Hoping your guys and girls can help me out.
I want to make some music, DIY, lo-fi, with the gear I already have:
For recording I have a Mac and an iPad, both with Garage band. Have a Les Paul and a Gibson dreadnaught acoustic (no pickups). I've got a Shure dynamic mic. If it's not in the picture I don't have it (save a couple other guitars and a Twin Reverb Amp that needs repair atm). This includes an XLR cord for the mic.
So I guess my question is what is the minimum I need to get to make decent sounding audio recordings? I know I need some sort of XLR to something (maybe USB) cable for the mic. But I don't really know the best way to get a good sound from my guitar into Garage band.
What is the bare minimum I need in your expert and amateur opinions, to record vocals and guitar well? I also might bang on some stuff for percussion.
Thanks!
consider something like this to handle either your mic or your guitar: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FastTrkUSB2 You could also use something like this to record directly into your iPad:
Guitar:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irig/ Mic:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigpre/ there are even simpler solutions for the guitar:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSCMP3 here's a goofy dude with lots of info:
http://www.Garagebandandbeyond.com/Garageband_and_Beyond/Hom...
Don't fuck around with any of the iPad crap. The first thing steve linked is solid for basic home recording. I have an older version of that m-audio thing, got it years ago and it still works great for practicing (use it as a pre-amp, can play along to songs on my computer) and recording. Moreover, it works across different platforms and doesn't require any crappy drivers..plays nice with linux, PC, mac.
Well, to plug a passive electric instrument directly into a computer you need a pre-amp at some point. The m-audio doodad is basically just a USB soundcard with 2 amped inputs, and 2 XLR mic inputs. So, I play along to a lot of songs on my computer, because I really just play the bass for fun, and the m-audio thing works great for that. And it sounds pretty good for recording too. So, yea, for basic home music things, it's great.
I'm not enough of an audio guy to know... but I know this... the audio guys I know, use interfaces a hell of a lot more fancy than the cheap one I linked. You can usually find the mono cable at Radioshack (or even walmart) but I couldn't find it on the RS site. but yes - you have some software sliders and knobs you can mess with in garageband. WE WANT TO HEAR YOR RESULTS.
Ha. Maybe. You can hear any electronica I make. This is going to be a wedding present to my fiance. It sounds horribly pretentious to me, but she's always begging me to write her music, so it's going to be a surprise for her :)WE WANT TO HEAR YOR RESULTS.
We'll see. My goal is to kick out an entire album for her. She has always wanted me to make her a mixtape too (and hates the fact that tapes aren't used anymore) so I'm going put the songs into a mix of tunes with a similar vibe then put it all on cassette. I guess I'll need a Walkman too, which Sony stopped making. I'm sure I can get one on eBay for like, 2 dollars.
I wrote the wedding march that my wife came down the aisle to. I had a violin, a guitar and a mandolin playing the piece. Hearing other musicians playing a piece that I wrote is what spurred me to begin writing and recording music more seriously. After I was married I recorded an album for my wife (our first titled "easily made, easily broken". It's not all "bliss", but it's honest. The first and the last sounds on the the album are of my wedding band. I flung it in the air right next to a condenser mic and then suspend that sound. -The result is a pretty sound. You can hear it here. That album is really personal to me, I'm glad I made it and I'm happy to say that if I were to make her another today, there would be a lot more upbeat and happy content :) Good luck with the recording ecib. I might have a spare mic that I could send your way. Nothing too fancy, but it couldn't hurt to have some extra gear. Let me know.My goal is to kick out an entire album for her.
-ecib, that is awesome!
That's awesome, thanks man. I think the 556S should be enough. This will not be a clean and bright recording. I just mostly want to know if there are any cheap tricks that will have a disproportionately good impact on the sound. But I think I'll just get an XLR to usb cable for voice and I'll just mic the amp for the guitar and maybe get an audio out to USB for the guitar. I can do some damage with that.
I assume beat surrender is to be played as a background? you have plenty of gear. I have heard that writing songs is important mostly as part of the statement "hey Jake you should play some songs rather than just making weird noises." you already have more capabilities than the Beach Boy's had on petsounds and a million times more than recordings I like.
What are trying to do?
spare striped down stuff or lotsa layers?
you got the stuff to do both.
also are you fixing on playing live or recording with this stuff? do you have links to what you have done thus far?
so the question is how to get the mic plugged into the laptop? this
I've seen those. You think it's the best way to go? I guess what I'm most unsure of is if there is real benefit to having "smarter" dongles like thenewgreen linked above, or if those are just a convenience. I don't mind inconvenience, but if it offers significantly better sound I'm interested.
better sound is subjective and I think in this case since there is only 3 inches of wire involved not a thing. I would say if "smarter" means has chips then there is more chance for interference. with this said I am a heathen on these subjects. I plug my mic into the head phone jack.
most of it is magic. (i.e. handshakes for the initiated.) but clean initial recordings are important if you are going to layer (the noise builds up I like noise but I have heard some people don't)
jonaswildman Any chance you could steer ecib in the right direction? You've been making some really nice recordings via GarageBand.
I mic my amp with a sure sm57 run that to an apogee duet and the to a MacBook Pro via FireWire 800.
Do you use any other mics or do you just use the 57? How do you get such nice drum recordings? Do you mic the kit or just an overhead and perhaps mic the kick?
Steve, what do you run your guitar through and what do you mic your drums with?
I have a Vox AC 60 I use an Audio technica 40/50 -but also have a 58
I live in NC so for the most part the furnace isn't used much. When it's running full blast it just inspires me to record some midi parts.
Nice equipment, I was just kidding about the furnace. At one point I looked at the same vox but ended up getting a fender hot rod deluxe which has been great. I'm going to check into that mic, is that what was used on the newer New Green Demos?
Yeah, I use that mic for most everything. Once in a while I pull out the 58 but mostly for interviewing. The 58 is a really versatile mic but I really like the Audio Technica.
Looks expensive but I will look into it, sounds professional
I got mine used for approx $300. Was a nice investment, I've certainly gotten a lot of use out of it.
Not as bad as I thought. You recording tonight?
We'll see, we're watching something. I'd like to though.
I'll let you go, I know you said you haven't been home in a while. I'll talk to you this week though.
No I do use a akg vocal mic (1) overhead and that's it
Nice work. That's encouraging. What about the room? Have you sound proofed it? Is it made for recording? I have moved my "home studio" to several houses now and I swear that in each one I'm closer to the furnace. Right now, I'm literally in the furnace room. -Not too ideal for recording.
My house is about sixty feet from the Lincoln Highway (a narrow state route, but a state route nonetheless) with single-pane glass windows. We wouldn't have bought it if it were a major habitability issue, but for recording... I've yet to record anything there but I'm beginning to dread it. Once all the major systems are taken care of I think soundproofing either my studio room or the garage will have to be next on the list.
Ambient traffic sounds aren't part of your "sound"? :)
My room is not set up for recording but it works just fine for what I do. My recordings sound so much better than my instruments do in my room though, I just tweak them in GB until they sound decent.
Is your house insulated enough where you can get some decent recording time between furnace cycles?
Thanks! So just micing the amp works pretty good, huh? That duet looks awesome. Unfortunately, out of my price range. I'd have to be a little more competent to justify the cost. Is there a bare bones alternative that offers some of the features? Would just plugging in the audio out of the amp directly into the computer with the proper cable be a good way to go?
See above ecib. If you have any specific questions about GarageBand, Jonas said he'd be glad to help.