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Old 05-09-2010, 05:48 PM
Nod Nod is offline
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Default What are the basics for building a recording studio

I've always wanted to mess around with recording and from what I hear it is getting easier and more affordable for the average person to do so I figure now is the time to start. Not sure where to begin though so I would appreciate some pointers. At the moment it will just be me singing and an acoustic guitar but who knows down the road.

Basically I'm just looking for some general information to get me going, like what is the bare minimum of equipment I would require, i.e. mics, computer, software, pre amps, and what I can expect to spend to make a reasonably decent quality recording. Not sure if i need to go this high but I'd be willing to spend in the $2000 range initially, give or take. If I really enjoy recording I may want to expand down the road so I would prefer to buy equipment that I can add to rather than have to discard and replace everything because I have outgrown it. On the otherhand, if there is a relatively inexpensive way to learn the basics, I wouldn't have an issue buying cheap then replacing. Just don't want to spend good money on equipment that won't cut it as I improve. So with that in mind, is there any equipment you would invest more heavily in initially ( i.e. mics) than others.

Second, I realize that recording can take a long time to learn how to do well but on the otherhand I don't want to mess around with gear that requires I have a PHD to use it. I'm looking for something that is somewhat user friendly and I can get going on fairly quickly yet still makes a quality recording.

Thanks
Nod
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Old 05-09-2010, 06:21 PM
Joseph Hanna Joseph Hanna is offline
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Here's my 2 cents Nod!!

Take the time and read and research ROOMS!!. Ethan Winer has some great stuff as well as others..

If I were starting from scratch I would figure a way to get a beautiful, acoustically wonderful room.

The rest will fall into place.
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Old 05-09-2010, 07:06 PM
Bob1131 Bob1131 is offline
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Nod, there are literally hundreds of options for home recording chains today. I like to build larger sounding tracks with many instruments, so I prefer to have multi-tracking and layering ability in a stand alone recorder. However, multi-tracking and layering can also be efficiently accomplished on a computer with the right programs.

If you like turning knobs and pushing buttons rather than using a virtual control panel, then a standalone recorder such as a Tascam or Boss BR series is a good way to go. If that isn't important to you, then go with a computer. I use a Yamaha MG124 mixer into a Boss BR864 (the newest version is the BR900).

However, which ever way you decide to go, decent mics will be important! Remember, garbage in = garbage out, so clean, clear input devices (mics) are extremely important. You should do a search in this forum for threads about mics...some people will tell you that only condenser mics should be used for recording, but a good dynamic mic will do nicely too! I like the the Rode NT1-A for vocals and some guitar work. It is a large diaphragm condenser with very low internal noise and great clarity. But keep in mind that this is home recording, so there is a quality break point where no matter how good the mic is, you are not going to hear a significant increase in quality due to the quality of the other components in the recording chain (including the room itself).

Also, your home recording space will be a huge factor! If the space is small, you might pick up noise from a computer, so a standalone might be better. If there are other noise sources (kids in the next room, traffic outside, air conditioning) you might select hyper or supercardioid pattern mics instead of omni-pattern mics to reject off-axis sound. I have a pair of EV N/D767s that sound fabulous and reject off-axis sound better than any other dynamics I have used (makes them very feedback resistant for live performing, too).

Finally, if you just want to create simple recordings without getting into mics, layering, mixing, computer programs, etc., then just get a Zoom H2. It's a little recorder with an outstanding internal mic and terrific sound quality for very little cash.
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Old 05-09-2010, 07:52 PM
Pokiehat Pokiehat is offline
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Dont go spending a tonne of money on a tonne of junk to start out with. It will be a nightmare to setup and learn how everything works.

Always start small and add one item at a time as and when you need it. It is much easier to diagnose faults in the signal chain this way, you spend time to acclimatise and learn to use each tool as you acquire it.

Right now you can get recording with a PC, cheap 2 in/2 out firewire soundcard with onboard preamps, an SM57 and a DAW license. I'd start out with that first and start figuring out mic placement and room influence and what you can do with your own performance to get the sound you want from your mic. Then add another 57 at some point to try out stereo micing with spaced pairs, xy, ortf pairs etc. They don't need to be 57s either - just a cheap, versatile mic in a similar sort of price range. 57s are great because you will never really outgrow them. Its always good to have a pair of them around regardless of whether you are a newbie or the most sought after pro in the industry.

When you start out you wont know why you need acoustic treatment, what comb filtering is, why you would want to diffuse echo, what standing waves are. etc. You won't be using it properly and will most likely need to pay a professional to treat your room for you which will be expensive.

Once you start messing with spaced pairs and critical distance it will become apparent why you need some sort of treatment so start adding some to solve your immediate problem. I think the same applies for gear. The worst thing you can do is blow a fat wad of cash on 10 different things. Something will break or not work the way you want it to and you won't know what thing is causing the problem because you don't know how anything works or how its supposed to all work together.

Last edited by Pokiehat; 05-09-2010 at 08:06 PM.
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Old 05-09-2010, 10:41 PM
runamuck runamuck is online now
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I agree with Pokiehat. That said, before you start buying ANYTHING, get some knowledge.

Jim McCarthy
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Old 05-10-2010, 07:02 AM
Nod Nod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna View Post
Here's my 2 cents Nod!!

Take the time and read and research ROOMS!!. Ethan Winer has some great stuff as well as others..

If I were starting from scratch I would figure a way to get a beautiful, acoustically wonderful room.

The rest will fall into place.
At the moment I'm in an appartment so I would not be able to set up a proper recording room until I purchase a house but I will definitely check out ROOMS and any other info I can get on the subject.
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Old 05-10-2010, 07:11 AM
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However, multi-tracking and layering can also be efficiently accomplished on a computer with the right programs.

Can you give me some examples? I have heard of a free program called Audacity but I don't know much about it. Would this be a good program to get started with?
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Old 05-10-2010, 08:34 AM
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I stumbled across a program called Killer Home Recording.

Follow the link and you can get a free e-book of the first volume, which deals with setting up. It answers a lot of the questions that you are asking, and the price is right!

Hope that helps some...
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Old 05-10-2010, 09:47 AM
Pokiehat Pokiehat is offline
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Its probably worth pointing out that modern DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) like Cubase SX or Logic give you far, far more tools than was available to professionals 20 years ago. I mean FL Studio alone has a 100 channel mixer and you can have an almost limitless number of signal processors and generators. You have realtime track recording and sample level editing and extremely flexible envelopes.

The learning curve for a single DAW is astronomical and that is one of the big problems of modern recording is that there are tools available these days to complete newbies that pros 20 years ago could only dream of having. The barrier for entry now is no longer having access to professional recording hardware and software. You can get that easily and cheaply. The barrier for entry is now finding the time and discipline to learn how to use all your tools properly.

I've been using FL Studio for 6 years now and I've been programming Virus synthesizers for 5 years. I have barely scratched the surface and I get near daily practice. You have to take it in small steps or it will quickly overwhelm you. The good news is that if you do the learning right, its completely logical and the principles are disarmingly simple. The bad news is that theres alot of learning to do. It'll keep you busy for the rest of your life if you let it put it that way.
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Old 05-10-2010, 09:48 AM
Nod Nod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pokiehat View Post
Dont go spending a tonne of money on a tonne of junk to start out with. It will be a nightmare to setup and learn how everything works.

Always start small and add one item at a time as and when you need it. It is much easier to diagnose faults in the signal chain this way, you spend time to acclimatise and learn to use each tool as you acquire it.

Right now you can get recording with a PC, cheap 2 in/2 out firewire soundcard with onboard preamps, an SM57 and a DAW license. I'd start out with that first and start figuring out mic placement and room influence and what you can do with your own performance to get the sound you want from your mic. Then add another 57 at some point to try out stereo micing with spaced pairs, xy, ortf pairs etc. They don't need to be 57s either - just a cheap, versatile mic in a similar sort of price range. 57s are great because you will never really outgrow them. Its always good to have a pair of them around regardless of whether you are a newbie or the most sought after pro in the industry.

My plan is to start small as you said and just go with the bare essentials but if I need to add to what I have i would rather spend the extra money on something I will be satisfied with in the long run.

As far as gear goes, this is what I have:

2 Martin acoustics, 1 with a pick up
Fender acoustisonic amp
Fender Strat
Peavy Bandit amp
Shure sm58 mic with boom and stand
Toshiba laptop with cheap real tek sound card

I understand that the sm58 is not a recording mic but if it will suffice in the short run I will use it.

Pretty sure I will need to upgrade my soundcard as it a very basic one. Can you recommend some and give me a basic explanation of how to hook my gear into it? Again, if I need to upgrade here I figure I may as well stick something decent in my laptop, providing it won't be obsolete next year.

What software programs should I look at?

Not sure what a DAW license is, can you explain?
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:03 AM
Pokiehat Pokiehat is offline
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SM58 is a class mic! I'm pretty sure Michael Jackson used it as a vocal mic on the recording of Thriller which says it all.

With regards to a soundcard, it depends on what you need. The Echo Audiofire cards are insanely good for the money though.

As for a DAW. A DAW is like a virtual studio that runs on your computer. It has a virtual mixer and a virtual sequencer and virtual signal processors and generators and basically everything you would find in a professional recording studio except its all on your computer monitor. Most of the big name ones like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic, Sonar, even FL Studio have become so big and all encompassing that theres a lifetime of learning to be done with each one to get the most out of it.

I recommend downloading a demo version for something like FL Studio to get an idea of what it can do. You don't have to use it but FL Studio loads up a demo track on startup thats fairly professional sounding and quite complex. It should give you a good idea of what modern recording software can do.
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:24 AM
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Mattie Mattie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nod View Post
Not sure what a DAW license is, can you explain?
I'm pretty sure he was just referring to using software that you purchased, rather than pirated software. When you buy it, you are the licensed end-user.

And, as was alread explained, DAW is Digital Audio Workstation, simply the software that you select. I use Sonar as my DAW.

As Pokiehat also pointed out, today's DAWs do more than you could ever conceive of, so it is probably a good idea to pick one and stick with it in order to learn all the features.
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:24 AM
Nod Nod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pokiehat View Post
SM58 is a class mic! I'm pretty sure Michael Jackson used it as a vocal mic on the recording of Thriller which says it all.

With regards to a soundcard, it depends on what you need. The Echo Audiofire cards are insanely good for the money though.

As for a DAW. A DAW is like a virtual studio that runs on your computer. It has a virtual mixer and a virtual sequencer and virtual signal processors and generators and basically everything you would find in a professional recording studio except its all on your computer monitor. Most of the big name ones like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic, Sonar, even FL Studio have become so big and all encompassing that theres a lifetime of learning to be done with each one to get the most out of it.

I recommend downloading a demo version for something like FL Studio to get an idea of what it can do. You don't have to use it but FL Studio loads up a demo track on startup thats fairly professional sounding and quite complex. It should give you a good idea of what modern recording software can do.
Thanks for the recommendations. I think the first place I need to start though, is getting familiar with the lingo, lol.
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:27 AM
Nod Nod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattie View Post
I stumbled across a program called Killer Home Recording.

Follow the link and you can get a free e-book of the first volume, which deals with setting up. It answers a lot of the questions that you are asking, and the price is right!

Hope that helps some...
Thanks for the link, this looks like it will be very helpful
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Old 05-10-2010, 10:29 AM
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My pleasure. I've read through that one already, and it should provide a good start regarding some of the questions you're asking.
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