Need help finding gear in the $300 range

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:17 pm

$300 eh? I'll sell you my firepod

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:17 pm

I want to save you some time. Get a Line 6 toneport and plug the guitars in Direct. Do NOT use Audacity. You will hate yourself for it in the long run. It is a major pain. Try Kristal Audio Engine. It's also free but allows you to use plugins in REAL TIME. Whereas in Audacity it a crap shoot, apply after the fact thing.

Use a single omni for the drums. Let's face it, with two mics you are not going to get awesome stereo sound necessarily so minimize the potential problems(phase among other things). Just put that mic smack over the drummers head and have at it.

An SM57 would be a good investment and any cheap omni would probably do fine.

This is your first recording. Don't expect miracles, however there's no reason why you couldn't get a decent recording if you take your time with it.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:19 pm

OOps. Just went back and read BobRogers' suggestion. Good advice.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:40 pm

So it's looking like I'm going to need this:

2 of these for $200
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shure-SM57-InstrumentVocal-Mic?sku=270102

Possible two of these for $120
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Kustom-KPC10M-10-Monitor-Speaker-Cabinet-with-Horn?sku=600817

One of these for $130
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-MobilePre-USB-Portable-Audio-Interface?sku=701368

And this two for one deal for $50
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-QH660-Headphones-Buy-1-Get-1-Free?sku=245612

I'm still unsure about the studio monitors, if I'm going to be in the same room as them when they're recording am I going to need to them, or is that not even recommended? Also if anyone has MSN add me joli334@yahoo.com and your quicker help there would be greatly appreciated.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:55 pm

Those Kustom monitors you listed are stage monitors (for live performance), not studio monitors for mixing.

Instead, you'll need something from this list:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/studio-audio-monitors
(a powered set, unless you want to buy a separate power amp).

You might also check ebay or the like for SM57's. They have a great reputation for durability so a used one is likely to be in good shape and you could save a few bucks, maybe to go towards cables and stands.

The MAudio interface looks right on to get you started.

I don't know those headphones specifically, but do you need two sets? (will you be able to hook up two sets at once?)

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:10 pm

So just one pair of headphones should do?

How about this monitor?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Studiophile-AV20-Monitor-Speaker-Pair?sku=601029

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:23 pm

Probably more appropriate than the stage monitor, but looks more like desktop PC speakers than something capable of mixing music on. I know we're talking low budget here, but perhaps at least something like these? http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Studiophile-AV40?sku=600092

And yeah, the headphones will just be for tracking, which you already said will be one track at a time, or maybe a full band "live" stereo pair. In either case, you won't need more than one set of 'phones. For playback and mixing, you'll be using the monitors, which is why they are a really important part of your setup. You'll get what you pay for...
(and btw, I'm not endorsing or recommending those particular monitors, I don't have them - just trying to point you closer to the kind of gear that might be able to get the job done)

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:41 pm

Can someone explain why I need two mics if I'm doing single track recording?

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:09 pm

You might want to record 2 of the same source at once.
Like micing a guitar amp up close and then from several feet away.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:11 pm

Is that recommended, or would I be better of buying one and putting the $100 towards a better studio monitor?

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:17 pm

Well it depends on what you want to record now and in the future (a short way, I can't say it's a HUGE investment to worry about)

And I would use "monitor" in plural form. My studio monitors, since everything is generally done in stereo.

Drums are your big factor in mics needed.
At least 1 overhead, probably 2 and then a snare mic is a regular prescription here.
To not record drums, your requirement goes down to 1 mic.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:40 pm

If I'm doing single track recording, then I would only need one mic, correct? If I had more than one of the drums, wouldn't that be multi-track or am I completely lost?

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:04 pm

A stereo recording is technically "multi-track". You use 2 mics, usually one for the left channel and one for the right channel. From a quick glance, the usb interface you linked above has two inputs and could handle recording both at once.

You could use this approach if you want to record the whole band live, with just 2 mics, as someone mentioned above. You might want to start with that approach, though it depends on having a good live mix/balance of the band in the room.

You could also record a single guitar amp with two different mics (one close, one far), as also mentioned. In this case, you are still doing one <i>part</i> at a time, even if it goes to two tracks.

And then there are drums. You pretty much need at least two mics to get a balanced sound from the various parts of the drum set.

Get two used SM57's - probably for close to what you would pay for one new one.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:13 pm

Can you explain channels a bit more?

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:39 pm

At this stage of the game don't buy anything new that you don't have to. Most of it is going to go away as soon as you get some funds coming back in.
- Get it all used - ck all the buy/sell forums and ebay. that should stretch your budget a good ways
- Normally I (like many others here) would stress quality over quantity. But in this case, I would just use 1 mic to get the parts down. (go direct for bass if you can) Go for the gutsy, ratty, raw approach.
- Once funds start coming in, start replacing the weakest link and build up from there.

The point being, that even at twice your budget ($600.00-$1000.00) Your quality will only improve slightly. (you would think that double the money would equal double the quality, but it doesn't work that way)
So do it on the skinny as best as you can - (even if you have to borrow stuff) On the next round of recordings, you should have enough money to make some serious improvements.

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