Anyone into home recording?

[OldManC]

Over the years I've had ideas and desires but never taken the plunge into a home studio (other than a cassette 4 track years ago that I used for songwriting but never liked much). One thing I don't know if I've ever mentioned here is that I was a singer long before I was a bass player. As a kid singing time was the only time I ever behaved at Sunday School and pretty much in regular school as well (I did my first solo in the Mother's Day program at 4 and was hooked after all the attention it garnered me  ). Well, this year they roped me into singing in the Christmas program at church (hadn't done it in a few years) and all the comments afterward sparked a desire to do some recording to give friends next Christmas. I figure that gives me 11 months to figure it out and get something recorded, and a huge side benefit is that I'll be able to record with old friends and bandmates as well.

So in the past few weeks (after selling excess gear to pay for it) I've bought a used Digidesign 002 fire wire interface and Pro Tools 8LE. I also have a 24 track Soundtracs Topaz board that I've held onto for years just for this occasion. I'd already built a Mac computer for my color correcting project and have a few mics and assorted outboard gear that I also picked up along the way, so once everything gets here I won't have any excuses left. In fact, posting this is another way to push myself into action as I figure at least one of you will bug me along the way to see how I'm coming along.  

I'd love to hear about any of your experiences and advice in DIY/home recording, and wish me luck!

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

I found I need a lotta help with ProTools!

[Basvarken]

George, if you already have a Mac why not use Garageband? It works just as intuitive as any other Apple software application.
Plus it's cheap...

[Barklessdog]

I have been recording for a long time, from cassette, 1/4 tape to Garage Band now.

I go direct through a USB interface, use headphones, by a good pair. Garage Band is so easy to use, but is a space & memory hog. You also can't vary tempos in a song (loop wise).

If your going to be singing or doing vocals invest in a good mic.

[Highlander]

My daughter used Garageband on the MAC's at school - I have toyed with home recordings (added keys/bgv's to some old stuff)  with a lite version of Cakewalk - did enough for me...

[hieronymous]

I've been using ProTools with a Mac since 2002 - I love it! For a long time my version was old and I never updated so I had to run it in OS 9! But I finally bought a new mBox Pro and can run it in OS X.

I could never have set it up without the help of a friend who also used ProTools. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. There is some really neat stuff you can do like writing in fades, panning, etc. Also, I finally figured out how to send individual tracks into outboard gear and back in so that I can add outboard effects after the fact.

Good luck, it should be a lot of fun!

[gearHed289]

My biggest problem these days is finding TIME to tackle and COMPLETE projects. I used Cubase for 10 years, and just made the leap to a Digi 003 control surface and PT 8LE with a 24'' iMac. Killer stuff, lots of awesome plug-ins - effects and instruments - and massive editing capabilities. It's been kind of a bitch switching formats, both the Cubase to PT, AND PC to Mac, but it's coming along. A nice large diaphragm condenser mic, a Radial J48 DI and mic'd SVT for bass, POD for guitar, and my synths..... Now if I could just become independently wealthy and get rid of this day job nonsense.....

Good luck George! You won't regret going Pro Tools.

[OldManC]

Thanks for the advice and offers of help. I may take you up on it!

Rob, I have Garageband and have used it for song ideas and such, but I decided I needed a little more control in the midi area. I don't play keyboards, so for things that will use them I'll be inputting them as notation (and tweaking for dynamics after the fact). Just my luck, the first tune I tried doing that way had timing and notation that Garageband just couldn't handle, so that started me looking for something that could. Pro Tools hasn't been known for comprehensive midi functions previously, but they seem to have come a long way and I think will be able to do what I need.

One may ask why I don't just grab a pianist somewhere, which will still be an option, but I want to be as self contained as I can be in the initial stages. The only thing I'll need someone else for is complicated guitar parts, and that's one area I won't have trouble finding help with among my guitard friends.

[Sven]

I use ProTools LE all the time, with a Digidesign M-Box. With my (mostly) acoustic song-trio we've already  recorded two and a half album in my home-studio. The 'studio' is just the room where my computer is, no other facilities. The biggest problem is the sound level, because I have neighbours... We never use midi, it's all done with mics. We made some recordings we're proud of, and a lot of recordings we're ... well... But because they're all done with the same (pro-)tools it has to be our lack of skills that makes them not too good.

[lowend1]

One may ask why I don't just grab a pianist somewhere

Just keep saying this real fast...

[chromium]

Outside of just learning how to use the software (which I'm still doing!), the things I've struggled with the most are mixing and mastering.  I've recorded a bunch of stuff that when played back to back all sounds completely different in terms of levels and mix, and sounds inconsistent when I play it on different stereos.  

One book I picked up called Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science speaks to a lot of this, and gives some great suggestions for ear training, leveling (and how to use the various meters), equalization, manipulating dynamic range (right and wrong ways to use compression, etc...), and lotsa other good tid-bits.  Its written very well, and really explains a lot of the basics in clear terms.  Excellent book, and highly recommended!

I also benefited from these white-papers that speak to some of those concepts - good reads as well:

Mixdowns for Beginners
Guide to Mastering for Beginners
Leveling, meters, and many other topics along the way...


As far as software and computer stuff goes, two things that I've picked up that I find helpful are:

Spectrasonics Stylus RMX - this is a plug-in of sorts that has umpteen-zillion pre-fab drum loops.  A lot of the base package is geared towards electronic music, but there's add on discs for real sampled drum loops (I think its Gregg Bissonette playing, IIRC).  This is really nice to use when developing out an idea, as you don't have to sit there and toil over drum programming.  I usually start with this, and then go back after and revisit the drum tracks - or sometimes bounce them thru outboard gear for processing, like Harry was describing.  One tip- if you buy the base package, they send you a deal at the end of the year where you can buy all five add on discs for $99 (at least they did for me the past two years).  Usually those are $99/ea.  Of course- a real drummer is always best, but this drinks less beer  

Universal Audio UAD-1 - This card gives you a dedicated processor for plugin effects.  I got the UAD-1e Express Pak when they were blowing it out for $99 (after the release of its successor), and it comes with really nice EQ, comp/limiter, reverb, a guitar processor type deal.  I've never had a prob with processing power using the plugins I have in Cubase, but these UA plugins just sound soooo much better to me.  Its worth it just to have them.  You can still find the cards cheap on Ebay.  Just note that UAD-1 requies a PCI slot, and UAD-1e requires a PCIe slot in your 'puter.


All I need now is time to use the stuff  

Good luck, and post some tunes!

[OldManC]

Just keep saying this real fast...

Joe, thanks for these great resources. Every bit will help!

[Highlander]

oops, I meant Cubase - hasn't been loaded up since 2001...