What else do I need?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jozo
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Jozo

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Hello guys,

I want to make my own music. I got a bunch of money together and bought some equipment, but I'm really a newbie to all this.

I got a good dynamic mic for voice, a cheaper one for acoustic guitar (or any different use), and an audio interface. I'm starting to learn Cubase a bit (I used Adobe Audition and FL Studio for amateur jerking around before).
I have an old midi keyboard (not included in picture because it's crappy and I'm planning to get new and smaller one, any advice in 100 - 200 range?). I'm also planning to get a new acoustic-electric guitar.

I don't know anything about preamps or gear that could help my sound. Any advice please?

krasnyjozko_mini.webp
 
Hi and welcome to HR!
I belive that Steinberg interface has good pre's for now, have heard great things about these. First thing looking at the picture I would buy a mic stand and a condenser for capturing that guitar. ;) Oh and proper monitors for sure!
 
Hi Seidy, my plan consists of getting an electro-acoustic guitar anyway, this is only a temporary solution.
But could you please explain how are monitors better than those soundsticks? As I said, a newbie. :) In the near future I'll probably get a pair, but I'd love to know if it really is that much better as the price suggests.

Edit: I was looking at Yamaha HS50m just to stay true to the brand (UR22 interface has some Yamaha components inside) - are those any good?
 
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The Yammie monitors are a good starting set of monitors. You want decent monitors that won't color the sound when you are mixing (mixing with headphones is not recommended for starting home recordists).
Mic-ing an acoustic guitar is always preferred rather than DI-ing an electro-acoustic, although a combination of both mic and DI can work.
Do some reading in this forum about computer recording before buying more gear.
 
Jozo said:
But could you please explain how are monitors better than those soundsticks? As I said, a newbie. :)
Click to expand...

Hey,
Good monitors are one part of a bigger picture. What you decide to do will depend on how serious you are and how into this you want to get, but I would do some research on room treatment if you're thinking about monitors.

You don't necessarily have to go nuts but the point of reference monitors is that they are not flattering; They're meant to be accurate and true.
If your room is very bright or boomy or whatever, that's going to counter the benefit of reference monitors.
 
Hi Jozo,
Since you seem to be pretty computer snappy (better than I!) send us a floor plan with dimms.

Dave.
 
Hey guys, just a quick update.
I did some research and bought these Yamaha HS5 monitors. I also did a few recordings and found out I need a pop filter.

Right now, I'm having a bit of a trouble with low end, so after a bit of a research I'm looking for a way to move my whole table to the center of this room (there's a radiator, and my cables don't stretch that far).
I'll probably do some padding on the wall to the right, and some on the windows in front of the computer.

And hi Dave, I'm not snappy enough to understand what you're asking. :D

Also, a banana.

pocitac.webp
 
In my humble opinion you should reconsider going the acoustic electric route for guitar. I've noticed that most AE guitars are meant to suppress feedback in a live situation and thereby have a less than stellar sound when recorded with a microphone. This is especially true with cutaway bodies that while having better neck access, have less internal area to resonate. The electronics on some models usually take up an additional space inside the guitar body which also reduces the resonant space. The combination of cutaway and electronics module just don't generally make for a great sounding guitar. If you don't have a good sounding instrument to begin with, no amount of recording equipment, or software will make it sound better. The bottom line would be to save your money and get the best instrument you can possibly afford. olduncledino
 
"And hi Dave, I'm not snappy enough to understand what you're asking."

Just a basic plan of the room with dimensions? Anyhooos, here is best practice, we can't all aspire to all of it!

You should be seated about 1/3rd the way down the long axis of the room.

The monitors and your head should form an equilateral triangle of about 1.5-2mtrs and usually (but not for every monitor) the speakers should "toe in" so that you ears are bang on tweeter axis.

The monitors (and hence desk) should be equally distant from the side walls.

The monitors should be on stands behind the desk but if not, on semi-rigid foam to...
A, bring the tweeters up to ear height.
B, stop the cabinets booming on the table
C, reduce reflections and hence response cancellations off the desktop

You should "cailbrate" the monitors. That is, buy a cheap sound level meter and set them up such that at average listening level (which should be -18dBFS in your recording software) you should get ~83dBCSPL at your ears.

Dave.
 
Well, here's some update.

I moved the whole table to be more in the middle of the room. My space is very very limited, this is the best I could do.

photo_mini.webp

I don't know about the polystyrene, have no clue about sound absorbing properties. I just had a lot of that stuff lying around, so I used the available resources.
It seems to respond better than nothing to a set of advanced tests (loud clapping and full volume music).

With my crafting skills, I brought the tweeters exactly to ear height. I moved the speakers further - off the table and closer to the glass behind them. I measured the equilateral triangle to my ears also.
I didn't know what's a lesser of two evils, speakers on the table - or speakers close to a surface. I still don't know, but the playback seems about fine both ways. Didn't get to buying a sound level meter yet.

There's not much that can be done in this room - it's basically a kitchen. I'll get to the floor plan in a bit.

And thanks for the guitar feedback, that is all new stuff to me.
Seems I won't be getting a new guitar after all. Watched a few tutorials on acoustic guitar recording, makes a lot of sense to me now.
 
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Progress Jozo, progress.

Unfortunately expanded polystyrene has the sound absorbing properties of brick, i.e. none to speak of!..BUT! You done good getting the speakers off the table and elevating them and in getting the table further into the room.

I think your instincts are right from where you have placed the panels they now need to be made of the right stuff. If you don't have the funds for commercial materials there are plenty of sites that show how to roll your own.

A SPL meter is not vital but very useful. The idea is to monitor at consistent, standard levels, not as your guts guide you song to song! Once you are set up, the received wisdom is to listen to as much commercial music, of your chosen genre, as possible to get a feel of how the balance translates with your own monitor/room combination.

Dave.
 
Okay, foam again. :D
Try searching for bass traps around here - you'll understand why these are better than foam.
 
Yup, I've done some research, I even wanted to make my own traps.
But my space is totally limited and foam is versatile (and I also got a great deal). For example I wouldn't place a bass trap on a fridge door. :D

Here's an update.

photo (1)_mini.webp

I'm positively surprised by the difference in sound this makes. Knowing this room I'd never guess.
I had to put those speakers back on the table, with the foam they just won't fit. I'll address this issue asap.
And I'm even more surprised by the good looks. :) I'm really proud of the fridge.

I still have some foam left for the door to the right and some surfaces behind me, but I ran out of velcro.
Any thoughts?

This is behind me:

photo (2).webp
 
Hey thanks Dave, that's a great idea. I wouldn't think of mobile panels, I'll definitely see what I can do.
 
why dont u look up for those at some good online stores like ebay.com, i am sure u would be resolved with the issue anytime...
 
Dang it, velcro won't hold the foam properly.

It started tearing off the fridge today, because of the rounded surface. That thin layer of glue doesn't stick to the foam. At first it's okay but slowly it comes off. I can already see the panel on the window coming down too.

Is there any other way to stick those panels that wouldn't mutilate the fridge, glass or the wall?
 
Copydex 125ml Bottle Adhesive 4598 1652: Amazon.co.uk: Office Products

But(someone should have said!) stick the foam to hardboard, 3mm or very thin MDF then attach THAT to the surfaces with velcro.
BTW, there is Velcro and VELCRO! I had some industrial stuff on a mains strip and it was a H of a job to get off a carpet!

NEVER bloody ends does it mate?!

Fergot, Velcro does not stick well to porous surfaces so spray a coat of varnish on the hardboard or seal with 1/2 water,1/2 PVA white glue....ONE day you will stop "decorating" and start making music!

Dave
 
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