Need to record classical guitar cd, have $300. What to buy?

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 6:45 am

Hey Kurt you must not keep up with things. The new Hi-MD sounds great. No compression at all. Maybe you wouldn't take advice but others have. I was just trying to offer some advice and you go and blast off your big mouth. This just might be my last visit here as you guys seem to have one opinion and the others be damned.

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 7:58 pm

Rod Gervais wrote:

Quit,

You just got the best advice you could ask for.

Freudian slip?

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2005 12:17 pm

If you're looking to experience the joys of home recording and are willing to learn a lot, by all means get some cheap gear that will do the job. If you are wanting to focus on your playing and have it recorded to sound the best possible, go to a studio and put your money there. DO NOT buy recording gear because you think you will be saving yourself some money to end up with a similar product. Your choice.

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:14 am

I think you should get a SP B1, I have heard good things about it for recording guitar.

I don't think you need to goto a studio at all, if you want to start your own home studio, do it, you always have to start somewhere, and your 300 dollar investment will get you started, you won't have top of the line stuff, but the B1 is a good mic, and I have used on board sound and recorded with okay results

go for it

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:42 pm

I, like Quit86, want to record classical guitar on a budget. My ambitions are rather modest. I am an intermediate level guitarist seeking to record at home, using my PC, for fun and as a tool for skill improvement. In fact, I already do. The catch is I want it to sound good.
For that, I am told, I need a "professional" mic, which in turn requires a pre-amp. Add in decent cables, mic stand ...
$300. 00 was my budget too.

Below is my current wish list:
Oktava MC012 condenser with cardioid capsule $193
M-Audio Audio Buddy pre-amp $89
Cables (12 ft+/_) $30 -$50
Shock mount (optional) $49
Phones (optional) $ 69

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 4:18 pm

Jdcaird wrote:

I, like Quit86, want to record classical guitar on a budget. My ambitions are rather modest. I am an intermediate level guitarist seeking to record at home, using my PC, for fun and as a tool for skill improvement. In fact, I already do. The catch is I want it to sound good.
For that, I am told, I need a "professional" mic, which in turn requires a pre-amp. Add in decent cables, mic stand ...
$300. 00 was my budget too.

Below is my current wish list:
Oktava MC012 condenser with cardioid capsule $193
M-Audio Audio Buddy pre-amp $89
Cables (12 ft+/_) $30 -$50
Shock mount (optional) $49
Phones (optional) $ 69

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Add the following:

Second Oktava MC-012 (you do want to record in stereo) $193
Mic stand with boom and XY/ORTF bar $100
Second shock mount (you'll need them) $49
Reference monitors (cheap ones) $250
Soundcard $150
Recording software $free
Desk/table $50
More cables $50

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 7:21 pm

Thanks for the input; I agree. I have been debating whether to buy a second mic right away or wait and get a second cartridge later with a matched set of capsules, even though ultimately it costs more. It is all about budget.
Monitors ... I have not even started looking , but you are the second person to tell me shock mounts are a must.
The sound card is one point in favor of waiting on the second mic. I want to see if my Audigy 2 is up to the task. If not, do I replace it or go USB...

I believe there is a threshold between toys and tools. My goal, first and foremost, is to cross it. I am encouraged to think my wish list is worth adding to.

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:36 pm

Jdcaird wrote:

you are the second person to tell me shock mounts are a must.

I have never used shock mounts with my SDCs (including MK-012s) and haven't needed them. Wouldn't be without them on my larger mics.

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 6:49 pm

Zemlin , I sense a certain assurance in your tone. And, since visiting Cheap Tracks I am inclined to think you may have other opinions on the subject at hand. I'd like to hear more ....

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 9:28 pm

In my (somewhat limited) experience, I have simply seen no need for a shockmount on an SDC under normal studio or fixed location setup. In a moving situation or where I knew there would be a lot of outside vibration (a stand on the Riverdance stage, for example) I'd shockmount an SDC.

For a studio guitar recording I simply don't think it would offer any benefit - unless you're doing a lot of foot stompin'.

Regarding the larger picture of this thread, I agree 100% with Reggie above. Recording in and of itself is a challenge, a puzzle, and can be very rewarding. But if the goal is to make the best CD for $300, hire someone with the gear and the experience. You'll get a better product. If you want to learn to record, then go for it - and have a blast - and be sure to post samples of the results!

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:11 pm

pr0gr4m wrote:

Whichever mic you pic, they are both priced around $99. So that leaves you with $200. I think you should spend as much of that as you can on an audio interface for the computer.

M-audio makes a unit that interfaces with the computer via USB called the MobilPre. It goes for about $180 and they say that it comes with some sort of recording software. That would give you a preamp for your mic and some software to record with.

All you need now is a mic stand and cable and you are ready to record.

this is the best advice ive seen. i think you can pull off a decent recording for $300. i use a $50 superlux mic and get some decent recordings. u cant hop into the producers seat and make a platinum album, but you can sure make somethin decent. especially if your JUST recording guitar. cmon people, isnt it about learning here, not "goto the studio". i agree it would be 50x better sound, but how many songs you gonna record for $300??? id say get the m-audio or something simlar and learn your software and do it!!

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:51 pm

imloggedin wrote:

cmon people, isnt it about learning here, not "goto the studio". i agree it would be 50x better sound ...

The question is what are Guit86's priorities and ultimate goals. The only thing (I think) that's been stated so far is a desire to record a CD this year. There has been no mention of what will become of this CD - Sales? Audition? Demo? Send to Grandma? Nor has there been any mention of a true desire to learn to record.

I agree, $300 can get you started, but if (s)he were to come to me, I would use MUCH more than $300 worth of gear and software in a room with good acoustics and deliver a very nice recording for $300 if there wasn't a lot of editing required.

So the question remains - what is the big picture here?

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:16 pm

hi...holy crap i forgot about this thread, i apologise

anyway, i am not trying to make a best selling album, i just need a glorified demo cd to hand out to friends and to throw inside my college application this winter

i looked at recording studios and i cant work like that...they charge by the hour and i cant say how long its going to take me to record pieces like Chaconne by Bach which is basically an acrobatic 14 minute solo

also, ive recorded plenty in the past, and edited plenty in the past, using sound forge but mostly Goldwave, im not a complete noob

basically all im going to need for this cd is CLEAN sound with a slight echo, maybe some paramatic eq shuffling for a few pieces, but nothing to fancy, remember this is classical instrumentals for one guitar, not a rock band recording

so...with a pro studio ruled out, what would u guys buy for $400 to record a guitar cd, either directly into sound card or first into minidisc then into sound card

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