help with recording \ mic setup

DriftingByTheStorm

ok. so here is the deal:
my parents are getting me a pretty sweet laptop for christmas.
it should be beefy enough to support some "bare bones" recording,
so i'm going to give it ago.

thus, given i have no other recording equipment lying around,
i've decided to invest some of my own moolah in to Tascam FW-1082 recording interface

it seems the best solution for my needs. it has good mic pres, enough ins and outs for our neighborhood garage band setup ... and the deal sealer is that not only has the manufacturer thrown in Cubase LE, but musiciansfriend is throwing in the free gift of an MXL V63M microphone and a MXL 992 microphone -- both are condesor mics.

so here is my question
i'm trying to make this transaction as simple as possible by getting everything i need and not ending up scrathing my ass when it all comes and getting pissed when i realize something stupid like shit, i need another mic clip or some such bullshit.

that being said, can someone help walk me through what all i would need beyond the two included microphones to be fully functional on a basic level?

the setup i envision as most likely would be a buddy singing in to either of the two mics while the other one is setup to record the guitar he is playing. we would then play that back while recording additional vocals and guitar.

so i'm thinking
2 Mic stands -- one of them LOW PROFILE
2 Low-Z cables
1 wind screen

what else am i forgetting ...
the mics i'm getting for free ... will they attach right on to a mic stand or will i need to buy mic clips?

also, anyone know enough about cardiod condensor mics to look at the frequency response on these two mics and tell me if either of them (MXL V63M or MXL 992) is acceptable for recording a electric guitar amp? i don't want to blow mics, even if they were "free".

ok.
hopefully that is enough info. to get some help coming my way.
any recommendations on makes and models of stands, cables, and such ... that'd be great.
any additional comments suggestions also welcome.

i'm fucking psyched, i've never been in a position to actually lay down tracks ... outside of analog 8track world ... which i find impossibly linear and stifling.

Oh, Jimmy

You may be better off just having him sing like he normally would and put those 2 condenser mics on some booms and move them around til you get a good mix. We did this with a couple drum mic and the quality turned out surprisingly good.

enharmonic

Go right for some decent XLR's. You will need to provide phantom power for those mic's. If the MXL's don't state that they come with mic clips, don't assume you wil get them. Looks like the V63 comes with a shock mount. It's a servicable mic. You can use it on guitar, but I wouldn't expect the heavens to open up and the tone gods to smile on you. It will do a decent job in your setup. Same goes for the 992. It also appears to come with a shock mount. Both offer a cardioid pattern, so you should experiment with both to see which one you prefer.

2 mic stands, skip the low profile and get two boom stands. they will be infinitely more usable and you need as much flexibility as possible.

How do you plan to monitor your signal? I'd look at a nice set of headphones as well...AKG 240's are a standard workhorse pair that won't break the bank.

DriftingByTheStorm

enharmonic wrote:

Go right for some decent XLR's. You will need to provide phantom power for those mic's. If the MXL's don't state that they come with mic clips, don't assume you wil get them. Looks like the V63 comes with a shock mount. It's a servicable mic. You can use it on guitar, but I wouldn't expect the heavens to open up and the tone gods to smile on you. It will do a decent job in your setup. Same goes for the 992. It also appears to come with a shock mount. Both offer a cardioid pattern, so you should experiment with both to see which one you prefer.

2 mic stands, skip the low profile and get two boom stands. they will be infinitely more usable and you need as much flexibility as possible.

How do you plan to monitor your signal? I'd look at a nice set of headphones as well...AKG 240's are a standard workhorse pair that won't break the bank.

Hey EH.
THANKS for your reply! (you too, Jimmy. good suggestion) Very helpful ...

so XLR ... you're talking about the cable itself? well ...

... oh, btw ... the phantom power issue -- the Tascam FW1082 comes with FOUR balanced XLR inputs with phantom power ! ! ! so that should be taken care of ...

... for the XLR cable ...

... do i need to go THIS high grade?

Mogami Gold Stage Mic Cable with Neutrik XLR
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/338011/

i don't even see an explanation of what "NEUTRIK" XLR is ... but i'm assuming it's just some sort of hokus-pokus term they made up for the properties of their cabling? not some sort of feature i should have in my studio?

well ...
would THIS do?
Mogami Silver Series Microphone Cable
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/339037/

$50 is just a helluva lot for cable.
i'm sure it's great and all ... but i'm guessing our overall recording quality isn't gonna be a supremely hi-fi experience in the end, anyhow ... but i don't want it to sound like shit with crackles and pops all over either.

love your "heavens open up" and "tone gods smiling" shit ... ahha...
well, it's a START, right?

regarding the boom stands vs. the low profile are you saying it's not even worth miking the guitar cabinet directly?

wouldn't that provide a more accurate representation of the sound than putting a mic 6 ft in the air? i dunno ... this is all just ignorant talk, since i've never even miked my ass before.

as for monitoring my signal ... i dunno ... i've kind of been hemming and hawing that one ... i have ONE pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones which i think are something approaching an accurate "flat" representation of the actual source ...

... i would consider getting another pair for our singer (or the ones you suggest or other some such) and running on all headphone monitors ... but i WAS also looking in to active powered monitors ...

... obviously true nearfields are way out of my budget at the moment ... that put me looking at some flimsy tasam slim profile shit, the "TRUTH" monitors (by behringer or roland? can't remember, wasn't too interested) or maybe alesis, and then the ones i WAS considering ... the M-Audio Prostudio 4s i think is the name? ...
... i know they aren't great (or even good) for recording, and could hardly be considered true studio monitors, but they also cost a mere $115 ...

... however, the more i think about it ... given the highly mobile nature of this venture right now ... perhaps the headphones suggestion is the best ... then i can not waste money on monitors i wont want in the future, and can save up for a real pair ... dynaudio ? ? ? those old Yamaha ones? i dunno ...

Oh, Jimmy

When my band recorded we just used the booms. The vocals, and the bass were run through the pa. The two mics(which are actually from a drum mic kit) were just put on booms and put probably 7 or 8 feet in the air. I would imagine your condenser mics will do a better job than the mics we used. Just find two places in the room, on opposite sides, that have pretty equal levels. Doin it this way turned out surprisingly well. You may have to experiment with the mic placement, and do some test recording, before you find a few sweet spots.