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Scoot82Scoot82 Posts: 78
edited October 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Hi I am just starting to look into doing some home recording. I just have no idea as where to start though. Right now I am plugging my guitar into my Korg PX-4 or amp and then into the back of my soundcard and I am getting decent, but not great, recordings. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the basic necessities are for a small recording studio (I am just thinking like a couple of Mics and maybe a small mixer even though I don't even have a clue as to what I need as far as mixers go). Generally, I think I will only be recording 1-3 tracks at a time (2 guitars and vocals). Is it even necessary to get a mixer or should i just play over previous recordings like I have been with Acid 3.0? I am looking to spend as little as possible and still get decent results. Any suggestions help would be greatly appreciated!
Well, it's one louder, isn't it?
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    Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    check out the Boss digital 4 and 8 tracks or just go walk around your favorite music store and check things out.

    A good place to start. http://www.musiciansfriend.com and http://www.harmony-central.com


    A good condenser or ribbon mic and tube preamp would be where you want to start vocally.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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    BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,292
    Check out the Zoom MRS-802, which I just got a couple of weeks ago.

    You also might want to look into the Marshall microphone package:

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--MSEPROPACK

    And of course you will need boom stands and possible a mike amp too.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
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    Scoot82Scoot82 Posts: 78
    ok this is a good start, as far as a mic preamp though, if I plugged into a mixer would that act as a preamp?
    Well, it's one louder, isn't it?
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    Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Yes and no. depending on the mixer and whether or not your mic needs phantom power.


    The reason you use a mic pre before the mixer is usually the mic pre will add smoother gain to the mic and allow you to tune and adjust the signal before it hits the mixer. In many cases people use a tube preamp to "warm" up the sound especially if you are going to be doing the rest of the mix digitally which is cold. Tubes sound more life like.

    Another thing to read up on is a compressor and a sonic maximiser. These are both wonderful sonic tools that can help you achieve an excellent recording.

    depending on how much you want to spend. Boss. Korg. Zoom. Tascam and Roland have excellent all in one units with all you need. Boss and Roland have models with built in CD burners so you can do everything internally.


    I have a Boss BR-532 4track but now I wish I had 8
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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    Scoot82Scoot82 Posts: 78
    Ok cool, I am gonna try and keep looking into this, this is helping though, thanks.
    Well, it's one louder, isn't it?
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    mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Almost every mixer in the entire world has mic pre-amps onboard. If the mixer has a knob labeled "Gain", that indicates a preamp. There are other preamps that sound better, like tube preamps and hand-wired boutique preamps. They get the weak signal of a microphone ("mic level") up to the high-strength level of pro gear ("line level"). Mackie makes a pretty good little mixer, the 1202:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031012215410150131025216729407/g=home/search/detail/base_id/39737

    It has four mic pre-amps, plus line inputs that you can use for acoustic-electric guitars, bass, keyboards, samplers, drum machines, etc.

    There are also digital-output mic preamps that take the mic signal and amplify it, then convert it into a digital signal and send it to a PCI card you install in your computer. For any computer multi-tracking system, this is the way to go. Focusrite, PreSonus, and DigiDesign all make good units. The software to use these, though, is another matter. Very expensive, or pirated...

    Mics are easy. Get a Shure SM 57, a Shure SM 58, and a large-diaphram condenser (like an MXL or Marshall Electronics, even a Nady or Behringer). That should get you started on any basic recording needs.

    PM me if you need any other help or questions answered. I'm more than happy to help. Good luck!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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    Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    tell me about it. Protools and Cubase. Rrrrrrreall fucking expensive. But what it does is awesome.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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    mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Only problem I have with ProTools is the whole plug-in management. If you could use proprietary plug-ins on ProTools, things would be a lot easier. But no, if you want plugins for ProTools, they have to be the specific ProTools format! So all the other cool plugins you have for CakeWalk and Cubase and SoundForge don't work. Damnit! Stupid ProTools.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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    Scoot82Scoot82 Posts: 78
    Thanks a lot everyone this is helping a lot, McCreadyisgod...that explanation helped out a ton...I am gonna look some more into it and then i might have to PM with some more questions..THanks again guys
    Well, it's one louder, isn't it?
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