Pro Tools and Hip-Hop

[Kustoo]

Yo I was in the Mac forum and I saw a thread there that was based around hip-hop and I wanted to see who in the PC forum was using Pro Tools and Hip-Hop. I have bee here for a few months and I do not recall seeing, or hearing for that matter, much hip-hop music in the threads. I would love to hear some of the hip-hop and RnB stuff that is out there on the DUC.

For the hip-hop folks, what type of equipment are you using:
Mic
compressor
monitors

And finally the most asked question on the DUC, what are your system specs, and are you using a Mbox, 001, or 002?

You can here some of my stuff here.

[halfguard]

i have a p4/2.53gh/512/40+80 pc from sweetwater.along with that i have a 002r. a triton and an emu xl. 2 monitors, 2 m-audio sp 5 and a studio projects b1 mic. i just started doing my sequencing in pt and its pretty cool. before ive used a mpc and a triton. im hopefully going to be getting some more gear soon.either a waldorf micro q or virus is in the near future. later will be an octopre and a mckie control.might also get the mpc 1000 when its released.

[WorldOfWiz]

I really depennds on your how much money you have.
mics you could use a Sony C800G($5,000), U87 ($2,000), NTK ($500)
Alot of the compressors used for 70's rock think (Led Zep) work just as good for Hip Hop.
monitors: I've seen so many diffrent ones, Mackie, Genelec, Hafler, JBL, etc. find what you can afford and works whats best for you.

You left out an pre. do you have one?

Wiz

[Aze]

I'm a hip-hop head myself. I try to get into every genre, but hip-hop is my heart (along side classical music).
I have the Blueberry mic, good for hip-hop, good for just about everything -- lol. If you're voice is too bassy just back up from it a little (8inches) if mid-range get about 4inches, and hi-range voices should get real close (don't want to demolish the purpose of the pop filter tho. It's really high clarity so the words are easy to hear as compared with most other mics which, to me, seem more muddy due to the lack of hi-range pickup.
I have a whole document I wrote up on microphone selections for vocals (in all diff genres).
I also have some doc's I wrote up on techniques for hiphop, rnb, techno, and clasical singing.

I'll edit this post as soon as I get DSL up in the studio.

[hookiefree]

I do some Hip-Hop but mostly rap beats with R&B singers. I have a Mackie 1202vlz, B2 mic (looking to upgrade, thinking about NTK), Alesis M1 monitors, 002 (i use it's pres, i'm waiting to see how the Liquid Pre is going to do), MPC 2K XL, Proteus keys, GR-33, Godin Multiac, Epi Les Paul, POD XL with a loaded Allenstein PC.
I heard ur snippets. U have some tight beats! One of my homies is named Big H too.

[Kustoo]

I am actually looking into getting a mic pre. But I hear they are not worth getting unless you are willing to spend like $500-$1000. (not in the budget right now)I am in a strange position because I have been in the studio a lot as the Artist, but I am now starting to look at it from the control room and I must say this ish is hard. I thought I was just going to get in hear and knock these things out with no problem, YEAH RIGHT.

As far as equipment, I have a Compaq 2140 laptop, AMD 1.79, 784 ram, 120 firewire. Mbox, triton, MPC and thats it.

I ahve a lot of questions and they most have to deal with plug-ins and using AUX tracks and bussing. I have been playing with bussing things to an AUX track with plug-ins and it seems to cause a delay when I listen to it live. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

[werds mekani]

good to see some hip hop heads. that's cool. you ask what i use. i will share..

triton studio (fully expanded)
emu turbo phatt (fully expanded)
roland xv-5050 (fully expanded)
motif rack
virus xl
digi002r
avalon 737sp
trident dual stereo pre amp
mackie mixer 1642
krk v8's and v4's
event 15inch powerd sub
1 numark turntable
rane mixer
amd 2700
akai mpd16 pads
golden dragonfly mic



it took me 2 years to get all this stuff and i still owe 3000 on the card .
i will soon buy a universal audio 1176 .and acousticly treat my studio.
i f you want to hear some music check out schwabino.com/ my artist name is herbsoe krush ..
where are you in ca. i have a double disc cd coming out with 17 producers on the bid ..if you got some heat get at me.the best beats will be pressed on vinyl. let me know ..

[hookiefree]

I am actually looking into getting a mic pre. But I hear they are not worth getting unless you are willing to spend like $500-$1000. (not in the budget right now)I am in a strange position because I have been in the studio a lot as the Artist, but I am now starting to look at it from the control room and I must say this ish is hard. I thought I was just going to get in hear and knock these things out with no problem, YEAH RIGHT.

As far as equipment, I have a Compaq 2140 laptop, AMD 1.79, 784 ram, 120 firewire. Mbox, triton, MPC and thats it.

I ahve a lot of questions and they most have to deal with plug-ins and using AUX tracks and bussing. I have been playing with bussing things to an AUX track with plug-ins and it seems to cause a delay when I listen to it live. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Yeah I know the feeling. I'm still waiting for it all to click in my head too. I'm getting better though. Monitors helped give more confidence when mixing cuz I was never really sure what i was hearing before.
I don't know about ur plugs. I never had that problem.

[tunji]

i'm glad i found this post...this is my first post here, and my group is working on hip hop stuff, and we're all pretty new to the whole thing. we've got:

the AKG 2000 C mic
tube PAC preamp/compressor
Mbox
Windows XP



we're only recording vocals onto multitracked beats in Pro Tools...we're pretty new to the whole thing, and are kind of clueless at this point...can anyone help me figure out the best way to get started? in terms of finding our vocal settings, the strengths/weaknesses of our equipment, mixing, etc.??

thanks in advance

peace,
tunji

[Carl Fuehrer]

I work with allot of hip hop too. For outboard gear I use all the standard stuff that most studios use for nearly every type of music. I believe that every piece of gear can add it's own atractive coloring to the sound and try to compliment the person or instrument. Go to a store where you are able to try out mics and such and see what works best for you. I may throw up 4 vocal mics at once to see which one will best suite the vocalist.