erik346x,

Dude, you've gotta few more questions to ask yourself and a whole shitload of reading to do before you ask this kind of question of others...

For starters, what's your REAL budget??? ...3-4 grand??? I'm spending more than that just on insulation for the walls of my studio! I spent more than that just on mic cables! I've spent that much on a couple of effects processors! I'm not trying to discourage you, but be a bit more realistic.

Look, before you can set a budget, you really ought to determine a bit more about what you want to accomplish with this "studio in my home" situation.

Are you really SURE that you can do it? Is this just something "cool" you'ld like to do, or is this what's in your soul that you are willing and wanting to eat, sleep and breath this insanity?

Can you handle the stress? Can you handle the competition? Can you handle the rejection? The embarassment? The insults? How good are your ears? Have you ever mixed anything before? How much time are you willing to put towards learning this craft? How much time are you GOING to put towards learning this craft... yup, that's two different questions. Can you handle getting stiffed on sessions? Are you going to track and mix, just track, just mix? How much space do have for a control room? How much parking can you handle? You gonna' track 2 channels at a time or more? Are the neighbors going to call the cops when you're tracking drums at 3AM?

You want a list? Oh, I KNOW that there are plenty of lists to tell you what you need as far as gear goes, but you better believe me when I tell you that there are plenty of guys and gals out here who can/will smoke your ass (and plenty of other folks' butts) for lunch... on ANY kind of gear. So, you better get your head on right and really think about what kind of commitment you're willing to bring to the table BEFORE you get hooked on GAS (Gear Acqusition Syndrom).

You "think" you know how it goes? I'm Not saying you don't, but this kind of statement is a big red flag. Your best bet is to read and read and read some more. As a matter of fact, get ready to be reading about gear and techniques and anything audio for the rest of your career.

While google is a great starting point, dig through the archives of this site. Learn about DAW's, discrete gear, other digital processes, analog processes... microphones, comp, gates, verbs, delays, effects, control surfaces, cables, monitors, oh hell yeah even midi...

There's an old saying in this business... How do you make a million buck with a recording studio?

Start out with two million bucks!

Do some some serious reading, ask yourself some pretty hard questions and THEN you'll ask the questions you really need answered.

Max

erik346x wrote: I am currently looking to start a studio in my home...im a complete beginner, but i think i kind of know how everything goes and shit.....can someone please list what i need to start a home studio...im willing to spend around $3-4 grand....Im going to be recording mostly underground metal bands, so...please help me choose a decent setup...thx

damn max thats deep............thats really gonna make him think????????????

Think, or think better before getting in over his head.

donchathink?

Max

MadMax wrote: erik346x,
Dude, you've gotta few more questions to ask yourself and a whole shitload of reading to do before you ask this kind of question of others...edit to much BS...
Max

Hey Max,
Why dont you relax? Take a chill pill. After all this is a forum for home and project studios. We don't have the $$$ like you seem to think you do. It looks like to me that erik346x is looking for some ideas on what he might need. You come in with your grander than thou BS. And if you are that good why the heck are you rippin someone a new one in a forum and tellin us all how good you are. Frankly I could care less. If you have something to add constructive then do. Until then I think you owe erik346x an apology!

erik346x,
you might want to start with a good mixing board. I seen some cool stuff from [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.mackie.c…"]Mackie[/]="http://www.mackie.c…"]Mackie[/]. Some of their boards have a firewire card that will sink up with most audio software. A beginning to your project studio. Not all the folks in hear are that mean. I wish you the best.

- a computer and software to start with
- a good pair of monitors is essential... repeat after me "a good pair of monitors is essential..." :-)
- avoid sound insulation by moving to the Sahara Desert
- get a good mic pre and a good mic for vocals
- a mixer
- some acoustic treatment may be required so save some € for that

it depends what you want.... do you want to record drums ? ah wait... I've just re-read your post and it says metal bands.... ok hmmm run away ! LOL !

what do you have already ? computer ? soundcard ? guitar amps ?

if you don't have your space already soundproofed you have to increase your budget ... do you have a recording and a control room ?

you have to be more detailed in your post...

macbodock, I think you're the one in need of the chill pill.

I don't have anything to appolgize for. A blanket statement by an admitted complete beginner that is indicative of someone with far greater aspirations than what is realsitic on a $3000 budget, warrants some real hard questions... in hopes of either keeping someone from making costly mistakes, or fires them up to really dig inside and learn this craft.

You want to fan flames and get someone rilled, go somewhere else. I refuse to play your game. However, I'll address part of your antagonism. I ain't "greater than thou" in any aspect of this craft. I've had several occassions where folks with far less gear than I (and most studios) have produced absolutely astounding stuff... far better than I've done. So what? It hasn't stopped me from trying to learn and improve... has it you?

Did I give him any unsound advise? Did I post anything that's an outright lie? The reality of needing to read about new gear, techniques, etc, is BS as you put it? Hmmm.

My gear spending reference was in terms of my own GA$ as an example only. You've got to admit that if you get the "bug", you most likely DO end up spending buckets-o-money on gear... or maybe you're the exception and have sucessfully created your own recording studio business on $4000? I started out with a PortaStudio, Mackie 1202 and a couple of 57's and 58's tracking my own band's demos. Now, I'm building my first, (and likely only) studio... and it has co$t me ten$ of thou$and$ of dollar$ over the year$... and for what I'm hoping to do, I've STILL probably got equal amounts of money to still spend. If that's BS, I'm sorry.

Ya wanna' see a list? Fine...

Lexicon Omega $299.00
Apple Powermac G5 ~$2200.00 - iBook G4 ~$1500.00
Mackie HR824 Monitors - $650
2-SM57's - $180.00
1-KSM27 -$300.00
2 Mic stands - $150.00
Misc mic/signal cables - $400.00

He could look at one of these [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.musician…"]packages[/]="http://www.musician…"]packages[/] which isn't a bad deal for what it is... an entry level system that's VERY bare bones... he'll still likely end up wanting more mics, cables, etc.

Then one should try figuring out what to do with the acoustics of the mixing environment. ESPECIALLY in erik346x's case and his tracking room (if he has one)... he's talking about tracking METAL! If he doesn't have an adequately sound isolated room to track in, then he going to have to build one. This is where it gets dicey as to what to do... and the basis of my main thoughts... does erik346x have the desire to get that deep into the acoustics aspect? If he's (assuming "he" from the username) seriously going to record the stuff at home, he's going to have to address soundproofing in a BIG way or he's got to have lots of acreage that gives him the isolation from neighbors. Even buying a recording package at say $2000 (tax, titles and delivery charges so to speak), only leaves him $1000 - $2000 for soundproofing and acoustical treatment... I just don't see it.

Granted, that doesn't have to come immediately, but it WILL have to be addressed right away. If he, or anyone else for that matter, wants to get into the recording craft enough to do this on at least a pseudo/part time professional level, (as erik346x seems to indicate he DOES aspire to) you either have to DIY or shell out fairly substantial bucks to have it done for you. No?

The way I see it, it's better to see the light early, and see the situation as it is... very difficult, but doable. If the desire is really there, he'll over come it. If not, hopefully he'll see that it's not worth it at an early enough point so as not to dig himself into a hole that he can't get out of. If that's what you consider BS, then so be it.

Max

Good advice Max.....perhaps a wee bit short on tact but everything you have stated is realistic.
cheers

MadMax wrote: macbodock, I think you're the one in need of the chill pill..........edit.....to long to quote.....
Max

Max,
No not me...Agian I think you need to look at the forum head wich is Home and Project Studio's. I have been to website and your studio "Rocks", but then again you are a pro and you studio is not what I would call a "Home and Project Studio". erik346x is not, he is just begininng. The way you came off would tick anyone off and belongs toward someone who has had a studio already and then ask "I've got 3 or 4 thousand" I am not trying to get in a flame war with you at all and I think that roloy said it best:

roloy wrote: Good advice Max.....perhaps a wee bit short on tact but everything you have stated is realistic. cheers

As I see it you still owe erik346x an apology!

Regards,

I would just get a digital "studio in a box" a few mics and stands + cables/headphones, powered monitors and be done with it. He will get better if he sticks with it.

Whats wrong with a 4-track?

:twisted:

G

I hate to say it but mad max is pretty much right. I went into this thinking 2 grand would do the trick. I pretty much wasted that whole 2 grand on stuff I didn't really need. So after doing tons of research I started over. Its been a year since I bought my mac and ptle and so far I've invested well over 20 thousand dollars and probably have another 10 to go before my rooms isolated enough for neighbors and acoustically ready to record.