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Author Topic: New to Digital Recording  (Read 4401 times)

Sam Bell

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New to Digital Recording
« on: March 06, 2011, 07:39:44 PM »

'm looking to put together my first setup for recording on a limited budget. I've pretty much decided to go with a used Echo AudioFirePre8 as my interface that my friend is selling to me for $500 but would welcome suggestions on the following:

Vocal Microphone- my voice is nasally and perhaps not quite as "refined" as I would like (sort of like Liam Gallagher's). Have been working with a vocal coach and sound fine live.

Acoustic Guitar Mic - a variety of Martin and Gibson acoustics and a classical guitar

Electric Guitar Mic - to mic a 60's Fender Bandmaster cab (Bandmaster head)

Rack EQ

Rack Compressor

Rack Preamp (if needed - meaning if an external pre at a modest price point would make a difference)

I would like to buy 2 mics in total and hope at least 1 of them can serve double duty. Have been considering the Beyer M160 as a vocal and guitar cab mic but would welcome comments/suggestions.

Aside from the interface and monitors (see below), I have a budget of $1500 to spend. As a realist, I realize that this will be strictly for getting used to this medium in my own home project studio and don't expect to produce pro sounding results. For that (if and when I need it in the future), I'd simply book time at any one of several studios here in town.

I'm on a 2010 Macbook Pro running Logic and plan on using Yamaha HS50M monitors which a friend is selling to me for $100.

All helpful suggestions welcome.

Sam  ;)
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Fletcher

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Re: New to Digital Recording
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2011, 09:05:54 AM »

Vocal Microphone- my voice is nasally and perhaps not quite as "refined" as I would like (sort of like Liam Gallagher's). Have been working with a vocal coach and sound fine live.

There is no "one size fits all" solution - you're going to have to try some and determine how it couples with your voice / instrument / etc.  The Beyer M-160 is a great tool... you should plan on giving it a shot.  With your $1500 budget restriction I would suggest you look on the "local used market" [local Craig's list - etc.] and DEFINITELY "try before your buy" and do your best to ascertain if the tool will fit well with your voice or not.

Quote
Rack EQ

Rack Compressor

Rack Preamp (if needed - meaning if an external pre at a modest price point would make a difference)

Again - tough to say.  Speck Electronics makes a really excellent equalizer in the like $6-700 range... if I remember correctly its called the "ASC".  The beauty of this little gem is that it is a totally "professional grade" tool and a unit you can use and love for many [MANY] moons to come... its not like most "Banjo Mart" crap that you'll outgrow in a year or two... its a solid tool that can last you a career.  Its in a 1/2 rack format... so I'd suggest you get a "rack tray" and some Velcro® to mount the unit [that kind of mounting is for home use - don't try to tour with it mounted like that!!]

Compressor wise - FMR Audio makes some seriously inexpensive and some seriously killer quality stuff.  The RNC [Really Nice Compressor] is about $175- and sounds like a grand... the RNLA [Really Nice Leveling Amplifier] is about $225 and reacts more like an LA-3A / LA-4 [a bit smoother... though the RNC is "Super Nice" mode is pretty damn transparent].

If you can budget $475 to this part of the equation then the FMR "PBC-6A" is a really sick / excellent professional tool that you will also covet for a lifetime / career.  It has a few extra features, is completely balanced in and out - has some pretty ill linking capability if you get a second unit [linking capability that is far and beyond the capabilities of ANY other stereo compression device - regardless of price!!]... and has "side chain filter" options as well as an internal set of detector path HPF's available at the touch [or touches] of a button.

On the whole - $1500 isn't a hell of a lot of money for professional tools which is why I'm sure you will find few responses on this forum.  I happened to have worked at a "high end" shop for a few years and during that time we discovered some rather inexpensive yet elegant solutions so I'm able to share those discoveries with you here.

I would also caution you that the guys that work in the "professional audio" department of the guitar stores don't have a hell of a lot of experience with actual "professional quality" hardware.  While you can find some good, inexpensive microphones that can most likely suit your current requirements I wouldn't put a lot of stock in the information they spew... most of them got their information either from other guys in the department or reading stupid shit on the internet [like this for example... only stupider] or worse, from a manufacturer's "rep" who hasn't seen the inside of a recording studio from the drivers seat since MCI 600 series consoles were considered to be on the "low end of acceptable" [unlike their current revered status].

I hope this is of some assistance.

Peace.
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CN Fletcher

mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33
We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid


"Recording engineers are an arrogant bunch
If you've spent most of your life with a few thousand dollars worth of musicians in the studio, making a decision every second and a half... and you and  they are going to have to live with it for the rest of your lives, you'll get pretty arrogant too.  It takes a certain amount of balls to do that... something around three"
Malcolm Chisholm

Millice

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Re: New to Digital Recording
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2011, 06:19:09 PM »

Wow Sam.  No thank you reply or anything?  You must not know who you got a response from, but still!  Anyone who lends that much insight deserves some sort of cheers, right?

Thanks Fletcher.
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Dan Millice
Assistant Mastering Engineer

www.danmillice.com

Scott Featherstone

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Re: New to Digital Recording
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2011, 05:15:55 PM »

I agree....   some EXCELLENT advice.

Thanks Mr. Fletcher
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