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Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | Hi O fans. I've been absent for a while, hope I haven't missed anything. Home recording is a great way to spend and money. I was wondering what kind of setups are being use by the members for their music. I'm using a Roland U-8 usb interface and a couple of Digitech processors (guitar and vocals). Actually, though it took some time for me to understand how to use the gadgets and gizmos, I'm getting the hang of the techniques involved with recording. By Jove, the stuff is sounding better. How do you all make recordings? Ol' Buck |
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November 2006
Posts: 217
Location: Snåsa, Norway | Just bought a Zoom H4, covers all my needs in one piece of equipment, "jack of all trades, master of none". Before that I just plugged in straight to my soundcard and used freeware, Kristal and Audacity. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | DAW is running on a dual core Intel 6700 w/4 meg and Windows XP SP2.
Current DAW of choice is Cubase 4 but I have been playing around with Samplitude and Reaper.
Hardware is:
Aurora 8 / Lynx AES16 DA/AD converter
Pendulum Audio Quartet Mic Pre
A-Designs Pacifica Mic Pre
DAV BG1 Mic Pre
Pendulum Audio ES-8 Tube Limiter
Smart C2 Compressor
API 560 EQ
Speck ASC-V EQ
A-Designs EM-PEQ EQ
Avedis E27 EQ
Focal Twin 6 be Monitors
Korg TR76
Mackie 1402VLZ Pro
Mics are Blue Bottle w/Caps, Blue Kiwi, Pearlman TM1, M-Audio Sputnik, Peluso R14 & P12, AEA R84, bunch of Oktavas, Shure SM7b and beta 57A and some other odds and ends.
Various acoustic and electric guitars, amps, effects, mandos, synths, roland electronic drums, drum machine, Pioneer RT-909 reel to reel, and a palm tree ukulele!
I have been slowly putting this together over the last several years and since completed I consider it the greatest home studio to never record one freakin song!
:mad: ;) :rolleyes: :cool: |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | KORG D3200 32 track digital mixer - built in "Session Drummer "
GA Projects ST-2 matched pair large condensors rec. mics
GA Projects ST-4 matched pair small condensors rec. mics.
M-AUDIO model LUNA large condensor rec. mic.
Studio Projects TB-1 large condensor Valve powered rec.mic.
Soundking SKEC012B Large condensor rec. mic.
AKG C535EB small condensor stage/rec. mic.( The Best Allround Mic. PERIOD !! )
Peavey PM 22 Diamond stage dynamic mic.
AKG D22 Dynamic instrument mic.
Prodipe MC-1 dynamic vocal mic.
Shure SM 58 dynamic mic.
AUDIX OM-2 dynamic vocal mic.(Not sensitive,good for rock..you can scream into it )
AKG C411 L guitar micro-condensor mic.(sticks onto guitar with re-usable adhesive,usually stick onto bridge )
popfilters & paraphernalia..
If you ask me ,than the Prodipe MC-1 gives most "bang for the buck", with a freq.curve comparable to a Sennheiser 845 ,good feedback resistance,yet with good sensitivity,it sounds in between a Large condensor and a good dynamic mic...Airy & Punchy,yet Smooth,..male/female vocal...guitar even ...and all that for a measly 50 dollars ( price paid overhere new !!) yet for my voice it`s the Peavey PM 22 Diamond....shows ya..you can never have too many microphones :)
Vic |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Stephen Quote : " the greatest home studio to never record one freakin song! "
Ain`t that the TRUTH !!
..steady yourself Stephen..you`re not alone..
..on the other hand..it`s this cruel world which does not recognize true genious.. :)
Vic ( your buddy in torment )
:D |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | just putting together my home studio
some of the gear includes
rca tube mic mixer
altec automatic mic mixer (blk)
altec mic mixer (green)
lampander tube limiter
tektronix la2a tube limiter
urei 1176 limiting amp
urei 565 filter set
orban stereo parametric eq
tascam da 88 (2)
urei 427 eq
yamaha stereo 31band eq
rane pair 31 band eq
dynacord dls 222 pair
dynacord digital reverb
dynacord digital delay
roland space echo re 555
chandler digital reverb
tubeworks tube reverb
master room spring reverb xl 121
same but stereo xl 305
us audio mic mixer
groove tubes speaker emulator
furman power conditioner
monster power conditioner
this is just what I can think of off the top of my head..... |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Al, I'm no acoustical engineer but I would highly recommend that you put a couch in the studio area. It makes a great bass trap, AND if she finally gets fed up with you you'll have a place to sleep. Just a suggestion. Dave |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | finally gets fed up????
good suggestion.
I also have a nice shed in the back yard.
all I need is to run an extension cord |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | That's why I'm not haveing a studio. Way too much stuff I don't understand, although I do understand the couch. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Currently, four track tascam casette recorder and a shure 57 vocal mic.
I was saw a documentary on the Minutemen and there was blurb on how complicated recording has become. One of their albums they just did it as a two track on tape, and that's it. Do the mixing as you play. The more I learn about the recording process the more I like the simplicity.
Actually, one take in mono works pretty well for my needs. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Al, that is a cool list of vintage gear that a lot of professional studios would love to have! |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Originally posted by stephent28:
Al, that is a cool list of vintage gear that a lot of professional studios would love to have! just the tip of the ice berg
wait till you see the mic list |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Originally posted by an4340:
Currently, four track tascam casette recorder and a shure 57 vocal mic.
I was saw a documentary on the Minutemen and there was blurb on how complicated recording has become. One of their albums they just did it as a two track on tape, and that's it. Do the mixing as you play. The more I learn about the recording process the more I like the simplicity.
Actually, one take in mono works pretty well for my needs. saw the same documentary
cool stuff |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by alpep:
wait till you see the mic list I salivate just thinking about it.
Some of those Neumann and RCA's gonna be available for loan :D |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I forgot to mention that I use my alesis 6fx mixer. I'll post a picture of my "studio" soon. |
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Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | TASCAM DP-01, with no effects, no amp simulation, no virtual tracks, no frills, just a basic 8 track digital recorder with a 40 GB hard drive.
I'm soon to take delivery of an Alesis PicoVerb, and I also use the reverbs, delays, and compression from my old Digitech RP100 unit. I'll also use the REALLY BAD sounding drum machine that's in the RP100, just for timekeeping, and then I'll replace that track with real drums (played by me).
For mikes, I have a couple of good ol' SM57's. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Originally posted by stephent28:
Originally posted by alpep:
wait till you see the mic list I salivate just thinking about it.
Some of those Neumann and RCA's gonna be available for loan :D
I have learned about loaing gear the hard way |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by alpep:
Originally posted by stephent28:
Originally posted by alpep:
wait till you see the mic list I salivate just thinking about it.
Some of those Neumann and RCA's gonna be available for loan :D
I have learned about loaning gear the hard way |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | StephenT Quote " Mics are Blue Bottle w/Caps, Blue Kiwi "....
So how are those BlueBottles ?..(are they worth the money ?)
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Alpep Quote : " altec automatic mic mixer (blk)
altec mic mixer (green)"
What`s a die-hard pro like yourself doing with those old things,give `em to an amateur like me :)
Vic
..ahh..ALTEC, an Icon of the American industry Gone..I do Miss the "Sound of Experience"..got a few Altec speakers,418-8 only one tho..and a couple of 421-8LF..with new voice-coils..they`re Sheer Delight.. :) |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | agreed
altec was the stuff.
sorry but this amateur LOVES his old gear.
planning how to wire all this stuff up is the only thing keeping me sane lately |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I have a bunch of cheap gear that I don't really spend too much time thinking about. I know too many people with great studio gear who spend so much time setting up they forget what they're there for in the first place. Spend your time focusing on the music, not the process. Crappy playing through great gear still sounds crappy. Good playing through crappy gear still sounds good to everyone except for the stoveknitters. And who cares about them. So just plug your mic in, set your levels and play. If you really think your music will get picked up by a major label, invest in real studio time and let somebody else worry about the gear and the incessant details.
Mixing of the recording is the key to something sounding good. Mr. Ovation did a great post on that a while back.
No offense to those who collect recording gear as a hobby. That's a whole other thing. But don't confuse it with making music. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Sonebobbo Q : " No offense to those who collect recording gear as a hobby. That's a whole other thing. But don't confuse it with making music."
At first,what you say makes sense..However..would you say that to guitarists who use a variety of stomp`s,like Kaki King,whom I would consider as a Class A guitarist,granted,Kaki could outplay many of us on an old ragged acoustic,Yet,she looks for possibilities elsewhere,Sure,buying stuff to put in a vitrine to look at is one thing,but actually using it is another,re-read the posts written by Al and me,where we " Dote " on some cool old ALTEC stuff ,or my saying " you can never have too many mic.`s "..we may have a reason for that,just as there are good reasons for ,that certain appliances are in demand by many,pro`s and amateurs alike,why do you think that a Neumann U 87 is so revered by many ?..also ,people like us "gearfreaks" are actually the kind of people who eventually figure out new techniques,make stuff work "better",if we all just sit there saying.."oh,this is good enough",than there would be no progress,gathering knowledge to "make it work" will eventually result in "stuff" becoming affordable ,available to everyone,I remember when a Condensor mic. costed as much as a car !!..nowadays there are decent Condensor mic.`s available for cheap money,because of "gearfreaks",people who relentlesly were trying and trying again..so that companies had people to sell it to,then "gearfreaks" went out,tried and found out,"hey,it works like this too"..I also remember when a Condensor mic. was intended as a studio/rec. mic. only,...but "gearfreaks" tried them out on stage,for a condensor mic. can capture small details,so there was a reason,problems were encountered,and got solved,resulting in Stage Condensor mic.`s ,I`ve got one "Master-do-all machine" (KORG D3200 which would have been impossible to manufacture for it`s price a decade ago ),it`s got all kinds of goodies,and Sure,I use very little of it`s capacity (for now )but as good as it is,it does respond to whatever is plugged into it,a Shure sm58 sounds/works different on it than say an AKG C535EB ,with all the magic built into it,it can not make those mic.`s sound the same,and Yes,Recording is a Science of it`s own,and maybe I should devote more time in becoming a Great Guitarist,but my first Love is Sound/Electronics,so ,perhaps, You could become a Famous Virtuoso,and I could make a recording of you,using Al`s old & battered ALTEC mic.amps. :)
Vic
..speaking of Kaki King..where is POP-CRITIC..anybody heard of him ?.. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | bob
points well taken.
some people sit in the bar and drink ....
some people watch ball games.....
some people collect cars, baseball cards, etc ....
I like old gear. I like firing it up and playing with it. I like the sounds the quirks the limitations and all the fun there is involved with it.
yup I have used simple recorders also and had great results. but there is something about watching those tubes glow that just makes me smile.
sorta like old cars...
but what the hell do I know? I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Crappy playing through great gear still sounds crappy. WRONG!
Crappy playing through great gear sounds even crappier :D
Gotta agree with Al and Vic. The glow of vintage tube gear is a unique experience and as Al said "watching those tubes glow just makes me smile".....and making me smile is why I have nice recording gear and nice instruments.
but that said.....I agree that great players sound good through anything. I rationalize my gear by realizing that all the musical shortcomings come from me and not my equipment!
The other side is that Al's vintage gear and my mixture of old and new will only appreciate in value....so the hobby is not only fun but won't lose it's value in 30 - 40 years when our families sell everything off at the estate sale! |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | StephenT Q :"Crappy playing through great gear sounds even crappier "
Hey ,wait a minute,no-one here on the board plays crap..there`s a general consensus here that RAP is not music :)
Vic
..and where is Rick Endres..he just made a CD using "state of the art equipment".. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Vic,
I think the Blue Bottle with the various caps is an amazing microphone......especially if you realize that the caps are not meant to be a clone of a U67/U89/C12/Elam 251/RCA 44/etc but to merely represent the sound. If you want that specific true vintage sound that comes from a Neumann U67 / U87 then go out and buy one.....but even the handful that I have had the pleasure of hearing all sound slightly different.
Once I got the Bottle with the caps, I felt that (with what I was trying to accomplish) I was able to sell off my Neumanns, Gefells, etc. Now if they had been vintage mics like Al has, I probably would not have sold them....but they weren't so I did! ;)
It is nice to have a handful of mics that cover just about every aspect of recording I could want and being able to change out the Bottle caps on the fly without having to power down or unplug is a pretty cool feature to have (especially when trying to find the magic!) |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I had a Tascam PocketStudio 5 (I think that's what it was) which was fun for a while, but heck if I can remember where it went. I still have the power supply sitting next to my chair, though. Weird. Then I bought a GNX4 which has a built in tracker. That was fun for a while. I also have more versions of Sonar Pro than I care to number, or use. Then there's BIAB. PowerTracks Pro. Way to much stuff. I just need to practice and forget all this recording nonsense. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I like BIAB...cool to let it run while I play riffs over the rhythm. I have never tried recording with it tho. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | You people need to learn about frequencies..and frequencies and curves..curves..very nice curves..Paris Hilton curves..Pam Anderson curves..curvature of Aexandra Paul.. :) |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | Originally posted by ADAMAS Hater aka Enfant Terrible:
Paris Hilton curves..Pam Anderson curves.. :) 1. Paris Hilton has curves? About as many as a 2x4!
2. I thought you were talking about RuPaul... |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | It is difficult enough convincing Mrs. Professor of my need to continue collecting live performance gear. This recording stuff scares me right out of my wallet. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Brad, stop buying guitars and start buying recording equipment. Easy trade off! |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | ProfessorBB Q : "This recording stuff scares me right out of my wallet."
Join us in the poorhouse with your new recording equipment..the food`s scarce..then again,you can n`t have everything.. :)
Vic |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | I've been collecting gear for the past few years and, admittedly, have way more than is needed. When I started buying gadgets I really did not know what did what. I'd buy a piece of gear and then realize it was not the "thing". Ultimately I was able to assemble the equipment needed to make decent recordings. Thanks to ebay I was able to buy thousands of dollers worth of gear for hundreds of dollars. A lot of that stuff will be recycled back into the hands of other starving musicians. I use a Digitech Geneisis3 for guitar, a Digitech VHM5 for vocals, and a Roland U-8 controller to input the sounds, via USB, into the computer. The setup works well. I'm impressed with the VHM5 vocal processor. It's old, like me, but the chordal sounds are amazing. It changes chords automatically using midi output from a software sequencer (Cakewalk, Power Tracks,etc.). There are tons of presets for different situations. Back in the olden days I had to record vocal harmony one track at a time and it often sounded like....crap. The machine does the job in real time and very little editing is needed to achieve the desired result. Digital rocks! I'm looking for a Pocketstudio 5. Mine stopped working a while ago and I miss it. Cheers, Buck |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Professor,
For home recording try this set up:
Tascam casette 4 track (can be found on ebay for $25)
Small alesis mixer (I'd buy this new $99)
Cheap MXL condensor Mic (on ebay for $40)
Shure PG 58 (New $35)
And for mix down:
Sony CDR-W33 CD (Used $150)
Then you can bring it to the computer to do what you want, make CD's etc. Granted it won't be "studio grade", but it ain't too shabby either. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | an4340, not bad for only $349. However, $349 would cover a few more effects, a couple of banners, maybe a metal sign, or even another custom made neon sign or two. There's my dilemma. Plus, if I really want something recorded, I'll just go over to Stephen's house. He has really neat stuff and, by his own admission, needs a reason to use it. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Gotta get me a discount ticket to Littleton,
before the border shuts down.... |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | take a marmot across in Alberta. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | fillhixx,
ain't no borders between canada and the u.s. shutting down. on the contrary. before long canada, mexico and the u.s. will all be one discontent continent... |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
take a marmot across in Alberta. Speaking from experience? |
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November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | You kidding me?
You can't even TRAP a Vancouver Island Marmot around here,
let alone transport one!
(Tastes like boiled eagle) |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Brad, I don't need a reason to use it.....just enough talent for the equipment to reach it's potential.
I think Fugot and Mary will be making a sojourn sometime soon to lay down vocal tracks! |
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Posts: 4413
| Personally I think you should all head for Oregon and let waskel record you. I totally wish I lived on the same Continent. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Leaving England for America..?..do n`t you know they speak ,a kind of English there.. :)
Vic |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | :cool: |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | they say the boot of a car is a " trunk ".. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | and I wonder if they know what a shandy is.. :) |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Mayonaise,instead of vinegar on chips..which they call French fries.. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | :cool: |
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Home Recording