Recommend Me Recording Equipment, Please?

Cafe Society
1

I need some help putting together a mini-recording studio in my second bedroom, where I now have my drums and guitars with amplifier set up.

Here’s what I want to do, and maybe someone can make some recommendations (be it software or tape - whichever is the most economical).

  1. I want to lay down the rhythm guitar part
  2. Then bass
  3. Then drums
  4. Then vocals
  5. Someone better than me can add lead guitar and/or keyboards later.

This doesn’t need to be “high-end” audio. Just enough for me to make my own demos.

If you’re making software recommendations I have a Dell Dimension 3000 Intel Pent. 4 (3Ghz) running Win XP.

Some links to get me started would be great.

Thanks

Q

2

Well, it kind of depends on a couple things. First is what you consider economical. Second, it depends on what other equipment you have.

I have a Digidesign MBox and it works well. It comes with Protools and some other software. It has two analog inputs/outputs, a midi in and out, and 2 channels of S/PDIF. Now, recording a drum set with a MBox isn’t going to work unless some other equipment is involved. I am thinking that if you had a mixer you could mic the set and run it into the mixer then run a line out or two to the MBox. The problem with that is you would have no control over the mix on the drums once the track is recorded. Note, the MBox comes with Ableton Live which is what I use for drum tracks. I also bought IKs Sample Tank, which I use for bass, piano, strings, etc. Sample Tank rocks. Here is a sample (unfinished) of a heavy piece. This is a purty piece. The MBox is ~600. It comes with some plug-ins, but you can spend a lot on software for this thing. I have.

The next step up from an MBox is a Digi 002. The rack and Factory versions boith have 8 analog inputs. That will get you closer to mic’ing a full drum set. it depends on how big the set is. The Digis start at about 1,300.

The step up from that is Protools HD system. For a simple setup you are probably looking at 10,000 once you get everything. The minimum HD setups allow24 simultaneous tracks at 192 khz or 96 at 44.1khz. (Note, higher khz are better quality)

There are non-Digidesign interfaces out there that will work with Protools but from what I can tell they all cost about the same.

It sounds like your computer should meet the specs for a low end Digi-design system. Obviously, you would need to confirm that before buying anything.

Slee

3

Slee that’ s some pretty awesome music, even the heavy piece!

Thanks for your recommendations. I looked at the links you provided, and it looks like I’m gonna invite one of my music store sales buds to come by and take a look at what I have and we’ll go from there.

I am assuming you are a fan of digital rather than tape, correct?

Since I am 56, the only studio experiences I have had have been with tape.

What I forgot to include in the OP is that I have a TASCAM Porta 3 mini-studio (4 tracks), which I have never used and which I would like to incorporate into my set-up some way.

Again, this is just me right now, and I will never sound as good as what I heard from you, but I think I would enjoy just recording myself on a very basic system.

The other thing I forgot to tell you is “Assume I know nothing” about recording set-ups.

(Or as my Dad used to say, “Hell mah boy don’t even suspect nuthin’!”)

Your help and advice is appreciated very much!

Q