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Hi everybody I just found this site after doing some searches trying to find some info on recording tips. With the fear of being bombarded with comments saying I should go and use the "search" button, I did and spent the past 2 hours trying to inform myself. (not enough searching, i know) and decided to post anyway

I did my first recording at home about 6 months ago using a trial version program, if i remember correctly. using a cheap 3 cheap little mics through a Yamaha mixer (no job at the time) and I got hooked on it, but didn't pursue it till now.

I play rockabilly/psychobilly style music and is what I plan on recording, (and hoping i could get good enough to maybe even record some local bands whatever there style) (I play upright bass, "slap" 8) ) and I plan on recording good quality demos that I can pass out for free, or charge $5 for 5 songs.

I wish I had found this site before i went out and bought some stuff, but its seems that I'm on the right track (hopefully)

this is what I have

Digi 003
1 Shure sm 57
1 RODE nt 1a (both mics recommended to me buy musicians who record the same style of music I do)
1 Sennheiser HD 280

I plan on getting some monitors, but cant afford them just yet. I could do the mixing on the headphones right. I'll have to deal with using the headphones/ and my logitech speakers for now though.

windows xp
I have and AMD athlon 64 processor
2 GB of Ram
and 300 GB hardrive
and an unnecessary 22" flat wide screen lCD

I plan on posting a picture of my room for some tips on how to get it sounding good. and what to have/ or not to have in there. I have a feeling you guys are gonna completely disapprove after doing some reading :oops:, but i will follow your advice, but just to give you an idea of what I'm worried about, I have a loft bed and under I have my desk and computer with the Digi 003 on the second desk right next to it. I have to have a livable room/home studio, still live at home with the parents.

I plan on getting a free lance teacher to get me more familiarized with my new equipment and to teach me how to get started on pro tools and maybe taking some classes at a local college, (I took the tour over at the Los Angeles school of recording, but unfortunately thats to much money for me now, I could get loans and some financial aid if you guys recommend that i go there, but can I do the same at a community college? I would like to maybe pursue this as a career, I plan on trying to score an apprenticeship at a studio. How much would an average recording engineer expect to make? (just curious)

I'm looking for some guidance, I want to learn more (and don't mind doing the homework I just want to make sure I'm reading up on the right stuff) so basically where do I head from here? any good threads that you would recommend me reading, I bought the pro tools for dummies book, and been reading that also. so please point my in the right direction so I can learn.

One thing that is a list of things to learn, is what kind of mics do I need to record drums? should I buy a drum mic kit? or some more sm 57's? what can I use for the kick? what sounds like a good idea is some more sm 57's and maybe a good kick drum mic.

I guess that will be it for now, but will be back :lol:

Thank You,
Art

Fire Away! 8-)

Comments

anonymous Mon, 03/26/2007 - 01:48

anybody? :?

well after some researching, I decided to get the shure drum mic package, I was considering going with the AKG d112, but a lot of you guys said it sounded like a basketball, and plus having extra sm57's is a big plus.

still need some monitors, will probably try to find a set of used ones, and i think i could get away without using a pre amp fror the mics for now, right?

anonymous Mon, 03/26/2007 - 11:27

hello

your situation sounds a lot like mine. i have the same processor, and i use the shure drum mic package ($ is the king, isn't it?), but i have been working with recording in a relatively nice studio (professional) since i was 15 (5 yrs), and i have been running that studio alone for 3 years, so i have some experience with better equipment.

i do most of my recording at home, thouigh. i use a mackie 1604 vlz-pro direct out into an m-audio delta1010, and i use sonar 6 pro (a gift!) and acid 6 (like $50 or so), and a midiman 61 (m-audio midi controller)

my room is livable indeed, but 1/2 of it is definitely occupied by my recording equipment. 8) it's all good if you love it, man, and i'm sure you do.

how old are you? i'd love to talk with you more about it. i just finished an 8 song demo with my buddy's band yesterday, and it paid off in music and beer and, sadly more importantly, a little cash.

honestly, you can't really go wrong with 57s as far as an inexpensive durable mic, but i really think that some sort of preamp would give a little character to that extremely-too-honest sound. and i'm sure you've felt the pressures of equalization issues...?

the sure beta52 is a badass kick mic, so is the akgd112; most of the tone comes down to the original source and equalization, plus the other stuff like how well it cuts through the mix, what you want it to sound like, etc.

i use klipsch monitors; it was a set of stereo monitors and a subwoofer. they're not exactly pro audio monitors; they're geared more towards consumer sound, i belive. BUT they have excellent frequency response, and the 1604s eq does a decent job. i'm looking into some powered behringers - i hear they're cheap but durable and sensitive. m-audio has some cheaper monitors, as well...?

good luck
ross

anonymous Mon, 03/26/2007 - 17:25

hi, yeah im 20 yrs old,

I bought the shure drum mic package today, i returned the 22" lcd monitor that i had bought, and will just be using a 17" monitor, (you know those old school ones, got it for $20 at a yard sale) i still dont even have enough money to buy the cables, but i figure i could just borrow some cables for now, i do have 2 mogami gold series cables, like them for the lifetime warranty.

Im gonna go take some classes next semester over at Citrus community college. and try and pursue this as a career. that or work at the bank for the rest of my life. :roll:

yeah i guess i could be set for now, but would be best to get some monitors, a mic preamp, and some treatment for my room, oh and some more mic cables...

we recorded this 6 months ago in my kitchen, using only 2 mics, (very very cheap mics by the way, didnt even have a brand) through a little yamaha mixer using adobe audition trial version, my computer crashed after and i didnt get to lower the volume down on the vocals. but everything else seemed ok, for what we had to work with. (I didnt post the music on there by the way the rest of the band did I tried to convince them to take it off, haha)

http://www.myspace.com/thenutrinos

so what would you purchase next? the mic preamp, monitors, or spend some money getting the room treated? like setting up a little vocal booth and buying some foam and stuff?

thanks
Art

anonymous Mon, 03/26/2007 - 21:34

man, i'd definitely get some mic cables first and foremost, esp. considering that you have like 7 or 8 mics...unless you're only gonna use 1 or 2 at a time...? if that's the case, i'd look for a nice tube-driven preamp ("nice" = affordable but warming, ya know...?)

so how are your mics hooked up? are you still using that yamaha mixer? what preamps DO you have?

and you say you have digi003...the whole rig? what's the story? i'm thinking of moving to protools myself, since i have that delta1010...

hit me back mane :)

anonymous Thu, 03/29/2007 - 17:22

yeah mic cables is definitely my next round of purchases, and I need a mic preamp, but I need something that'll work with pro tools, (digitally preferred) but not exactly sure what to get, I guess something around 500-700 bucks sounds good, with at least 8 mic inputs, some good monitors will be after that

currently I just connect 4 mics to the back of the digi003, and use the yamaha mixer to connect 2 more additional mics, using the stereo output, and just pan 1 to the left and the other to the right, I only need 1 or 2 mics at a time, except when I record drums thats when I want to be able to do at least 8 mics at a time.

and as for room treatment, I currently just want something that I could do vocals with, maybe build a mini vocal booth, or get something that i could use to put in front of the singer and mic to capture all the sound, and that i could use for the amps also, probably will just build it myself.

Music_Junky Thu, 03/29/2007 - 18:09

If I were you I would not be to worried about what to buy next. Learn to use the things you already got.(but cables are must have :) ) A skilled engineer could make great recordings with your equipment. Much better than an unskilled with the most expensive fancy gear on earth.

A pair of monitors would be nice tough, if you have a stereo system with aux input it will do the job for now.

I'd be more than happy to help you with Pro Tools issues if you need, I'm no pro but I manage.

Have fun! thats what it's all about, don't worry about expensive equipment for now that will be enough time for that later.