Trying to support daughters

  • Thread starter Thread starter wheelema
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wheelema

wheelema

Boner-obo
I have a several musically inclined daughters who I want to encourage. I am looking to set up a mini home studio for keyboard and voice. Please tell me how close I am to hitting the target.

SoundBlaster LIVE! Platinum kit (w/ the drive bay input box)
Yamaha EZ30 Virtual Tutor Keyboard (MIDI to the SB LIVE!)
CAD 22 Microphone ($50)
Fostex VM08 8 channel digital mixer

... all this will hook up to a 300mhz Celeron in a server case which I can upgrade to a faster processor easily enough. Lots of RAM and storage...

I have Shawn Maschino's 'Home Recording FAQ' and I am looking into a beginning course on studio recording at the local JC.

All of this is coming in at about $650. I don't have any software at this time, and I have no idea what software would be best for teaching or getting creative without getting crazy.

Any input is appreciated.

On a completely different topic...

I have DSL via Verizon and I have NEVER used the email address they provided... I don't even know how to look to see if anyone has sent me messages. I use Yahoo and Hotmail exclusively for personal stuff and my work email for work issues. Why can't you sign up using Yahoo or Hotmail? If you want to reply to this please use wheelema@hotmail.com.
 
How old are your daughters? If you want them to learn keyboards you should probably buy a real keyboard or send them for piano lessens if they are interested? Any fifty dollar mic wont do anyones voice justice?
 
I think the Platinum SB would be overkill....go with the SB Live value.....Im not sure you need the digital mixer, what do you plan on using it for?.....

I would get the SB Live Value, the Yamaha keyboard, and use the extra dollars to get a better vocal mic, at least a Shure sm57($79) or even a Marshall MXLv67 or Studio Projects C1 (both under $200)....youll need a preamp such as the Art Tube Mp($99)....
 
Reply to Gidge

The digital mixer came out of the suggestion (somewhere on this site) to use a mixer instead of a pre-amp between the mic and the SB LIVE!. I am not even sure if I need it with the SB LIVE! Platinum. Insofar as the SB card is obsolete I can get it for just over a hundred, so I think it is an okay deal for what I want. I will concede on the mic, and as the girls are (okay, I'm Dad) very good vocally, I agree I need to upgrade microphone.
 
Reply to Gidge (#2)

Gidge, you've been great. Thanks a ton. Looked at the ART DIO and then looked for it at Guitar Center (Southern California doesn't completely bite) and found it for $10 less.... then I found this ART product which I think I am going to go with...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/home/011020191325004033001209244254?pid=180596

ART Hot Pak blurb....

....Make your project studio a whole lot better for relatively little cost. With the Hot Pak you get the legendary Tube MP Microphone Preamplifier, a staple in the low-budget recording world because of its great sound and low price. You also get the great sounding APEX 430 Condenser Pressure Gradient Microphone, plus all the extras you need to put it right to work: suspension mount hardware, a pop filter, custom stand mount, and carrying bag.
 
If you use that Art preamp (which is just as good) over the one I mentioned, you have to go into the analog inputs of the SB Live as opposed to the digital inputs.....the converters on the SB Live wont be as good as the one on the Art unit and therefore, your recorded sound wont be as clean.....also, Im not to sure of the quality of that mic....I havent heard anything bad about it, it just seems like untested waters.....

anyway, Id suggest taking a few days to surf this BBS and get varied opinions other than mine....within a week youll have the perfect setup for your needs.....

also, I have to commend you for supporting their musical interests this much.....my 4 year old is already showing strong interests/abilities for music and dance, and we are definitely gonna allow her to persue it as far as she likes
 
wheelema, you just got advice from the best guy on this board when it comes to getting the right gear for the lowest price possible.

I hope my son shows interest in music too. But I won't push him too much now. He's only three weeks old... ;)
 
Reply to all

Thanks to all. This is the direction I am leaning... trying to stay digital.

M-Audio Omni Studio (incl. Delta 66 soundcard)
A little overkill here, but hey!, a man's got to have a hobby.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/guitar/011022104254204031203254633321?pid=701343

The beauty, as I see it, of the Omni studio is that I won't have to go 'back to the well' later on for a mixer. Provides some room to grow into.

Yamaha EZ30 Virtual Tutor keyboard
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/guitar/011022104254204031203254633321?pid=702203

Marshall Electronics (2) MXL-1000 condenser microphones and (1) MXL Fox dynamic microphone package
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ex/shop/guitar/011022104254204031203254633321?pid=273153

Still chewing on what software to go with.

Jeez, this stuff is confusing. So many components seem to overlap functionality that is difficult to determine which is the best value.
 
Sounds like you're getting there. Don't worry too much about your gear choices, no matter what you buy you'll either find it half price somewhere else after you've taken delivery or somebody will tell you why it's crap and you shoulda bought the 24/96 digiripper 2000 and of course whatever software you end up with will be obsolite about 10 minutes after you get it. Just relax and let the girls make music.:D
 
The Omni rocks....awesome converters and preamps for the $$$....I have the Audiophile which uses the same converters and the DMP2 preamp which uses the same circuitry as the Omni and Im tickled to death with the quality...if the Omni was out when I bought my card I would have jumped on it....if you have the bones ($$$) to swing it, great buy.....downside is that it doesnt do midi so youll have to do like the rest of us and get a second card for it (SB Live Value, you can get them as low as $30http://www.thenerds.net/productpage.asp?pn=CLB70SB12300S

of course if all this gets too expensive, you can get just as good quality with the Art preamp from 8th street and the SoundBlaster platinum because you are bypassing the converters on the card, and using the Arts converters.....also this eliminates using 2 cards....

now, the MXL1000's in that mic package are pretty darn good for a lot of things (drum overheads, acousic guitar, piano) but vocals are not one of them......you will definitely be better off with 1 of the mics i mentioned in my first post....you will have 1 mic as compared to 3, but trust me, im just saving you alot of headache if you are intending it for vocals.....
 
also, the Omni comes with a starter version of Logic Audio, which is pretty ok for Audio and Midi...Im just not sure if it takes advantage of the 24bit/96khz capability (big issue if it doesnt).....the Audiophile doesnt come with recording software.....
 
I don't have any software at this time, and I have no idea what software would be best for teaching or getting creative without getting crazy.
Click to expand...
Here are a few links for you to view for added information.

A glossary...
http://www.audioed.com.au/glossary_free1.html

Another glossary
http://www.cp.duluth.mn.us/~dkrantz/glossary.html

Added info...
http://www.studiocovers.com/articles.htm

You all could play around with these demo programs to see which one is the best suited for this "learning" endeavor.

Shareware/Freeware...
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm

ProTools demo...
http://www.digidesign.com

Vegas 2.0 and Acid 3.0 demos...
http://www.sonicfoundry.com

Sonar and FruityLoops demos...
http://www.cakewalk.com

peace

spin
 
Final

The cost on this has creeped up a bit more than I expected, but this should last awhile.

Aardvark DirectPro Q10
Yamaha EZ30 Guide Lamp Tutor keyboard
Two AKG C2000B mics
Two AKG K44 headphones

One of the girls loves the guitar, so we will be picking up an acoustic/electric by summer, along with a pair of monitors.

Thanks to all.
 
A friend convinced me to skip the AKGs and go straight to the C1, says I am too cheap where it counts.
 
you have a smart friend.....

friends dont let friends record with crap.....
 
I liked the whole thing better when you were going with the Omni Studio and the MXL mic. MXL v67 would be my choice. MXL 603s on the guitar and other instruments.
Plenty of USB midi boxes out there. Cheap too.

Oh I see you listed a C1. I at first assumed AKG C1000, but you meant Studio Projects C1, right? Good.

Gidge helped me put together this same setup for the most part and I'm thrilled to death thus far. I went with Hafler's M5 amp and monitor package for $375.

Good Luck.
Rick
former so cal resident.
 
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