sounds like shit

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Xan

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I'm looking something like Minor Threat and Misfits - Evil live (only not live). Sound wise. So I guess what I'm trying to say is I want my stuff to sound low quality or lo fi. I really like recording to tapes but my sound card won't let me bump my tapes onto my computer. What should I purchase to get that done, what kind of hardware.
 
also

what kind of preamp should I get for direct lines into the computer or mics?
 
My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions that WORK: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Sony ACID Express (free 10-track sequencer): http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/
Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)
 
Xan said:
So I guess what I'm trying to say is I want my stuff to sound low quality
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This is very easy to achieve... it's the natural state of newbie recording, usually...

I doubt you actually want low quality - you want a defined aesthetic which you're describing as lo-fi, which is probably not low quality at all.

It's a pretty open ended question you've asked, which is why no-one's answering it.

Why don't you describe, in more detail, what you have now, where you'll be recording, what instruments / gear / sound sources you'll be recording etc. and you may get an intelligent answer...
 
IF the sound card on your computer does not have line-ins, it must be a cheapie.
Get an audio interface, for a start. You can make the sound as "lo fi" as you want by using bad recording methods, cheap microphones, etc.
 
Armistice is right - you probably want a kick-ass lo-fi aesthetic which is not at all the same as something sounding crappy.

Getting a really raw, out-of-control yet cohesive sound is actually very difficult, even with really good equipment. It's largely the performance of the players and capturing that vibe honestly. I highly recommend avoiding the one-pass-at-a-time approach and going instead for everyone (except perhaps the singer) playing live. This will mean you need a lot of A/D inputs, a lot of preamps, a lot of mics and probably a FW interface that can handle a lot of data at once.

The lo-fi piece should be pretty easy to create through EQ once you've captured the raw sound faithfully. But do not assume that raw sounding high-energy music recording is somehow easier than schmaltzy, clean recording. Quite the opposite, IMO.
 
I think some people miss the point of lo fi. It's about people making the best of the very meagre resources they have. Not taking what they've got and forcing it to perform under par.
 
What I find astounding is the speed at which NoObs disappear as soon as they realize they're not going to get the easy answer they're looking for.

I think the NEWBIES forum has the most abandoned threads from OP's who never come back to at least say "thank you", once they don't get the easy "this is how it's done" response that they thought they were going to get.

I need a coffee. :eek:
 
legionserial said:
I think some people miss the point of lo fi. It's about people making the best of the very meagre resources they have. Not taking what they've got and forcing it to perform under par.
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I wouldn't consider using EQ and other effects to impart a particular vibe to a recording to be forcing it to perform under par.
 
Todzilla said:
I wouldn't consider using EQ and other effects to impart a particular vibe to a recording to be forcing it to perform under par.
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Not when you put it like that no. But then without context that can be taken very broadly.

But when someone wants to use effects to do this...

Xan said:
I want my stuff to sound low quality or lo fi.
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See how you're missing my point?

Lo-fi is about recording artists making the best of the their very meagre resources. Artificial lo-fi is about deliberatly making your music....

Xan said:
sound low quality
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This is not the point of lo-fi. I'm not criticizing the guy for wanting to shoot for a particular sound, that's up to him, he could make a symphony out of farts for all I care, I'm just questioning the point of it. The 'lo-fi' bands didn't do it on purpose. They didn't have a choice.

Hey, I've made a nice steak and fries dinner tonight. I'm going to take a shit on it, stub a few cigarettes out on it, and throw in some flies, so that I can capture the vibe of being a destitute hobo who eats out of trash can. :laughings:
 
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Armistice said:
This is very easy to achieve... it's the natural state of newbie recording, usually...
Click to expand...

It won't always stay that way. Once this guy starts learning what he's doing, it'll become harder and harder for him to put the "newbie" sound on it. It's like learning how to play the guitar well, and then trying to play it like you just picked it up. It won't sound like you've just picked it up, it'll sound like a guitarist purposely playing terribly.

There's a few lo-fi plug-ins out there that purposely mess up the sound.
 
I would record your stuff live, one take get a 4 channel mixer line it into your pc and call it a day.

Chances are thats how evilive was recorded.


there are plenty of silly gadgets sold at walmarts, costco, radio shack future shop for getting your tape stuff to your pc.

I just saw one at radio shack (the source here in canada) for around 30 bucks.

Good luck.
 
Evilive doesn't really "sound like shit". It's pretty bad, but I've heard modern ironic indie crap sound worse.
 
Yea i concur.

I tihnk evilive would have sucked if it were recorded 'professionally'

I like that it really captured that atmosphere.
 
RAMI said:
What I find astounding is the speed at which NoObs disappear as soon as they realize they're not going to get the easy answer they're looking for.
Click to expand...

True dat....

At least it gives us lots of chance to argue amongst ourselves and subvert the thread for other purposes... :eek:
 
philbagg said:
It's like learning how to play the guitar well, and then trying to play it like you just picked it up. It won't sound like you've just picked it up, it'll sound like a guitarist purposely playing terribly.

.
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I completely disagree.While playing a show on my birthday years ago a few guys got together and bought me shots.The Crown Royal was fine but the shot of 151 that was slipped in there was another story.

I wouldn't have drank that one if i knew it was 151.Been there,done that.
Long story short...after about an hour into the show they should've just sat me the *uck down!
 
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