Beginner engineer needing product advice

[Druvin Base]

I'm a musician that records and mixes my music from home. I'm a beginner engineer and want to know what you think my next purchase should be. What is most important given what gear I currently have?

I have a Tascam US-1800 audio interface running Pro Tools on a PC and Sony MDR-XB300 headphones. That's really all I have besides my instruments and that gear.

Should I get production speakers, a mixer, a preamp, or something else?

[Craig F]

good speakers would be my suggestion

[Darryl Ramm]

After monitors... room treatment.

Then basically play follow the signal chain mics, stands, cables, preamps, interfaces etc. for what you need to record.

And what exactly are you recording? Vocals? Electric guitar amp? drums? Acoustic guitar? electric bass etc. What you need for each of them is about as different as can be. And there are great 'high-tech' options out there for things like drum VIs/midi drums or guitar amp sims/processors (Eleven Rack, Axe-FX, etc.) that can make getting started easy, whether you use those though to completion or just to demo or start with.

[JCBigler]

Umm...do you have a microphone yet? A quality large diaphragm condenser mic will go along ways and can be used with many different voices, instruments, and even on drums if you know what you are doing.

I'd say a couple of mics and a pair of monitors.

[Druvin Base]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

After monitors... room treatment.

Then basically play follow the signal chain mics, stands, cables, preamps, interfaces etc. for what you need to record.

And what exactly are you recording? Vocals? Electric guitar amp? drums? Acoustic guitar? electric bass etc. What you need for each of them is about as different as can be. And there are great 'high-tech' options out there for things like drum VIs/midi drums or guitar amp sims/processors (Eleven Rack, Axe-FX, etc.) that can make getting started easy, whether you use those though to completion or just to demo or start with.

What would you suggest as room treatment? I know this is probably bad, but I'm recording in an unfinished basement.

I have stands, cables, and an interface.

I record mainly punk music. Here's some of my stuff:

https://soundcloud.com/sizemic-drapes/sets/mad-dicia

Thanks for the detailed response

[Druvin Base]

Originally Posted by JCBigler

Umm...do you have a microphone yet? A quality large diaphragm condenser mic will go along ways and can be used with many different voices, instruments, and even on drums if you know what you are doing.

I'd say a couple of mics and a pair of monitors.

I have 4 mics: SM57, Kel HM2D, and a Senheisser dynamic and condensor (cant remember models)

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Druvin Base

What would you suggest as room treatment? I know this is probably bad, but I'm recording in an unfinished basement.

I have stands, cables, and an interface.

I record mainly punk music. Here's some of my stuff:

https://soundcloud.com/sizemic-drapes/sets/mad-dicia

Thanks for the detailed response

Sorry I'm not able to give you a detailed response here as what you may need if any (but likely you do) depends entirely on the space, current walls, floor, ceiling, etc. your monitors, and where are sitting, wether you need to block outside noise or prevent noise leaking out etc.. There is a lot to cover, but I would not commit to anything until you have read a book or two on studio design/construction. Even if you do not or cannot want to to any actual construction just where you put say the monitors and hang a spare blanket or a diffuser screen on a wall might make all the difference and you'll pick that up in some of the common books on this stuff. There are several high-end more mathy books if you are interested in acoustics, but you can get a lot of mileage from a good basic book like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Build-Budget-R...ref=pd_sim_b_5

[Druvin Base]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Sorry I'm not able to give you a detailed response here as what you may need if any (but likely you do) depends entirely on the space, current walls, floor, ceiling, etc. your monitors, and where are sitting, wether you need to block outside noise or prevent noise leaking out etc.. There is a lot to cover, but I would not commit to anything until you have read a book or two on studio design/construction. Even if you do not or cannot want to to any actual construction just where you put say the monitors and hang a spare blanket or a diffuser screen on a wall might make all the difference and you'll pick that up in some of the common books on this stuff. There are several high-end more mathy books if you are interested in acoustics, but you can get a lot of mileage from a good basic book like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Build-Budget-R...ref=pd_sim_b_5

Oh okay. No worries at all.

It sucks that I can't do any real construction because I live in my parents house. But thanks for the book recommendation. I'm definitely gonna pick that up as soon as possible.

Any ways that I can affect acoustics will be an advantage, so this book will surely help.