Recording Fast and Efficient

[purplehazerman]

Now that I have everything set up and ready for recording, I find that it takes a very long time. Can anyone give me any tips for getting decent tones (I don't need CD quality) and mixes fast? I don't want to spend all my time trying to get it to sound right. I want to go upstairs, turn everything on, record, and be done with it. I know it's not that easy but if anyone has any tips..?

Thanks.

 

[Rokket]

Now that I have everything set up and ready for recording, I find that it takes a very long time. Can anyone give me any tips for getting decent tones (I don't need CD quality) and mixes fast? I don't want to spend all my time trying to get it to sound right. I want to go upstairs, turn everything on, record, and be done with it. I know it's not that easy but if anyone has any tips..?

Thanks.

Getting the recording itself done isn't that time consuming if you take the time before hand to make sure that all your levels are set in the beginning, and that what you intend to record is well rehearsed, all your instruments are in tune with each other, and everything from your cables to your recorder in your signal chain is working properly. Getting the proper levels beforehand will save you time in the end.

 

[purplehazerman]

Thanks for that. I suppose I should tell you more about how I'm recording. I'm only recording myself, electric and acoustic guitar, and maybe mandolin in the future. I am using a Shure Beta 57 into a Yamaha MG mixer into a Zoom MRS-8 recorder. I am using Wharfedale 8.2 Mixers. I think I have a pretty good first recording set-up. Anyone have experience with any of these products and know anything valuable about them? Or any other general tips?

 

[Rokket]

Thanks for that. I suppose I should tell you more about how I'm recording. I'm only recording myself, electric and acoustic guitar, and maybe mandolin in the future. I am using a Shure Beta 57 into a Yamaha MG mixer into a Zoom MRS-8 recorder. I am using Wharfedale 8.2 Mixers. I think I have a pretty good first recording set-up. Anyone have experience with any of these products and know anything valuable about them? Or any other general tips?

The only thing I have used that you have is the Yamaha MG10/2 mixer. It has great pre amps, and it's pretty fexible. Not bad at all for a budget mixer. The rest of it, I can't help you with.


Did you mean Wharfdale 8.2 monitors?

 

[chessrock]

Just like with anything else ...

All one needs in order to become fast and efficient is practice, practice, practice, practice.

You play an instrument? Same idea. Keep doing it and you'll find shortcuts and time-savers. I don't know what level you're at with things, but I'm assuming you have a patchbay, and it's hooked up (?) If not, there's task number one. Make a diagram of your patchbay ... what's hooked in where, and study it.

Experiment around and find what works for you. Figure out what mics sound good where and then just set it in place, permanently, moreless. Mark your dials to where you're getting the proper gainstaging and use those as a starting point. Here's a biggie: use different colored cables. Don't let anyone tell you it looks gay. Blue for overhead right, yellow for overhead left, green for snare, black for guitar cab 1, etc. etc. etc. Make cheat sheets for yourself and keep them handy.

Speaking of your cables, tape them down ... or run them along the ceiling or floor ... Just get 'em out of harm's way so you don't go tripping all over 'em. Nothing slows a session down more than tripping and getting tangled in your own chords. It's distracting.

Keep a bin full of various connectors. 1/4" to 1/8" inch connectors ... 1/8 inch to RCA. Buy connectors you'd never think you'd need.

 

[purplehazerman]

Thanks for your help both of you. And yes I did mean Wharfedale 8.2 monitors, and that is the Yamaha model I have, the 10/2.

And what is a patchbay chessrock, and what did you want me to do with it?

 

[scrubs]

Chessrock and Rokket are right, there's no substitute for experience. With only one mic, your options are limited, which is both good and bad in terms of efficiency. The most time consuming thing, but the one thing that will improve the sound of your music the most, is going to be getting good microphone placement. Sure, there are plenty of tips about where to put the mic when recording acoustic guitar and electric guitar amps. However, you're going to have to find the placements that work for your guitars/amps/voice given your equipment, your room, and your desired sound. If you can get the tone very close to where you want it when tracking, then mixing will be much easier.