Subject: RE: Seeking advice: Home Recording Studio
From:
MK
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 07:49 PM
I appreciate and respect your comments Richard, and for the most part I agree with your assessments of sound proofing, and of microphones.
Margo, In answer to (''The only down side to them (I think) is that if you take the accumulated recorded tracks and re-record them all onto 1 single track, then they are mixed, and can't be changed. Am I right?'')
Yes you are correct. But with good software and alternately a good quality recorder, it's not necessarily a detriment. It gets a little dicey when you're only working with a 4 track unit. Because sometimes a song or an arrangement will really only start to take shape after you've already recorded a few tracks. Then you might get, or hear, other ideas, that you might want to add and incoporate. This is where the flexibility of working in a digital medium vs. analog, really shines. With your software and hard-drive method, or, with a self contained digital unit, you have the ability to ''cut and paste'' sections of a tune, and add new or different sections to the areas you've already cut and pasted from.
With an 8 track unit (or simulating software) it's much easier to get all the elements of the ''bed'' down first....but bear in mind, I'm working differently than you are as I tend to go for full band arrangements, rather than just a couple of acoustic instruments and a couple of voices.......so the equipment and the methods of capturing it, may differ - alot...but the fundamental principles of doing the actual mutil-track recordings remain constant.
For me a bed mix usually includes: the drums, bass part, comping/rhythm parts (ie: piano, guitar, organ, etc...)...and once I get this ''band rhythm section' done, it's time to bounce.....so I make sure that I have all the levels exactly where I want them to be, and of course you can re-do the bounces as many times as you want, till you have just the right mix. When you're sure you've got it, then you can go and erase the other recorded tracks. Once having done this, then I'll add in vocals, solos, and any horn or string arrangements. But again it really depends on the tune and the arrangment.
You also mentioned: ("I was thinking of recording directly to hard drive with a software program, and a small mixer in between for convenience.")
I'm curious and interested as to HOW you are going to get the recorded music into your hardrive. Does your mixer have a digital output?....and do you have a sound card that has a digital input? (ie: the new Sound Blaster Platinum with Live Drive -- as well as another good sound card from Yamaha-- can't remember the name/model number at the moment..) If the answer is no as far as the digital inputs, then as long as your mixer has stereo outs, and your sound card has stero lines in, then there shouldn't be a problem. Also, does your mixer have a midi interface?...and as well does your sound card have one? You'll need this, if you are going to do any kind of mixing with the software once the tracks are recorded to the hardrive....or if you plan on doing any sequencing down the road.
With the software that's available these days, and with midi equipped recorders, you can virtually control all the operations of your recorder using your computer and the related software!
I think your budget is just fine, as far as the equipment goes --excluding the construction of the home studio--
If this is your first real shot at getting into home recording, you may want to re-consider a stand alone, self contained unit, either of the two I mentioned in my first response...and plug that unit directly into your stereo system. It will simplify things, and the only additional things you'll need are a couple of sets of headphones, a couple of microphones and then go for it. Your expressed budget can easily accommodate all this.
Two suggestions. If you don't already have one, buy an uninterupted power supply (UPS) for your computer and/or digital recorder. You don't want to have things locking up or crashing on you in the event of a brown/blackout. Money well spent. And, NEVER do a mix down or a bounce using just headphones, to monitor the mix. It can be very deceiving. Things that you may hear in the backgound although clearly, in headphones, may not come through when listening to the mix through external speakers. Always use external speakers for this process -those with the flattest response work the best, as they don't add ''colouring'' to the sound.
Best of luck. Sounds like you're on the right track (no pun intended) to me.
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sj
