Recording vocals - basic equipment I need.

[Anthil]

Hello,

I'd like to record some vocals at home. Stuff that i picked to buy:

Microphone: Blue Microphones - Products - Bluebird
Headphones: ATH-M50x Professional Monitor Headphones || Audio-Technica US
Interface (PCIe): ESI - Juli@ XTe

I've read the topic about mixers so i think i don't need one.

The question is what more do i need?
- stand/tripod ?
- some filters ?
- acoustic foam ?

Is there something more convenient than Juli@ (something on USB 3.0 in same price??) ?

Software - Audiacity is enough or should i invest in Cubas or Cakewalk (or something else).

Most of the vocals will be rap. A little of classic guitar solos/fingerstyle too.

 

[arcaxis]

USB Audio Interface.... you need phantom power (48 volts) for a condenser microphone
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 - Portable USB Audio SCARLETT 2I2 USB B&H
Steinberg UR22mkII - USB 2.0 Audio Interface with Dual UR22 MKII

Audio software - Take a look at REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

Mic stand, pop filter, good XLR to XLR cable for the mic.

ATH-M50X are good headphones. You may want to look for some decent monitors also such as the JBL LSR305 5" Two-Way Powered Studio Monitor LSR305 B&H

Room treatment - you'll find many posts on this subject

Can you try the microphone before you buy it? Not all mics fit all voices.

 

[Massive Master]

Well, you do need a preamp... I'd probably go with a USB interface with built-in preamps. Focusrite makes a few that are pretty decent and freakishly affordable.

No foam, but definitely a healthy heaping of broadband trapping, especially if you're going to be using an extremely sensitive condenser.

Not sure of the style, but you might consider something along the lines of a Shure SM7b or EV RE20, which are (1) basically designed to be crazy-friendly to the human voice and (2) not nearly as sensitive to the room.

Of course - "grand scheme" you want the room properly (PROPERLY) treated -- But at this point, that's going to triple the budget you have for what you're looking at.

Reaper -- Audacity is -- Just get Reaper.

Yes - Stand, pop-filters (unless you go with the SM7b which has perfectly decent stuff included or the RE20 where you can pretty much just stretch a windscreen for a 58 over the top), some sort of isolation panel if you wind up with the Blue (really wouldn't be my first choice for aggressive vocals and I'd suggest the 7b pretty much no matter your budget), cabling, eventually some sort of monitoring chain if you're ever going to want to listen and/or mix....

[EDIT] I see we're all up early today...

 

[threeheavens]

I bought the bluebird on sale for $200 then flipped around the capsule and took out the inner screen which made an improvement. I don't regret buying it...it's kind of an odd ball sound wise, which is what I like about it. I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a go to mic. I'd probably grab a sm57 over it for a stranger walking in the door, partly because of reflections.
Unless you have a great sounding room that you want to capture, I'd stay with dynamic mics. As already said you really can't go wrong with the sm7b. The thing that sucks about it though is people without recording experience look at it and say you want me to sing into that ugly thing, they also start looking at the meters and say aren't my vocals supposed to be hitting 0.
Then I have the same conversation(argument) over and over.

Really, it's too the point of irritation.
Sorry, I had to vent.