Ahh.....The home studio bottomless pit

Matt Farrow · Post by **Matt Farrow** » 3 Dec 2000 12:00 pm

Here's a good little idea I stole from Donald Fagen - program your drum machine to only play the kick drum - that way it will be nice and steady. Then set up 1 or 2 mics on your hi-hat and snare and just play along, it takes a lot less coordination than trying to lay down a whole drum track by yourself. Plus it's easier to get a good sound with just the 1 drum and cymbals. A good overhead mic should be all you need, maybe with some SM57 on the snare blended in.

Of course what I do most of the time I'm doing demos for my band is go thru our old practice tapes and loop the drums off that. That way it never sounds like me playing with a drum machine, more like what our band REALLY sounds like. The first time I played one of these demos for my band, they wondered when they had ever played this new song before, because it sounded like us playing it!

My $.02

Matt Farrow

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 3 Dec 2000 4:44 pm

John: I got the $99 dollar deal because I already had an earlier version of BIAB. That was an $88 dollar version and I eventually found myself wishing I had the whole ball of wax, so I jumped at this offer.

If you plan to use the computer a great deal for songs there is no question in my mind. Version 10 Megapack is the way to go. If not, go with the regular version and upgrade later.
Ken

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 4 Dec 2000 5:55 am

John Macy....when you get finished with that mackie unit, send it down my way.

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas
Carter D10/Evans

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 6 Dec 2000 4:09 pm

Steve,

I took it back today--it's their demo and not for sale.

Next week we are syncing up a Radar 24, Mackie HDR24 and the Tascam for a convertor shootout. Will keep you posted.

I'm thinking seriously about the Mackie, but still leaning toward the Radar as it has been around for a while and bug free (but twice the price!).

ToneJunkie · Post by **ToneJunkie** » 6 Dec 2000 10:30 pm

You bought a bunch recording gear? For a studio in your home? That's crazy!

This is the ultimate affliction, you know? I vote for live drums if possible. Otherwise, record manual triggering of MIDI percussion to a sequencer and embelish with real cymbals and hi-hat.

Cheers, Robert

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Robert Hicks - Fessenden S12U

Home Page: http://www.members.home.net/tonejunkie
Email: rhhicks@home.com

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 7 Dec 2000 6:06 am

Robert,
I enjoyed the virtual tour of your home studio. I have something similar. I have not spent as much effort on accoustic treatment as you however.
What about the rest of you guys? What recording setup do you have?

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas
Carter D10/Evans

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 7 Dec 2000 7:00 am

I have a CD out and it was recorded live on to a minne disk then we down loaded to the computer to burn to CD, only thing is you can do to much with it, our sound man mix it as he recorded it.the sound is pretty good for the way we did it..

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http://www.driveway.com/bin/share.jsp?sid=801d5dd6.4caf6

http://communities.msn.com/MySteelGuitarPage/homepage
Sierra S-12 9&7

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 7 Dec 2000 9:32 am

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on home recording. I am still on the fence on which way to go. I am definitely going to a hard disk system (DAW). I'm down to the Roland VS 1880 system, or ProTools Digi 001 system. About the same price with all periferals considered to mix/master/burn CD's.
I plan on recording drums live. My son is a great drummer coming into his own. I want to record him on his projects and bands, and I want to use him on my tracks also. To me, live drums is the only way to go IMO.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 7 Dec 2000 10:47 am

I went the computer route with the project studio over the stand alone DAW. The big difference is that you need to buy decent pre-amps/imput channel strips with a computer based system.

I use the MOTU 2408 with Digital Performer. The big advantage for me with this gear is that it uses sound designer II files. This is the same sound files as Pro Tools. Most big studios use a sound designer II based system therefore I can get recording work and do my parts at home. I get extra money that way from bands that otherwise could not afford to pay my fee and studio time.

Configuring a computer studio system can be a real headache though.

Bob

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Franklin D-10
[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 07 December 2000 at 02:30 PM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 7 Dec 2000 1:13 pm

Mine is just like ToneJunkie's but messier

No, actually it's a bedroom with a PC based DAW running Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 as the primary recording package. Frankenstein Pentium 266 just squeaking by on the low end of Cakewalk's System Requirements. I also am running a Mac PPC w/G3card with the infamous "free" copy (the 16bit version they released to public when transitioning to 24bit Digi hardware) of ProTools in native (cobbled to use the mac audio I/O hardware) mode and I tend to use it for "mastering" after tracking in Cakewalk.
Useful adjuct software: SoundForge XP and CoolEdit (old shareware version), BIAB, ACID Music 2.0..
Useful Hardware: Line6 POD for tracking while the fambly is sleeping.
Monitoring thru an old borrowed Fostex board and cheep a$$ R-shack speakers or headphones.

Couple of cheep mics.

And my "obsolescence is my friend" MIDI rig-
more details here: http://www.voicenet.com/~vanallen/dvamid.html

Room acoustic treatments courtesy of scattered (generally clean) laundry, and stacks of magazines and CD's breaking up the early reflections and standing waves...

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"I AM ZUMBODY!"

Zumsteel U12 "Loafer" 8&6 :: Fender T-8 Stringmaster :: Fender Tube Amplification
MooseMuseMusicSite :: vanallen@voicenet.com

Jeff Coffell · Post by **Jeff Coffell** » 10 Dec 2000 12:43 pm

Steve

I cn bring you a Frog. Hey old friend, hurry and get this thing going. I want to come play with your new toys.

Jeff