Where do I start?

[TheOutkast]

Hello all. I'm interested in setting up a small recording area to compose some music. I don't know anything about this stuff and haven't been able to get my questions answered on google, so I'd thought I'd give this place a try.

I need a lot of help, since I don't really know where to start or even what I need really. I'm planning on using garageband on my macbook for the time being to compose, and I have narrowed it down to Shure SM57/58 mic with a pop filter. I believe my research have told me that the mic does not require phantom power, but I could be wrong. I'm looking to record mainly vocals and bit of guitar. Not looking to spend a whole lot.

So my question is, what are the rest of the tangibles that I will need to get things started? Any response is appreciated.

 

[TheOutkast]

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=304313&highlight=equipment

Just found this thread under search and will sift through it and be back for questions

 

[IndustrialOkie]

Good luck, you got a long but fun road ahead. Take some advice from others on this forum, and get the best equipment you can to start with, 'cause you'll be upgrading and learning alot along the way.

I started with a sony vaio laptop, a cheap mic plugged into the soundcard and acidpro in 1995. Then I learned about usb mics, then I learned about audio interfaces (upgraded to Presonus Firebox) then better DAW programs, better mics, dedicted music only pc computer etc etc..

I now have a pretty nice amatuer setup that I doubt I will ever outgrow short of winning a lottery I don't play. Research all you can, and trial and error will help you figure it out.

Welcome to HR!

 

[TimOBrien]

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...)

 

[Armistice]

BTW - to answer your "perhaps I'm wrong" query....

SM57 and SM58 are dynamic microphones and do not require phantom power. Nor will phantom power applied to them harm them, which is the next question people usually ask.

Condenser microphones require phantom power and don't work without it.

If you can pick only one of these two, most would choose the 57..

"bit of guitar" - electric or acoustic? They're completely different worlds...

 

[moresound]

plus you may not need a pop filter if your getting either one of those microphones.

 

[Armistice]

plus you may not need a pop filter if your getting either one of those microphones.

He could be intending to record a reworking of "Peter Piper Picked A Peck Of Pickled Peppers" for all we know...

But yes, good point...

 

[moresound]

He could be intending to record a reworking of "Peter Piper Picked A Peck Of Pickled Peppers" for all we know...

But yes, good point...

Suffering succotash-( must be said with tongue out of mouth) - I never thought of that!

 

[grimtraveller]

He could be intending to record a reworking of "Peter Piper Picked A Peck Of Pickled Peppers" for all we know...

In a rub-a-dub style......

 

[moresound]

In a rub-a-dub style......

While under water

 

[TheOutkast]

Thanks for all the replies! I didn't expect to receive any today considering it's the 4th of July weekend.

I'm looking to work mainly with vocals, and a bit with an acoustic guitar.


Upon further research, I've narrowed it down to this much.

I will be using garageband to start off on my mac book

I want to use either the Shure SM57/58 mic (All I can make out from my research of these two mics is that 58 needs to stand real close, and 57 you can stand farther and it'll still pick up quite well and perhaps a tad better with instruments? Any inputs on this comparison?)

The M-Audio Fast Track seems like a good choice for me at this time, but it doesn't seem to have any MIDI in/out ports, which, would not be of any use for me at this time but I can see they can serve a purpose later on. Would it be suggested that I should pay a bit more and go with the M-Audio Fast Track Pro instead since it offers the MIDI puts?

Also in regards to the M-Audio Fast Track Pro, there doesn't seem to be any listing verifying it to be USB 2.0 so I'd assume that its probably USB 1.1. It would be a surprise to me that a more expensive unit with supposedly more frills than the m-audio fast track (which supports usb 2.0) would be gimped by it's connection. Can anyone verify this? If indeed it is only a USB 1.1, I'd probably go with the Tascan US144 MKII. How do you guys feel about that unit and it's driver compaitbilities with the macbook?

The cheaper version, the Tascan US122 has a single phones/line out rotary level control, while the US144 has separate controls and an additional coaxial digital input and output. Would that prove to be useful later on and worth shelling out the extra $20-$30 for?

To my understanding, this equipment should be able to get my recordings started, or am I missing anything else?

Thanks a bunch guys.

 

[Armistice]

Thanks for all the replies! I didn't expect to receive any today considering it's the 4th of July weekend.

I'm looking to work mainly with vocals, and a bit with an acoustic guitar.

Yes, they've recently extended interweb coverage to technological backwaters like Britain and Australia, so we can plug the gap when the US has a holiday...

You might find it difficult to get a good enough acoustic guitar sound with just an SM-57, but look, it's a start, and you have the rest of your life to succumb to the gear addiction that most of the rest of us suffer from.

Allegedly, the guts of a 58 are the same as a 57 (I'm quoting others here) - the 58, as you know, has a ball / windscreen end, which might reduce the sensitivity... perhaps. Don't think it's gonna make that much difference.

If your guitar has a pickup, at this level, it could be useful to plug it in as well and blend the two tracks, which could help get a better sound for you...

I'll have to leave comment on USB protocols / audio interfaces and the like to my learned colleagues who know more about these things than me... I just shout loudly at my PC and it seems to work OK...

 

[moresound]

Yes, they've recently extended interweb coverage to technological backwaters like Britain and Australia, so we can plug the gap when the US has a holiday...

Yup, but we do have KCEARL over here from abroad

But ......Hell he is always on Holiday! . Never mind.