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So I recorded my first song recently back in December '10 and I did it at my buddies setup that he has at his church. I moved and I no longer have that available to me, so I was thinking that I should just buy my own equipment and learn how to record on my own instead of having to go over to someone elses place and whatnot.

My question is, in terms of recording rap vocals, how much (and where should I look) would I be looking to spend for a decent set up? I'm assuming all I'll need is a mic, preamp, and the cords and I'm ready to roll, but I could be wrong.

This is my song (First one ever, be kind and don't hate). I'm doing all the rap vocals, NOT me singing. Ignore the guy singing in terms of recording wise.

[="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18mML4KJopA"]YouTube - Standing in the Rain[/]="http://www.youtube…"]YouTube - Standing in the Rain[/]

Just posting it so you all have an idea of what I would like the quality of my vocals to be like.

Also, would I be find to just set up shop and record in a closet area? Or would I just be better off in the room?

Last thing (Sorry for all the questions, figured I'd do it all at once), I found this:

[[url=http://="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus Audiobox USB Recording Package | Studio & Recording Packages | Computer Music Packages | Musician's Friend[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]Buy PreSonus Audiobox USB Recording Package | Studio & Recording Packages | Computer Music Packages | Musician's Friend[/]

And wondering if that's a decent deal and worth getting to start out and how the mic will hold up in terms of sound quality and whatnot. Anywho, thanks for all the answers that I can get from you guys. Appreciate it!

Comments

RemyRAD Thu, 01/27/2011 - 12:26

I find rap vocalists generally want a fair amount of "high-end" on their vocal. Most folks think that a condenser microphone of some sort would then be in order? I don't agree. My suggestion is to simply obtain a Shure Beta 58 & also purchase an additional (full color designer style) foam pop filter. Even though the 58 has an internal foam pop filter along with its metal screen, you will be additionally better served with a secondary foam pop filter. This additional foam pop filter will then put you 1 inch further away from the diaphragm of the microphone. Thus reducing extremely excessive "Proximity Effect" bass boost. And the dynamic microphone manufacturing design, unlike condenser microphones, are virtually impervious to a lot of hot humid air panting upon its diaphragm than a condenser microphone. At the same time the Beta series of the Shure product line, provides for greater output levels and an additional high frequency octaves worth of spectral capture capabilities. If I want a dynamic mic with a condenser sound, I go for the Shure Beta 58. If I want to dynamic microphone with a quality dynamic microphone sound, I'll go with the Shure SM58 as opposed to the Beta 58. This microphone can literally take a licking (by beautiful babes) and keep you ticking. Plus the foam pop filter makes for a wonderful condom. When the microphone starts to look, smell or taste rank, you can either pop it into the washing machine, dishwasher or even wash it by hand (eewwww, hopefully utilizing antibacterial soap). Or like any other condom, throw it in the trash and get yourself a fresh new one, when you've gotten your mileage from it. Don't waste time with pantyhose lollipop Popper stoppers. That's because they're flimsy and when they start to deteriorate, somebody's going to see you playing with pantyhose and you don't want that to happen. Not if you're serious rapper. Okay for Joe Namath because he was a serious ballplayer in or outside of his pantyhose. If you don't remember that advertiser with Joe Namath, you should simply put on your girlfriends or wives (I know it's plural) pair of pantyhose and take a picture of yourself in them. Then you could post it for us here and we'll tell you how your vocal sounds after we have completed LOASSESO. Which is a highly technical term meaning that we really liked your panting hoesed vocals.

Fortunately, even as a woman, I rarely wear pantyhose unless Joe Namath was in them with me.
Mx. Remy Ann David

kb7 Thu, 01/27/2011 - 13:40

Thanks for the info but I ended up buying separate after talking to a buddy and went with the Mbox 2 Mini preamp with a AKG Perception 220 mic. Didn't go with monitors but headphones instead.

[="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MBox2Mini/"]Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini | Sweetwater.com[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini | Sweetwater.com[/]

[[url=http://="http://www.sweetwat…"]AKG Perception 220 | Sweetwater.com[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]AKG Perception 220 | Sweetwater.com[/]

RemyRAD Sun, 01/30/2011 - 22:33

That sounds great, you've made a perfectly adequate decision & purchase. You'll get many hours of sweet recording time with your rig. Remember, when it doesn't sound quite right, it's generally something you aren't doing quite right and not the equipment. It's rarely the equipment. I have an AVID/DIGI M-box 2. Not sure why you didn't wait to purchase yourself a 2 microphone input device? I don't particularly like the microphone preamps in that Box 2 and so, I considered the box 2 Mini since it also includes the stereo line level inputs & outputs. But sometimes you are caught with your proverbial preamp trousers down around your ankles when you just want to make that convenient stereo recording from 2 microphones. So cool, you saved $100 US. And when you want to record a stereo microphone job what are you going to do, purchase an additional nonmatching, non-phase aligned microphone preamp to schlep along? Sometimes, you have to take some hints from Darwin even when you're looking at equipment. Doesn't this sort of make your primary recording device rather Cycloptic? Or was it the Zion Coptic guys?

I'm holding it in as long as I can. I'm not saying what.
Mx. Remy Ann David

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