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THE OLD THREAD LIES AT THE OTHER END OF THIS LINK HERE IS THE ORIGINAL POST OF THE OLD THREAD (I am too lazy to write my own): READ IT OR DIE A frequent topic discussed here in the Musician's Lounge is home/computer recording and various topics pertaining to home recording. The purpose of this thread is to provide a thread for all such questions and to have all information easily locatable in the same spot. I'm going to focus primarily on computer-based recording setups and mostly not discuss the self-contained digital recorders. I'm doing this because most people have home computers powerful enough to run music production software and there are numerous advantages to using computers over digital recorders. Not to mention the majority of threads here concern computer recording. That said feel free to ask about digital recorders in this thread as well. Also I'd like to mention there's a lot of information in the forum FAQ, hopefully this thread will be more detailed. Things to post in this thread: -Requests to "critique your planned recording setup". Make sure to give details about your computer, what you will be recording, etc. -Requests for gear recommendations -Any questions if you're confused about what something does or how something functions -Any sort of request for assistance really -Responses to any of the above -Anything that's constructive to the thread and not silly arguing Frequently Asked Questions: Basic recording information: I am completely new to recording. What will I need to record on my computer? For starters, you're going to need the most basic recording equipment, which includes a microphone, a mic cable, and a mic stand. You'll be using this stuff to mic a singer, a guitar amp, a bass amp, or drums. You'll probably want a pop screen to record vocals but there are ways to record a vocalist to get away without using one. Next, you're going to need the computer-specific recording stuff. This includes a music production program and a recording interface. The recording interface takes whatever audio is coming into it and sends it to your computer. The program receives this audio and turns it into wave files and gives you a way to manipulate the way these wave files play together. The basic process goes like this: You have something mic'd, for example a guitar amp. You arm a track in your program and hit record, and whatever audio goes through the mic to the recording interface will end up as a wave file on your computer. An alternative to buying a recording interface is just buying a USB microphone designed for recording. This type of mic basically has an audio interface and preamp built into it. If you don't care too much about audio quality then this may be a good option for you, but most ML members would recommend getting an interface with good preamps over a USB mic. What are these types of inputs you keep talking about? Throughout this FAQ I mention different types of inputs. If you're completely new to recording, you may not know anything about inputs. Just in case, here's some explanation of what I'm talking about : XLR inputs - I use the terms "XLR inputs" and "Mic inputs" interchangably. These are the types of inputs used for microphones. They always have a preamp to boost the signal to line level. 1/4" inputs - 1/4 inch jacks look like the giant versions of your average consumer headphone jack (they are identical to guitar leads). 1/4" inputs receive signals from line level sources. Most synthesizers, professional audio gear use 1/4" jacks for both analogue inputs and outputs. These inputs can also come in two varieties, balanced or unbalanced. A balanced 1/4" cable will have a TRS (tip ring sleeve) connector, where as an unbalanced 1/4" cable will have a TS (tip sleeve) connector. (Contributed by WanderingKid and Veloquacat!) In this FAQ I will use the terms 1/4" inch input and line input interchangeably. RCA inputs -RCA jacks are the same connections you will find on consumer electronic audio equipment and are the equivilant of phono jacks. These also receive signals from line level sources. Most consumer audio equipment uses this type of connection as standard. Hifi units, consumer power amps and so forth. RCA connections are always unbalanced. (Contributed by WanderingKid) You can plug in a microphone source into a 1/4" or RCA input with a converter, but it's not really a good idea. XLR sources need a preamp to be brought up to line level or they will sound quiet and noisey when the volume is brought up. (Contributed by WanderingKid) What about digital inputs and outputs? I may be generalizing here, but I think most of you creating your first, second, or third recording setup probably won't have much use for digital inputs/outputs. This is because you can have a great home recording setup without ever using any digital I/Os. If anything some of you may eventually choose to use lightpipes to connect a preamp to an interface. That said here's some info on digital I/Os: ADAT/lightpipe in/outs - This type of I/O uses fiberoptic cable to transmit data. It's important to note that one lightpipe out can transmit 8 channels of information. This is great if you're using a preamp with a lightpipe out and an interface with a lightpipe in. S/PDIF - Another digital I/O. It can only carry a single stereo signal. TOSLINK - The optical version of S/PDIF. AES/EBU - AES/EBU is an acronym for American Engineering Society/European Broadcasting Union. It is an XLR tipped, balanced digital serial connection and is usually used wih DATs. (Thanks WanderingKid) Balanced and unbalanced cables? What's the difference? WanderingKid posted a great explanation concerning balanced and unbalanced cables here. RivensBitch also posted a great visual explanation here. What kind of microphone should I buy? RivensBitch gave a great answer to this in the forum FAQ. What's a preamp? A preamp takes a mic-level audio signal and brings it up to line level. Most audio interfaces have these built in for their XLR/mic inputs. Every XLR input will be connected to a preamp. Sometimes it's necessary to buy a preamp separate from your recording interface. If you have an audio interface with 2 XLR inputs and 2 line inputs, you can connect a separate preamp and connect it to the 2 line inputs and now you have 4 XLR inputs altogether. If you're using an interface such as the MOTU 828mkII, you can buy a preamp with a lightpipe out, such as the Presonus Digimax LT. This will give you 8 additional XLR inputs and you will only have to connect 1 cable to your recording interface. Computer-specific recording information: Should I record on a Mac or PC? This is a tough subject. The consensus among ML members seems to be that both Macs and PCs can produce the same quality recordings. However, PCs tend to be cheaper where as Macs tend to be more stabile. Software for both PCs and Macs are pretty much equivalent in terms of what they can do. It mostly comes down to personal preference of which system and what software you want to use. How good should my computer be for music production? Most decent PCs will do the job nowadays. But to be more specific, you should have 1GB or more of RAM, at least a 2ghz or faster processor, and a hard drive with a speed of at least 7200rpm. This will be able to take care of most audio processing tasks. You may also want to buy a DVD burner to make backups of your recordings. I have no experience with Macs so I can't comment for them. Anyone want to say a word or two on Mac requirements and I'll quote it here? What recording interface should I get? First, I'll go over the 4 main types of recording interfaces: USB - These interfaces use USB ports which most computers have at this point. I'm sure anyone reading this is familiar with what a USB port is. Firewire - These interfaces use Firewire ports, which some computers have. All Macs come with Firewire ports, but not all PCs do. PCI - These interfaces come in the form of a PCI expansion card and usually a breakout box. You have to physically install the PCI cards by taking apart your computer and plugging them into a PCI slot. Usually they'll either have a cable connecting the card to a box with all the inputs and preamps, or it will just have cables which are meant to be plugged into a separate preamp or mixer. PCMCIA - PCMCIA cards are the cards that you plug into the side of a notebook or laptop computer for expansion in place of PCI cards (which are too large for notebooks). PCMCIA interfaces usually plug into the PCMCIA slot and then have a cord connected to a box with inputs and preamps. With those choices in mind you should pick a recording interface based on what you will need. Here are some main factors you should be considering: Do I want to physically install anything? - If you're inexperienced or uneasy about taking your computer apart and physically installing a PCI card, you may want to take this into consideration when looking at interfaces. PCI interfaces require installation. This could also be a consideration if you're looking at Firewire interfaces and you don't already have Firewire ports in your computer. How many microphone (XLR), line (1/4"), or other inputs do I need? - You need to get an interface that can handle as many inputs as you need. If you're going to be recording a fully mic'd drum set, you will probably need between 4-8 XLR/mic inputs. This will probably limit your choices to Firewire and PCI interfaces. If you're going to be recording acoustic guitars and vocals, you probably won't need much more than 2 XLR inputs, in which case a USB interface will probably be perfect for you. What kind of computer will I be using with this interface? - If you're using a notebook/laptop computer, PCI interfaces are no longer options. If you're using a desktop, then PCMCIA interfaces are no longer options (unless you buy a PCMCIA adaptor). Firewire or USB? - Most people will probably be stuck in deciding on USB or Firewire. If you need 4 or more XLR inputs (if you're recording a live band or a full drum set), then you should go with Firewire. Very few USB interfaces have more than 2 XLR inputs, and if you're tracking more than 2 channels you should go with Firewire because it has better latency. If you only need 2 XLR inputs, a USB interface will do the job just fine. Firewire units have a distinct advantage over USB units because the way Firewire is handled by a computer allows it to have a lower/better latency when compared to USB units. This is the reason why all high-end audio interfaces use Firewire over USB. USB units are still perfectly fine and there are plenty of great USB interfaces out there. Also keep in mind that Firewire PCI cards are inexpensive and relatively easy to install so don't compromise on a USB interface if you need the advantages that Firewire offers. Examples of Firewire interfaces Presonus Firepod Presonus Firebox M-Audio interfaces Digdesign Digi 002 rack MOTU 828mkII Examples of USB interfaces Digidesign Mbox or Mbox 2 M-Audio interfaces MOTU 828mkII Examples of PCI interfaces ESI ESP1010 M-Audio Delta 1010 E-MU 1820 and 1820M Examples of PCMCIA interfaces E-MU 1616M RME Audio Hammerfall DSP Cardbus What software should I use? Another tough subject. Every music production program is a little different and if you used every one you would probably find a little something you like in each one. Most of them are capable of doing everything one would need to do in music production. Your best way of deciding is to do a bit of research on each program and decide what you need out of a program. If you don't know what you need then this is the thread to ask in. Some popular choices are listed below. The KVR Audio links takes you to KVR Audio's pages on these programs, which have some reviews and short summaries of features. Reason and Protools don't have KVR Audio pages because they don't host VST plugins. Steinberg Cubase - KVR Audio Page Apple Logic Audio - KVR Audio Page Ableton Live - KVR Audio Page Cakewalk Sonar - KVR Audio Page Digidesign Protools Sony Vegas - KVR Audio Page Image-Line Fruityloops Studio - KVR Audio Page Propellerhead Reason Jeskola Buzz - KVR Audio Page There is also a very helpful thread on the subject here. One thing to note about recording interfaces is if you use a Digidesign interface, it comes packaged with the Protools software. The software can't be used with other interfaces, but the hardware can be used with other recording programs. The exception to this is the Protools M-powered software which works with M-Audio interfaces. M-powered software is sold separately from any interfaces. You should also remember that Protools is the standard among most studios. If you plan on recording all your guitars and vocals at home and then going to a studio to lay down drum tracks, then it would be very convenient for you to run a Protools setup at home so you can just burn your project files onto a CD and bring it the studio. This isn't necessary though, as you could always just burn the tracks to a CD and bring that instead. Where the gently caress do I buy all this poo poo? Your city might have stores like Guitar Center or whatever, but there are also good websites to buy from! Here are some handy links to awesome websites! Musician's Friend Sweet Water ZZounds What is MIDI? MIDI is an electronics communication protocol for controlling musical instruments/equipment and storing musical data. In the home studio, it is a valueable tool as it is utilized in various programs to do the following things: -Control/sequence software synthesizers (VSTs, DXIs, etc) -Store mix data, and control the mix as a song progresses (Example: changing the panning of a track) -Other useful stuff! What is a MIDI controller? A MIDI controller is any device which controls MIDI, obviously. They can take various forms. Some MIDI controllers act as mixers, and have faders to control MIDI parameters (volume, panning, etc) on a computer or other device. Other MIDI controllers act as keyboards, and instead of producing sound on their own, they produce sound by sending MIDI signals to a synthesizer. Many MIDI controllers come with USB connections now, so you can hook them up straight to your computer and use them in whatever program you're using. I can't emphasize enough how useful MIDI controllers can be when recording on a computer. What are VSTs? A VST is a type of plugin for music production software, which comes as either an instrument plugin (a VSTi) or an effect plugin. There are thousands of VSTs available, some costing hundreds of dollars and some being free. The best place to read about VSTs is KVR Audio. There is also a great database of freeware VSTs at Rocketloop.com. (Thanks killer moses) What about EQ? This interactive chart can help you clean up your mix. Mouse over each frequency range to see what a boost or a cut in that frequency would do. (Thanks RivensBitch) I need some examples of home recording setups. Where can I find some? Gearjunkies.com has a list of user-submitted home studio setups. These will show you what people typically use in their home recording setups, but remember that these people have bought their gear in accordance with what they need. Many of you beginners won't need nearly as much as some of the people on Gearjunkies need. If you're in doubt if you're getting too much/not enough gear, just ask in this thread. nimper fucked around with this message at 00:16 on May 26, 2011 |
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Jan 24, 2007 00:10
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ManoliIsFat posted:That link to the MOTU 828mkII is dead. Here's the right one
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Feb 3, 2007 03:23
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The Firebox has way more inputs than the mbox mini. 2 combo XLR/instrument jacks and 2 TRS line-in jacks on the back. Plus it does MIDI and S/PDIF. Way more bang for the buck. I know you don't need that many options right now, but there will come a time when you will.
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Feb 6, 2007 05:04
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Crystal Pepsi posted:*koff* beatles *koff* stones *koffkoff* ACDC *HAUGHKOF* Zepplin 
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Feb 9, 2007 04:06
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Misogynist posted:I'm looking for a pair of inexpensive omni room condensers for my band to record our rehearsals. Our rehearsal space isn't fantastic acoustically, and we're not necessarily looking for something with perfect and crystal-clear sound reproduction, just something with a good enough response where we can easily make everybody out and determine who's screwing up what and what we need to tighten up. Presumably we would need separate mics to properly capture the highs and lows. Phantom power's not an issue. Does anyone have any recommendations? This is the cheapest I could find. It's selectable between omni, cardioid and figure-8. edit: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/AudioTechnica-AT3032-Omnidirectional-Condenser-Microphone?sku=270564 This one is dedicated omni and cheaper. nimper fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Feb 12, 2007 |
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Feb 12, 2007 03:28
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Finx posted:Why don't we just give you your own drat forum where you can go and have some solid, plump and useful conversation with yourself? 
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Feb 21, 2007 05:55
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nm
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Feb 26, 2007 01:57
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deadking posted:Recently, my friend and I were informed that we were in violation of our town's noise codes while rehearsing in my garage. In order to prevent this from happening again, I've been looking into insulating the room for sound. I was also hoping to kill two birds with one stone, and make the room more friendly for any future home recording. I rent a house, so I'm pretty sure I can't extensively tear up the walls or anything. Is there any way for me to accomplish one or both of these goals with out spending an incredible amount of money?
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Mar 13, 2007 05:38
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deadking posted:A neighbor called the cops, who showed up at our door. Davis has the pleasure of having one of the most open ended, arbitrary noise ordinances, which can allow the police to ticket you for making anything over 55 decibels of noise, if someone complains. I'm not an expert or anything, but I believe 55 decibels is the volume of a conversation.
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Mar 13, 2007 15:28
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starbucks972 posted:Does anyone know if there's a way in Cubase where I can make it that after a certain point the tempo, or clicker will change to a different speed. For example, a song I want to record has a time change at like halfway through. Is there a way I can make it so it starts out at 120 and then after 50 seconds, the clicker goes to 140. Edit: There is a tempo track that you can automate. coolbian57 posted:Hey a quick question for all you home recording masters. nimper fucked around with this message at 03:40 on Mar 27, 2007 |
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Mar 27, 2007 03:27
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Elder posted:I've got some MIDI performance data in Reason that I'd like to import to Pro Tools for further tweaking and playing around with (the MIDI editor in Reason is incredibly basic), but I can't figure out how to get the data from one to the other. Is this possible?
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Apr 8, 2007 15:20
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I just have a quick question.. Why is it that most mixes have the drums panned as if the listener was sitting behind the drumkit? Wouldn't it make more sense to pan the drums as if they were facing the listener?
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Apr 26, 2007 04:15
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Swivel Master posted:My god, do we have to do this every week?
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May 8, 2007 17:05
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MrSaturn posted:Thanks for the links. Of the above, I only knew musicians friend existed. I appreciate it.
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May 8, 2007 18:17
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Quiz Show Scandal posted:Another point of curiosity - will any sustain pedal that already works with my keyboard also work with MIDI applications? Can MIDI interpret a sustain pedal?
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May 28, 2007 14:32
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Elder posted:I'm thinking of making some DIY acoustic treatment for my apartment, nothing fancy as I don't really have the funds for it. Probably just insulation and the like. Any thoughts on inexpensive materials or construction tips? The only thing is that it all needs to be removable, since I don't own the apartment and will be moving sooner or later. Also ideas that don't leave an excessive amount of holes in the wall would be great. Here's a guide on acoustic treatment: http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/studio/acoustic-treatment/buying-guide.php (You can ignore the sales pitches and concentrate on their explanations)
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Jun 3, 2007 19:39
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SM-57 is the industry standard for micing guitar cabs. It sells for $99 on any of the big music shop websites. I checked the price of a Beyerdynamic on Musicians Friend and it's $10 cheaper than the 57. Unless you can get the Beyerdynamic for significantly less, go with the 57, you won't be disappointed.
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Jun 21, 2007 16:16
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Any program that has "Lite" in its name is probably going to be crap. Try the software, and if you like it, buy the full version.
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Jul 15, 2007 01:12
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nigga plz posted:And is this downloadable for free or do you have to pay? Plus you'll get ASIO drivers with the interface.
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Jul 15, 2007 04:15
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Christ you need a new DAW. ASIO is the industry standard for multi-track recording and you will be missing out on the full capability of your firepod without it.
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Jul 15, 2007 06:06
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Raze posted:I'm pretty sure this should go in this thread. Feel free to yell at me you must purchase a compatible interface. Hope you got  x40!Also you don't have to hit enter after every few words, since the website will automatically wrap your text for you.
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Jul 30, 2007 22:47
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Get the bigger hard drive. The 10k RPM will be really loud, possibly contaminating your samples.
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Aug 14, 2007 15:35
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cmerepaul posted:Man lighten up... its a joke.
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Aug 28, 2007 03:47
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Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
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Aug 28, 2007 07:13
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Who the gently caress is RavensBitch?
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Sep 14, 2007 03:58
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After extensive research, I have discovered that RavensBitch is the resident football expert in SAS.
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Sep 15, 2007 03:21
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dancehall posted:Guys do you have any idea why two random tracks in Cubase SX3 don't have fade handles aaaaaarrrrg
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Sep 25, 2007 01:10
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New Jack Ruby posted:Sonar 6
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Oct 6, 2007 07:11
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Damo posted:The Shure SM57 is the best first microphone anyone can buy. Anyone saying otherwise is just trying to go against the grain. You literally cannot ever go wrong with buying this mic, especially for miking guitar amps. If you are still recording music in 25 years, you likely will still be using Shure SM57's. Maybe still your first one too. They are extremely durable, versatile microphones that can spot almost any mic in almost any situation and likely give you a workable recording.
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Nov 17, 2007 13:43
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Thom Foolery posted:Has anyone here had any experience with the Alesis Multimix Firewire series? I've just got one (Thanks santa! The problem might be your firewire card and the wrong kind of chipset on it. Seems the Multimix doesn't like the VIA chipset on your card. Have you been able to monitor the return channel from the computer? Because mine doesn't work due to my lovely firewire card's VIA chipset.
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Dec 28, 2007 08:19
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) and i'm having some real trouble getting both XP and OSX (using bootcamp on my macbook pro) to recognise when its plugged in. With the XP only one set of drivers installs when 4 ought to (even after i d/l the latest set from the website) and the same happens with OSX, it's so frustrating! I'm fine with hardware, not so much with the software side of business...
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Thom Foolery posted:Both the macbook an the mixer are brand new, its definatly a problem with the mac and not the mixer as i just tried it on my parents PC and it worked fine! How would i be able to fix a faulty chipset? Will i have to pay to have a new one installed or is it something software based i can do?
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Dec 28, 2007 16:56
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Any way you can test with another 1/4" to 1/8" converter?
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Jan 11, 2008 20:01
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Aenovae posted:This is a great thread. quote:If I buy a MIDI keyboard or synthesizer, can I just plug it directly into my PC using firewire?
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Jan 15, 2008 08:22
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Steiler Drep posted:So I come here and ask, what sub-$60 pre can I find in Guitarcenter or music stores around Boston/Cambridge? Should I REALLY go for the Presonus or is this guy just wanting me to buy something really expensive? Welp? http://www.daddys.com/search/gear.php?query=art+tube+mp
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Jan 15, 2008 08:27
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Steiler Drep posted:Am I just being paranoid or will something blow up if I keep thinks going this way?
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Jan 30, 2008 03:15
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Chances are your microphone is DOA. Do you have another mic you can test?
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Feb 18, 2008 23:51
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Al2001 posted:I've realised (finally) that plugging my acoustic guitar directly into the interface makes for an absolutely terrible recording. So I'm looking for a fairly cheap mic that will make a better job of it. Any suggestions anyone?
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Feb 20, 2008 15:45
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Or you could just re-record with a click track *shrug*
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Apr 9, 2008 03:59
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fantasiser posted:So I've recorded a song on piano only to find that apparently my keys are really loving loud coming up (they are not fully weighted) and even vibrate a little, making the track sprinkled with what sounds like a chair creaking every few seconds. I've been able to limit this by putting the volume up maximum and the mic as far away as reasonable, but the mic distance has hurt my dynamic range and the creaks are still there.
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Apr 27, 2008 05:11
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Three Red Lights posted:Recording: How much does it matter where you record? The room where my pc sits is fairly dead acousticly. quote:EQ: Where exactly is a voice in the eq spectrum, is there anything you should be doing to it with an eq? quote:Compression: What are you aiming for exactly when you compress a vocal other than an even volume? What kind of ratio, attack speed ect? quote:Ambient effects: Every time I attempt to add reverb it sounds far too "real", like I've recorded it in a gym hall or a bathroom or whatever. I can turn it down I'm not exactly sure what I should be doing to give the vocal a sense of space and ambience in the mix as opposed to just sounding like an echoey room. Delay just seems to gently caress things up further.
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May 5, 2008 15:30
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