Studio Shopping List

[scuppari]

OK guys, give me some suggestions how I should spend two grand for studio equipment....

I'm running a PIII-800mz PC with 256MB and dual HD's. Naturally, I'm planning on a DIGI and that will eat up around $900. So, what would you suggest for the remaining $1,100? Keep in mind I have nothing - need cables, monitors, mics, etc. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[David Fisher]

Do you have any other preexisting equipment?

What type of music are you doing? Electronic, Rock, commercials?

Are you the only person being recorded?

Do you have any prior experience on any other equipment and favor that?...

After you ask yourself these you can get a little better of an answer.

One last thing, don't mix on headphones to save money. It won't work too well. There have been a few discussions about this, however headphones are a good investment to a studio.

Will post more to this thread later...

[David Fisher]

In addition. Do you have anything against buying studio stuff on ebay? That can help on costs some...

I also have a simalar system, and get fairly favorable results.

[Captain_Pants]

Yeah, these are good questions that definately need to be addressed. If you are going solo, then I would buy maybe some more cables or even some stuff from Waves. (Perhaps mastering software). But if you are planning on recording more then 4 or 5 tracks at a time, without worrying about latency from the buffer, then I would upgrade that computer. I ran a P3 800 for a long time, and even got buy with recording a few bands, but it PISSED me off when we would be halfway through a cut, and ProTools would stop recording because of not enough juice. But when I did my own solo work(two tracks at a time MAX), the 800 worked great......Until the D-Verbs attacked. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Sixpence]

Budget...

Okay get a set of Tannoy Reveals and even just a good hi fi amp run flat (no EQ or loudness). Mic wise the RODE NT1's are going cheap now because they are being discontinued. Buy some kind of small keyboard controller or a second hand keyboard like a CS1x, Most of the Yamaha gear has a To Host Port which saves you buying a midi interface and leaves the Digi Midi i/o free fro future use

[scuppari]

Sorry, realized I should have included more details around 4am this morning.... The studio will be for my band... 2 gtrs, bass, drums, vocals. Music is rock/metal.

I have absolutely no recording equipemnt so far. We do have an old Yamaha PSR-85 consumer keyboard that is MIDI capable.. not sure if that's enough to get by for the occasional MIDI use.

Primary recording will be of live instruments.. Need to be able to lay down 7-8 drum tracks at once. I'm thinking I'll mic the gtrs and take the bass direct.

Upgrading my computer was suggested... what are you thinking, more memory? If so, how much?

Thanks guys!

[scuppari]

One more thing I should mention. My PC has been reformatted to be 100% dedicated to the studio. No network card, no virus software, no games, etc.

[Sixpence]

Still need monitors... so Tannoy's unless there's something better for the same money (Don't think so)

If you want to record 8 channels once you'll need a mixer and 8 mics. You could get a behringer mx2004a and a sennheiser mic pack and maybe a few other mic. The way to get audio from the desk into the Digi001 is to make a loom with 8 stereo jacks on one end and 8 mono on the other. The stereo jacks need to have the ring and tip joined together. You then put these jacks into the inserts on each channel and the other end into the analog ins on the Digi001... Bear in my I'm pricing these things into your budget...
A Digimax LT or similar would be great but far more expensve.
Also you'd be able to use this gear for rehearsals/gigs....

[David Fisher]

Ok, I have faced this situation before as well. Hmm. Let me think here.

Well, let me start with the computer first. Currently my system is about the same as your actually. P3/850, 256mb etc. It runs fine for the most part. It mainly screws up when trying to run a large mix of a band like yours. Once the automation (esp of plugins), eq, compression, and reverb get in there it gets a little tight, but it works. Try bussing things to an aux track for a little easier route for the CPU. I am thinking of upgrading, but am in no rush to do so. The main thing that eats my system alive is Realverb, Trueverb, good compressors, any moogerfooger plugin, and the biggest of them all- autotune.

You probably won't have all those plugins at first, so don't worry about it. Your system can more than handle the stock plugins and a few long d-verbs.

Lets look at what you need to address:

Cabling- an often overlooked but very important item, don't get bargan cabling, but don't get Monster Cable to start out. I normally spend about 10-15% of my equipment value on cabling, and I already have alot. You can save yourself but cutting your own cables if that's your thing. Plan on about 150-200 being spent on cabling and connectors.

Digi001- Well, the Mbox isn't gonna work for you because 1) you use a PC, 2) you need to record a band. Otherwise I would seriously say it could be a possiblity- or on the PC side, an AudioMedia card. I bought my Digi001 from Sweetwater for $750 new. Ebay really isn't worth it, because they aren't normally new, and they are going for about $700.

So after 200 on cabling and $750 on the digi... 1050 left. Ok on to monitors.

Monitors: Well on your budget, I would not look towards Mackies or Genelecs [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I do think getting passive monitors would be a good idea and running a stereo receiver flat. That's what I am doing, even though I am sure it's not always the best idea, it works, and I get decent mixes. Look on Zzounds.com and check around the board for opinions. Alesis Monitor Ones should be about 300, and a receiver about 100 from Best Buy on sale, remember you don't need that much power, or features.

That leaves us with about 650, if i am doing the math right.

Now the real problem. Microphones and stands. The microphones are your own opinion on what you like. I will say that you will be able to get away fine on most of the drum kit with a few SM57s that can be used on the guitar as well. Use the same mic that you use on the Kick on the bass amp (obviously it shouldn't be a SM57, but they will work to a degree in a pinch).

You will need a good vocal/lead mic. I have had GREAT results with a Earthwork SR68/69. They are great mics, and hold up pretty well, but cost about 350 if I remember right.

Forget a mixing control surface for now, alot of people have posted that they really don't use them as much as they thought they would.

Get good mic stands, they are worth it- and you will always need them. Light ones fall over easily, and if a vocalist gets a little out of hand, break easy too.

One thing to think about is your mic'ing technique on the drums. If you are a seasoned engineer and know what you are doing, ignore me please, but...

You need to remember that you don't need a mic on each drum. It eats up tracks, plus without expansion, you only have 8 inputs of analogue. I think it would be better to be able to record at least the bassplayer and the drummer together, than have 4 toms close mic'd. I would use just a few mics. There is a ton of information about micing technique of drum kits. Try three mics even, Kick, snare and one to the right (toms side) of the kit. I have even gotten decent results with one mic, it's all about placement.

Make sure that you also have little things like, a good tuner around. It sucks when people show up, but there isn't a tuner except on a crappy guitar pedal.

If you get more money, then you might want to look into something to separate off the protools from the rest of the room. The Sweetwater site has several good solutions. In addition, something like a Digimax (which basically will give you 8 more inputs via the ADAT optical port.) would be a great investment for you, adding preamps AND inputs. Then you could all cut it live (which needs more mics, which needs more cabling... it's a vicous cycle)...

Even an ADAT (check the bitrate) could be a good investment, that way you would have more inputs, routing through it, as well as a good way to transport between studios, but no preamps.

These are just suggestions. Oh, and get a good pair of headphones, or two or three, and a headphone amp. It will help with the band recording. Idea: if it's only your money being spent so far, have each person buy their own mics and headphones (help out the drummer here.. he is really screwed otherwise).

Good luck!!!

[synthguy99]

Mmm.... I think for monitors, personally, I'd go Genelec or Tannoys of some kind, or KRKs if you can afford them. But LISTEN TO THEM BEFORE YOU BUY! Speakers are almost completely hearing-based when it comes to how they please you,the only spec I'd pay any attention to is bass response. Some monitors some people swear by sound like boom boxes to someone else. Be warned.