Home Recording: tips for getting started?

Biblmac 2 August 2011

Hey everyone! I'm new to this site, although I've had an account here for a while. I don't know much about home recording but I was interested in getting started. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for getting started, for instance, what do I get first? What good books are out there on the topic? Thanks in advance! :)

Topic Tags

getting started

Comments

Hi! You need a computer, either Apple or PC, DAW software and y

audiokid Tue, 08/02/2011 - 10:59

Hi!

You need a computer, either Apple or PC, DAW software and you go from there. Why you want to record? Who are you recording? Questions like this are essential to qualify your needs, requirements, abilities etc. Your question is very vague. Keep reading too!

Here's a good place to start. [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.tw

gdoubleyou Tue, 08/02/2011 - 11:01

Here's a good place to start. [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]

Thanks! Sorry about my question being vague. I'm interested in d

Biblmac Tue, 08/02/2011 - 11:15

Thanks! Sorry about my question being vague. I'm interested in doing some recordings for fun. I've always been interested in it, but this is the first time that I've actually decided to put some money into it. Right now, it is just me wanting to record vocals and acoustic guitar. Eventually maybe more instruments than that. We'll see.

I have a computer. I don't have a DAW. I was thinking about getting the MXL 550/551 microphone combo and buying a small mixer, with an RCA out, that I would plug into my computer. I'd also buy some mic stands, pop filter, etc. What do you think? What else will I need?

Also, if I mixed externally, via an analog mixer, would I need a DAW?

EDIT: What sound card should I get for my computer? Should I use a USB interface or something built in via PCI/PCIe port? Anything I should look for in particular?

If you get a really simple 2 channel interface then you won't ne

AToE Tue, 08/02/2011 - 22:22

If you get a really simple 2 channel interface then you won't need a mixer at all, you can just plug your guitar (oor the gtr mic) into one channel and the vocal mic into the other - and the digital output from the interface will be better quality than running the audio output of a mixer into whatever built-in input your comp has. Most of these will just plug into a USB port, and many even come with basic versions of great DAW programs like Cubase, Sonar, etc.

Thanks. I'll look into them. Just curious though, what if I do

Biblmac Wed, 08/03/2011 - 16:16

Thanks. I'll look into them.

Just curious though, what if I do go the mixer route? I personally would prefer to mix it with an analog mixer. I've run live sound for my church for a couple years and have really gotten used to analog mixers. Not to say that I refuse to change, just that I'm hesitant to start using a DAW instead of an analog mixer, and to my understanding they do the same thing, right? They both mix the audio, just one before recording (analog) and one after (DAW), right?

Now, if I did go the analog mixer route, would it be better to get a $100 sound card or a USB RCA interface?

To be honest, I may just not be understanding you correctly, as I said, I am new at all this. Thanks in advance! :)

EDIT: I thought I'd edit this again, once more, to ask about room treatment. Is there any good tutorials or videos or tips on how to correctly treat a room for audio recording? I don't really have the money to pay for that now, but I'd like to get to that point.