help you out.
 
But that's what in an essence makes me enjoy this art so much, I guess I just need to settle down, stop rushing myself and start enjoying it again. BTW I just can't seem to get enough of this forum it's so great. I hate advertising cause most of it's just fluff anyhow, that's where getting answers from real people is so valuable.
 
hi, this is something taht I wrote some days ago, I hope this help you:
Ok, if we are recording:
Real drums, Bass, Guitar and Vocals, and we're trying to do it in stereo image,
1. record the drums in ch 1 and 2
2. you'll have to mix the bass line with drums in ch 3 and 4.
3.then, mix the guitar with everything else back to ch. 1 and 2,
4. the same with vocals...
this way we dont loose the setreo of the record.
or,
use a md? or....

Tip:
You can use the "alone" channel to edit and add some effects to the instrument in process. Thats gonna be ok.

Try a simultaneous record of Drums and Bass on tracks 1 & 2 (using buss L Buss R)
Then record the guitar and vocals using Direct recording on tracks 3 & 4.

No bouncing.

what about do it in mono?
this way i can process all the instruments.
kick-track 1 snare-track 2 overheads-tr 3.
an then bouncing in track 4.
then, work with bass in other tracks... etc.

this way i can add more instruments:
track 1 vocal and uuuhhs.
track 2 bass, guitar and lead guitar.
track 3 synth and some samples.
track 4 drums and percussions.

I preffer MONO, because we are limited in tracks.

good luck!!
 
I prefer record one instrument at time, is better for many reasons.
the first one is the inputs you have.
 
Theres ways to do this. No fear we have all had our share of trials and errors. For example the solid inside walls of a garage can be dampened for $2.69. Cut and hang cardboard all over the place, especially smoothing out corners. The $2.69 covers the cost of staples. If it were me I would scarf up a cheap 4 or 6 channel powered mixer from a swap shop and mic and mix the drums into that, and then pump the whole drum mix out to the 4 track. Mic the distorted guitar and run the bass and vocals direct. Tada...
 
ok, i agree, but what happen if you want to add some fx to the guitar or the bass or anything?
you can´t rec the fx you add to the instruments because you dont have more tracks.
recording one at the time, you can process the sound and record it in another track.
thats the way I do it, cause it give me more options.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top