How to Make Simple Recording

[wguitar]

Hi,

What are some simple, low cost ways to make a decent recording of me playing my acoustic and singing ? Want to use as a demo.

Thanks!

[Brent Hahn]

On the low end of the budgetary scale, the "decency" of a recording has more to do with the recording space than the gear. If you have a very quiet, relatively dead-acoustic room, you can make a modest but good-sounding guitar/vocal demo using your laptop microphone or your phone.

[619TF]

Probably the simplest low cost method to get a "good" recording would be a USB microphone plugged into your laptop (or phone).

[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by wguitar

Hi,

What are some simple, low cost ways to make a decent recording of me playing my acoustic and singing ? Want to use as a demo.

Thanks!

Recording a singing guitar player and getting professional results appears simple but it's extremely difficult to do it well. If your goal is just to make a cheap demo then practice up some material and rent time in a recording studio with a good experienced engineer. Check out 3 or 4 studios and make sure you meet and talk to the engineer at each one. Studio time will cost you less than you'd spend on the room treatments and electronics gear needed to make a professional quality recording at home.

[runamuck]

If you would define, "decent recording", that would be helpful.

[wguitar]

OP here - by "decent recording" I mean something that is reasonably good but not studio quality. In other words, the listener will realize that it's an amateur recording, but of reasonable quality.

[Hoyt]

You can start with your cell phone internal mic. If you have an iPhone, you can use GarageBand.

If you are good with computers and willing to research options, that’s a good way to go that you can grow with.

Personally, I’d get a small digital recorder like a Tascam or Zoom to get you started, if you haven’t recorded before.

[bsman]

I faced a similar conundrum about a year ago and got an "iRig Mic Studio" USB mic. It cost about $150, but plugs directly into my iPhone or iPad and I've recorded several songs on Garageband using just that, my guitar, and my voice. I also got an iRig HD, that allows me to plug a guitar directly into Garageband, and lately have been getting into doing multi-track recordings, with lead, rhythm, at least one voice, and sometimes percussion. It's addictive, once you start - now I'm contemplating getting a Focusrite Scarlett or something similar to allow me to use my laptop for recording, too.

[MikeBmusic]

What's the purpose of your 'demo'? Is it to get gigs? If so, forget a studio recording, video yourself playing live somewhere (an open mic, if you don't currently gig) - that's what places want to see/hear, especially how the audience reacts/applauds (so don't edit that out!)

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by wguitar

Hi,

What are some simple, low cost ways to make a decent recording of me playing my acoustic and singing ? Want to use as a demo.

Thanks!

Hi wguitar

The Zoom H1n for $120 would do a great job, give you good fidelity, records in stereo, mounts on a camera tripod, or sits on the edge of a table with the mics pointing toward you and the guitar.

Easy to situate so it picks up both voice and guitar.

[wguitar]

THANKS to all for some helpful insights!

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi wguitar

The Zoom H1n for $120 would do a great job, give you good fidelity, records in stereo, mounts on a camera tripod, or sits on the edge of a table with the mics pointing toward you and the guitar.

Easy to situate so it picks up both voice and guitar.

This is an easy and inexpensive way to get a very decent sounding recording. I have the H2n and with the correct cables you can plug directly into an iPhone or Android phone. It then becomes an external mic and goes straight to whatever recording app you are running. You can email the recording directly to someone from your phone or send it wherever you like.