I've been recording on my mac with Cubase le and sometimes garage band. I record my band, starting with a scratch track. which usually ends up sounding better than the finished product. For guitar, I use a regular mic (because it's all I have) and Micing the amplifier. This is what everyone I've talked to has told me to do. What type of mic should i be using for that? I have a mic kit for drums, and the drums usually end up sounding great. My biggest problem is that no matter how i record the vocals, they always sound flat and dead. I've tried so many little "tricks" that people have told me to try, and nothing works. HELP. What equipment do I need to get? I'm not a millionare so I can't afford al the expensive stuff. I need a way to make what I have sound better.
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With the issues you described, there are a few things I would tr
With the issues you described, there are a few things I would try.
For your guitars, you have several options. First, you could try using your drum mics, one by one, and mic your guiter amp. Experiment with on-axis vs. off-axis, distance from the amp, perhaps even micing thae amp AND running a line into Cubase, using various mixes. This can bring some really good results using existing equipment.
For your vocals, a LOT of the sound can depend on the quality of mic you're singing into. Also, consider getting a seperate mic pre with a vocal processor. These can range from dirt cheap to WAY expensive. Another factor to consider, especially if you're using an outboard mixer summed to an interface is making slight adjustments to EQ settings while recording. Then, once recorded, you can fine-tune EQ and effects to fit best into your mix. When describing your vocals as sounding flat, it seems you're describing dynamics. There is a LOT that can be done inside Cubase to adjust for that, especially if you have good plug-ins.
Hope this helps a little. Remember, there really isn't a right or wrong, as long as you end up with the sound you want. Just play with it, and see what you discover. Some of the best sounds have come from wild experiments in the studio.