What's limiting YOUR recordings??

What's the weakest link in your recordings?

  • My recording chain (mics, pres, etc)

    Votes: 156 18.4%

  • My monitoring chain (monitors, phones)

    Votes: 66 7.8%

  • My room(s)

    Votes: 258 30.4%

  • My own ability

    Votes: 368 43.4%
  • Total voters
    848
My "room"

Definitely my "room," which is just the living room of my apartment. My job requires travel and I move often. My DAW is in a cabinet from Ikea and there's really nothing I can do to the walls because of my frequency of moving. Neighbors complain about my playing and singing while being extremely noisy themselves!
 
melodiousmonk said:
The weakness in my recordings is my cheap drums, my lack of a bass guitar, and my software. I use GarageBand which is good for many entry-level things but it falls short when producing more professional music. I would rather use protools but it isn't available for Mac OS X.
Click to expand...
Protools free is not for OSX. Get LE.

My weakness is money. I would like to upgrade to a reel to reel TASCAM 38 but am stuck in Portastudio land.
 
Want better mics

If I were to pick an order it would be:
1. My Ability: I’m always learning new stuff.
2. My recording chain: My most expensive mic is an old RODE NT1 going into a M-Audio DMP3.
3. My room: I record in a spare bedroom.
4. Monitors: My wife bought me a pair of KRK ROKIT 8s for my birthday. I like them.
 
My ability first, then gear, then my room. I moving into my new house next month and plan on converting the 3rd bay of the garage to a recording studio, so that will eliminate the room. Then I'll be purchasing a new computer wich will be a dedicated DAW, so that will eliminate the gear. That leaves me, I guess I'll just have to learn how to play my guitar now.
 
It's more me than anything else.

I checked gear for what limits me, but thinking about the situation I'd say it's more me than anything else.

I have some decent equipment, not the best of course, but any seasoned engineer could make some decent recordings with what I have. For a home recording set up it's not bad at all.

I've noticed my problem is lack of motivation or displaced attention. I guess it all comes down to the human condition. We all desire the things we don't have, all the while taking for granted the things we do have (it's kind of like Anticipation of getting a new piece of gear is almost better than the Actualization of that piece of gear. Once I get the coveted piece of gear, the novelty soon wears off and I set my sights on something else. I think we all do this to some degree).

I notice I spend more time: looking through Recording magazines, checking out Ebay, spending time on forums like these, etc., etc., etc. than I do spend actually upstairs honing my skills not only as a musician, but as a recording engineer as well. I'm always lusting after a new piece of gear or a vintage tube mic, or whatever it may be. I need to spend that time writing songs, refining those songs, and recording those songs all with the gear I have right now.

One of my New Years Resolutions was to spend more time in my studio, but so far I haven't. Need to work on that.

Just my thoughts.
 
No,...

It was coopted from a famous American tv show, Saturday Night Live.

See, there's a skit, about the 70's sorta, spoofing Blue Oyster Cult and studio producers,... eh,... funny stuff!
... Aired in the 90's.
 
...

raddo said:
... I'd say it's more me than anything else.

I have some decent equipment, ...not bad at all.

I've noticed my problem is lack of motivation or displaced attention. I guess it all comes down to the human condition. ...Once I get the coveted piece of gear, the novelty soon wears off and I set my sights on something else. I think we all do this to some degree).

I notice I spend more time: looking through Recording magazines, checking out Ebay, spending time on forums like these, etc., etc., etc. than I do spend actually upstairs honing my skills not only as a musician, but as a recording engineer as well. I'm always lusting after a new piece of gear or a vintage tube mic, or whatever it may be. I need to spend that time writing songs, refining those songs, and recording those songs all with the gear I have right now.

One of my New Years Resolutions was to spend more time in my studio,... Need to work on that.
Click to expand...

Amen to that!
 
Spot on! Once I get my PC fixed I'll probably be so sick of it I'll not record anything for a year. I've already taken my mics down so they don't get dusty ;)
 
I just keep plugging away with my lack of gear. Right now, it's my monitors, or should I say, lack of that's really hurting me right now. It's a pain to burn a cd just to take a track to the car, the home stereo, my wife's little boom box (there's a bad pun in there, I can feel it :eek: ) just to see if I got it right.
Budget is the real monster here....
 
raddo said:
I notice I spend more time: looking through Recording magazines, checking out Ebay, spending time on forums like these, etc., etc., etc. than I do spend actually upstairs honing my skills not only as a musician, but as a recording engineer as well. I need to spend that time writing songs, refining those songs, and recording those songs.... One of my New Years Resolutions was to spend more time in my studio.
Click to expand...

I feel you. I also have a decent setup and spend too much time sitting on my a** , and not being creative in my studio. I guess my problem is more me than anything else..
 
Last edited:
definitely - i just keep dreaming of a having a 10u rack full of nice pre's and compressor's - so whilst I've got everything I need to record for the moment I spend most of my time looking at new gear that I can't afford anyway!stupid really....
 
bh4554 said:
definitely - i just keep dreaming of a having a 10u rack full of nice pre's and compressor's - so whilst I've got everything I need to record for the moment I spend most of my time looking at new gear that I can't afford anyway!stupid really....
Click to expand...
I do the same thing.... I am looking at Musician's Friend's latest catalogue and dreaming. My wife sees me and reminds me that we have "other" priorities right now.... :(
 
Well...

Hey Rokket,

One plus I have is I'm not married. My plan is to buy all my "priorities" first, then get married. But of course, then I'll just have to sell all my gear when she decides we need something. Married guys: isn't that about how it is for you? :)
 
I have few strong points.
Except for potential, which I have quite a bit of.

My room is limiting me- the one room I have control of is a closet that I have turned into an iso booth- Sax, vocals, acoustic guitar, Marshall 4x12, horns have all been recorded there.
My equipment limits me- SM57 and the MXL 990/991 set, Pro Tools LE Mbox, and... a Dell PC.
My monitoring is my Sony 7506's and my family's stereo and my bedroom's stereo.
My knowledge is limiting me- but fortunately I have been given the opurtunity to make studying recording, mixing and the music biz a part of my High School senior curriculum thanks to "Independent Study."
But I cannot complain considering my age- 17 and the future looks bright.
I'll most likely be attending Loyola University New Orleans in the fall for 'Music Industry Studies,' where I can really get involved with recording and managing bands and what-not. Though the limits I have are considerable, when you think about my age and the bright future I hope to have those limits are nothing.

Peace,
Glenn
 
raddo said:
Hey Rokket,

One plus I have is I'm not married. My plan is to buy all my "priorities" first, then get married. But of course, then I'll just have to sell all my gear when she decides we need something. Married guys: isn't that about how it is for you? :)
Click to expand...
Uhmmm.... No. However, my wife and I were friends before we ever dated. You, just have to make common sense choices. You can't go buy gear if you have to pay the rent, or the electric, water whatever. However, this thing that you have to hate marriage or your wife is a ball and chain I don't get it. I'm not saying that marriage is running barefoot through a field of flowers while the two of you hold hands. The key in marriage is communication, and if you don't think communication is important then don't get married.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top