Recording Punk Rock

[failedexperiment]

howdy-

ok, i'm a moron. i'm just starting out, and i have no equipment yet. what i'm wondering to myself as i'm going through all these posts is exactly how good of equipment do i need to record punk rock?!?
for example, if i record with my computer and get a mixer to route everything through, i could obviously get a behringer on ebay for under $200 for a 16 channel unit, and an equivalent mackie is going for about $500. i know from looking around here on the message board that a mackie is a better unit, but is that going to come through on the kind of music i'm interested in, or is that only really important for stuff that's supposed to sound really polished?
my basic plan at this point was to get:
1. a good soundcard
2. decent software
3. mixing board (like the behringer unit)
4. a couple of good microphones
5. some good speakers and headphones
i've got a cd burner already... but i'd like to hear from someone who maybe records punk or hardcore to hear what kinds of experiences you've had relating to how good your equipment really needs to be. thanks a ton.

-mike

 

[Salabim]

howdy-

my basic plan at this point was to get:
1. a good soundcard
2. decent software
3. mixing board (like the behringer unit)
4. a couple of good microphones
5. some good speakers and headphones

the beer, the beer!!! you forgot the beer!!!

 

[failedexperiment]

You're right!
I'm straight edge actually, but I should have beer for when my friends in bands come over to record.

Added to the list:

6. One dorm refrigerator full of Guinness.

 

[regebro]

If you play punk, you need to have lemande and freshly made cinnamon buns. Aint no real punk without that!

And I'd buy the mixer last, becuase thats what you need the least. Unless you are going to record the whole band live directly onto stereo, which might be a good idea, come to think of it...

OR...

You can buy a digital multitrack with can record loads of channels at one time, and loads of mics and do everything live onto this multitrack and mix it afterwards.
Thats a bit more expensive though, so it all depends on your budget.

 

[Even]

noi matter what style you record you are going to want a few studio basics as well though. Mic pre amps and a compressor for example. Otherwise the whole sound is going to hit the roof. Especially with a style that hits hard as it is. You will clip left and right and the whole thing will be mud.

 

[Motorbreath]

No doubt on the clipping! For the style (I play in a punk pop band), it's probably easiest to distort the vocals. You can probably get a consistent level out of the other stuff, especially if it's a wall of sound like punk usually is.

Just my $.02.