building my home studio... help!

[taj richardson]

I am new to this forum & I already love it! Looking forward to growing my audio knowledge!

I know some things about audio, I'd say I'm an advanced novice. I play in a band that has been asked to submit our music to a company that gets instrumental music on t.v., radio, film! We have recorded in studios in the past, but to save money and get our material to this company quickly I want to put together a home recording studio. The sound HAS to sound as good as the bed music you can hear on commercials & reality shows on t.v. Please help me get that quality of sound. I have the list of components I know I need/want to use below. Please look through the list and see if I'm missing anything to get that t.v./radio quality & what I may need to add.

• Mac Macbook w/ os x
• Cubase LE
• Presonus FP10
• Event active studio monitors
• Mics:
• 1 - MXL 990 Condensers
• 2 - MXL 993 Condensers
• 2 - Shure SM58s
• 2 - Shure SM57s
• Planet Waves cables
• U-Control UMX49 midi keyboard
• Drums, Drum machine
• Guitar, Bass w/ Gtr & Bass amps

We are a three piece band, we will record live & individual tracks depending on the song/project. I may do some other recording for other bands in the future w/ this rig.

I guess my biggest question is do I need a tube mic preamp, effects processor, exciter, condenser, limiter, or any other components to get that quality for a song for a reality show for example? Please help.

Thank you for your help.

[Electriclight]

Originally Posted by taj richardson

I guess my biggest question is do I need a tube mic preamp, effects processor, exciter, condenser, limiter, or any other components to get that quality for a song for a reality show for example? Please help.

I think you've got enough GEAR to do the job. The most important part now is your ears and the stuff in between. There is definitely a learning curve in this recording biz. There's no magic formula and not many short cuts.

[MetalDave]

Plug it in and get to work! Post the tracks on here for the bashing! we will help to bash it into shape. You might want to get different condenser mics. I have seen first hand 3 MXLs' quit working I will personally not buy another one.

[taj richardson]

thanks for the tips. I feel pretty good about what I'm going to do. So when i get the stuff & work out my first projects I will be sure to post them for bashing!

[brandondrury]

! We have recorded in studios in the past, but to save money and get our material to this company quickly I want to put together a home recording studio.

Well, there is nothing quick about setting up a studio. Fair warning.

The sound HAS to sound as good as the bed music you can hear on commercials & reality shows on t.v. Please help me get that quality of sound.

The gear is a TINY part of that equation. It's the skill of the people (musicians and engineers) that make the differenc.e This is a huge topic that I'm working on an entire home recording book to help with, but there is a bunch to learn. I'm not discouraging you, I'm just saying that it's tough to learn engineering with a deadline.

I guess my biggest question is do I need a tube mic preamp, effects processor, exciter, condenser, limiter, or any other components to get that quality for a song for a reality show for example? Please help.

It depends on what sound you are going for with a specific track. I'm not sure what kind of music you are dealing with but tube preamps get used a very small portion of the time compared to solid state counterparts. (Neve, API, Trident, and SSL are all solid state). I'm not saying that tube isn't good. I'm just saying that most big boys are using solid state pres on most tracks unless a specific sound is desired.

You already have 2 condenser mics. I have a feeling that you meant to say "compressor".

For effects, I recommend you stick with plugins.

As for exciters, I would be happy if they quit making these tomorrow and through all the rest in the trash.

Again, it needs to be said that you seem to imply that the sound is in the gear. This is an enormous fallacy and it would be immoral if you came out of this thread thinking this is an accurate view. While going from gear not designed for recording to gear that was designed for recording will net a big improvement and certain specific high end pieces of gear can certainly add something, I'd say that the recording gear is 1% of the sound.

Brandon

[taj richardson]

Thank you all for your help. I know the equipment is a small part & if I can't personally put a song together it does not matter how much money I spend on equipment.

I feel good about what I will be doing. I have decided to go with Pro Tools software instead of Cubase, along with the PreSonus FP 10.

[brandondrury]

I have decided to go with Pro Tools software instead of Cubase, along with the PreSonus FP 10.

Are you saying you are going to use Pro Tools software with a FP10? Is that possible?
(I just wanted to make sure I understood you correctly)

Brandon

[taj richardson]

Well I've changed my mind again. I don't know about the Pro Tools w/ FP10 thing being possible or not, but I reminded myself that the FP10 comes w/ Cubase LE for $299 ($270 w/ my ASCAP discount!) @ Musicians Friend so why spend the money on Pro Tools? I didn't... I bought the FP10 w/ Cubase LE yesterday from Musicians Friend! I've also ordered Behringers U-Control 49 key midi keyboard. W/ everything else I have I believe I am ready to start w/ my t.v. bed music projects!

My only question that someone may be able to answer is how are the plug-in's that come w/ Cubase LE for midi applications. Also I believe Behringer comes w/ some vertural instrument software... How do these programs work. Or should I drop $400 on Reason software?

Once again I am trying to create everything from classical, bluegrass, rock to metal w/ my guitar, bass, drums, midi set-up.

[brandondrury]

The included virtual instruments within LE are not the greatest. In fact, there are hardly any included. If you are serious about MIDI productions you need to go with a "real" setup and I don't really consider the Cubase LE included plugins a "real" setup.

I bought Komplete 3 for $600 a couple years ago and I'm still finding stuff I didn't know existed within it.

Reason is another great way to go.

You may be pretty happy with Kontakt 3 also, but it doesn't do synthesis, just samples.

Brandon