Re: Stuff you might need when setting up a Home Studio
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 7:59 pm
Royer 121 mic... don't forget this!
You said HOME studio. If you want high quality recordings , based on an award winning producer advice he gave to me personally, this is what i use.
Digi 003 with protools. That has good converters. And a computer that can handle protools. (thats your mixing /recording desk , interface, converters all in one! Use the analogue inputs to record.
Neve 1076 or 1073 preamps to feed the analogue inputs of the digi 003. Api is good also.
Monitors. Self powered Event 20/20.
Compressor - emperical labs fatso and LA2A.
Mics Sm57 and just hire some Neuman, royer etc stuff. Different mics are best for different instruments or application.
AKG Q707 (Quincy Jones siganture headphones) but these are not for musicians wearing when tracking. These are for cross reference monitoring.
The rooms is important. Worst shape is a cube. Speaker placement is important. Bass traps are good and so are diffusers. But I dont use them. The junk i have in the room (curtains + wooden floor + rug + bed + book shelf + chairs etc act like a difuser. I sit close to the monitors & cross reference with the Q707. Burn a disk of your stuff, and if sounds good on your monitors & q707 & your car & freinds sound system, then you have done a good job. Always A/b your recordings to proffesional recorded cds and see if it is as good. This will let you know if you are too heavy on the bottom end or treble or whatever is wrong with your recording.
Most important advice...must sound good at the source and must transfer that sound via neves etc. Must sound good when tracked. Dont try to fix in the mix. Eg, if a hi hat sounds clunky and not crisp, do not eq. instead try moving the mic to get the best sound. Still not good? try different mic. Still not good? try different hi hat or sticks or player even. Still not good? Burn the studio down, you will now not hear a bad sound.
You recording / mixing technique is paramount also.
Good luck.