Please Help!

[j22]

Hi everyone im almost to nervous to post as i search the board it seems alot of you guys are well informed about this biz and im clueless but here goes

Me and my friend want to start a small home studio helping artists who has talent we have severl groups that everybody agrees has talent but where we live they fear they cant make it so we want to change that we want to record and produce for them either submitting there cd's to record companys or distrubtting them ourselves starting a small label my friend is a great mc who know how to write and just get on the mic im the business man who go and find and here the talent we are lost when wanting to start the studio only thing i have is a laptop pc gateway with 512mb can anyone offer us a simple way to go for this startup we have 1,000 bucks at the moment but will buy other equipment by week or month if we have to were young guys whos wanting to help others who has the same dream we do now i have been in contact with a guy froom sweetwater who suggest i buy a fantom s keyboard price 2,000 were looking for another route where we can get more than just a keyboard can someone guide us from start to finish heres the setup im a christian guy who wants to handle that type of music is there certin software i need to do this he is wanting to do hip hop r and b each groups has 2 to 3 people who will be singing i need to basic setup. equipment can be cheap as long as it get the job done im not trying to impress no one we want to take this one day at a time let me no all you smart people

 

[randyfromde]

What a great first sentence!

 

[Track Rat]

You need a few periods in there I think.

 

[Cyrokk]

Forget the keyboard.

You are going to need:

-Monitors
-Microphones
-Preamps
-Microphone stands
-Cables
-Decent rooms to track in
-A decent soundcard
-Recording software

These are the things you need to first concentrate on purchasing, and these will quickly eat that $1k. Monitors, microphones and a good room are the most important. You will need preamps for the microphones. The soundcard will depend on how many instruments you plan on tracking at one time. Good soundcards are not cheap, at minimum around $400. But the good news is that most include recording software. You need to do some research to determine a) what soundcards will be compatible with your laptop's chipset, and b) how many inputs you will need from that soundcard. You may be able to get by with just two inputs, but if you record a drummer or someone else that requires more than one mic simultaneously, then you will need a mixer to submix everything to those two inputs.

I suggest you spend 75% of your time here learning about recording, and the other 25% of your time on ebay trying to score a soundcard for your pc (and maybe the other stuff too). Chances are a soundcard from ebay won't come with software, so you can get n-track for free.

You will also need:
-Multiple headphones
-Headphone amp (if you get a decent mixer, you can use it instead).
-A printer (for not only CD label printing, but also for documents, notices, and contracts).

And so you don't piss off the artist you are recording, you will need:

Food
Drink
A waiting room (preferably away from your control area)
A couch
Blankets
TV
Incense
Lava Lamps
Multicolored lightbulbs


Cy

 

[joro]

You'll need at least a CD burner too....A DVD burner might be best...
You can make masters and give them to the artists and have the artists pay for the manufacturing after a study is done of the frequency of their gigs so you/they can plan their quantity needs for self distribution and networking needs.

a good room...
a couple of decent mics...a SM57 a SM58 and a decent mid priced condensor or two...
and pre's......phantom power is needed for the condensors most likely.......it's important....
a decent mixer will suit that need too...
don't skimp on the quality of the soundcard....you need good A/D converter(s)
it only comes out at least as good as it goes in......if it goes in crappy...it will probably be crappy mixed...

Concentrate on levels and mic technique and placement.
Study (test) which mic goes for whatever application...

Learn your software....that is...RTFM...it's important...

You might want an external hard drive dedicated to music only....that way it'll spin at the right speed and you can partition the other drive...don't forget to back up man....very very important....

A lot of fellows here know a million times more than me and they have helped me better understand this recording stuff....use the boards man...there are no stupid questions....there's tons of info here...

Good luck,
Joe

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

If you plan on dealing with other people in ANY capacity, you'll need punctuation..............

 

[joro]

If you plan on dealing with other people in ANY capacity, you'll need punctuation..............

Ha!
That's funny man.......

you definitely have my number Mr. Bear...

 

[j22]

Thanks

Hey thanks u guys cy joro you kept the focus on music not my spelling

1 But let me ask you what kind of mixer shall i be looking for and just what is it designed to do by the way i have a cdrw on my pc should i contact gateway for my soundcard or a music store were not jumping into this head first were taking our times learning day by day

2 Is everything that was listed in the startup can get producing done as well or just the recording or does the mixer take care of the producing

3 To all you guys who didnt like how i put my sentences let me take the time to say how sorry i am i thought i was coming here to get help with music not to be graded on spelling but let me put youre minds at ease i am indeed well educated top of my class come to think of it but hey my bad

4 But i do hope you guys keep it coming i need all the help i can get dont worry about hurting my feelings i dont need my ego stroked and to all my sentence checkers im sure i didnt put periods or anything else that im not worried about so no harm no foul takecare

 

[Thatupstateguy]

If you are looking to make your money go as far as possible,.... buy used gear,....

Ebay, garage sales,... auctions,...and that Swap Meet thingy Monty always goes to,.....


First thing is having a place that can be sort of soundproofed,..... then fairly good mics,... couple of Shure 58s,and a couple of 57s,.... then a decent mixer,.... small mackie, or soundcraft is good,.... bout 6oo left,.... a delta 1010 to get it all into your computer, they can be found for about 300,.... and then anything left,... start saving for more, and better gear,.... in the meantime,.... practice using what you've got,..... don't get frustrated, it will get easier,...... record stuff of your own ...again, and again,... trying different settings till you know exactly what your gear is capable of,.... and ONLY then do you invite paying customers to 'RECORD' in your place,.... if you want to eventually be successful at this,... you have to be good enough at the engineering part of it, to use the gear you have to the utmost of your abilities,.....subscribe to Tape-Op magazine,.....(it's free...) go to tapeop.com.... and read as much as you can about mixing,mastering,recording,and sound reinforcement,.... and frequent sites like this one,...and the Recording Project, and Harmony Central,..... to get more info on making, and recording music,...... and do not,..... I repeat,.... DO NOT worry about the commas or periods,.... I have those covered,......

and last of all,.... keep on dreamin,.... it's the dreamers who make things happen,.... and end up motivating the rest of us shmucks,......


Steve

 

[Cyrokk]

1 But let me ask you what kind of mixer shall i be looking for and just what is it designed to do

A mixer combines signals of audio distributed in each mixer channel to essentially two outputs, one left and one right (each channel typically has its own output as well, but don't worry about that right now). For recording drums, you could have a microphone on each part of the kit, and you could hook up the other end of each microphone's cable to its own separate channel (provided the mixer has preamps on each channel, which most do), adjust the volume faders so that each miked piece of the drumkit blends and send the two outputs to your computer. The computer then records a stereo mix of the kit. Again, you don't necessarily need a mixer for recording to the pc unless you have more simultaneous signals of sound than you have inputs on your soundcard.

by the way i have a cdrw on my pc should i contact gateway for my soundcard or a music store were not jumping into this head first were taking our times learning day by day

NO. Gateway just sells computers. They know nothing about recording audio in a typical home recording situation. A music store is a closer bet, but you would be best off doing a search on this board about soundcards. Once you have an idea of what a soundcard does and what kind of soundcard you will need, go to the manufacturer's website and look at what they offer. I spent almost a year doing research before I found exactly what I was looking for. It won't take you that long because you are looking for a basic setup, but you really do need to find a soundcard that not only has the number of inputs you need, but will be compatible with your computer (you will have better luck if your pc has an intel chipset) AND the company has the most recent drivers for that soundcard on their website AND works with your operating system (also keep your ear to the ground about their tech support reputation). Soundcards can be the most tempermental of all components in your pc recording setup.

2 Is everything that was listed in the startup can get producing done as well or just the recording or does the mixer take care of the producing.

Most of the "producing" chores are done with the software, the outcome is pushed through the soundcard. To really get an idea of how the software works, go to www.fasoft.com and download their user manual and just read through it. Get it in your head though, that recordings actually produce themselves if you spend the bulk of your time getting it right during the initial recording of the instruments. You can only fix so much during the mixing process before you ruin a recording. And yes, everything that was originally listed will get you from raw tracks to polished product.

Professional studios use the mixer predominantly after the tracks are recorded. Each track is sent output from the recorder and placed in its own channel on the mixer, and like I described above, the engineer makes volume adjustments on the mixer, and the mixer combines all the tracks into two tracks, left and right. However, in your situation, once you get those tracks into your pc, everything else can be done in the pc, since the software has its own internal mixing capabilities. After you sent the tracks to the pc, you would press a couple buttons and the software would combine all the tracks into a single stereo file that can be burned on a cd.

 

[c7sus]

im ona purdy loo budghett sos i cant afoured no puntuaction or speelin eiver.

 

[j22]

Thanks

thanks u guys u have given me alot to go on i talked to people at the music stores and there trying to get me to buy all this expensive equipment making me feel like if i dont have it i will not get good results so thanks for all the input if i need to know anything else i no where to ask now

 

[AlChuck]

To all you guys who didnt like how i put my sentences let me take the time to say how sorry i am i thought i was coming here to get help with music not to be graded on spelling but let me put youre minds at ease i am indeed well educated top of my class come to think of it but hey my bad

Well-educated, perhaps, but it's just plain stupid to write like that. There's a reason for punctuation, it makes writing easier to read - it breaks it down for the eyes. You wouldn't play eight notes in every single fucking bar of a piece of music, without mixing it up with other note values, rests, or any syncopation, and expect it to sound listenable, would you? It's a simple fact that writing with no punctuation makes it much harder for those trying to read your questions (or answers). The whole reason for these forums is to allow a channel of communication between people. Why muddy it up with blocks and blocks of undifferntiated words? Do you think it's cool? Artful? Makes you unique? It isn't, and it doesn't, it's just a flat-out pain in the ass.

Those that are willing to read stuff like that anyway, well, you are wonderful for being so open and taking the trouble to try to parse the undifferentiated globs of verbiage into what's being said, but you're just enabling these clowns that feel it's some sort of special right of theirs to be as difficult to read as possible.

 

[j22]

Look AlChuck if thats the way you feel so be it im sorry you feel the need to use profanity for starters also calling someone plain stupid for writting like that is uncalled for but thats what make america so great we are free to say what we want but at the same time keep in mind everyone has feelings this forum is to help people not put people down for not putting a period at the end of a sentence if you come to a post and you dont like it just move on i was taught dont put others down just to build yourself up im not trying to be artful unique or cool i honestly dont have time for that and im certinly to strong to let someone such as yourself hurt my feelings im not on this board seeking youre approval for anything the only 2 approval i need and want and thats Gods and my loving Mother and i have at least 1 i no im waiting on the other im a Christian guy so my chances are good but i have said enough and again im sorry you feel the way you do im sure youre a great guy anyway takecare

 

[AlChuck]

j22,

Sorry if I offended you, but it seems to me that if you are going to alienate at least 50% of the good people that hang out here and like to be helpful from time to time by the simple omission of punctuation, well, that's just stupid in my book. You still haven't given a single reason why you think writing without punctuation is such a good and joyful thing that you simply must do it.

I don't want your approval and you can well bet I'll move on when I see posts written like yours. I'm just trying to understand why anyone in their right mind would willfully pursue a means of communication that obscures rather than clarifies, and then gets irritated about it when people point it out, like it's the reader's problem and not yours.

Tell me, if you were calling 911 for some real help, would you talk with a flat monotone and leave no spaces between words? - and then get annoyed at the poor 911 operator when they ask you to speak more clearly because they cannot understand you?

 

[j22]

Hey dont worry im not offened i have no prolemb with you given youre opion its youres to give but when we want to get our point across theres a good way and theres a bad way as to youre question the reason i write the way i do im not doing it to annoy you or orthers i just wanted to no a few questions about music recordings putting periods was not on my mind when i sit down to use my computer i just go to work im a business guy and when i sit down to do business im on point i no how to act how to talk how to add periods when it comes to business but here i wanted to do a side hobby so i asked a question i didnt mean to offend you or what you stand for honestly im a 21 year old guy who was talked to respect my elders and others i dont no how old you are but you seem like a very nice guy who dont like when people violate the english system and i cant change how you feel but as i said this is a message board that helps not for lashing out for something as simple as periods i noticed cy gave me great advice joro,steve and so on they didnt seem to have a prolemb with my writting if they did they didnt mention it they were great help there are alot of people on this forum looking for help and guidence they already have alot to think about they dont need people adding unecessary insults to there prolembs its our job to help not be little them thats my opion as i said im on here for help not for spelling i have questions they have answers im not trying to offend anyone takecare.

 

[randyfromde]

as to youre question the reason i write the way i do im not doing it to annoy you or orthers i just wanted to no a few questions about music recordings putting periods was not on my mind when i sit down to use my computer i just go to work im a business guy and when i sit down to do business im on point i no how to act how to talk how to add periods when it comes to business but here i wanted to do a side hobby so i asked a question i didnt mean to offend you or what you stand for honestly im a 21 year old guy who was talked to respect my elders and others i dont no how old you are but you seem like a very nice guy who dont like when people violate the english system and i cant change how you feel but as i said this is a message board that helps not for lashing out for something as simple as period

Unreal.

I think this is about as close as you can write to sound like 'Boomhauer' from King of the Hill


Gadgumitmanijusdunknow!

 

[AlChuck]

putting periods was not on my mind when i sit down to use my computer i just go to work im a business guy and when i sit down to do business im on point i no how to act how to talk how to add periods when it comes to business but here i wanted to do a side hobby so i asked a question i didnt mean to offend you or what you stand for honestly

So let me get this straight -- when you're in a business environment you use punctuation because, presumably, you want to be understood.

But here, it's not business, so you would rather not bother making it easier for people to understand?

I still don't get it... is there some physical reason that makes it difficult for you to punctuate as you type? Presumably you don't talk like that...

Why do you even bother putting that one period at the end?

As I said, you don't offend me or what I stand for, I'm just telling you if you punctuate you will have a better chance of people bothering to read and understand your posts, and I'm simply expressing consternation as to why you would not want to do that.

 

[distortedrumble]

Unreal.

I think this is about as close as you can write to sound like 'Boomhauer' from King of the Hill


Gadgumitmanijusdunknow!

boomhauer LOL!!!!! i tell you what man dat dang'on website get people from all creeds talkin in they own language nobody understands but them i know what they sayin so i must be some kinda alien man you got another beer in dat dang'on cooler man?

 

[NYMorningstar]

im a 21 year old guy who was talked to respect my elders

Give it up man, it's obvious you're ignorant and need to grow up a bit.