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Hello all.

I was wondering if there is such a place where one could go to rent time on recording equipment and DAWs? For example, a medium-end setup with advanced audio interfaces, several DAWs (like Pro Tools, Logic, Live, Cubase, Sonar), mics, plugins, beats, vocal booth, etc. where I could just bring my guitar, or just work on electronic music like Dubstep. But NOT a high-end recording studio with the 48,000 track board and everything.

I am basically thinking about a level or two up from what a single beginning musician would have in their home. Enough to make a demo CD maybe. I was thinking it would be cheaper if you are just starting out, rather than having to worry about buying your own AI and software. Is it worth it to rent? Do these lower-end places exist? And, I'm not talking about going over to someone's house who bought nice equipment, although that's what I'm thinking people do (i.e. GuitarCenter employees). But are there "mini studios"?

Thanks.

-Steve

Comments

TheJackAttack Wed, 01/04/2012 - 10:07

Why do you need several DAW programs? Most beginners and intermediate users don't have a single daw mastered let alone shelling out cash for legal copies of more than one.

Studio time can be rented from all levels of studios. Some will have a website and some will be word of mouth. None will let you be there without a house engineer unless you are an intern with them.

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spage7 Wed, 01/04/2012 - 11:15

Having access to several DAWs would be helpful starting out in music recording, to get a taste of what's out there before investing in any one myself.

And as I said, I would not be looking for a place that has a "house engineer". But maybe just someone to ask questions and who knows more than you. Think Kinko's copies.

I would think there might be a market for such a place to have like maybe 4-8 bays of basic recording equipment and PC, and there would be several musicians/groups there doing their thing. Maybe even a couple rooms for whole bands to practice/record.

Just asking. I am a newbie.

-Steve

TheJackAttack, post: 381937 wrote: Why do you need several DAW programs? Most beginners and intermediate users don't have a single daw mastered let alone shelling out cash for legal copies of more than one.

Studio time can be rented from all levels of studios. Some will have a website and some will be word of mouth. None will let you be there without a house engineer unless you are an intern with them.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Cucco Wed, 01/04/2012 - 12:19

Steve -
Whereabouts in the US are you? Perhaps there's an engineer here on the boards that might be willing to sit down with you and share their experiences and perhaps some of the software they have. I personally have a handful of software packages (Reason, FruityLoops, Sequoia, Samplitude, Final Cut Pro, etc.) and would be happy to let someone poke around with my stuff.
Cheers-
Jeremy

spage7 Wed, 01/04/2012 - 12:33

Hey Cucco! I live in Stafford, VA! Right up the street from you, on 610. That would be awesome if I could touch base with you on some things. Let me know if we can email each other or something.

Thanks.
-Steve

Cucco, post: 381946 wrote: Steve -
Whereabouts in the US are you? Perhaps there's an engineer here on the boards that might be willing to sit down with you and share their experiences and perhaps some of the software they have. I personally have a handful of software packages (Reason, FruityLoops, Sequoia, Samplitude, Final Cut Pro, etc.) and would be happy to let someone poke around with my stuff.
Cheers-
Jeremy

Cucco Wed, 01/04/2012 - 12:37

Hey Steve -
I'm glad you're so close! I spent all morning on 610 today...
Feel free to IM me or send me an e-mail. I've got some recordings coming up that you may or may not be interested in sitting in on.
What kind of recording are you most interested in? (eg. rock, rap, classical, jazz, etc.)

J.

TheJackAttack Wed, 01/04/2012 - 13:10

Steve,
Definitely take Jeremy up on his offer. He has high end gear that you aren't going to be able to check out on your own or likely at most music tech programs at a college. This is going to be your best route to try different gear-basically interning with a business or in academic terms, auditing a class/recording session.

There is no location that I know of that has the setup you are hoping for. It might not be a bad business model other than trying to recoup the expense of even setting it up. One can get bulk licensing of different DAW's but in your scenario you still have to have one paid license per workstation per DAW program. The hardware itself really isn't so much of the expense in an entry level scenario such as this. Oh, and of course rent/electricity/waste management/et alia. If you really get the audio engineer bug bad enough you could consider how to make this sort of thing work for YOU as a business.

spage7 Wed, 01/04/2012 - 13:49

Yes, it would be an amazing opportunity. I will definitely take him up on it.

As far as the business model thing, I think it could work. There are a lot of teen bands and local amateurs or up and coming who are going the indie route, and people like me who just want to see what it's all about. I bet one could do a basic setup with just a couple of spaces starting out with above average equipment so that youth bands and amateurs could just get recorded and play with the systems. In a cheap open space where people can meet each other, collaborate, and learn. Multiple people/groups at the same time. There are a lot of people I have been talking to lately from different angles on this thing and I actually think it could work. Especially when trying to learn things myself and I find out there IS NO place like this now.

Thanks for your feedback.

TheJackAttack, post: 381953 wrote: Steve,
Definitely take Jeremy up on his offer. He has high end gear that you aren't going to be able to check out on your own or likely at most music tech programs at a college. This is going to be your best route to try different gear-basically interning with a business or in academic terms, auditing a class/recording session.

There is no location that I know of that has the setup you are hoping for. It might not be a bad business model other than trying to recoup the expense of even setting it up. One can get bulk licensing of different DAW's but in your scenario you still have to have one paid license per workstation per DAW program. The hardware itself really isn't so much of the expense in an entry level scenario such as this. Oh, and of course rent/electricity/waste management/et alia. If you really get the audio engineer bug bad enough you could consider how to make this sort of thing work for YOU as a business.

RemyRAD Wed, 01/04/2012 - 16:01

You do realize that most software manufacturers have trial software to check out. It's usually fairly crippled but gives you an idea of the workflow involved, before you shell out 300-$1500 per software package. Jeremy is damn good. You absolutely should take him up on his offer. You can learn a lot from Jeremy. Of course he is into the high-end, top shelf style of equipment. You can still make glorious sounding recordings with affordable entry-level gear & a couple of SM58's believe you me. So nothing wrong with a Mackie with the FireWire interface built into it and the included software. Or anything else like that. But you do have to find the software that speaks to you (figuratively speaking). It ain't only ProTools as that's not my favorite and not the favorite of a lot of people I know even though I own it too. My version came bundled with one of their underwhelming piece of crap M-Blotch 2 audio interfaces. And since back in the day, when their software would only work with their hardware, it made some financial sense to go that route. Today if you buy any of their crap, it will include ProTools 8 which ain't 9 or, 10 still locking you into their hardware scenario. Screw that, screw them, tell them to get screwed. Version 9 & version 10 will work with anybody's hardware but you will have to pay for that and it ain't cheap. Even then, you won't have full use of all they can do without some of their specialty hardware to enable it. So catch 22. Déjà vu all over again. You can do better and Jeremy will show you how.

Can you tell I'm not an Avid fan?
Mx. Remy Ann David

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