home studio

[alan1990]

im wanting to get more into recording and plan on recording a demo for my band some time next year. my problom si that i can not figure out what sound card would be the best for me in need 4 or more inputs and i have a fairly low budget like $200 us mabey alittle more. any help is greatly welcomed thanks

[onthenooseagain15]

Is long as You have about 200 Dollars and a Computer you can make a great demo....

1. Mixer - Behringer UB802 Unpowered Mixer

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/63/631238.t.jpg

2. Microphone - MXL 990 Condenser Mic. w/ Shockmount & Case

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/273156.t.jpg

3. Mic. Stand w/ Boom, 20 ft. XLR Mic. Cable, and Nady SP-1 Dynamic Mic.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/277031.t.jpg

4. Headphones - 2 Nady Deluxe Studio Headphones

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/24/245604.t.jpg

Mixer - $49.99
Microphone $59.99
Boom, Cable + Mic. - $29.99
2 Headphones - $49.99
Extra XLR Cable - 4.99

Total - $204.95


Cheap but nice studio set-up = Priceless...

www.musiciansfriend.com

However, you might want to get some nicer cables, as they can affect your signal a lot. Download Cool Edit Pro 2.0 and you good...

[alan1990]

Is long as You have about 200 Dollars and a Computer you can make a great demo....

1. Mixer - Behringer UB802 Unpowered Mixer

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/63/631238.t.jpg

2. Microphone - MXL 990 Condenser Mic. w/ Shockmount & Case

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/273156.t.jpg

3. Mic. Stand w/ Boom, 20 ft. XLR Mic. Cable, and Nady SP-1 Dynamic Mic.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/277031.t.jpg

4. Headphones - 2 Nady Deluxe Studio Headphones

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/24/245604.t.jpg

Mixer - $49.99
Microphone $59.99
Boom, Cable + Mic. - $29.99
2 Headphones - $49.99
Extra XLR Cable - 4.99

Total - $204.95


Cheap but nice studio set-up = Priceless...

www.musiciansfriend.com

However, you might want to get some nicer cables, as they can affect your signal a lot. Download Cool Edit Pro 2.0 and you good...

thanks for the reply but i forgot to say that i allready have a mixer and a couple of mics (2 sm57 and some mxl condensor) i just need a soundcard i can use to record the busses of the mixer to

[MetalMan]

Is that really all you need to make a demo? I really want to record my band and i wasn't sure what i needed. I just want to record bass, guitar, drums, and maybe vocals and another guitar in the future(we are only a 3 peice right now)

[Akehuka7]

you would have to have something to record with

[MetalMan]

what do u mean?

[cgecko1219]

i.e. mics, and a mixer would help alot

[MetalMan]

duh, that's kinda what this thread is about

[diesel]

If a "one-shot" recording is all you want, all you need is something that can record. Send the stereo-outs of the mixer, to the inputs of the recorder/soundcard and you're set. This results in a more "live" type of sound, but is very unforgiving, you basically have to get it perfect the first time. Multi-tracking is a better way, and there is an easy way to do it:

Setup your mixer to record the drums, then using the "Line in" on almost all soundcards now-a-days, record only the drums playing the song (maybe while listing to a click-track, or a quick 'n dirty pre-recorded copy of the song, for timing).

Then, listen to the recorded track, if it sounds like what you want, setup your bass guitar (don't bother with even having the drummer in the room anymore if you don't want to;)) and record the bass guitar on another track, while he listens to the drum track you just recorded. (WARNING, the bassist must listen to the track you've JUST recorded, any other mix could be different, and make the bass sound off in the timing department)

Then layer on top of the new mix, any guitars, keyboards, banjos, harmonicas, etc and garnish with a touch of vocals. Presuming you've used a multi-track recording program on your computer, adjust your mix, mix down to stereo, bake in a 350 degree oven... whoops, I mean... record to cd, and you're done.

I guess my final answer to your question would be, use the best sound blaster at your local computer store and you can get the best, for what you've got, and what you're willing to pay.

PS. Bad cables can ruin your sound, don't skimp on them.

[vizo]

Sound Blasters are not good recording cards at all. Check out E-mu (http://www.emu.com/products/category.asp?category=754&maincategory=754) and M-Audio (http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.list&ID=pciinterfaces) for cards. I own the M-Audio Delta 44 card and a Behringer mixer and I couldnt be happier. E-mu is actually manufactered by Creative [who makes SoundBlasters], but they are specifically designed for audio and recording needs. Hope that helped.

[diesel]

Well, also consider price. Most of the sound cards I can find (well, the decent ones anyway) start at 300 Canadian, and doing a simple conversion, that's still more than the subject above wished to pay.

M-Audio does make some great equipment (I love you M-Box) and I use some of their cards at work, but they aren't always the most afordable card on the market (please excuse my Canadian ignorance if american prices are indeed much more cheaper than just the exchange rate)

[The Spliggity Splot]

Is long as You have about 200 Dollars and a Computer you can make a great demo....

1. Mixer - Behringer UB802 Unpowered Mixer

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/63/631238.t.jpg

2. Microphone - MXL 990 Condenser Mic. w/ Shockmount & Case

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/273156.t.jpg

3. Mic. Stand w/ Boom, 20 ft. XLR Mic. Cable, and Nady SP-1 Dynamic Mic.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/27/277031.t.jpg

4. Headphones - 2 Nady Deluxe Studio Headphones

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/24/245604.t.jpg

Mixer - $49.99
Microphone $59.99
Boom, Cable + Mic. - $29.99
2 Headphones - $49.99
Extra XLR Cable - 4.99

Total - $204.95


Cheap but nice studio set-up = Priceless...

www.musiciansfriend.com

However, you might want to get some nicer cables, as they can affect your signal a lot. Download Cool Edit Pro 2.0 and you good...
Woah, that's freaky, I bought all of those things from musicfriend exept the headphones just by kwinkydink

[TheBouncingSoul]

What is a good mixer for like under $150 american? I want one that can do the recording like right there, becuase i have a soundblaster audigy 2 card, thats for gaming, and i don't think that'd work to well.

[MetalMan]

what mixer would i need to record drums with 8 mics?

[aguywithaguitar]

a mixer with 8 inputs

[KKKKKocaine]

a mixer with 8 inputs

A mixer with 8 XLR inputs you mean. Which would be horrificly expensive.

[Vitriolic Rage]

I start working tomorrow, so in a few weeks I should be making a computer for my room.
I'm gonna get a soundblaster platinum card for it, on the family computer we only have the on-board sound:upset:
Eventually I'll try and get me some 2nd hand monitor speakers from eBay.

[vizo]

M-Audio does make some great equipment (I love you M-Box)

M-Audio doesn't make the Mbox, Digidesign does.

What is a good mixer for like under $150 american?

Behringer makes cheap and inexpensive mixers. I've got one that cost $149USD exactly, but I'm not sure which model it is. If you're recording for the first time then a Behringer is just fine.

[MetalMan]

A mixer with 8 XLR inputs you mean. Which would be horrificly expensive.

That's what I figured, which sux. Is their any way to get around that, with say, a mixer with 4 XLR inputs? Like anyway to mic the drums with only 4 mics.

[KKKKKocaine]

That's what I figured, which sux. Is their any way to get around that, with say, a mixer with 4 XLR inputs? Like anyway to mic the drums with only 4 mics.

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/3498/miking.html
That uses 4 I think.
A good basis to follow would be, a mic for the bass, a mic for the snare, a mic for hi-hats and a mic for toms.

[MetalMan]

ok, thanks. that's what i was thinking about

[KKKKKocaine]

ok, thanks. that's what i was thinking about

What mic's are you using to record the drums?