Ex thinks HE'S going to hell...
mccreadyisgod
Posts: 6,395
I got the computer already, an Intel P4 3.0 GHz thru an Intel motherboard, with a 40 GB system drive, a 120 GB storage drive, 2 GB RAM, a CD-RW drive, a DVD-RW drive, dual-monitor outputs, and Windows XP Pro, all in a gorgeous 4U rackmount case (I call it "the case of death").
So today I went ahead and ordered the rest of the toys:
-DigiDesign 002R w/ProTools LE and the factory bundle (plug-ins galore)
-PreSonus DigiMAX 8-channel mic pre
-2 Rode NT1-A large-diaphram condenser mics
-Furman RP-8L power conditioner
They should be here around the end of the week. I still need to order the headphone amp and the monitors, but I did order 6 Audio-Technica headphones that looked sweet.
Total, as of right now: $4200.
Having my own recording studio: Priceless.
Some things, money can't buy. For everything else, there's a college kid with a Visa.
So today I went ahead and ordered the rest of the toys:
-DigiDesign 002R w/ProTools LE and the factory bundle (plug-ins galore)
-PreSonus DigiMAX 8-channel mic pre
-2 Rode NT1-A large-diaphram condenser mics
-Furman RP-8L power conditioner
They should be here around the end of the week. I still need to order the headphone amp and the monitors, but I did order 6 Audio-Technica headphones that looked sweet.
Total, as of right now: $4200.
Having my own recording studio: Priceless.
Some things, money can't buy. For everything else, there's a college kid with a Visa.
...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
-per track
-i'm half serious.
-i'm all curious
I'm such a fuckin' geek.
now who's the geek?
Hell, I'll do an album's worth of mixing for $75, unless there's gobs of editing.
I have a friend who'll master it for you... it's not my thing... but he'd probably be around $50.
If you're more than half serious, let's talk.
The internal drives are SATA drives...
I don't know what the freebie is.
I'm just pissed that ProTools won't play with RAID.
i had one session at 32 tracks with a bunch of plug-ins that started to kack until i rearranged some reverbs on a dedicated bus. but it seriously was a shit load of plugins so i'm pretty happy for now.
there wouldn't be any editing. just EQ, levels, comp etc.
if i decide to actually make something into a CD, i'll let you know. right now, i'm still just doing the web thing which i can hack my way through myself.
I've found that time-based plug-ins are the worst... you can EQ and compress and limit and expand until you're blue in the face, but if you wanna run some reverb or delay... get out the checkbook and shop for RAM...
I have an 800 MHz FSB, so that should help things as well. I hate bussing verb (unless it's drums or backing vocals).
Well, keep at it... before long, you might be good enough that I won't be able to help much. Although having outside ears do the mixing can be a great thing (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco). Not that I'm claiming to be Jim O'Rourke...
The only problem I'd have is that you don't have acoustic drums...
Hey! I could get a drummer to track it for ya...
I love mixing drums.
If I'm recording a drumset in a really dry room (or close-micing to record a band live) I'll bus the snare and toms thru a single 'verb, just to give the kit a nice, round, consistent sound.
Mostly, though, I prefer dry mixes. A bit of verb or delay to smooth out the vocals; a bit of verb to give an acoustic guitar, piano, mando, etc. some life; and the drums.
in theory, i could get live drums tracked in. the click tracks and all that shit are there. i'd love to be able to do it. it's the only thing i'm missing and i have a hunch that it would take me way beyond the places i can get to by myself.
too bad i keep spendind money on stupid guitars instead of hiring a drummer for a while.
Well, if you ever get interested... I know a drummer here that I'll be working with a lot in the next 5 months, he's REALLY FUCKING GOOD. Jazz-trained, can do a lot of cool stuff. I can talk to him, see if he'd be interested in laying stuff down on 8-12 songs, and what he'd want for his time. I could track it, mix down to mp3, transfer it to you, see if you like it, make changes...
Not the best way to do it, but it'd work.
If you guys are serious I'd like to come sit in and watch, maybe add some backing vocals or guitar tracks. I need a vacation anyway, what could be more vacant than Montana?
I can play conga's and tambourine
Okay, Georgia boy...
I got a skin flute you can play right here...
Don't get me wrong, protools is a great system. Digital recording is extremely handy, but it does seem to make bands get lazy, and instead of doing one solid track I see to much cutting and pasting (which I hate).
A friend of mine and I use protools, but its only for the final editing. We record every-thing on reel to reel then move it to pro-tools. Good luck!
https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
At some point, I'll be looking at some sort of tube pre. I have 16 inputs, but only 12 mic pres at the moment, so I have 4 more channels to get something for... so I was thinking about a good two-channel tube mic pre and a good two-channel FET mic pre (Neve-type).
But until I have a location that's mine to set up in, I probably will avoid super-high-quality mics. Too easy to damage in a less-professional setting. But I would like to get a good ribbon (RCA clone) and a good Neumann (U87, most likely), eventually. I'm also a huge fan of the AKG 414.
And I'm jealous... I would love to track to tape. But ProTools is an editor's best friend. And since I'm the engineer, I'll be saying whether we're gonna cut and paste, or do another take. I prefer to have a very organic performance, as well.
For the first album I'm recording, it's an ambient noise-rock band. They're going to have enough hiss and tube gear, I'm going to want all the cleanliness that digital can give me. But there are bands down the road that I'll want some more analog character and saturation on.
Fantastic, just keep an eye on ebay for good deals on new mics! Its well worth it, and don't be one of those well heck everyone uses Shure SM-57's and 58's, so I will to. There are many many many durable and great sounding mics out there!!!!!
FYI if you ever consider getting a reel to reel, you can usually find good tascam 1inch ones on ebay. I know I know I know, its not 2", but trust me its good enough!!!! we have two. One for upstairs and one for downstairs, and if we had to we'd midi sync them and have 46 tracks. But I'm not the type for the 30 guitar track stuff.
https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
Well, as far as it goes, I've already developed my mic preferences to a large degree. But it's more important to know what mic does what in certain applications. For instance, I prefer the sound of an SM57 on a snare drum, and will go to it 95% of the time. However, there are certain types of music and/or certain snare drums where another mic will yield better results.
As far as tape, I would probably rather look for a good 1" 8-track. Then I could use it for select instruments, and get a good fat tone without a lot of fidelity loss. But it would almost always be just a stage in an otherwise-ProTools rig. I'd also be interested in a 1/2" 2-track mastering recorder. The inherent problem, though, is that tape is hard to get, expensive, and takes time and know-how to maintain. It's something I'll look into when I have the ability and finances, but it's not amazingly practical for me right now.
One project I'll be recording within the next 4 months is a solo singer-songwriter, just guitar and vocals and some textural elements (minor percussion, electric guitar, backing vox, harmonica). I'm going to record him in ProTools and then get regular cassette tapes and dump the masters to cassette, then back to ProTools and finally to CD. I'll be a nice, easy way to get an analog feel to the recording. And cassettes will work fine, just get hi-bias 30-minute tapes and put the track right in the middle of the tape. I have access to a great old Tascam cassette recorder, so I think it'll be a nice element to the record.
8 track is a good idea, but from my experience it won't be enough. If I had the choice I'd make sure I can record the drums on the tape, and 8 tracks just isn't enough. 2 mics on the snare, and 2 overheads then one each on the hi hat, ride, kick and on each tom (unless you only use 1 tom). Snares sound way to thin with just a single mic off the top.
I two had the fear of was it worth going to tape due to the expense and finding tapes, but to find out after using this stuff for two years now, tapes are still produced, yeah have a price to it, but with a little ebay shopping you can find groups of 5 or 10 new tapes for extremely low prices. Instead of $60-70 a tape, we are talking $10 a tape or so. Its all worth.
I'm sure you product will be awesome, and I wish you luck.
https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
I usually double-mic the snare on recordings... Either a 57 on top and a small-diaphram condenser on bottom, or two Beta 57's, one top and one bottom. Phase reversed. I usually use the bottom mic for a snare-heavy reverb and the top mic for a more natural reverb. If you've never tried it, use a gate on the bottom mic and use it for your reverb, it's one hell of a trippy effect (only works with hard snare hits, though).
Cool I'll keep it in mind. Speaking of hard snare hits, I've been one to piss off drummers in the studio, due to pushing them so hard. My usual line is "Stop hitting that snare like a little boy".
Also I'm still stuck on just a cheap steel snare, I'll pass up any fancy wood snare for the "pop" of a steel snare.
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I dunno... a good drummer with a good wood snare and good heads and tuned well...
But it has to be a GOOD wood snare, tuned REALLY well, with a drummer who has a great touch and great dynamics. Exhibit A: Chad Smith.
But, since it's hard to find a good drummer, let alone one with good drums and the ability to tune them...
A steel snare provides a hell of a lot more pop in a pinch. The only problem I have with steel snare drums is the ring and the unnatural body. I think if you want to get a better snare drum sound, and you're fighting a crappy drum (or drummer), just get a trigger and a drum module.
I have a nice 14x5.5" wood snare and a really nice 13x3" steel piccolo. I use both regularly, choosing which fits better. And when I set the kit up to just play, I always set both snares up (the standard inside, the piccolo outside). It's really nice to have both to choose from.
Well in all 99.9954324658686% of it is the drummer it self! Thats for sure. Case in point, I was with a bad a while back and the studio we have has a drum kit that just sits (hell the drummer doesn't have to bring anything for practice you know), well any ways, we went thru two or three different drummers and the entire time I said to myself, wow that snare just blows (low in behold it was the steel snare I'm talking about). Well that bad fell apart and nothing happened with it. Anyways, a buddy of mine asked me if he could record his drum parts at the studio. Of course we were all gun Ho about it. Told him that there is a kit here but you really probably want to bring your set or at least your snare. He said no problem I have a couple wooden snares to pick from and a piccolo.
He came over and I was making coffee during his set up. Came down and he was warming up. I looked at my friend (studio owner) and went, see that is how a snare is supposed to sound. Well the drummer goes yeah this is a sweet sounding snare, I looked at him confused (I figured it was one of his), low an behold it was that dam'n steel snare.
Any hoot every song has its individual place with tones etc.... Drum wise just like guitar and bass wise, a good player can really make anything sound great. I just live by the "don't get stuck in a rut" motto, and keep doing the same thing.
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