My Studio Set-Up (Still Learning)

datboysc

New member
I have the following, check out the list and give me your thoughts. I'm still learning and really want to add on I just recieved a booth that I ordered online. Check out http://www.soundboothsunlimited.com/?gclid=CMSym6_thKACFQhinAodlwz6uA I don't have any acoustics, just a dream, vision, and a passion in my apartment. I'm thinking if I can I isolate my workstation away from my vocal booth I could get a great sound for mixtapes etc. So again check out my list and give me your thoughts in detail. I just want to be able to have a good recording on my vocals so I can mix etc. In addition I know it's hard trying to be an artist & engineer playing musical chairs lol. Get at me!

M-Audio Fast Track Pro
M-Audio BX8 Monitors
Samson RH600 Headphones
M-Powered ProTools 8
FL Studio 9
Cubase SX
Eurorack MX2004A Mixer (I don't use) ON SALE $150
Windows XP Home Edition PC (I installed 2GB)
1TB External Drive (I save my sessions here)
Yamaha General MIDI Keyboard (use as a controller)
Samson C01 Studio Condenser mic
SE Mic Reflexion Filter
AKG Perfection 420 Mic

:sing:
 
you seems like your on the right track fam. all that i see that you should really think about purchasing is a PREAMP.

you gotta price range or a preference? we all help eachother pick out gear all the time.
 
Damn I been hearing that all weekend lol. I mean I thought the Fast Track Pro was a preamp, that leads me to my next question what is a good gain to start with on the Fast Track Pro. I'm tweaking as we speak. That damn AKG Perception 420 is so sensitive, well of course it's a condenser.
 
in the search bar at the top type in 'gain staging'

i believe morning star made a great post regarding setting up your amount of gain properly.

as i said too you in your vocal booth thread. your fast track is a audio interface aka a 'soundcard' it has a preamp in it.....but its not a good one at all.

like i said a proper vocal chain consist of atleast

microphone> preamp> audio interface

right now you have

microphone> audio interface

your missing a essential key too the chain fam!

if you woulda spent your money on a preamp before you went out and bought that sound treatment. i absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt assure you that your quality would have been phenomonaly light years better!

that 500 you spent on sound treatment could have bougt you a

true systems p solo
bla auteur
b stock cl 7602
ua solo 610

the list could liturally go on......

im not tryna be harsh.....im really tryna point you in the right direction.
 
nope you should start here! lol tell us what type of vocals you want. do you want clean or colour? tube or solid state? craigslist is a great place if your comfortable buying used.

how much you wana spend?
 
I want vocals with a lot of presence, and especially clean. At the moment I'm trying to get it and do it big with recording. I just checked craiglist out. I'm in Dallas,Tx and I see one on the nawfside for $75 but Is it any good is my question? It's called a Proton AP1100 Preamp I didn't know I would need a preamp but it's all good holla back

---------- Post added at 11:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------

Just found a Presonus TubePre Tube Pre-Amp - $85 let me know what's good and if you checked out that vocal booth what would you suggest on enhancing it a little
 
never heard of it so i cant say.

if you want a quick ticket too good vocals that will tide you over til you get more serious about your set up.

then these three are the only.....preamps worth buying

you can get any one of em for 100 bucks easily.

m audio dmp3 (my personal favorite)
studio projects vtb1
rane ms1b

if you want 'clean' presence then get the dmp3.

dmp3 is the cleanest preamp in the $100 price
range ive ever used.
 
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dmp3s are discontinued so they might be tricky too find locally. you can get em on ebay all day tho. i got mine off ebay.

if you want something at your local music shop im sure the studio projects vtb1 should be a
piece a cake too go out and find.

and yup you hook it up too ur fast track
 
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The Presonus Tubepre is a decent pre, I used it for a couple years. There are better ones in the same price range though, that one isn't the greatest pre for vocs. If you want clean, clear vocals try to stretch your money and get a BLA Auteur. I use it with a FTP too.
 
M-Audio Fast Track Pro
M-Audio BX8 Monitors
Samson RH600 Headphones
M-Powered ProTools 8
FL Studio 9
Cubase SX
Eurorack MX2004A Mixer (I don't use) ON SALE $150
Windows XP Home Edition PC (I installed 2GB)
1TB External Drive (I save my sessions here)
Yamaha General MIDI Keyboard (use as a controller)
Samson C01 Studio Condenser mic
SE Mic Reflexion Filter
AKG Perfection 420 Mic

:sing:[/QUOTE]

Your monitors come highly recommended. Dump the fast track pro and get a Mackie ONYXi mixer. It works as an interface and i really like the ONYX preamps inside for vocals (Compatible with Pro-Tools M-powered)
I'd say skip FL Studio and get Ableton Live 8 (unparalleled production flexibility and creative freedom) The eurorack...you've got the right idea selling that. If your drive is firewire, you should not only save your sessions there but record to/playback from it. It will relieve your computer of a lot of processing weight. (if you already do this, great. if you don't and want to know how, i can show you. If you don't have a firewire output on your PC, get one.)

The SE thing is cool. I want one! Vocals come out great at my place so it's not a priority but i still wanna pick one up.

As far as mics, i use a Bluebird. Sounds amazing with the ONYX preamps, and it looks cool so vocalists get all excited to record with it. 2 birds one stone.
 
Why does he need a mixer when hes only recording himself? He just needs a quality outboard pre and hes set. The FTP is perfectly fine for what he wants to do. Mine has served me well, and even if I wanted to upgrade to something bigger to accomadate band recordings, I probably still wouldnt get a mixer.
 
Why does he need a mixer when hes only recording himself? He just needs a quality outboard pre and hes set. The FTP is perfectly fine for what he wants to do. Mine has served me well, and even if I wanted to upgrade to something bigger to accomadate band recordings, I probably still wouldnt get a mixer.

Onyx 820i - 8 tracks, 2 preamps - and that way he can record music other than from software. Guitar, keyboard, outboard effects, etc - plus it's safe to assume he may want to record more than just himself eventually. Mic preamp is a fine choice too, but why not get both in one

Edit - the fast track pro is a crappy d/a converter. I'd suggest a better interface. Again onyxi being a pretty good one.
 
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OR instead of buying a $500 mixer with more features then he'll probably use, he could spend it on a great preamp to use with the interface he already has. I think converters are the least of his worries right now. And why worry about d/a anyways, I would think a/d would be the bigger problem.

But then again, its all opinion and taste really, and I'm just trying to make a suggestion that would accomplish what he wants to do most; record his own clear, high quality vocals.
 
dc are you gonna be recording anything except your own voice? are you gonna record a band or mic up a drum kit? if your only recording your voice.....you DO NOT need a mixer! .....no offense too the guy who said you needed the mixer and that you need a diffrent interface and all that....i would roll with what everyone else said first before i though about a mixer and all that.

your too easily caught up in the hype......thinkn you need a vocal booth and a mixer.....your thinkning what cosmetically looks cool.....and not what truely
sounds good for ur budget!
 
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