Home studio project

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Member Since: Nov 09, 2010

Hey, first time poster, long time reader.

I've recently begun setting up/building a home studio to play with. I've been playing and recording in professional studios for a long time but I wanted to have something of my own so I could learn at my own pace and do demos when I wanted.

I'm trying to figure out the next step, I've purchased a small amount of equipment, but I want to know where I should focus for what I want to do.

I would like to be able to record whatever I liked, as well as be able to do drums or extra instrumentation on the computer. (I'm assuming with a Midi keyboard and reason, or something like that, but that is one of my main questions)

Here's what I have so far, and if I could get any critics or ideas I'd really appreciate it.

Dell XPS Intel I7
Nuendo 4
Mercury Bundle (Not pirated)
Tascam US1641
KRK Rokit 5 (2)
Shure Beta 52
Shure 57 (4)
Apex 435
Apex 180 (2)

Again, I'm completely in the learning stage. I've done live sound alot before, so mixing isn't too bad. I'm interested in being able to do instrumentation on the computer in recordable quailty.

Thanks.



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Member
Since: Sep 14, 2010


Nov 09, 2010 04:22 pm

thats a really great start.

Now you might wanna take into account the types of rooms you use in your recording.

Right now you get 24 sheets of hi freq treatment at musicians friend for 70$. pretty good deal so you could treat your room.

You might wanna add a large diaphram condensor to your microphone collection.

The beta 52, 4 sm57's would be great for drums. Do you have enough inputs. Maybe you wanna invest in a 8 i/o interface?


Member
Since: Nov 09, 2010


Nov 09, 2010 04:59 pm

The Tascam 1641 is a 8xlr input with 6 addition balanced line in, so I could tecnically run 14mics at once.

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Nov 09, 2010 06:04 pm

Quote:
Right now you get 24 sheets of hi freq treatment at musicians friend for 70$. pretty good deal so you could treat your room.


But the last thing you want to do is treat a room improperly -- And working on the high end before the low end is under control is almost universally a shortcut to failure.

I don't "do" rooms often - But it happens occasionally. The first thing I do is rip all the foam down and throw it into a tire fire (assuming there's a tire fire nearby).

LOW end first - All the time, every time, absolutely positively no exceptions, period, end of story. Putting a solitary sheet of foam in a room that has low end problems (every single room in existence has low end issues) is like throwing a band-aid on a broken leg (really, putting one on the other leg) and actually thinking that it's helping somehow.

Quote:
You might wanna add a large diaphram condensor to your microphone collection.


He already has one.

Anyway, back to the O.P. The whole "not pirated" thing is wonderful if that's the case - But if that's the case, I'd have to seriously question your purchase priorities. I'd sell the Mercury license, dump around $2k into broadband trapping and another $2k into a monitoring chain. Everything else is secondary. Plugs mean nothing. Monitoring and the room they're in is everything.

Member
Since: Nov 09, 2010


Nov 10, 2010 10:57 am

Thanks very much for the input, appreciate it.

As far as purchasing priorities, I haven't spent more than 3g so far, nuendo and mercury (both licensed) were given to me by a friend who owns a studio and was not using them anymore, so it's not pirated, it was a nice gift?

Would you mind expanding on the broadband trapping and monitoring chain? Again I'm in the learning stage still. And do you have any insight as to best way to start so I can do instrumentation from a midi keyboard, like additional strings, percussion, anything.


Cheers.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Nov 10, 2010 10:59 am

No, that is still pirated, sorry...it's licensed to the purchaser.

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Nov 10, 2010 11:13 am

Nobody "gives" someone Nuendo and Waves Merc.

Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007


Nov 10, 2010 05:44 pm

Is Waves one of the companies that disallow transfer of licenses? I don't remember, and I'm not a Waves user. (Can't afford it, and I can get pretty good results with the stuff off of KVR) If they do allow it, you might look into getting the license transferred. Same for Nuendo.

If you cannot get those packages transferred, then I'd give em back to your friend and make sure you're legit. There are literally tons of plugs you can grab from KVR Audio many of which are free and good quality.

On broadband trapping, these are generally your bass traps (depending on how dense the material is) and acoustic panels you would place at strategic points int he room. There are companies that readily make the traps, or, depending on how handy you are with tools, you might construct your own.

Massive has a blog up with some details on setting up a basic room. Ethan Winer also has a fairly in-depth article on it as well as a chart for density vs. frequency absorption. I've also written a "start-up" kinda guide on the subject over at my site.

Every room is different, and every room will need different amounts of treatment. Definitely start with the 4 corners, some strategically placed panels, and go from there.

MM's Blog Article:
www.massivemastering.com/..._Room_Setup.php

Ethan Winer's FAQ:
www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

Both very good reads, the the one on my site is patterned after them. www.bytemixsound.net/info/homestudioguide

(which I need to go through and clean up typos and add some diagrams at some point)

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Nov 10, 2010 11:40 pm

They allow it. There's a charge, and of course, the necessary hardware (for both programs).

That said - Unless he was "given" ALL the software licensed to said hardware (and not *only* the $10,000 package he's using), he must have made those transfers already.

And as certain studies show anywhere between 90 and 95% of Waves "users" are using pirated software, I reserve a certain amount of skepticism.

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