What should I get IYO

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ella

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My set up right now is:
2.1 ghz athlon
win xp
512 ram
40 gi hd
Sound card is USB Maudio duo 24/96
Nuendo 1.5 (expensive!! but I like it)
Absynth
Orchestral
Behringer B1

I write radio head type art rock to ethnic music like middle eastern drums and violin. Single track recording. Other musicians track indivdually but not at the same time.

Now I know I need these but any input would help:)

Yorkville ysmp1 Monitors (do I need a second pair like some NS10 or something cheaper?) I tried the mackies 824 and the yorkville sounded the same if not better for WAY cheaper? Am I missing something on the 824's?

DI's for Bass, acoustic guitar and vocals:
Heard good things about the DMP3 I know my duo is a preamp but it might help to have another one I think not sure? Also heard the RNP are good any suggestions or reasons for or against another preamp?

DI's for guitar:
I know you will think I should mic it but I really want to experiment with the electric guitar and think DI'ing it will be better for me. Maybe software would be better or possibly a pod?

For my computer do you think its really mandatory to get mor RAM right now and more HD space? I think I am ok but if you guys think different I can try to allocate some funds for that:)

EQ/compression:
External or software? Any ideas?

Acoustic conditioning:
I am creating a PVC vocal booth this weekend. With the blankets and such. Found it on the board really cool idea. I am in the basement unfinished for the most part cement floors some area rugs down. Not a square room with covered insulation but very little dry wall. Should I build a very large mixing booth like a control room as well? Separate from the vocal booth of course. Really big basement btw:) I dont have the link to the booth idea but its on this board somewhere.

Good chords:
Not sure what you guys use that gives you the best quality for recording.

Live performing equiptment:
Really need good advice on a decent PA. Mid size rooms I really think 400 watts is the max needed. I also expect to buy some sm58's for live vocals anything else you guys like? My computer is a laptop and I will be using it for live performances as well. Do you think I will need an EQ or do some of the decent PA's have good enough ones?

I have about $2000 to spend. I know its not much. But I gotta a good start with the computer stuff taken care of:)

Any suggestions as to where to start would be helpful. Thanks!!
 
Should I have posted these questions separately?

I did lots of searches on the board to find discussion on these topic just didnt get a throrough explanation.:)

Any ideas would be great:)
 
ok

#1. which ever your happy with...dont think your missing much but the mackie name.
#2. DI for bass is fine, i dont understand using the di for acoustic and vocal if your doing it one track at a time. and plus the natural sound of an acoustic mic'ed is a hell of alot better than the di...if i dont care how the acoustic sounds kinda fake but want it to be loud...then i'd go with the DI for that.
#3. YES GET A POD or SOMETHING ELSE!....i've messed with DI for guitar and i hated it....i bought a boss GT6 and using that i get a better sound than if i mic'ed my guitar amp. the J-station is 99 bucks and thats not too bad plus it has bass cabinet modeling also.....2 for 1 and you wont need to DI the bass if you get that.
#4. yes more ram is good....always...it could possibly save you from an audio drop out when your really getting into a song and you forget you are recording and then you look up and say "oh crap I'm recording this! its gonna be great!" then the audio drop out happens and you throw your monitor out the window.
#5. sometimes software eq is ok but i definitely prefer an external compressor...i dont have to worry about audio dropouts while the comp brings up the compressor and with it being external you can reconfigure on the fly.
#6. a big vocal booth isnt needed unless your trying to get a bit of room reverb. i'd buy an external reverb unit and that fixes that problem.....i would make it wide enough to record acoustic guitars in there if you want to mic them.
#7. chords? or cords? monster is an expensive but really good one.....i just pick up whatever the music store has.
#8.one answer for all the questions there....yes.

now I'm going to drink
 
You could probably use some different mics.

I own and hate the Behringer B1, your mileage may vary.

You might look into getting some Small diaphragm condensors like the MXL603s, or the Oktava MC012 mics. Good for acoustic guitar and such. (I own two of both)

A decent large diaphragm mic would be good. Maybe a Studio Projects B1 or C1 or MXL V67. (I own SP B1)

And definitely pick up a SM57. You aren't a studio unless you own one. (I got a 57 and a 58.)

I own the DMP-3, it seems pretty nice. Works good for me anyway.

If you insist on DI the guitar, then a Pod or equivalent is a must.

I would think at this stage, cables could be anything. But if you really want good cables, skip monster and get Mogami. There are a few others out there I forget right now. Do a search. The general consensus is that monster is overpriced.

For compression, the RNC is a good hardware unit. Don't know about software. (I own the RNC)

The Yorkvilles have a good reputation. I'm looking at getting some myself (someday.)

I would think you are okay with 512 of RAM. That is something that I'd wait on, and see if I was getting drop-outs or other symptoms of bad performance. And upgrade then. If no problems, then you save yourself some money.

I have no idea on live sound.

Hopefully some of this helps. All of it is obviously only my opinion, but it may be of some use.
 
Just awesome!! That helped a lot expecially the j-station great idea.

I will post in more specific groups for other answers:) But awesome thanks for the help a lot!!.

I know its a lot to digest and I appreciate you tackling it for me:) I should have taken the time to post in other forums, just dont want to cross post at all:)
 
Thanks Dethska great suggestions:)

I am worried about my B-1 kind of an impulse buy as an add-on for free when I bought my Duo a few months ago. Done a little with it and it sound ok:) But I was always planning on getting a sp b1 or c1:)

As for the mxls and octava are they a lot better then the sm57 for acoustic micing? And sm58 is all about live from what I read. Some recording for a more rock edge which I may experiement with:)

I apprecite you advice on the RAM just got a deal on it and thinking I might do it now but then again 70 is at least 1 sm57 or 58:)
 
I don't know if the 57 is "better" than a SDC like the 603, or 012. Very different sounds. In different applications each would work. But the SDC will probably give you a smoother sound on the acoustic. The 57 can be used for grainier vocals and basically anything else. You don't necessarily need to buy all these mics at once. But you might research them all. And having lots of flavors of mics is always nice.:D
 
hard for me to trust i guess

i own the behringer B1 and i kinda like it.....i'm one of those people that kinda likes to get something and make-do with what they have. so I'm satisfied with it...am i hysterical that this is greatest mic i could ever own? LOL hell naw but i am looking for better. its just hard to spend money on something better when what i have works
 
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