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  #16  
Old 09-18-2020, 09:15 AM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
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Hi Kev,

Excellent questions. Considering I have a few threads going that may seem contradictory, I should clarify. Please keep in mind this is all in the future for now.

I would like to stay with a Zoom H product for the ease of use and good sound. A couple of dials, a couple of menu items and then hit the record button! That I can handle and it currently does not get in the way of the music for me. So I was thinking about the H5 or H6.

But external mics? Isn't that just another hassle? This may seems surprising but I actually enjoy fiddling with mic placement very much. I have a lot of respect the art and science of mic placement so have the flexibility to play around with mic placement more makes me excited. Plus it sounds like external mics would an improvment over the built in Zoom mics.

But yeah what mics then? I'd like to go with SDMs and I could swing about $2000 for a matched pair. But I was looking at the Shure KSM137s that Fred uses which would come in below my budget. Anybody have thoughts on the KSMs?

Playback system will be severely limited. I'll be using headphones for the forseeable future (4 of us in the house and space is limited). This is something I could upgrade though. I have some Sennheiser closed backs right now that are fine for tracking. It would be nice to have some open backs for playback.


I have just got my hands on a pair of Line Audio CM4’s from Sweden - they come highly recommended and are very good value (often compared to Schoeps) - too early for me to give you a recording yet but I will do a post soon.
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  #17  
Old 09-18-2020, 12:11 PM
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I have just got my hands on a pair of Line Audio CM4’s from Sweden - they come highly recommended and are very good value (often compared to Schoeps) - too early for me to give you a recording yet but I will do a post soon.
I have a pair of CM4s as well. Haven't had a chance to use them much but threads over on Gearslutz really look on them favorably, even in comparison to top-of-the-line models like the KM84 and Schoeps(!). A huge value for the price.

I do know that my first reaction to recording with them was "$#%@!! These things pick up every little mistake--Imma have to work on my playing!"
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  #18  
Old 09-18-2020, 12:47 PM
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Doug, if you go with the H5, before you go out and spend more $ on mics, record with the H5 for a while.

The problem with mics .....

$100 - 1st I bought a 990/991 MXL pair (LDC and SDC)

$150 (?) - Then I bought a AKG Perception 150 (SDC)

$200 - Then I bought a Rodes NT-5 (SDC)

$250 Then I bought a Sterling ST-170 (ribbon mic)

$300 then I bought two AT-2035 (LDC)

Ok, so yes if I feel like it I can experiment with the Rodes and the AKG as a spaced pair, etc, and mess around with the other ones, etc but I spent what, $1,000 when all I really needed to spend was the $300 on the two AT2035 mics! I guess its all part of the hobby

I also have 2 mic booms that I use (along with several desktop booms laying around)

Doug Young had pointed me in the direction of a small bar that screws into the bottom of the H5 and then it attaches with a clamp to one of my mic booms. This thing is great because the Zoom is very light and can go flying if your foot gets wrapped up in a mic cable and tugs it.
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  #19  
Old 09-18-2020, 01:08 PM
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...[snip]...
Ok, so yes if I feel like it I can experiment with the Rodes and the AKG as a spaced pair, etc, and mess around with the other ones, etc but I spent what, $1,000 when all I really needed to spend was the $300 on the two AT2035 mics! I guess its all part of the hobby
...[snip]...
Something I started doing; when I upgrade I wait until I can make a significant step up instead of a small increment (i.e. jump up 2x or 3x or more in price). Small steps seem to eat up a lot of $ over time and you end up with a lot of lower end gear you may not use.
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  #20  
Old 09-20-2020, 04:19 PM
alohachris alohachris is offline
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Default Hitting The Wall - What to DO? Move Up or Stand Still?

Aloha J-Doug,

Reading your posts over the last coupla months, it seems as if you have hit a wall, the wall when your ears first ask you, "Can I could make better recordings than this - With better mic's or gear?" Great question. That Leaves You you at a Crossroads, my friend. We've all been there. Are you ready to move up & put the time & cash into home recording? It's quite a learning curve & commitment. And yes, it maybe can be a "Hassle" now & then. But there are many great guys here at AGF who can help you through them.

Many newbies here are properly sent in the direction of Zooms, Spires, & other all-in-one entry-level technology to see if they want to get their feet wet in home recording. Good call. You learn a lot about the basic recording techniques, parts of the signal chain required & about preparedness & improving your playing. It's a great way to start & does not cost very much. You can get some decent results.

But when you start asking about external mic's as above? There's a crossroad & a boat-load of questions that you have to seriously ask yourself if you want to cross the line & move up.

Because... the next level of a DAW-based home-recording signal chain - starting with better external mic's than are found on Zoom recorders - requires that you UP your knowledge considerably, plan & purchase useful, complementary gear, & be willing to spend lots more money.

These are VERY Important issues & important questions to ask because home recording is NOT CHEAP. You simply cannot get better results recording on the cheap, period. And you cannot put together a planned signal chain made up of quality parts that are of EQUAL QUALITY (Very Important) on the cheap. DAW's have quite a learning curve. You've hit the wall.

So how much time & money are you willing to put into this endeavor, J-Doug? Those are the questions to think about when you often use words like "Hassle" to describe the process of learning more about gear, DAW's, recording or adding what? quality of external mic's to your mix.

Would you be willing to read about & understand Room Acoustics & to build some Room Treatment to radically improve your recordings at any level? Newbies often get stuck on that one. If not, don't invest a penny more in more any gear. Stay with Zoom recordings. Doug Young has demonstrated that nice recordings can be achieved with that entry level gear - w/ great mic's. And everything you need is right there in the Zoom. (The H6's ARE indeed quieter & much better.)

Don't buy great external mic's if all the other parts of your new signal chain will not be of similar value. You can't mix great stuff with entry-level without losing headroom & other qualities. And even if you stick with the Zoom, you should add making a few portable DIY OC 703 4"x2'x4' broadband absorbers to your list of improvements to make for your recordings.

I suggest you increase your knowledge: read more about the gear & miking techniques & ask yourself those key questions as you move forward. Get one of Sweetwater Music's catalog's to read up on the latest recording gear, read many Sound-On-Sound articles about all aspects of home recording & studio building, check out Doug Young's many insights & recordings, spend some time at gearslutz.com forums, etc. And of course, you may indeed love to experiment with mic placement. NOTE: I used to experiment with mic placement & patterns by recording in every room of my house, indoors & outdoors, I enjoyed it so. And it taught me so much.

You asked about external mic's, J-Doug. I hope you'll consider these other questions as you move forward in home recording. Like what are your goals for recording?

alohachris

PS: Nothing will improve your home recordings, J-Doug, more than Proper Mic Placement & using Room Treatment for your space. They're not as sexy to discuss as gear like new external mic's, but are absolutely as necessary & important. -alohachris-

Last edited by alohachris; 09-20-2020 at 05:00 PM.
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  #21  
Old 09-20-2020, 04:31 PM
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Aloha J-Doug,

Reading your posts over the last coupla months, it seems as if you have hit a wall, the wall when your ears first ask you, "Can I could make better recordings than this - With better mic's or gear?" Great question. You that leaves you at a crossroads, my friend. We've all been there. Are you ready to move up & put the time & cash into home recording?

Many newbies here are properly sent in the direction of Zooms, Spires, & other all-in-one entry-level technology to see if they want to get their feet wet in home recording. Good call. You learn a lot about the basic recording techniques, parts of the signal chain required & about preparedness & improving playing. It's a great way to start & does not cost very much. You can get some decent results.

But when you start asking about external mic's as above? There's a crossroad & a boat-load of questions that you have to seriously ask yourself if you want to cross the line & move up.

Because... the next level of a home-recording signal chain - starting with better external mic's than are found on Zoom recorders - requires that you UP your knowledge considerably, plan & purchase useful, complementary gear, & be willing to spend lots more money. These are VERY Important questions to ask because home recording is NOT CHEAP. You simply cannot get better results recording on the cheap, period. And you cannot put together a planned signal chain made up of quality parts that are of EQUAL QUALITY (Very Important) on the cheap.

So how much time & money are you willing to put into this endeavor, J-Doug? Those are the questions to think about when you often use words like "Hassle" to describe the process of learning more about gear or adding external mic's to your mix.

Would you be willing to read about & understand Room Acoustics & to build some Room Treatment to radically improve your recordings at any level? Newbies often get stuck on that one. If not, don't invest a penny more in more any gear. Stay with Zoom recordings.

Don't buy great external mic's if all the other parts of the signal chain are not of similar value. You can't mix great stuff with entry-level without losing headroom & other elements.

I suggest you increase your knowledge: read more about the gear & miking techniques & ask yourself those key questions as you move forward. Get one of Sweetwater Music's catalog's to read up on the latest recording gear, read many Sound-On-Sound articles about all aspects of home recording, check out Doug Young's many insights & recordings, spend some time at gearslutz.com forums, etc. And of course, you may indeed love to experiment with mike placement. NOTE: I used to use mic placement recording in every room of my house, indoors & outdoors I enjoyed it so. And it taught me so much.

You asked about external mic's, J-Doug. I hope you'll consider these other questions as well.

alohachris

PS: Nothing will improve your home recordings, J-Doug, more than Proper Mic Placement & using Room Treatment for your space. They're not as sexy to discuss as gear like new mic's, but absolutely as necessary & important.-alohachris-
Wow Chris! What a thoughtful response. Thank you so much. Lots to think about!

Ok then honesty time: Performance and song choice aside, what do you guys think of my recordings on my Zoom? Link is in my signature. Lost cause? Don't worry I'm usually not too sensitive.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 09-20-2020 at 04:52 PM.
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  #22  
Old 09-20-2020, 06:04 PM
alohachris alohachris is offline
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Default Aloha Triple O Doug!

Aloha Triple 000-Doug,

Your playing? Honestly? Really good. You must be a gigger, right? You play song's that are accessible w/ melodies most older folks know & entertaining. Rags, blues & Delta slide. Versatile. And almost a different guitar for every song, keeping the sound fresh. Bravo!

You also are not afraid to pick very complex pieces w/ the melodies, like I Am The Light Of The World. It was hard enough to sing that melody & play that fast song at the same time ( a la Jorma), let alone the whole piece & melody on guitar & keep that double-thumbing beat in time. Wow! I'd go hear you play, one old gigger to another, Doug. So playing? Great.

Expression & spirit of the music? You got it brother, including the humor & irony of some of the blues pieces. Very entertaining. Comes through clear as a bell. I'm becoming more a fan the more I listen to the fun that's in your musical expressions.

Minor: I don't think any players should share recordings of playing that has many mistakes or instruments out of tune included. The world deserves your Best, Triple Oh Doug, right?

Recording. You know it's amazing, you can stick a National Duolian (I had a '31 that belonged to Blind Boy Fuller complete with bullet holes welded closed in the back) in any room, through any mic, any situation AND it will sound clear as a bell and great. I loved your recordings on that.

However, wooden instruments are a lot more finicky to record well & CONSISTENTLY in an untreated space like yours. You NEED some portable DIY treatment my friend to control it. I can help. Just ask. Make 4-9 of these:

http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2009/...-on-the-cheap/

Makes all the difference in several ways, J-Doug.

On the Zoom, you're very good at getting the levels high enough so we don't have to Gain it up to hear without the noise. The only resonance problems I hear are in the lower mid-range issues (as usual) caused by the untreated space - but not on all songs you've shared. It's No Secret What God Can Do was very balanced & good result. The lower mid's were a problem on The Entertainer & on others. Fixable.

Ya know, the untreated room you recorded these songs in is pretty darn good for the styles you play. Treatment could give you many more options & control. But this is actually a pretty good room for acoustic music.

The only thing is you can't really experiment with mic placement in a room with that much natural reverberation or early reflections. Like playing at a slower piece, like Don't Blame Me, quietly with the mic's out at 16". Can't do it on the Zoom in that room w/o problems. And it robs your songs of some of the intimacy they deserve to express.

Overall Triple Oh? I'm impressed with your playing & spirited stylings. And the recordings are pretty darn good for only using the Zoom's onboard mic's.

So what are you trying to do with your recordings, Doug?

If it's pro level home recordings, you could see where I was going with my last posts' questions - about moving forward? Your music deserves to go next level (like for CD's to sell at gigs?) But you can see where it's heading - time & expense.

So the new question is obvious: what do you like to do more, play/perform or record?

Because you have to spend time learning about DAW's & signal chains. For me, sometimes my obsession (and fear) with the gear left me with flat recorded performances. Something to consider, I mean you could use the Zoom to perfect your performance then go to a studio & let them enhance it. I've taken raw, but excellent Logic tracks I made @ home to a mastering engineer to put the magic into for a finished result. That's another way to look at home recording. Me? Although I finally got decent results in DAW home recording, I always preferred gigging for folks to recording anyway. However, I truly love hearing well-recorded, great performances on acoustic guitar, especially when it evolves for a player here at AGF. (Doug & slow-rick's recordings are wonderful). You should submit a couple of your favorite raw track, unedited recordings for these guys to edit & play with. The results might surprise you, Doug.

Yes, stereo miking is much preferred for a more complete acoustic guitar recording. It's about the only way I've recorded solo acoustic guitar for the last 50 years. I tried most high-end SDC mic's from 1972-2011. Ended up with Schoep's CMC641's for the last decade I could play, the best I ever heard.

So again, in case I missed it, & if you're staying with the Zoom H4N, what external mic's are you looking at & how much do you want to spend on a matched pair of SDC's? PM me about treatment if you'd like.

Nice playing, Triple Oh Doug!

alohachris

Last edited by alohachris; 09-20-2020 at 06:34 PM.
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  #23  
Old 09-20-2020, 06:36 PM
alohachris alohachris is offline
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Default Duplicate Post

Duplicate Post. Delete.

Last edited by alohachris; 09-20-2020 at 09:21 PM.
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  #24  
Old 09-20-2020, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by alohachris View Post
Aloha Triple 000-Doug,

Your playing? Honestly? Really good. You must be a gigger, right? You play song's that are accessible w/ melodies most older folks know & entertaining. Rags, blues & Delta slide. Versatile. And almost a different guitar for every song, keeping the sound fresh. Bravo!

You also are not afraid to pick very complex pieces w/ the melodies, like I Am The Light Of The World. It was hard enough to sing that melody & play that fast song at the same time ( a la Jorma), let alone the whole piece & melody on guitar & keep that double-thumbing beat in time. Wow! I'd go hear you play, one old gigger to another, Doug. So playing? Great.

Expression & spirit of the music? You got it brother, including the humor & irony of some of the blues pieces. Very entertaining. Comes through clear as a bell. I'm becoming more a fan the more I listen to the fun that's in your musical expressions.

Minor: I don't think any players should share recordings of playing that has many mistakes or instruments out of tune included. The world deserves your Best, Triple Oh Doug, right?

Recording. You know it's amazing, you can stick a National Duolian (I had a '31 that belonged to Blind Boy Fuller complete with bullet holes welded closed in the back) in any room, through any mic, any situation AND it will sound clear as a bell and great. I loved your recordings on that.

However, wooden instruments are a lot more finicky to record well & CONSISTENTLY in an untreated space like yours. You NEED some portable DIY treatment my friend to control it. I can help. Just ask. Make 4-9 of these:

http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2009/...-on-the-cheap/

Makes all the difference in several ways, J-Doug.

On the Zoom, you're very good at getting the levels high enough so we don't have to Gain it up to hear without the noise. The only resonance problems I hear are in the lower mid-range issues (as usual) caused by the untreated space - but not on all songs you've shared. It's No Secret What God Can Do was very balanced & good result. The lower mid's were a problem on The Entertainer & on others. Fixable.

Ya know, the untreated room you recorded these songs in is pretty darn good for the styles you play. Treatment could give you many more options & control. But this is actually a pretty good room for acoustic music.

The only thing is you can't really experiment with mic placement in a room with that much natural reverberation or early reflections. Like playing at a slower piece, like Don't Blame Me, quietly with the mic's out at 16". Can't do it on the Zoom in that room w/o problems. And it robs your songs of some of the intimacy they deserve to express.

Overall Triple Oh? I'm impressed with your playing & spirited stylings. And the recordings are pretty darn good for only using the Zoom's onboard mic's.

So what are you trying to do with your recordings, Doug?

If it's pro level home recordings, you could see where I was going with my last posts' questions - about moving forward? Your music deserves to go next level (like for CD's to sell at gigs?) But you can see where it's heading - time & expense.

So the new question is obvious: what do you like to do more, play/perform or record?

Because you have to spend time learning about DAW's & signal chains. For me, sometimes my obsession (and fear) with the gear left me with flat recorded performances. Something to consider, I mean you could use the Zoom to perfect your performance then go to a studio & let them enhance it. I've taken raw, but excellent Logic tracks I made @ home to a mastering engineer to put the magic into for a finished result. That's another way to look at home recording. Me? Although I finally got decent results in DAW home recording, I always preferred gigging for folks to recording anyway. However, I truly love hearing well-recorded, great performances on acoustic guitar, especially when it evolves for a player here at AGF. (Doug & slow-rick's recordings are wonderful). You should submit a couple of your favorite raw track, unedited recordings for these guys to edit & play with. The results might surprise you, Doug.

Yes, stereo miking is much preferred for a more complete acoustic guitar recording. It's about the only way I've recorded solo acoustic guitar for the last 50 years. I tried most high-end SDC mic's from 1972-2011. Ended up with Schoep's CMC641's for the last decade I could play, the best I ever heard.

So again, in case I missed it, & if you're staying with the Zoom H4N, what external mic's are you looking at & how much do you want to spend on a matched pair of SDC's? PM me about treatment if you'd like.

Nice playing, Triple Oh Doug!

alohachris
Hi Chris,

Thanks for all the kind words and feedback! Please allow me to respond to some points:

I have retired from gigging. I've played on stage enough times to know at this point in my life that I no longer get a thrill from it. During my annual pilgrimages to Fur Peace Ranch I do play for and with other students and teachers like Woody Mann and Jorma and Tom Feldmann. But the thought of climbing up on stage and trying to win a crowd of people over has lost its lustre. I have at times thought of getting together with a vocalist who also blows some harp to play some shows but I just don't think I have it in me anymore.

I assume your point about mistakes and out-of-tuneness was directed at my recording of The Entertainer (and probably others). Over the years I have tried to make a decent recording of that tune and this was the best of the bunch but it's still pretty terrible and doesn't belong up on soundcloud. ☹ I need to think critically about what I have posted. Some of it is just not good enough to present to the world.

I am not averse to room treatments but since the office where I record is a shared space, I will have to work with my wife to install something pleasing. I did read through your DIY link on them though. Purchased treatments are also an option. I will back channel you on this topic.

So what am I trying to do? Selling a CD at shows is no longer a motivation. But I would like to produce pro level recordings if only to share with friends, family and mentors and on forums. As I look towards retirement, I think this may just be the next hill for me to climb, maybe my last chance to take this to the next level musically. I do have a history with cassette 4 tracks and recording in studios so I have some ideas of where this would be heading but yes it does mean time and expense. As my kids transition into adulthood, I find myself with more time on my hands (which I spend focused on guitar when not with my family) and really money isn’t a huge issue at this stage.

I have started to dig on this topic. I've been reading a lot and quite frankly I'm not getting scared away by it. I do want to keep things as simple as possible and had thought of doing the raw recordings and passing them over to someone experienced for mixing and/or mastering. But I would still like to take a crack at mixing more just to get the experience.

I have been working out a budget and have researched what’s available locally in my price range. There’s a shop in Montreal (2 hours drive from here) called Studio Economik and I’ve been pouring over their website. After reading the Zoom H6 manual, I’ve decided to move beyond the Zoom and enter into the DAW with interface and SDMs world.

DAW: It would run on my existing Windows 10 laptop and I'm leaning towards Reaper after using Audacity for a while now. Seems like a good starting place.

Interface: $500-$1000 CDN. I'm considering either a Audient id14 or id22. http://www.economik.com/audient/id22/

SDMs: $2000-$2500 CDN. Studio Economik has a package of a matched pair of KM184s, two K&M boom stands and two Mogami Gold cables for $1949 CDN. http://www.economik.com/neumann/km-1...old-studio-15/ Higher up in my price range are Gefell M300s. http://www.economik.com/gefell/m300-stereo-xy-ortf-set/

Monitoring: $500 CDN. Headphones at this stage are really the only option. I have some Sennheiser closed backs for tracking but was looking at HD 650s for playback. http://www.economik.com/sennheiser/hd-650/

Treatments: no idea.

So there you have it! Thoughts? Thanks again Chris.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 09-21-2020 at 01:59 PM.
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  #25  
Old 09-22-2020, 05:23 PM
Fran Guidry Fran Guidry is offline
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... I've used the H4n and have an H6 now (thinking of upgraded to the H8 or F series soon). ...
I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe the H8 has preamps that are basically the same as the H6(H5/H4n Pro). The F4 has been discontinued in the US. F8n is still available. I'm having a ball with the F6 because I can no longer clip!!! It has the low noise preamps of the F8n but the dual adc 32 bit float tech has headroom beyond. It's really compact, has a decent UI and battery life.

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  #26  
Old 09-22-2020, 06:49 PM
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…Is there a point where your mics can be too good for a Zoom recorder?
Hi J-D
Late to the conversation, but I'm going back to your initial question.

The mics I own/use are higher quality than most systems I run them through…and I like it that way. I certainly choose them to record into my Zoom - as well as any other recording gear I'm recording with.

A version of your question might be "…do my $1000 mics sound better when recorded into my Zoom recorders than using 50 mics?" The answer is "…sure…always."

How the room you record in is treated will almost certainly affect the final recording more than a lot of other things…including mics. In fact better mics pick up unwanted room noise with more detail.




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  #27  
Old 09-22-2020, 08:24 PM
alohachris alohachris is offline
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Default PM'ed Ya, Triple 000 Doug!

Aloha,

I PM'ed ya J-Doug

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  #28  
Old 09-23-2020, 04:42 AM
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Hi Chris,

Thanks for all the kind words and feedback! Please allow me to respond to some points:

I have retired from gigging. I've played on stage enough times to know at this point in my life that I no longer get a thrill from it. During my annual pilgrimages to Fur Peace Ranch I do play for and with other students and teachers like Woody Mann and Jorma and Tom Feldmann. But the thought of climbing up on stage and trying to win a crowd of people over has lost its lustre. I have at times thought of getting together with a vocalist who also blows some harp to play some shows but I just don't think I have it in me anymore.

I assume your point about mistakes and out-of-tuneness was directed at my recording of The Entertainer (and probably others). Over the years I have tried to make a decent recording of that tune and this was the best of the bunch but it's still pretty terrible and doesn't belong up on soundcloud. [emoji852] I need to think critically about what I have posted. Some of it is just not good enough to present to the world.

I am not averse to room treatments but since the office where I record is a shared space, I will have to work with my wife to install something pleasing. I did read through your DIY link on them though. Purchased treatments are also an option. I will back channel you on this topic.

So what am I trying to do? Selling a CD at shows is no longer a motivation. But I would like to produce pro level recordings if only to share with friends, family and mentors and on forums. As I look towards retirement, I think this may just be the next hill for me to climb, maybe my last chance to take this to the next level musically. I do have a history with cassette 4 tracks and recording in studios so I have some ideas of where this would be heading but yes it does mean time and expense. As my kids transition into adulthood, I find myself with more time on my hands (which I spend focused on guitar when not with my family) and really money isn’t a huge issue at this stage.

I have started to dig on this topic. I've been reading a lot and quite frankly I'm not getting scared away by it. I do want to keep things as simple as possible and had thought of doing the raw recordings and passing them over to someone experienced for mixing and/or mastering. But I would still like to take a crack at mixing more just to get the experience.

I have been working out a budget and have researched what’s available locally in my price range. There’s a shop in Montreal (2 hours drive from here) called Studio Economik and I’ve been pouring over their website. After reading the Zoom H6 manual, I’ve decided to move beyond the Zoom and enter into the DAW with interface and SDMs world.

DAW: It would run on my existing Windows 10 laptop and I'm leaning towards Reaper after using Audacity for a while now. Seems like a good starting place.

Interface: $500-$1000 CDN. I'm considering either a Audient id14 or id22. http://www.economik.com/audient/id22/

SDMs: $2000-$2500 CDN. Studio Economik has a package of a matched pair of KM184s, two K&M boom stands and two Mogami Gold cables for $1949 CDN. http://www.economik.com/neumann/km-1...old-studio-15/ Higher up in my price range are Gefell M300s. http://www.economik.com/gefell/m300-stereo-xy-ortf-set/

Monitoring: $500 CDN. Headphones at this stage are really the only option. I have some Sennheiser closed backs for tracking but was looking at HD 650s for playback. http://www.economik.com/sennheiser/hd-650/

Treatments: no idea.

So there you have it! Thoughts? Thanks again Chris.


Hi Doug

You’ve had the benefit of some tremendous advice here from members like Chris (who has also helped me a lot) so I have not got much to add, but as someone on a similar journey but a little further along I can only say that Reaper is a great move and I have enjoyed learning and using it. Audient ID14 has been a great interface for me with lovely pre-amps for the price. Headphones - I love my AKG 701’s for monitoring. Mics - I have not invested in that level, but I do love the Gefell’s and the tone MIchael Watts gets from them.


Treatment - I took the plunge and made about 10 portable 50cm square panels and have a couple of larger free-standing ones - they are a game changer so I heartily recommend that before anything else..

Good luck, enjoy the journey.
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  #29  
Old 09-23-2020, 08:13 AM
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Hi guys,

I just wanted to say a very big thank you to all of you who have freely offered your experiences and advice here and over IM.

I have decided, as a first but very important step, to get some room treatments going while continuing to work on mic placement with my Zoom. My friend Andrew took a listen to my tracks as well and noted a lot of the things alohachris brought up. Until I treat the room and then work more on mic placement there is no point in dropping good money on new mics, interfaces, etc. The Zoom H2n is still good enough at this point.

I'll probably start with three of the GIK freestanding 4" traps: https://www.gikacoustics.com/product...353e6d997f844f and go from there. The room is multi-purpose with not a lot of extra room to spare and wall mounted is not going to fly.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 09-23-2020 at 09:43 AM.
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  #30  
Old 09-23-2020, 09:04 AM
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Hi Doug....good luck with the effort! Sounds like you've thought this out very carefully.
Don't know if you've seen this......my very basic little set-up with the panels. These are in our dining room, old house with high ceilings, hardwood/carpet flooring. Behind this set up is an alcove/ "butt out", so it's not a flat wall behind where I sit. I don't have treatment there....but ideally that would be helpful.
Just thought I'd send this through to give you any ideas that come to mind. The panels are attached with wide velcro tape both on the top and mid way down the sides. It's very sturdy.
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