Your home recording gear?

[OzziePete]

Apologies if this has been covered before, I can't find a thread about this specifically. Mods: feel free to move this if it is in the wrong spot.

I am wondering what folks here use for home recording?

I favour using the PC (WindowsXP) but having a hell of atime trying to get the system working with me, rarther than me going through countless user manuals trying to get abeep out of it.

FWIW, I have :
Cubase SE
A Novation Speedio A/D box for sound interaction with PC (disabled the motherboard built in sound chip which was crap for audio recording purposes)
Windows XP
Ableton Live Novation (light or stripped down version) sequencer
various VST plug Ins
an Old Yamaha V50 synth
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre amp
Zoom GM 200 amp modelling box (which does get some sounds pretty good, surprisingly for a $50 bargain box special!)
2 x Behringer DIs (Ultra G GI 100)
Alesis Quadraverb


The problems I have is constantly trying to get the Cubase to be a software version of a mixer. It just doesn't happen that instantaneously for me,and I'm very aware that one Window OS major malfunction and I could lose the lot!

I also have troubles understanding the mystique of MIDI, so coming to grips with the Ableton software is also a struggle. It also doesn't help when you have ancient gear that doesn't conform with General Midi format (like the Yamaha synth!).

Obviously I'd like to gradually implement an upgrade of what I have. Money is tight (who doesn't have to watch their money!), and I do not want to buy something that turns out a lemon or proves too cumbersome to get booted up. I am now veering away from OS dependant equipment, as I know a lot of software developers are steering clear of the new Windows Vista format, and also I would like to try my hand at Linux at some stage too.

I would like to hear what gear people here use to lay down music. Obviously, folks here are more in tune with guitars and therefore the problems of laying down actual audio tracks as opposed to taking/uploading samples and using synths etc. If anyone has experience with Linux and how it fairs in recording audio I'd like to hear from them too, as that is where I'm inclined to go to in my next PC. Any great user friendly software packages that people have stumbled onto, or hardware that meets expectations, would be nice to hear about too.

Thanx for reading the Thread..
Pete :rock-on:

 

[Nick Ellingworth]

My recording set up is very simple, I use a USB condenser mic and the really easy to use open source recording software Audacity, since I run Vista 64 it should work for anyone else apart from a few XP64 users as that has all sorts of weird incompatibility issues with loads of software. It's a very cheap system but it works well enough for my purposes so I don't really want to upgrade as that might make things difficult and I like my recording to be as simple as possible.

I'd say the main problems I have are keeping the noise produced by the big muff pi in my effects chain to a minimum, but that's to be expected really given that it doesn't really do subtlety and finding the sweetspot for amp volume. For the amp I tend to use my Fender Princeton 65DSP as doesn't hiss as much as my old WEM. On the odd occasions where I'm recording a keyboard line with my frankly rubbish old Roland electric piano (early digital one so it sounds like a casio keyboard) I will use the WEM as it's effectively a PA head and handles a larger frequency range than the Fender.

 

[tfcreative]

My stuff is fairly humble, but it's good for what I do: demo work and arrangement.

I run a digi Mbox2 into ProTools LE running on a G5 iMac. The only recent addition is a presonus eureka preamp, which is good for vocals but really kills for bass. I'm thinking about trying to master with it, but it's mono so I'd have to do separate passes for L and R.

 

[Superlizard]

Apologies if this has been covered before, I can't find a thread about this specifically. Mods: feel free to move this if it is in the wrong spot.

I am wondering what folks here use for home recording?

I favour using the PC (WindowsXP) but having a hell of atime trying to get the system working with me, rarther than me going through countless user manuals trying to get abeep out of it.

FWIW, I have :
Cubase SE
A Novation Speedio A/D box for sound interaction with PC (disabled the motherboard built in sound chip which was crap for audio recording purposes)
Windows XP
Ableton Live Novation (light or stripped down version) sequencer
various VST plug Ins
an Old Yamaha V50 synth
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre amp
Zoom GM 200 amp modelling box (which does get some sounds pretty good, surprisingly for a $50 bargain box special!)
2 x Behringer DIs (Ultra G GI 100)
Alesis Quadraverb


The problems I have is constantly trying to get the Cubase to be a software version of a mixer. It just doesn't happen that instantaneously for me,and I'm very aware that one Window OS major malfunction and I could lose the lot!

I also have troubles understanding the mystique of MIDI, so coming to grips with the Ableton software is also a struggle. It also doesn't help when you have ancient gear that doesn't conform with General Midi format (like the Yamaha synth!).

Obviously I'd like to gradually implement an upgrade of what I have. Money is tight (who doesn't have to watch their money!), and I do not want to buy something that turns out a lemon or proves too cumbersome to get booted up. I am now veering away from OS dependant equipment, as I know a lot of software developers are steering clear of the new Windows Vista format, and also I would like to try my hand at Linux at some stage too.

I would like to hear what gear people here use to lay down music. Obviously, folks here are more in tune with guitars and therefore the problems of laying down actual audio tracks as opposed to taking/uploading samples and using synths etc. If anyone has experience with Linux and how it fairs in recording audio I'd like to hear from them too, as that is where I'm inclined to go to in my next PC. Any great user friendly software packages that people have stumbled onto, or hardware that meets expectations, would be nice to hear about too.

Thanx for reading the Thread..
Pete :rock-on:

Try "Reaper":

http://www.reaper.fm/'
It's free (it'll nag ya from time to time), but it's simple and good... and it works with Vista.

 

[tfarny]

I have a fairly simple but effective setup:
Toneport UX2 USB I/O into a Vista laptop (it ran a lot better on my old laptop and XP)
Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio v4 (getting V7 for christmas)
Small and basic tube preamp for vocals / acoustic
Shure SM57, Beta 58a, AKG "perception 170" small diaphragm condenser mic
Stand, pop screen, etc.

Rig: Couple of small tube amps, a nice 1x12 cab, VOX valvetronix modeling thing, boss multi-effects.

Currently I'm trying to get better fidelity / accuracy recording acoustic guitar - wondering if a soundhole pickup in combination with a mic will get me closer to where I want to be. The other issue I have is that my apartment faces the street and there is constantly some kind of noise - right now there's a huge bus backing up and 'beeping' right under my window and cars behind it honking. I blame it on the liberal media.  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[line6man]

PreSonus Firepod.
My Sony Laptop (running Windows XP) which gets the job done.
I dont do any vocals or anything, but i have a really really beat up old SM58 lying around. It sounds remarkably clean actually.
Mackie VLZ Pro 1604 Mixer
Event PS-6 monitors (i have 2 and a half pairs)
Sonar 6 PE. I used to be a cubase guy, until my friend got me hooked on Sonar.
Waves Diamond Bundle!

 

[line6man]

Hey, didnt i post a thread about home studios a while back?
You guys were all baffled by the concept of a home studio...
What gives?

 

[Superlizard]

Currently I'm trying to get better fidelity / accuracy recording acoustic guitar - wondering if a soundhole pickup in combination with a mic will get me closer to where I want to be.

Better fidelity whenst DAW recording basically = good mic/preamp, good mic technique, and a good clean A/D converter (one capable of 24bit, 192KHz for really good fidelity) with a high signal-to-noise ratio.

 

[GoDrex]

it seemed like you wanted pics of everyone's gear - and I think most people just use a PC and not much else... at least I do anyway. Not really much worth taking pictures of...

I say, if you're going to post about your recording stuff, then you've got to share some recordings. Otherwise what's the point of talking about recording stuff, without any recordings?  :laughing7:

 

[line6man]

I say, if you're going to post about your recording stuff, then you've got to share some recordings. Otherwise what's the point of talking about recording stuff, without any recordings?  :laughing7:

The problem is i have no talent (where is the "crying uncontrollably" emoticon?)

 

[GoDrex]

Someday I'd like to get a better sound card - so the analog to digital conversion is better. I had been using just a Soundblaster Live! soundcard - - and if you check out my Myspace or Soundclick page, you can hear that it's OK for doing demos - but it's definitely lacking. I use a Fender Cyber Deluxe - and it's got stereo outputs that have virtual speaker simulation crap or something - sounds pretty good. I had a cable made that has two 1/4 inch jacks and a stereo 1/8th inch jack on the other end. That goes from the amp to the soundcard.

I haven't done any completed recording in over a year, since my youngest son was born - it's just too difficult to get into a project. Too many interruptions and he also sleeps in my "man cave" since he's a screamer and can't sleep in the same room with his older brother yet. So i can't work at night. I used to because my setup allowed me to record at reasonable volumes (I plug a cable in the head phone output to kill the speaker on the amp). I had used Cool Edit Pro to track and mix everything. Now I have Adobe Audition which is pretty much the same, just fancier.

I just started trying to mic my Blackheart amp - I've gotten some OK results. I use powered mics so I don't need a pre-amp yet. Seems  to work a lot better for clean tones than for distorted, but I'm still experimenting here and there. http://www.wfzr.net/aud/bhlg-stratclip.mp3 - - that's the Blackheart and strat with some OD, going through some pickup settings. I added a little slap back in Audition. It's not too bad of a sound I think. It's tough to get any bass through these mics - everything sounds thinner than in real life.

I'm still searching for a good program that can sequence drums and bass guitar - since I don't have a drum set or a bass or a place for them. I used PCDrummer on all my recordings for drums and bass guitar. It's OK, but is a pain in the ass to work with and the bass guitar samples aren't that complete. It's tough to get complex with and I usually get really bored of working on the backing and then I get sick of doing the whole thing hehehe.  :laughing7:

 

[Superlizard]

I'm still searching for a good program that can sequence drums and bass guitar - since I don't have a drum set or a bass or a place for them. I used PCDrummer on all my recordings for drums and bass guitar. It's OK, but is a pain in the ass to work with and the bass guitar samples aren't that complete. It's tough to get complex with and I usually get really bored of working on the backing and then I get sick of doing the whole thing hehehe.  :laughing7:

I hear you there LOL

So what I did was "learn" to play drums real-time on a MIDI keyboard (piano).  I use BFD for the drum sounds and map the keys on the keyboard for my own custom "drumkit".  Then I practiced...  I can now play bass drum, snare, toms, hihat, etc together in real time (albeit nothing extremely fancy a la Neal Peart for example)

If'n you've got a basic sense of rhythm, it can be done.  Even if you can't do all the fills,etc in one pass, you can get down what you need, and add later.  All you need is a MIDI keyboard controller (piano) and either a drum program or some good samples of drums which you can map to keys.  Then instead of programming your backings, you're actually playing them... which is far more fun... plus you get the human element.  I suppose if one wanted to get fancy they could pick up one of those finger pad drum things.

BTW, for bass guitar I use the same convention - good bass guitar samples thru the MIDI keyboard.  And keyboards and synths... well that's a no-brainer of course with a MIDI keyboard.

addendum:  you can do the drums this way and record via MIDI notation (which you can adjust later of course), or a wave file.

 

[adamj]

Digi002 into Pro Tools LE for win XP
Line 6 TonePort UX2
Midi Keyboard
Yamaha HS50 monitors
Microphones: MXL 990, two MXL 603s, two MXL 4000s, Shure beta 57a, AKG vocal mic (forget number), a basic mic kit for a drum kit (4 mics total)
bunch of random mic stands

as for software. I stick to Pro Tools for mostly everything (with the exception to MIDI.. use Reason for that). Sometimes I use Adobe Audition as well.

lookin to save up and buy a very very veddy sweeet dual channel mic preamp. I've got my eye on the universal audio 2-610

http://www.myspace.com/adamppeacock for music that my recording setup has produced!

 

[Rick]

I'm extremely lo-fi
This list is just the equipment specifically for recording, and it doesn't include such things as my BBE sonic maximizer which enhance the sound.

Either direct, or with a PG58 Shure mic, into an alesis mixer, into a tascam 4 track. 

then give my casette to a friend who burns it onto a cd.

It's simple and I don't drive myself nuts. :headbang1:

 

[taez555]

- Mac G4 running MOTU Digital Performer 3.1
- MOTU 2408 mkII
- Focusrite ISA 110 preamp
- Neauman TLM 103, Shure SM57 & Audio Technica 3525 mics
- Yamaha MSP10 Monitors
- Roland D20, Alesis QSR & Boss DR-770 synths and drum machines
- Peavey 5150 head
- Demeter SSC silent speaker cab with 80watt Eminence speaker
- A whole bunch of guitars, basses and pedals

oh... and I have a couple drum sample CD's.

It's an older set up, but it still gets the job done.  I'd upgrade to Protools if I could afford it.

erik

 

[dudesweet157]

Another super simple setup.  I use my Boss BR-600 to record, add effects, mix and master my recordings.  When I mix/master, I line out from the BR-600 to my PA set totally flat.  When I want to record drums I mic the set through the mixer, set EQ and mix, then use the recording out to the BR-600, otherwise, I just use the two tracks on the actual box.  For mics, I use the onboard condensers for vocals, '58's for most everything else, and I borrow a few condensers from school for overheads.  Fancy it ain't, but it works for the modest recordings that I do.

 

[GoDrex]

http://www.myspace.com/adamppeacock for music that my recording setup has produced!

sounds good! :icon_thumright:

 

[runner]

I use Guitar Rig 3 on a MacBook Pro... the laptop was work issued so if I get laid off my job I can't play the guitar anymore!!!!  :sad1: :sad1:

Guitar Rig came with a RigKontrol pedal which is basically a USB sound card and an effects pedal.

1) I plug my guitar into the RigKontrol pedal and that plugs into the MacBook's USB port.
 
2) I take the stereo output from the RigKontrol and run that into a cheap plastic Yamaha mixer.   

3) I take the built in Macbook sound card output and plug it into the Yamaha mixer.  I play backing tracks through iTunes or through the "Amazing Slow Downer" software.

4) I take the "headphones out" on the mixer and plug it back into the built-in Macbook soundcard.

5) I take the normal output from the mixer and plug that into a set of (good quality) full range powered computer speakers.

6) I use the free software Audacity to capture the sound card input and save it to an mp3 file.

It's pretty kludged but it works.   I have a Blackheart Killer Ant 1 Watt tube amp head but no cabinet.  If I loose my job and have to give the laptop back I'll have to go buy a cab.  I want to get a 2x12 cab with Celeston Vintage  speakers

 

[OzziePete]

Thanx to everyone for responding.....given me some things to look at, and more to think about. Appreciate the info.

Have 'found' that I have also got Reason v1.

Had this software years ago, but stumbled when I found out it needed something to trigger it's sounds.

Recently a workmate gave me a Creative Prodikeys DM, which is your usual computer keyboard, with a small piano keyboard underneath the palm rest. He gave it to me as he tried to learn playing music on it but gave up.

When I got the keyboard home and loaded, I understood why a  beginner would give up. Proprietary software that is orphan to a lot fo the other features you'd want on a MIDI keyboard (eg. I can't figure out a way to use the Creative sounds and load them onto Cubase, without having to record a whole track with a lame 'mood' rhythm track!) Also the keyboards has only 37 keys and to get lower or higher octaves you have to press a button. Not good if you want to learn how to play a full sized piano.

I tried getting the Prodikeys to work, but didn't quite get it going.

Then I remembered that I had the Reason software to load.

Put the Reason into the PC and went to the Reason's audio section and luckily it recognised the Creative MIDI keyboard.

So now I can use the Reason Software synth, which has some really luscious sounds to play around with.

Is there some way this software synth can just be another instrument on a mixer within Cubase?

As the Reason software I have is only v1, a lot of later enhancements aren't in the package- it's only a basic Reason I guess. Still darn good sounds though - sounds 100% better than those cheesy Creative settings, believe me.

 

[tfcreative]

I use the ReDrum sequencer in Reason for drums all the time. I'm not familiar with v1, so I don't know if it's in there, but with the automation scripts to change in between different loops, you can make pretty convincing drum tracks.