need ADVICE

Posted on

Member Since: Jan 22, 2005

Hey everyone i want to set up my own home recording studio but dont know how big a mixer i need 16 24 or 36 track how would you know how many you gonna need. im gonna be recording bands. drums guitars bass and vocals as well as a second guitar. any advice would be well recived. i am thinking of getting a mackie mixer but just need to know how many tracks id need

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Member
Member
Since: Nov 28, 2004


Jan 22, 2005 10:43 pm

All I know is you should get a little more than you need for future projects might require more

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 22, 2005 11:03 pm

Welcome to HRC, Luelllin

First, I guess I need to ask how you plan to record, with a tape recording deck, hard disk recorder or computer-based.

Two guitars, bass and vocals (maybe two or three vocals for backing tracks) is pretty simple, but what size drum set are you recording? How do you plan to record it, with 4 mics? Maybe more...

How many tracks do you plan to record at any one time? What tracks will be recorded afterwords over the original recording?

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Jan 22, 2005 11:43 pm

Ya Lue, There a lot of ways to skin a cat. I've heard some excellent jazz and blues recordings done with two mics. Get a good controlled drummer and place two mics right, and then layer in the rest of the instruments. I have also used a full 24 channels on a big band. One speed metal band I am working with right now has a drummer that uses double kicks and six toms. His control is not that great so I am having to mic each drum seperately. He wants a real specific snare sound which requires two mics on the snare. All said I will have 13 mics on his kit.

You ask a good question. Hang out a while and read and ask. You'll get a feel for your needs.

Ultra Magnus
Member
Since: Nov 13, 2004


Jan 23, 2005 03:12 am

You'll need as many inputs in your mixer as you have inputs in your tape machine/whatever, plus as many again to hear it all back, then i'd add another half as many again for flexability. This'll stop you having to pull plugs all day long.

So if it's eight channels to tape you'll need eight for outs, eight for ins and four for misc. This is pretty much a minimum in my opinion.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 10:04 am

Im Gonna Be Recording Through My Pc I Have A Lot Of Equipment To Buy Still. Ill Probablt be Micing Up The Drums A Mic A Pice Coz I Have A Full 16 Pice Drum Mic Kit But Wont nesasarely be Using Them All. I Guess I Would Only Need As Many Tracks As The Most Amount Of Mic's Recorded But Would Like To Have Everything Attached All The Time Like Guitar Leads And Drums All In As Well As Vocal And Backup Mic All In So I Dont Have To Change The Plugs All The Time So For The Drums I Already Need About 20 Coz Im Gonna Have 4 Overheads And Then 1 Guitar Lead One Seperate For Bass And One For The Vocal Mic As Will Only Be Recording Studio And Not Live So Thats About 24 Tracks If Im Not Mistaken. Is That About Right. So I May As Well Buy A 32 Track Mixer In Case of A Biger Demand Like Precussion Or Something Like That.Another Thing Is With FX Pedals Like The Line 6 Would It Be Better To Get The Pod And Foot Switch Or The Rack Amo FX Pro One And Have A Footswitch in the Studion And Set The FX From outside?
Thanks For The Advice Guys I Realy Apreciate It

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 23, 2005 10:40 am

OK, well, recording on your PC then you are not dealing with a "track limit" perse', cuz most modern higher-end apps have unlimited tracks available.

A mic apiece doing drums on a 16 piece will be a mess if you are just starting, you will be dealing with so much bleeding and stuff it would be horrible, I suggest starting out with 6 mics or so spaced around the kit, one in the kick and see if you can get a good mix that way.

Your sound card will need one input for each "track" you want to record, so to do the whole band plus that kit you will need a couple of sound cards, like Delta 1010's or something of that nature. That can come with a pretty hefty price tag.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 10:52 am

i was thinking of having a mixing desk in to a sound card makes it easier to mannage i think

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 23, 2005 11:08 am

no, it won't, you still need one input into the PC for each track. If you have a mixing desk, take the main outs and run it into the sound card like that, it'll work, but all the mixers output will be recorded into a single stereo track, so once it's in there you will have no way to further mix or process each individual mic/instrument.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 11:09 am

what if i used a fire wire would that make a differance

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 23, 2005 11:11 am

No, thats just another route into the PC, doesn't matter if you use a PCI card, USB, USB2, Firewire or telepathy, you would still need to keep each individual input separate from until it enters the sound card to get them to record to different tracks.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 11:13 am

so what would the best option be other than filling my pc with sound cards.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 23, 2005 11:25 am

Downsizing your miking scheme for drums...considering what you apparant level of knowledge in the area of recording is, you'd be best serve sticking to the PC idea and downsizing your number of drum mics...16 is rediculas and will surely totally frustrate you.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 11:38 am

The Drums Wont Be Used As 16 Ill Only Be Usind What I Need I Have The 16 Mics Set In Case I Ever Need It. But Ill Look In To The PC Cards.
Thanx For The Advice

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jan 23, 2005 11:38 am

If you can get a decent drum recording with, say six mics, I'd try like this:

1- kick
2- snare/hat
3-5 around the kick over toms, under cymbals
6- overhead

...which you should be able to do.

You could have a single card such as the Delta 1010 and still have a couple inputs left for guitar, bass, whatever, presumably bass, as you can easily record that direct with good sound, then overdub guitars and vocals later...and do it all with one card.

Member
Since: Jan 22, 2005


Jan 23, 2005 11:43 am

cool ill try that out
thanx

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