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Thread: Anybody Else Do Any Recording?

  1. #1

    Anybody Else Do Any Recording?

    Hi all,


    As I’ve mentioned in the seeder I just posted with my demo in it, years ago, in the 1980s, I made tons demos of original songs on a Tascam four-track cassette player for my little college rock group. When I went to work fulltime in 1989, I gradually cut back playing and recording, and then stopped. Over the past year, I’ve very slowly began to (a) get whatever few guitar chops I’ve had back, and (b) learn how to record on a PC. While I love the power that recording on a computer gives me, it’s been a treacherously steep and slow learning curve. I started to learn Sonar last year, and basically gave up when a flurry of work kept me too busy to try and concentrate on it. It’s only been in the past three or four months that slowly but surely, the basics of how it works have begun to make sense. (I’m dense, what can I tell you?)

    So, having just posted a recording I made on my PC, I was wondering if anybody else records in this section. If so, what equipment do you use? Four track casette? Reel-to-reel? PC?

    If it's the latter, what software?

    Is your goal to write pop or rock songs, instrumentals, perfect your chops, or just hear yourself noodling around?

    How do you record your guitar?

    How do you find that recording differs from live playing?

    Ed

  2. #2
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    Hi Ed!

    This the first time I looked in this section and it looks like not too many others have either.
    I have a 8 track digital recorder and I've used it a couple of times. I'm waiting for when I move to a new house, because my neighbors are too noisey. The recordings I have made have been pretty nice sounding except for the background noise.

  3. #3

    Re: Hi Ed!

    Originally posted by rayh
    This the first time I looked in this section and it looks like not too many others have either.
    I have a 8 track digital recorder and I've used it a couple of times. I'm waiting for when I move to a new house, because my neighbors are too noisey. The recordings I have made have been pretty nice sounding except for the background noise.
    I guess because I'm used to playing all the instruments myself, and often going straight into the board, I don't worry too much about background noise.

    When everything sounds good I'm happy, and when it's not perfect, I just right it off as "it's just a demo".

    Ed

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    I was recording one of my acoustic guitars over the 4th of July, so I couldn't go through the board. I've also recorded my Princeton before and that also sounds nice!
    I've got real NOSEY neighbors who've got to listen to everything I do! I can't wait to get out of there!

  5. #5
    Originally posted by rayh
    I was recording one of my acoustic guitars over the 4th of July, so I couldn't go through the board. I've also recorded my Princeton before and that also sounds nice!
    I've got real NOSEY neighbors who've got to listen to everything I do! I can't wait to get out of there!
    OK, fair enough--I can see where that would be a lousy environment to record vocals or an accoustic guitar in. I ususally do that sort of stuff late at night, and/or on weekends, when my wife's gone to sleep or there's no one else around.

    Ed

  6. #6
    I too did a ton of 4 track cassette recording, mostly cataloging song ideas and even submitting songs to contests. I had one where I did an instrumental guitar piece from a vocal number and I worked on the solo section for 10 hours straight in one day.

    I took the plunge 2 years ago and picked up a Mac and Protools 001/LE rig. It took me a year to get competent enough to use it. I did not write or record one song in that entire year but now it has become an important tool. I just did 98% of my new bands demo at home which took two weeks and we saved a ton of money.

    I am doing rock and pop tunes and record my electric guitar through a J-Station and my acoustic and bass direct.

    I find that when recording I must play very precise and watch my picking technique very closly which has really helped my live playing.


    Chow,
    Seegs
    Last edited by Seegs; 08-10-2002 at 12:26 PM.

  7. #7

    Last edited by Seegs; 08-10-2002 at 12:27 PM.

  8. #8
    Sorry for the double post I guess I can't delete my own posts.


    Chow,
    Seegs
    Last edited by Seegs; 08-10-2002 at 12:29 PM.

  9. #9
    Seegs,
    Originally posted by Seegs
    I find that when recording I must play very precise and watch my picking technique very closly which has really helped my live playing.
    I can certainly understand that--Michael Caine once said that acting on stage is like acting with a scapel, but acting on film is like acting with a laser.

    I think that analogy holds equally true with recording--you really need to be spot-on to sound good, but fortunately, you get ten or twenty takes to get it right, unlike playing live!

    Ed

  10. #10
    Forum Member Tonekat's Avatar
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    my musical partner who plays bass, sings and writes songs, and I got very tired of paying big bucks to studios for mediocre results, so we went out and bought a couple of ADAT machines. We now have our own 16-track setup. I agree that working with this equipment really makes you concentrate on all aspects of your playing technique.
    We had to get rid of the kids....the cats were allergic!

  11. #11
    Forum Member Jimi's Bolero's Avatar
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    I have a PC with cakewalk on it, but my soundcard is a piece of crap & keeps seizing up on me.

    I have an old Teac A3340 reel to reel I use as a preamp, but it has issues too, the sound cuts out infrequently.....really drives you nuts when you're trying to lay an idea down while you still have the "groove" in your head!!

    I also have a Studer B67 but it needs some TLC

    every once in a while everything will work & I'll get a decent idea down.....I usually get fed up with having to reboot every time the soundblaster POS card chokes

    guess I need to spend some $$
    Last edited by Jimi's Bolero; 08-29-2002 at 04:23 AM.
    FIND THE HALFLINGS!! UNGH!! FIND THE HALFLINGS!!

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    I've been into recording almost as long as I've been playing guitar (15 years) and I'm now running the following setup to record my band...

    * PC running Logic Audio thru a Midiman Delta1010 soundcard
    * Mackie 1604VLZ PRO desk
    * Behringer composer pro (x3)
    * Behringer GEQ two channel, 31-band graphic eq
    * Joe Meek VC3 (for the guitar)
    * Behringer Ultra-DI for the bass (in addition to the bass mics)
    * SM57 for guitar cabs
    * AKG D112 for bass cabs (2x15" and 2x12")
    * Groove Tubes GT55s (x2) for drum overheads
    * Rode NT1 over drummer head to pick up more of the snare mixed in with the room
    * SM57s on the toms
    * D112 in the kick
    * Beta58a on the hi-hat
    * two spare mics out in the corridoor to record some 'ambience' (all hard surfaces out in the hallway)

    If any of you read SOS magazine, I've been informed that my band will be in the 'Studio SOS' section in the August issue, so it'll be interesting to see how bad our pctures turned out (I don't photograph very well).


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    I have a digital studio in my home. The PC offers editing, looping, visual, and other features that can't be matched by traditional methods. As far as efficency and control, the digital method is peerless. What a time saver! And, no tape to deal with!

    As for recording program recommendations, I suggest Nuendo (although it doesn't offer looping), Acid (easy), or Sonar Cakewalk, which allows the user to record, loop, and mix/master/produce without having to export into another program. I own each of these and more, but these are the ones I find most useful. Nuendo is powerful, but tricky in a German way; if you've ever owned a German car, stereo or electronic gadgetry, you know what I mean. Sound Forge is good for editing.

    For effects plug-ins, the Sonic Foundry (RC Waves/Renassaince, etc.) stuff is nice. I'd also recommend Band in a Box if you are not interested in looping or playing every instrument yourself; if your chops aren't quite together, the rest of the band's will be!

    I have a coupla drum/midi and looping programs and a drum machine. All are a bitch. The programs and the machine are just difficult to perfect; the loops are repetitive. By default, I prefer Fruity Loops II for drums/percussion.

    I write and record for all the reasons you mentioned, Ed. One huge benefit derived from going the digital route is that it is a great songwriting tool. It allows you to play a multiplicity of ideas against each other and really hone your work. It has improved my writing and compositional capabilities immeasurably.

    As for recording guitar, I usually mic the cabs - multiple mics. Sometimes, I go direct or POD into the board. I prefer micing the guitars - more natural-sounding.

    Howzit different from live playing? You can screw up all night long and not get booed.
    Last edited by 3rdStone; 06-17-2003 at 05:44 AM.

  14. #14
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    i have my own home studio, which is really just me, either my tascam porta studio mk II, or my teac 4 track reel to reel, and some vintage dynamic mics. i also have samplitude on my computer which i'm still deciding if i like or not. i have lately been recording in my buddy's homestudio which is a treated garage with a full blown pro tools rig.
    i used to work in another pro tools studio, mainly doing classical recordings. don't laugh, that was a great place to work cause you would really have to use your ears. that job helped to launch me into my current job. i'm working as a live sound technician, which has really helped in my studio work.
    i also do some freelance work as a tech in my other buddy's studio. right now, i'm working on my demo. will put up a link to my website when i get it up. it will also have pics of my gear, and sound bites.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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    Re: Anybody Else Do Any Recording?

    Originally posted by Ed Driscoll
    Hi all,


    <snippity>

    So, having just posted a recording I made on my PC, I was wondering if anybody else records in this section. If so, what equipment do you use? Four track casette? Reel-to-reel? PC?

    If it's the latter, what software?

    Is your goal to write pop or rock songs, instrumentals, perfect your chops, or just hear yourself noodling around?

    How do you record your guitar?

    How do you find that recording differs from live playing?

    Ed
    I use ProTools LE with an Mbox. I record in OSX but I edit in OS9 because my plug-ins won't do OSX and I'm not paying twice for that stuff.

    Since I record at home, it's usually only song demos, because I can't play drums here. I have an OSX program called Doggiebox that's an adequate drum machine. I'd never use it for a "real" recording, buut for song demos it's fine. I write the drum parts forst and export, then pull them into PT. I then record bass. After that, it's the rhythm guitar parts, vocals and finally solos.

    If I'm making a band gig demo, I record the drums and bass in a real studio, bring it all home and do everything else at home.

    If I were making a "real" record, I'd record everything but the solos in a studio and if piano or B3 were involved, I'd record those solos in the "real" studio.

    But I'd still record guitar solos in the living room.

    That's my story and i'm stickin to it.

  16. #16
    Forum Member Annie D.'s Avatar
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    No.

    Hell no.

    I'd rather die!


    (actually the things I do are for others and things are pretty steroidal in that copyright stuff) trust me....I'm great! You suck.


    *smooch!*

  17. #17
    Forum Member Annie D.'s Avatar
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    just to clarify...

    i really DO suck.

    that wuz a joke

    I wish I knew how to use and assemble the things i have. Someday I'll break a leg or something and get to stay home for a month and explore. The prospect gives me a headache.
    Last edited by Annie D.; 10-19-2003 at 09:07 PM.

  18. #18
    Forum Member BLUELOU's Avatar
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    RECORDING

    HI i still own and use a old tascam 238 and my alesis studio 32 board with tons of rack gear compressors exciters /all sorts of gizmos
    i been tryin to get used to computer recording the closest i got was my alesis adat lmao
    i am sooo old fashioned

    i got a good array of mics i like shure 57 / 58 / sm55 rockabilly stuff / and a akg condenser mic i owned since i worked at a radio station 15 yrs ago
    lol

    some howi always gravitate to my old 238 recorder i like it even though its old


    HERE IT IS
    THE FOSSIL OF FOSSILS NOW !

    i got a teac a3440a s reel to reel 4 TRK its real old its ancient i use it for dump downs and just its old i think thats the name of it a3440 i think somethin like that its old THIS IS OLDER THAN THE PYRAMIDS I GOT IT OUT OF KING TUTS TOMB it is worth money for its dust collecton
    i been lately messing around with steinberg cubase its different i dont use computers much but i will get the jist someday
    sincely
    god bless
    LOU


    :tw59 lou:)
    Last edited by BLUELOU; 10-19-2003 at 09:04 AM.
    SINCERELY
    BLUELOU
    GODBLESS

  19. #19
    Forum Member Annie D.'s Avatar
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    It's important to know that there are people who are studio wizards, yet may not be able to play a lick, and there are those who play who find the recording technical-maze confounding.

    Some can cross over. Others struggle.

    glub...:stxrus

  20. #20
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    Originally posted by Annie D.
    It's important to know that there are people who are studio wizards, yet may not be able to play a lick, and there are those who play who find the recording technical-maze confounding.

    Some can cross over. Others struggle.

    glub...:stxrus
    Annie, any time you need to record, you have a place to go...

  21. #21
    ZoneFiend photoweborama's Avatar
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    I'd love to have Annie on my stuff. I'm not even sure if her wonderful voice could pull my recordings out of the mud, though.

    By the way, I use N-Track, a PII 333 with 128mb RAM, a 20gig HD, and a SoundBlaster 16 card. That is it.... Oh, and I record in the bedroom with tons on kids running all over the house, screaming in the background. And the dog barking. And my daughter with her stereo up too loud with JLo playing...

    Oh, and a Johnson J-Station. That's the real secret to getting great tone direct into recordings. Ask Fezz Parka, He'll tell you..

    I did the Tascam 4 track thing for about 6 months... good primer to understanding multi-track recording.
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  22. #22
    Forum Member cooltone's Avatar
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    I have a stand alone digital workstation. It's the Zoom MRS1044. Ten digital tracks with ten 'virtual tracks' per track available. It has a 20 gig. hardrive and USB port. I can 'save' tracks by uploading them to my PC. It will only record two simultaneous tracks (not optimal for live situations).
    I also use cakewalk to store tracks and for some mixdowns.
    I use a sure SM57 and a cheap nady condensor mic along with my live amp setup and a pod 2.0. I have to rely on cheesy drum machines for my personal demo stuff, but can upload a digital stereo live drum mix no problem.
    "If you're cool, you don't know nothin' about it. It just is...or you ain't." - Keith Richards

  23. #23
    Forum Member Homer's Avatar
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    with my last band I've done 2 CDs, and on both I more or less wore the engineer's / producer's helmet.

    First one was done on a Studer 1" 8-track (well... 7-track, cause one track was a sync track) with drums on all tracks, then bounced to 2 tracks, then dubbed the other instruments & vocals. Mixdown to DAT was done on a Behringer Eurodesk 2804 console with only a Lexicon LXP-1, an old Midiverb II and alot of creativity. Was my first mixing project, and I was too generous with reverb:rolleyes: .

    Guitar was recorded on a single track, straight into the amp with a Neumann U87 (somehow the SM-57 approach didn't work...) in front of my cranked Blues Deluxe. Didn't use FX apart from a Wah back then.

    Second one was also done on the Studer, but this time with the drums premixed and recorded to only 2 tracks, rest again dubbed. Later I dumped the "analog only" dogma, transferred everything to my PC and mixed/mastered with Cool Edit Pro 1.2. If I had decided so earlier I'd used the Studer for drums only and recorded the rest directly to HD... oh well. Sounds kinda sucks too, partly because of emotionless singing/playing, partly because of the crappy drum premix. Guess I'm not very successful with this recording stuff :).

    Guitar was simply done with one SM-57, basically plug and play :).

    Oh, and for the record, the mics we used (1st / 2nd CD):

    Drums:
    AKG D12 for the Bass Drum
    Sure SM-57 for Toms
    Sennheiser MD504 / Sure SM57 for Snare
    some EV condensers for cymbal overheads

    Guitar:
    Neumann U87 / SM-57

    Organ (Leslie 147):
    2x Sennheiser E 604 on the horns
    Sennheiser 441 on the bass rotor

    Vocals:
    Neumann U87 (of course)

    The band is no longer, but the website is still online. check it out if you want:

    click!
    Last edited by Homer; 10-20-2003 at 02:01 PM.
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