Where would u spend USD2000 ?

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Quaki

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A brief background -

I am a jack of all musical instruments - played guitar for 6 year, drums for some 2 years and play with keyboards off an on.
I can also play some wind instruments but am pretty medicore at that. Am a programmer by profession - so computers is what earns my livelihood.

I have never recorded any music and I want to do so now.
And i want to establish a full fledged music recording studio (PC based) at my home over the next few years.


My muscial assets inlcude:

1. Plenty of Guitars (acoustic & electric)
2. a small keyboard - yamaha portasound - pretty useless at that.
3. A drum set

Additonally I own a PC.

Now, if you were in my position and had round usd 2000 to spend for this one year, What would you buy ?
I would not mind spending year after year, but for now my budget is USD 2000.

Thanks and hope to hear views from all pros out there
 
You'll need an interface if you want to use your computer for the recording. You'll need monitors to hear yourself, or at least a good set of headphones.
A mic or few can always come in handy. One for vocals at least, but you may want to mic guitar and such too. Different mics do different things and give different sounds and just work better for different environments. If you want to mic your full kit, it may become expensive, but starting off with just a stereo pair could do you for now, until your budget is expanded.

I assume with your electric instruments you have amps for them? You may also want to look at DI boxes.
The cost of your DAW needs to be added into the budget. You can get pretty cheap ones, even as much as free. Reaper seems like the best choice for cheap. $60 I believe? Your interface may also come with some lite version of a DAW. If there are any you already know how to use, it could be worth getting a copy of that to start off with.

How good is your computer? You don't need a whole lot to record, but for mixing, things can be a little more strain. You'll need a fair amount of power, but it really depends how many tracks and plug ins you will end up using.

If you want more than just the basic plug ins that come with your DAW, you will have to put out for them too.
and in the end, remember cables and stands cost money too. It's easy to overlook those little things, but they add up fast. I've already spent over your budget myself, and I have a really basic setup. Make cuts where you are able to, have a look at second hand for some of the cheaper stuff [the expensive stuff, it's better to have warranty at least].

At some point, again after your budget is extended, you'll need to set up your room for sound. That is either going to cost a lot, or be time consuming. Possibly even both.
 
Geezer covered everything nicley. 2 grand will get you up and running easily, get ready for your head to start spinning.

Check out recording packages at Musicians friend or your favorite music outlet. Craigslist and pawnshops are a great way to save money but be sure to do your homework so you dont get screwed with non-working gear.
 
One word I would add is 'don't run out and buy stuff' Research, ask questions, read a lot of the threads here.
 
mjbphotos said:
One word I would add is
Click to expand...
16 words, even.
Just out of interest, though you play a few instruments, are you likely to utilize them all, are you likely to play with other players, will there be singing ?
 
Not counting the computer or pending room treatment I nuked $2K on...

  • Sound Devices USBPre 2
  • Sennheiser MK4 large condenser
  • Audio-Technica AT4021 small condenser
  • x2 Manfrotto Nano stands
  • x2 Ultimate Support Ulti-Boom-TB telescopic boom arms
  • x2 20' Mogami Tour mic cables
  • x2 Yamaha HS80M monitors
  • Raxxess pop filter
  • Pair of MoreMe headphones
  • Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio
 
Some essentials (IMO):

DAW software - Cubase is popular and affordable.

Important: Second hard drive for data, to double up on r/w heads for your system, this will make it perform faster (and for music, you need faster).

Audio Interface, to get the analog signal into your computer and back out again. I went with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for $150 based on the excellent reviews and the fact that I will only be recording 1 instrument at a time (it can record 2 channels at once).

Midi keyboard - I am trying out an M-Audio Axiom 25 key, it seems more than adequate for getting the noises into the computer.

Mic - I went with a Rode NT-1a as a budget solution to try to get a little more out of my work than a SM57 brings to the table.

Monitoring devices - Good ones (that won't let you get fooled by masking frequencies) are expensive, you might consider (shudder) mixing with a good pair of headphones until your budget allows spending a grand or more on a pair of speakers. There is a mono speaker called a mixcube that resembles closely a speaker from the past that was used to master (in mono) some big hits (Like Michael Jackson's Thriller). I think it could go a long way towards being able to make some clean mixes that you could then listen to on a variety of your friend's systems.

Various cables and connectors - eat up a lot of change.

Bill
 
It's amazing the amount of gear that's available but the point that's being driven into my thick skull is that it doesn't matter WHAT you buy if your recording space bites. That Sennheiser MK4 I bought has a self-noise of -10db. So what. That will only be a factor if I'm recording in a room that's quieter then -10db and that is NEVER going to happen. I'll be lucky to get my recording space below -25db.

Were I you I'd focus on warranty, customer support, feature set, and driver stability. If you can get all that then even Behringer gear is golden IMO.

Luck.
 
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