Workflow

[markfraser]

Okay. I've decided to get into this whole recording thing. Heres my story:

I bought a PreSonus Firepod and AT4040. I also got a Keystation 88 to use with Reason. I tried a bunch of demos for software, and Adobe Audition seemed pretty user friendly. So I got that. I'm recording acoustic guitar and vocals (ordinary and typical, I know) with some strings generated from Reason (Using ReWire). The vocals are male, slightly higher. The acoustic guitar is usually harder strumming.

So now that you know how I roll ( ) I need help. I want to start getting 'professional'. I know how to arm a track and hit record, thats easy enough. I want to learn how to set everything up and get organized.

I also need to know what to do after I've recorded. Post production tips? Any great resources. I think Im the typical beginner and this could be the question to end them all.

Honestly, thanks for reading this and I really hope you can help. This forum has helped me so much as far as purchasing, and I need to learn how to use my gear now that I have it.

 

[studiomaster]

You should really check out www.tweakheadz.com.
This is a pretty repetitive reply but it's probably the best.

 

[up-fiddler]

You should really check out www.tweakheadz.com.
This is a pretty repetitive reply but it's probably the best.

Listen to studiomaster. Read everything you can and record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, record - listen, - You get the idea. Practice working at it until it sounds great. That's the only way you'll end up satisfied with what you do. Good luck and enjoy the ride. It's the most fun you can have while still wearing pants.

 

[studiomaster]

Yeap.........

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Mark,

Very nice introductory post .

It will be said to you many different ways in many different forms thought thos board, but the #1 unbeatable rule in this racket is our own little special version of Garbage In, Garbage out (GIGO). It doesn't necessarily have to mean to be that harsh, but it get's one's attention .

More accurately an descriptively put, your final product is only going to be as good as your tracking (the quality of original recording) and is only going to be as worthy as the original performance.

This is especially true of your situation. While a simple acoustic guitar and vocal with some keyboard accompaniment sounds basic and simple enough, it's in the amount of care and detail that one puts into the recording of acoustic instruments and vocals that those kind of tracks will be made and broken. This is similarly true, though perhaps not quite as strongly, with acoustic vocals. These are not like electric guitar for hard rock where layers of distortion and compression and reverb and other post-production effects contribute as much to the sound as the original tracking. You can't fix or cover acoustic guitar "in the mix" or in mastering.

So, with that in mind, I'd recommend a couple of things. First, practice, practice, practice,before you ever hit the Record button. Your performance alone will make or break whether the recording sounds professional or not. A perfect performance capturing "that moment" is just as listenable on a 78RPM Victrola as it is on a state-of-the art digital production. On the other hand a so-so performance will sound like a so-so performance even if it's done in a $650/hr studio.

Second, expiriment with microphone placements when recording your guitar. Search this forum, just in the past few days there has been a thread talking about this very thing. What works for you and your recording will depend on many factors including guitar make and model, playing style, room acoustics, even personal taste. Don't just stick a mic and stool out in the middle of your living room. Try some specific placements and make some test recordings and see what works.

Note that when you test the mic placements, test playing them back in just very rough mixes with some keyboards. The only purpose for this at this point is General Rule #317: What sounds just perfect as a solo track is not always what sounds right when mixed with other instruments.

Finally, I might consider adding at least one more microphone. if you can't afford it yet, that's fine; work with what you got. But if you can beg or borrow another mic from a buddy or fellow musician, or if you are in or near a fairly large city you can rent a mic very cheaply for a couple of days. The only reason I recommend this is that it is very often a good idea to use a different mic for vocals as you're using for the guitar; the idea that you don't have the same sonic "fingerprint" from the same mic on both tracks.

That two mic thing is not a necessity the way the mic placement thing is, but it's certainly something to keep in mind as you start critiquing your initial recordings.

G.

 

[fraserhutch]

It's the most fun you can have while still wearing pants.

You wear pants when recording????

 

[markfraser]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Im also wondering about workflow. Like how to organize a session professionally...

 

[Dogbreath]

I found this Audio School by Bruce Miller...

http://bruceamiller.us/bamaudioschool/crsindex.html

good stuff.

BAM!...