EdwardHimself Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 [quote name='cd_david' post='732041' date='Feb 1 2010, 06:41 PM']Old home studio New House first studio Analogue Heavy Current Home Studio [/quote] too many basses, not enough strings oj very nice setup, i'm jeallous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 This thread has made me get off my butt and do something about my desk. For ages (and I mean ages), I've been saying that I'll build a small shelf and put my keyboard underneath it. I can then try and learn how to use MIDI between the keyboard and Cubase. Well now I've actually done something about it. Before and after shots. Some might think that Studio Porn is a bit sad, but it's really helped me. Thanks Guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I've been thinking of putting a recording set-up together for a while now, but I'm still trying to get my head around some particular things and this seems like a good place to ask. I dabbled with multi-track sound recording while at school about 30 years ago, so I think I have some idea, but that was using an Akai reel-to-reel tape deck with a 'sound-on-sound' facility that allowed songs to be built up by bouncing from track to track, albeit at the cost of ever-increasing background noise. Clearly, things are all digital these days and I'm assuming using a PC with appropriate software and suitable soundcard but I'm confused about an external mixer/control surface (I think that's the term). Basically, I'd like to be able to record multiple instruments simultaneously and to use a physically separate 'mixer' to mainly set the recording level for each individual input without much regard for the overall balance of the instruments. Then, having recorded all the instruments using a combination of multiple simultaneous recordings and subsequent layering I'd then like to be able to play everything back and use the 'mixer' to control each track when mixing down to a stereo recording. Q1 - Am I making any sense or have I completely got the wrong end of the home studio stick? Q2 - Can I buy a single device (control surface?) to perform the record and playback and mix-down functions or are these things mutually exclusive Q3 - Would the DAW software 'remember' the mixer control movements when mixing, so it can be 'replayed' and modified? Q4 - Any recommendations for learning more about this stuff, a sort of 'Home Recording for Dummies'? (I hope that doesn't actually exist!). I've tried reading Sound-on-Sound magazine but it seems to assume a higher level of existing knowledge than I currently have. Many thanks for any pointers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 flyfisher - what you're describing is available, it's also VERY expensive.... you're looking at either a digital mixer or what is basically a midi/sound card type thing. Basically you can get cheapish control surfaces for mixing, and you can get cheapish interfaces for inputting audio, but the two combined tend to be pretty expensive, we're talking upwards of a grand for the most basic. You could get a decent USB audio interface for about £100-£200 depending how good you want it to be, most have two mic/line inputs and one instrument or DI input with gain controls on each channel and a stereo return for monitoring, some more expensive ones have more channels, 4, 6 etc. You can't mix on them, but i use one and mix in the box (on software). You can also get separate USB devices which allow you to control certain things inside the software, EG levels, pan, mute, solo etc etc and many other things, a lot of the controls are assignable to different things too, so you can set them up how you want, but it can be complicated. Behringer do a cheap one, but i wouldn't advise anything by behringer. Korg to a very basic micro one for about £50 which might be what you're after. Q1 - nope anything is possible almost Q2 - explained above, you can have both but it can be expensive. Have a look at the alesis multimix mixing consoles, they are analogue mixers with a USB out. Now i know they're compatible with cubase and the like, but i'm not entirely sure how many channels you get out of the desk, whether it splits all of the channels into separate signals or whether you just get 2 (stereo), and i don't know what the return is like either (stereo or 8/16 separate channels). It may be worth going into a specialist shop or the sound on sound forum and asking, as they seem to have some potential for what you want. Q3 - yes indeedy, it's called automation, one of the more marvellous things of modern technology, not having to mix on the fly! Q4 - maybe try and find an evening course or something, the basics can be learned very quickly and can be extremely helpful. I'm sure there are a lot of books out there on the subject, though i couldn't reccommend any in particular. the "X for dummies" series seems to cover about everything else, i'd assume it would have one on home recording Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Some good pointers there - thanks. I'm not bothered about having more than one unit, especially if a combined unit is very costly. I wasn't planning on spending into the thousands, more like 'some' hundreds, excluding the PC. Good idea about the SOS forums - I'll nip over and have a read. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Yeah, that's what i'd reccommend, though the more expensive the gear, the harder it's going to be for you to learn to use it, generally. Kit is getting a lot cheaper though, as all technology does. There are some knowledgable people on SOS, moreso than me. You might want to try gearslutz.com as well, it's a music tech forum more similar to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshorepunk Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 @ flyfisher I've tried many sound cards with various input options, ended up with a control surface combined with an audio interface, the Digi 002, running pro tools LE8. I much prefer this set up, plug it in and off ya go, works outside of pro tools in standalone mode too I was a cubase user, and have nothing bad to say about it, but when it came to using a control surface with software, pro tools seemed to have the edge. Pro tools LE systems are built to work with hard ware so they do the job well (not suggesting other DAW software doesn't though) You can pick a used Digi 002 up for between £400 and £500 as the current model is the 003 Tony Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee4 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Click on the link for Cobham Sound on my signature.It belongs a guitar playing mate whos in the same band as me.The studio is in his garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 My Setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='steve-soar' post='754287' date='Feb 22 2010, 07:49 PM']Nice. [/quote] The even nicer bit is that the monitors are brand new & were free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='jake_tenfloors' post='754289' date='Feb 22 2010, 07:51 PM']The even nicer bit is that the monitors are brand new & were free [/quote] Awesome! I really like those little wharfedales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='MythSte' post='754295' date='Feb 22 2010, 08:01 PM']Awesome! I really like those little wharfedales.[/quote] Yeh, really can't knock them for the RRP. Love my uncle sooo much sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='703456' date='Jan 6 2010, 09:00 PM']Well if you HAVE to know, i shoved some acrylic sheeting on the panes to hopefully soundproof it a little bit. Unforturnately the curtains don't stay on very well with gorilla tape only.[/quote] For decent soundproofing build a infill panel using plasterboard bothsides (SoundBloc if you can) on a timber batten framework with Rockwool acoustic slab insulation in between. Put some foam pipe insulation around the perimeter to elimiate any gaps. It's removable if the window isn't too big, just add some handles onto the face. Acrylic sheet won't do much - it's density and absorbant qualities you want. Also, for the record egg boxes only cut down on reverberation and do not soundproof. Your window looks like a dormer, so could be fun. (I work in architecture I must confess). I've had to soundproof a large single glazed window and a door to a lean-to room in our house as our son has started drumming!! He still has to use dampening pads, especially when the rest of the band come around. The calls from the neighbours have stopped now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanx Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Panorama Fail: Guitarist: PORN!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 [quote name='mep' post='754528' date='Feb 22 2010, 11:20 PM']For decent soundproofing build a infill panel using plasterboard bothsides (SoundBloc if you can) on a timber batten framework with Rockwool acoustic slab insulation in between. Put some foam pipe insulation around the perimeter to elimiate any gaps. It's removable if the window isn't too big, just add some handles onto the face. Acrylic sheet won't do much - it's density and absorbant qualities you want. Also, for the record egg boxes only cut down on reverberation and do not soundproof. Your window looks like a dormer, so could be fun. (I work in architecture I must confess). I've had to soundproof a large single glazed window and a door to a lean-to room in our house as our son has started drumming!! He still has to use dampening pads, especially when the rest of the band come around. The calls from the neighbours have stopped now.[/quote] nice. Unforturnately you have made one erronious assumption, that is the assumption that i have loads of money. Y'know if i did have loadsamoney then i'd have done a much better job of it but as it is i didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='754805' date='Feb 23 2010, 11:02 AM']nice. Unforturnately you have made one erronious assumption, that is the assumption that i have loads of money. Y'know if i did have loadsamoney then i'd have done a much better job of it but as it is i didn't.[/quote] I don't blame you for spending your cash on what really matters - your equipment. Anything else is a bonus. Presumably your neighbours are either deaf, like your music or can't hear you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 [quote name='mep' post='754984' date='Feb 23 2010, 01:29 PM']I don't blame you for spending your cash on what really matters - your equipment. Anything else is a bonus. Presumably your neighbours are either deaf, like your music or can't hear you.[/quote] Well there was some old gyser who made a bit of a fuss but now i'm not in a band and since i did the windows i think he's shut up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 [quote name='7string' post='748885' date='Feb 17 2010, 08:19 PM'] Some might think that Studio Porn is a bit sad, but it's really helped me. Thanks Guys. [/quote] Agree this thread is a real help -- What is that you are standing/angling your Pod on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 It's the Line 6 Pod Mount. I bought it for £16 or so on eBay. It's powdercoated metal and comes with 4 little rubber feet which fit it to the Pod itself. The mount itself can be screwed down or put through the handle of an amp. Well worth the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic_Groove Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 [quote name='7string' post='755487' date='Feb 23 2010, 09:03 PM']It's the Line 6 Pod Mount. I bought it for £16 or so on eBay. It's powdercoated metal and comes with 4 little rubber feet which fit it to the Pod itself. The mount itself can be screwed down or put through the handle of an amp. Well worth the price.[/quote] Thanks I will get me a couple of them Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Nothing too exciting but works well for home recordings: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 Are those pod X3 pros any good? They seemed like a bit of a rip off to me but i suppose if you think they're good then that's the important thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='759159' date='Feb 27 2010, 02:58 PM']Are those pod X3 pros any good? They seemed like a bit of a rip off to me but i suppose if you think they're good then that's the important thing.[/quote] They are great for home studio work. Good mic strip simulations and great for guitar. Getting a decent mic pre would cost a lot more than the X3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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