Ask Dave - Home Recording Question Archive

7: category = Home Recording

WhatIHave = Recording software

question = I have purchased a recording software for my PC. I need to know if I need just a microphone to record tracks, or do I need a midi box and other devices to complete the set-up. Also, if I use a microphone, is there a separate cable that connects the mic to my PC or do I need something installed or a different cable? Thanks

It depends on what sound card you want to use.  If you're using a consumer sound card you'll most likely need a mic preamp--Something that brings the low level mic signals up to line level. The output of the mic is an xlr cable and you cannot simply buy adapters to get this to 1/8".  If you managed to get any sound it wouldn't be usable.  Mic preamps also come in the form of mixers, so a small cheap mixer will do just fine.  You only need midi if you want to record midi.  It doesn't carry any audio itself, just electronic information about what keys were played. 

If you need help picking out a mic preamp, write back with more information like what exactly you want to do, and what your budget is.

8: category = Home Recording
budget = $low budget

question = i want to know how to build a home recording studio on a low budget and works out ok i need tips on setups and what things i need
to know if you can help a person trying to do something besides thinking about it

If you want a whole studio, the first thing you can do is save up some money.  The lowest budget you'll find is a few hundred dollars for a 4 track cassette machine but it won't give you many options and won't sound very nice.

If you have nothing, it will cost you at least a grand, but that is still skipping MANY things....so again you're best off saving up some money.  It's much cheaper to buy good equipment the first time, rather than buying cheap equipment and then realizing you should have gotten better stuff.

9: category = Home Recording
budget = $1000
WhatIHave = Sonar 2.2 - Band In A Box ver12 - Midi files - Yamaha keyboard - Echo Mia sound card - PC 1.4 MB with 512 Ram CD recorder/player - Zoom1204 effects unit - Spirit notepad mixer - secondary mixer Roland - Shure 58 mic - Digitec harmoniser - Amp and wall mounted speakers 60 W rms - My singing voice in a spare bedroom with double glazing windows, carpet floor.

question = Hi - I want to get the best possible home recording using MIDI files and add my singing to an audio track. How do I know what\'s best for mixdown? Do I add echo, reverb to tracks during recorning or tweak software to apply? I am new to this so any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Well a lot of it is personal taste and partially related to the style of music you play. 
As far as effects, if you're mixing down in the computer I'd avoid using any outside effects.  You can use your mixer and reverb unit to hear some reverb while you're recording; I usually do that for artists I'm recording because it makes them feel more comfortable, but I wouldn't record that reverb for 2 reasons.

 

1. If you want to make changes later, you can't

2. The unit you have is probably not very good.  I bought a cheap zoom effects unit to use with my live pa and I wasn't very happy with the results. 

 

You'll find software options are your best bet.  As far as mixing, you can really do whatever sounds good.  When I mix, I'll usuallly put a little reverb, some slight slap delay and definitely some compression, all things you can get from plugins.  Just make sure you don't use to much because it will make your band in a box sound more like a band in a box.  The best way to determine how much is to turn it up until you can hear it and then back it down a little.

 

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