Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
At 12/15/14 07:04 PM, adonnias wrote: Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
Just keep building it. Learn what youve got an expand. I started by messing about on a free DAW called Krystal (or something), Then I hooked an old casio (Which had a floppy disk drive on it..) to link up so i could record midi. Decent speakers you will definately want to invest in. As well as good headphones. You need to mix between both. KRK Rokits will be my next speakers.
Get a sub.
A nice soundcard is a plus, and a good investment in the long run. Used to have an M-audio, only cost me something like £90 and it hat phono inputs (Could get a nice recording out of my dj decks if I still had the soundcard), it had a midi cable port with very low latency on it, And everything I did on it sounded good.
I want to buy some hardware compressers, eq's, effect pedals and stuff to get a more analogue kind of sound.
Hope this helps
At 12/15/14 07:04 PM, adonnias wrote: Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
oooh, i heard flat panel monitors are essential, you should check that out (they are also very cheap).
you could buy modulators, they are always nice to have around, making new synths and what not.
and sometime in the future, you should go about trying out other daw's, there's not just one main daw that does everything, different programs, do different things.
meh, i don't have a studio.
unless you call ableton, a couple of other daw's, 2 keyboards and a couple of computers a studio.
i was actually looking for a desk that extended to a certain extent, i think that would be nice.
Do you have a budget for your studio?
At 12/15/14 08:29 PM, Chozz wrote:
Just keep building it. Learn what youve got an expand. I started by messing about on a free DAW called Krystal (or something), Then I hooked an old casio (Which had a floppy disk drive on it..) to link up so i could record midi. Decent speakers you will definately want to invest in. As well as good headphones. You need to mix between both. KRK Rokits will be my next speakers.
Get a sub.
A nice soundcard is a plus, and a good investment in the long run. Used to have an M-audio, only cost me something like £90 and it hat phono inputs (Could get a nice recording out of my dj decks if I still had the soundcard), it had a midi cable port with very low latency on it, And everything I did on it sounded good.
I want to buy some hardware compressers, eq's, effect pedals and stuff to get a more analogue kind of sound.
Hope this helps
Thanks that does help! I don't know some of the terms you have used like "phono inputs" and "get a sub" like from subway? :) I can get a nice sound card for my mac though.
At 12/15/14 08:44 PM, w00tw00 wrote:
oooh, i heard flat panel monitors are essential, you should check that out (they are also very cheap).
you could buy modulators, they are always nice to have around, making new synths and what not.
and sometime in the future, you should go about trying out other daw's, there's not just one main daw that does everything, different programs, do different things.
meh, i don't have a studio.
unless you call ableton, a couple of other daw's, 2 keyboards and a couple of computers a studio.
i was actually looking for a desk that extended to a certain extent, i think that would be nice.
Do you have a budget for your studio?
Ooooh a modulator sounds cool. But expensive. Maybe next year I can afford a budget of maybe i dunno $2000 or more. Whats a Daw? My studio is basically the same as you, kept I need to learn how to do ableton. Should I? Oh and I need to get a capacitor microphone or something.
Thanks that does help! I don't know some of the terms you have used like "phono inputs" and "get a sub" like from subway? :) I can get a nice sound card for my mac though.
Get a subwoofer. For the bass. Don't worry about phono :P Try some different music production software, loads of people on newgrounds use Fruity Loops.
At 12/15/14 08:54 PM, Chozz wrote: Get a subwoofer. For the bass. Don't worry about phono :P Try some different music production software, loads of people on newgrounds use Fruity Loops.
Check
you just need a computer, a daw and headphones/studio monitors to make brilliant music.
everything else like midi controllers, analog synths and what not aren't essential.
At 12/15/14 08:54 PM, Chozz wrote:Thanks that does help! I don't know some of the terms you have used like "phono inputs" and "get a sub" like from subway? :) I can get a nice sound card for my mac though.Get a subwoofer. For the bass. Don't worry about phono :P Try some different music production software, loads of people on newgrounds use Fruity Loops.
why do people say you should get a sub woofer?
just get good speakers that cover the bass frequencies well.
At 12/15/14 09:17 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote: you just need a computer, a daw and headphones/studio monitors to make brilliant music.
everything else like midi controllers, analog synths and what not aren't essential.
How much is a daw?
At 12/15/14 09:26 PM, adonnias wrote:At 12/15/14 09:17 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote: you just need a computer, a daw and headphones/studio monitors to make brilliant music.How much is a daw?
everything else like midi controllers, analog synths and what not aren't essential.
You have got one. But the new cubase is something like £400 or something. This is an expensive hobby my friend.
As someone said earlier, controllers and modulators and stuff are not essential, but definately worth playing around with if you ever get the chance.
A decent mic is a bonus if you can sing, know anyone who can sing (To sample them) or record guitar or something
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
200 usd.
go get em, champ
At 12/15/14 09:26 PM, adonnias wrote:At 12/15/14 09:17 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote: you just need a computer, a daw and headphones/studio monitors to make brilliant music.How much is a daw?
everything else like midi controllers, analog synths and what not aren't essential.
ok here let me give you some linkys and explain some stuff okay.
DAW means Digital Audio Workstation.
In a nutshell these are basically programs where you can produce in etc.
now heres the linkys.
Ableton $449 if you're a student, $599 if your not.
Btw these are the full versions, obviously there are other options that cost less.
FL Studio $299
Logic Pro $200 (get it if you got osx)
Bitwig $269 if you're student, $299 if you're not.
Nuendo 6.5 $1,700
Those were some of the many DAW's out there.
Okay, now for modulators/hardware/etc
Moog They produce synthesizers, and pedals, just pretty cool (I'm auctually going to purchase a pedal soon).
Doepfer They produce so good stuff for a good price.
Pittsburgh Again, great stuff for a great price.
Monome Recently, they have been producing some really minimal and simplistic styled modulars. Definitely on my wish list.
I know I can add more, but drop a PM or something if you have any questions alright man!
What do I have to posses to qualify as a studio?
I did print my wallpaper and slaped it on my door window.
Hello thar ;)
At 12/15/14 09:20 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote:
why do people say you should get a sub woofer?
just get good speakers that cover the bass frequencies well.
It still won't compare to having a sub....................... You need to feel it man.
Alternatively you could wear it.
At 12/16/14 08:10 AM, Chozz wrote:At 12/15/14 09:20 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote:why do people say you should get a sub woofer?It still won't compare to having a sub....................... You need to feel it man.
just get good speakers that cover the bass frequencies well.
Alternatively you could wear it.
I would like to produce on my speakers but I live in an apartment complex and am afraid of the sound being too loud cause I'm producing dance music and the like. Are you saying its just as good to wear headphones?
Plus whats the best way to soundproof a room?
At 12/15/14 10:16 PM, w00tw00 wrote:
I know I can add more, but drop a PM or something if you have any questions alright man!
Thanks man! You really cleared everything up for me. So nice and organized too love it. I will PM you if I have any more questions dude!
At 12/15/14 07:04 PM, adonnias wrote: Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
With what you have so far, what it seems like you'll need most is a microphone or two. I recommend the Blue Snowball as a really good starting mic, or the Samson CO1U. I have both and while they are powered via USB you can get some great tones out of them. It just depends on what you plan on recording.
If you have good headphones, I know some producers who can get away with mixing and mastering based on their headphones alone (although you should do a thorough check on your mix if you are getting serious and see how it sounds through various output devices.)
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
I've worked with professional studios before. Rates can go as low as $30 an hour for a beginner producer to $200 an hour for certain more established producers. The studio I tend to play at charges $250 per song (not including the musicians hired to play on the track) and that 250 covers mixing and mastering as well. The guy I work with really isn't in it for the money which is cool, if you can find someone with a rate like that it's probably something to look into.
This studio also does "live" recordings, (for jazz and such) at a cheaper price which is $150 a song, which likewise includes the mixing and mastering.
I have played with some great studio musicians who charge up to $1,000 just to play on a track, not including royalties after the matter. As far as tips go, I would advise getting your music into a live setting and starting to Network with people as you proceed in your musical journey.
Also you mentioned going in with a team, it is certainly good to collaborate and split the studio bill between a few people. In my case, my band has 3-4 members, so if we were to record at the studio I mentioned before and finished a full track, it would only be around 50 bucks per person which isn't bad at all.
Working with a team is great, and I recommend it. You'll have a lot more fun working on tracks with some close friends than you would going at it solo. Just look into some of the studios in your state/country and compare rates and shop around. It definitely would vary state by state in the USA.
Here is the downside to certain "super producers" who charge an arm and a leg to record with them...
While I'm not naming any names, the trend seems to go as such... You want to record with this producer because they have a big name, everything they do seems to be a hit. But something strange happens when you start, since it seems they have every last bit of the process down to a science. Why? Because they just want to clone their sound, over and over and over again because it's easy for them.
Don't fall into that trap. I'd say find a newer, enthusiastic producer so you can learn from each other. You (should) want your sound to be your own, not what the producer wants. In my experience this is how many of the heavy hitters in the industry seem to work although it isn't always like this. Just look into what they have to offer, what genres they specialize in etc and see what works for you.
*My point is that they can guide you to an extent, but don't let their experience intimidate you from explaining to them what sound YOU want to have. Sure they can give some great input, but look for variety in the producers you want to work with.*
Phew that was more text than I expected to write but I hope some of my input has helped. I've been a studio musician on and off for quite a few years now so I know how it goes, just working on making my own now too. Give it your all mate!
At 12/16/14 08:10 AM, Chozz wrote:At 12/15/14 09:20 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote:why do people say you should get a sub woofer?It still won't compare to having a sub....................... You need to feel it man.
just get good speakers that cover the bass frequencies well.
Alternatively you could wear it.
there are studio monitors that can produce frequencies low enough for you to feel them.
At 12/15/14 09:20 PM, TheAudioGuy wrote: why do people say you should get a sub woofer?
just get good speakers that cover the bass frequencies well.
Except headphones don't cover low frequencies that well. :)
Rocker, Composer and World Ambassador for Foxes! Veteran REAPER user. Ready to rock! :)
At 12/17/14 01:14 AM, frootza wrote:
With what you have so far, what it seems like you'll need most is a microphone or two. I recommend the Blue Snowball as a really good starting mic, or the Samson CO1U. I have both and while they are powered via USB you can get some great tones out of them. It just depends on what you plan on recording.
If you have good headphones, I know some producers who can get away with mixing and mastering based on their headphones alone (although you should do a thorough check on your mix if you are getting serious and see how it sounds through various output devices.)
Im now mixing my output with a pair of $200 Monster headphones and a pair of alter speakers that has a good subwoofer. I make sure the bass I can feel it (like an earlier post stated). I think its really important to feel it.
I've worked with professional studios before. Rates can go as low as $30 an hour for a beginner producer to $200 an hour for certain more established producers. The studio I tend to play at charges $250 per song (not including the musicians hired to play on the track) and that 250 covers mixing and mastering as well. The guy I work with really isn't in it for the money which is cool, if you can find someone with a rate like that it's probably something to look into.
Don't fall into that trap. I'd say find a newer, enthusiastic producer so you can learn from each other. You (should) want your sound to be your own, not what the producer wants. In my experience this is how many of the heavy hitters in the industry seem to work although it isn't always like this. Just look into what they have to offer, what genres they specialize in etc and see what works for you.
:Give it your all mate!
Thanks for this advice. Its really helpful. I thought that you go to the big producers. But in reality, I think (after your comment) its better to work with less known people. Thats better economics anyway.
At 12/17/14 12:04 PM, jaysummers759885 wrote: If it is just a hobby, then really it doesn't matter what equipment you have, and as long as it works to help you learn and have fun.
Its a bit more than a hobby. I want to produce a CD and sell it mainstream. Your right getting that professional sound takes a lot of money. I just spent $160 on a new mic so my vocals will sound more professional and mix with the song better.
To get a good sounding studio running, I would imagine it will run you about 5,000 USD. This price can vary if you get deals, etc... but it is a good starting point.
Good luck, and if you have any questions, you can feel free to contact me!
~J
Thanks! Will do!
Mostly, the essentials are like everyone else covered. Make sure you always have good headphones! If not, you might miss some really high bass. Also, if one side loses its pan, you're in a tough spot if others in your house don't want speakers on.
I finally made a signature :D
At 12/17/14 01:34 PM, adonnias wrote: Its a bit more than a hobby. I want to produce a CD and sell it mainstream. Your right getting that professional sound takes a lot of money. I just spent $160 on a new mic so my vocals will sound more professional and mix with the song better.
lol big room? just make big room tracks as a joke and try to get on spinnin'.
At 12/15/14 07:04 PM, adonnias wrote: Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
Yes to both of your questions. I own a studio and I've also been to a few pro studios. The pro studio price depends on the studio. Some give bulk discounts, student discounts and things like that. It's common for a decent studio to offer 100 dollars per song. For that price they'll record, mix and master. They might give you 10% off if you're making a full album. Some charge an hourly rate. Some will give you a cheaper price but they'll want to earn royalties (that one isn't very common but I've seen it happen.) For higher end studios the hourly rate is pretty common. I've seen 110 for two hours, but the longer you book the cheaper it gets, for instance, you can book 24 hour lockout for 540. The price also depends on if you want an engineer or if you've got an engineer. Are they just recording or do you want them to mix it and/or master?
I own a home studio, nothing fancy but I can produce quality work. Since I'm not super well established I charge 50 dollars for a song, mixing and mastering included.
I have plenty of tips for building out a home studio. But if you don't mind my asking, what's your budget look like? I could tell you to get 10,000 dollar monitors but if you've only got 1,000 to spend that wouldn't be very good advice. Also, what kind of work do you want to do? Are you trying to compose using sound libraries? Are you looking to record real instruments? Both? What's your end goal? Are you doing this as a hobby or do you really want to have a go at making this a career? I wouldn't advise investing heavily into something you intend to drop in a few weeks...
Thus far my studio has cost me ten thousand dollars. That will go a bit higher as I start to upgrade, but with it I could do this. Keep in mind though, for a professional studio, ten grand is nothing, you might spend that much on one microphone. That being said, you don't need to spend hundreds of thousands to get really good sound and good quality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9zVbR0ZjOQ
Cheers!
P.S. Feel free to PM as well. I'm going away for holiday but when I get back, I'll be in the studio and I'll have some time. Just let me know specifically what you're trying to accomplish and I'll be able to give you some good advice.
I don't actually own a studio but I have everything I would need to fill it. What this means is that I can go to people to record their albums/songs. I've got a couple of jobs this way, even once traveling back to France where I lived a few years back.
Tip of the day: be flexible and install all the basics on a laptop for recording too! :D
Rocker, Composer and World Ambassador for Foxes! Veteran REAPER user. Ready to rock! :)
At 12/15/14 07:04 PM, adonnias wrote: Currently trying to set one up in my living room. Does anyone have any tips what to get? So far I have: Speakers, keyboard connected to computer, Garage band.
Also, has anyone ever been to a professional studio before? How much does it usually go for and hour? and what is the process like of going in and working on a project with a (team/partner)?
I'll tell you man, I've done a whole lot with crappy PC speakers and a Radio-Shack mic, though if you want to save yourself some heart-ache in terms of mixing the "cheap" out, I'd recommend some gear meant for recording music.
If you don't have access to legitimate monitors ( I don't, in fact all of my songs have been mixed with headphones and PC speakers ), I'd recommend some decent PC speakers with a sub-woofer. Opt out of anything that boosts bass automatically, you're going to want as natural of a response as you can get out of them...the key with mixing in this way is repitition...ensuring that you've got a fantastic mix not only on your headphones and speakers, but try your car stereo, phone and boombox as well. It'll help a ton.
In terms of a Microphone, you'll want a decent Dynamic Microphone to start with...a pop filter will automatically boost the quality of your takes, and a wind-cap will marginally as well...I've been experimenting with the combo, which is producing very articulated vocal tracks. A portable vocal booth may/may not be a priority. I don't have one, and haven't had the pleasure of using one, but it's on my list to buy. Hell, my tracks "Fuchsia" and "The Message" were recorded in a tin shed at my grandma's place after the ex and I split...lemme know if you think they sound like it. Experimenting with your placement will help greatly in most situations. You're also going to want to get an interface to plug into your computer, so you can record and monitor at the same time, which helps GREATLY. I was using a cheap $35 XLR to USB adapter for every track I have uploaded, which worked decently for the price in terms of recording, but I couldn't hear what I was laying down while doing takes, which made getting the right takes even more difficult.
As far as DAWs go, I tend to like using FL Studio and Adobe Audition CS6 as I'm most acquainted with them, but I've had a lot of fun messing around with LMMS (it's a FREE alternative to FL Studio) and a few other programs...in this department, it really boils down to what kind of music you're planning on doing and what you need out of a program.
From here, I'd suggest maybe a MIDI controller (once more, don't have one yet, but it's high priority for beat making), instrument cables and mic cables... with all of that, you should have yourself a pretty nice start for making some quality music. The biggest factor in making great music on a budget is persistence, repetition, experimentation and understanding and utilizing your short-falls/audio quirks (ex- adjusting your mix to be more echoey and ethereal to compliment a vocal recorded in a very reflective room).
But once you have the basics to actually start recording, the rest boils down to how much you want it to be the best thing you can make.
Hope this helped!
- Grizz Garner
Well first off, you'll want a nice pair of headphones. I recommend anything from Senheiser. V-Moda also has some great stuff like the Crossfade LP2s. You'll want some nice speakers, I personally like the Rokits. You'll want a good computer with a nice soundcard in it. If you're currently using GarageBand, I would advise you to look into some other daws as well. FL Studio is good, especially for beginners. And it costs less than most Daws. But the main thing you'll want to buy will be your plugins and samples. You can have a several thousand dollar studio and still not be able to make high quality music if you don't have good plugins. I recommend Sylenth 1, as it is easy to learn, with many high quality presets already included. Of course it depends on the genre you'll be making.
Hope this helped. Good luck on your musical adventure!
Im getting better, I'll be famous one day.
At 12/20/14 03:45 AM, SpeirMint wrote: Mostly, the essentials are like everyone else covered. Make sure you always have good headphones! If not, you might miss some really high bass. Also, if one side loses its pan, you're in a tough spot if others in your house don't want speakers on.
Check. Got the good headphone speakers. Monster. Not bad. Its a problem that I live in an apartment where I can't really blast the music to feel it as much as I would like.
At 12/20/14 08:42 PM, w00tw00 wrote:At 12/17/14 01:34 PM, adonnias wrote: Its a bit more than a hobby. I want to produce a CD and sell it mainstream. Your right getting that professional sound takes a lot of money. I just spent $160 on a new mic so my vocals will sound more professional and mix with the song better.lol big room? just make big room tracks as a joke and try to get on spinnin'.
Yes, my room is medium sized. What do you mean by "big room track as a joke?" and what what do you mean by"spinnin'"? Like making more music?
