The monitors will give you the bass responce that you need. There are things that you wont hear in headphones that you will hear in monitors. I would suggest monitors and maybe making a couple of bass traps or defussors or something to fix the standing waves that you will get.

sorry, correction, my room is rectangular, with my desk on one of the longer of two walls... how would I test the placement of the monitors... just go with the sound of it (after adding in the traps of course) or is there some way to go with like a test sound or something...?

there are loads of reasons not to mix on headphones, speakers are essential. if you haven't been 'in the game' long the accoustic properties of your room will not be the limiting factor in getting a good mix, you will. Wack up the those speakers and get to it. I wouldn't spend money on accoustic treatment at this stage, especially if you don't know what you're doing with it but if you are interested in the accoutic properties of your room, i'd start with you in the listening position and a swept sinewave from the speakers- note the frequencies where you hear the room resonating.

there are loads of reasons not to mix on headphones, speakers are essential.

I definately hear you, no pun intended. In the game long? You're right, high school student. So I'm definately NOT going to spend money on treatment just yet. Wherever I hear those waves echoing, wait... idea... I've heard of people using a comforter or a sheet for dampening the room (mainly when recording mics)... couldn't I do that wherever I'm having resonating problems... with say for instance... I chair covered with a thick blanket or sheet? (GHETTO STUDIO!!!!)

1. I'll ignore the "Ghetto" comment - this time - you're a kid, trying to be cool. That ain't the way, but... I'll ignore it, this time...

2. Sound treatment, perse, doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, until you get down into the bass regions... For now, forget it - too tough... Try a blanket, or 43 blankets(Or try the "used" office supply place. Buy a few "office cubicle panels" and lean 'em against your walls), to at least minimize problems in the vocal range - and record your electric bass(And everything else you can), direct.

3. Using your phones ALONG WITH even a small pair of speakers(Like the Yamaha MSP5's, for instance or many others), will serve you well. You'll learn from experience how to make things work(You'll learn that your phones will "hype" the bass, your little speakers won't have any bass)... Also, a small set of speakers won't allow as much "room" to get in the way -- they don't play loud enough and don't go low enough to bounce as many of those "icky" bass freq's off the walls... Then again, phones won't allow ANY "room"(A good thing)!

4. You say you're going to be using the room for singing? If it sounds good NOW, when you are just standing in the room singing, it will sound good recorded. If not? It will not sound good recorded - no matter what you do electronically or what you listen on....

Again, no matter what you have to work with, learning to use it will allow you to work-through alot of evils... In the recording trade, there are few "essentials" other than getting in their and doing it.

TG

These guys are right, NEVER, try to do your mixing in headphones alone. What I have found is that it may sound pretty good in the headphones, but when you play the mix through monitors you see that the same "good sounding" headphone mix is still too loud. I usually start a mix in my headphones while I am recording, but once I get the levels and the mix to sound good in the headphones I go back through the mix using my monitors. Monitors allow you to hear all of the things that you probably wouldn't hear using the headphones. TeddyG is right grab a pair of speakers (try using some from your stereo, for right now). I haven't been doing this very long, little over a year, and I started with my stereo speakers as monitors until I could get some better ones. Just so happened that my buddy had a pair of monitors hooked up to his computer and we ended up making a trade when he was in town making a delivery. I traded him a cell phone I wasn't using and he let me keep the monitors because his computer wasn't working. Since then I have noticed the difference between headphones, home stereo speakers, and the monitors. Monitors make a real big difference in what you hear. But I understand the restraints of budgets, just work with what you've got right now until you can get some good studio monitors.

BigTrey~CEO/Battleground Recordz

yes, I'm sorry... I did get a little carried away with the "ghetto" comment...

I'll ignore the "Ghetto" comment - this time - you're a kid, trying to be cool. That ain't the way, but... I'll ignore it, this time...

and that... please... that WAS NOT my intention... I know I'm not the king of recording and I know I'm just starting... PLEASE DO NOT make the assumption that I'm trying to be cool... I'm really not... I have MUCH to learn... thank you for your advice though...

TeddyG wrote: 1. I'll ignore the "Ghetto" comment - this time - you're a kid, trying to be cool. That ain't the way, but... I'll ignore it, this time...

Wow, way to show your ass there, Teddy. The kid was making a simple joke that I doubt anyone in the world would take offense to, as it's a very common expression, and you have to be "cool" like that.

By the way, are you "cool"? It's seems not. Grow up and loosen up.