Suggestions For Home Recording Equipment.
- Thread starter TOMANO
- Start date
cbphoto
Diamond Member
My suggestion:
If this is your first foray into recording...
Yamaha EAD10 and a used Macbook -- Under 1K and ridiculously simple.
If you're looking for something more complicated, and do not need isolation from other amplified instruments...
I'm a big fan of starting with 2 LDCs, and adding dynamics to each instrument that requires additional control/isolation. A 52 for the BD, a 57 for the snare, etc. Add another LDC as a room mic to liven things up. But ultimately, you begin with 2 LDCs, learn your daw and how to play to a click, and add mics when/if you find you require them.
If this is your first foray into recording...
Yamaha EAD10 and a used Macbook -- Under 1K and ridiculously simple.
If you're looking for something more complicated, and do not need isolation from other amplified instruments...
I'm a big fan of starting with 2 LDCs, and adding dynamics to each instrument that requires additional control/isolation. A 52 for the BD, a 57 for the snare, etc. Add another LDC as a room mic to liven things up. But ultimately, you begin with 2 LDCs, learn your daw and how to play to a click, and add mics when/if you find you require them.
Mongrel
Silver Member
What do you want to do? How deep do you want to go?
That will help get you the best recommendations.
Basic rehearsal recordings?
Dubbing...mutitracking?
Full band?
Drumset practice?
Drum covers with backing tracks?
Videos for Youtube?
Etc.
Soooo many options today it can be quite overwhelming.
Then the big question-what do you mean by "budget-minded"?
Second question-what, if anything, do you already have? (Mics? Pc? Mac? Etc.)
TOMANO
Senior Member
Looking to record songs with multiple instruments.
Mongrel
Silver Member
If you just want to record live performances in the "basement" or at a show, you can get great quality recordings from handheld units like those made by Tascam and Zoom. I have the Zoom H6 and have used it for that as well as going directly into the unit with four mics and a backing track. You could put drums through a sub-mix and into two channels (stereo) or even a single channel (mono) and still have two-three open channels for other instruments and vocals. An $80 accessory adds two more XLR\1/4" inputs (note: not phantom powered) if you need them. For "live" recording I am very satisfied with the quality if the recordings I can get this way. Zoom H6 currently is $350. Preamps are decent and there is s lot of versatility with it, at least for my needs.
I am using Audix D series and Sennheiser e series mics, and using Audacity (hey, it's free...) for mixing down the WAV files into stereo WAVs and MP3s.
Re-reading your post, it sounds more like you may want to set up more of a home studio and do overdubs or sound on sound stuff through a DAW and a computer, I will have to step aside....lol. I'm not there yet!
PS-don't forget to add cables and mic stands to your budget. Funny how quickly you can run out of them....lol.
Good luck and keep us posted...
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danondrums
Well-known Member
So much depends on budget.
Budget minded could mean a couple hundred or a couple thousand.
My Vote goes to Tascam Model 24 (records to onboard SD Card or straight to DAW) with a few SM57's and a kick drum mic. Around $1500 probably.
This is what I use in my home studio for recording band demo's, videos and for making reference recordings of my own practice sessions.
I also have a smaller little Tascam 4 track with 2 built in mics (DR-40X) that is great for taking to rehearsals, gigs or whatever else may be useful. The 4 tracks allows for PA mix or Audio/Ipod to be plugged directly in or to add more mics for a more dynamic recording. Pretty useful tool.
Budget minded could mean a couple hundred or a couple thousand.
My Vote goes to Tascam Model 24 (records to onboard SD Card or straight to DAW) with a few SM57's and a kick drum mic. Around $1500 probably.
This is what I use in my home studio for recording band demo's, videos and for making reference recordings of my own practice sessions.
I also have a smaller little Tascam 4 track with 2 built in mics (DR-40X) that is great for taking to rehearsals, gigs or whatever else may be useful. The 4 tracks allows for PA mix or Audio/Ipod to be plugged directly in or to add more mics for a more dynamic recording. Pretty useful tool.
Morrisman
Platinum Member
At school we bought the Zoom Livetrack L12 which can record 8 xlrs plus two stereo lines at once onto a SD card, can also be used as an audio interface into a computer and also works well as a small mixer for gigs with reverb, compression and multiple monitor mixes.
The real advantage for recording is that it is portable and works without a computer in a rehearsal space for the initial tracking then we pop the SD card into a computer for vocal overdubs, solos and mixing. The older R16 does the recording part very well for cheaper, although its not as friendly to use as a mixer, and has less phantom powered inputs.
The real advantage for recording is that it is portable and works without a computer in a rehearsal space for the initial tracking then we pop the SD card into a computer for vocal overdubs, solos and mixing. The older R16 does the recording part very well for cheaper, although its not as friendly to use as a mixer, and has less phantom powered inputs.
Mongrel
Silver Member
THIS ^
Is a great suggestion. I was just looking into one of these fir all the reasons Morrisman listed.
Seems like a pretty good solution for a lot of my needs.
cbphoto
Diamond Member
In a form factor similar to the Zoom L12, the QSC Touchmix-16 is also an excellent device but records to an external hard drive. What's nice about the QSC is its monitoring options and WiFi function.
Mongrel
Silver Member
Yea, I got hit with a bit of sticker shock when I saw the QSC price. Not that it isn't worth it, just that I can't afford that or even justify it for where I am at right now...lol.
Even the Zoom L12 is twice what I had in mind-at first.
I'm just looking for an easy way to put down some drum covers, record with some friends in the basement, or do a small live gig.
What I stumbled upon was using an analog mixer (sorry, I just don't dig touch screens and the digital 'experience' at the moment), and using the insert feature to do directly into my Zoom H6, with a sub-mix going to a DSLR for video....
Sorry, TOMANO, if I'm jamming up YOUR thread. Just kinda talking things out may be helpful to you and others...
As soon as I find my "big-boy pants" I will put some clips up to show what I've been able to do so far.