Being that your new and just starting out, I say get just enough to work with to over come any learning curves. Right now I dont think you need any outboard gear being that you current DAWs are almost becomging self contained. Sell the gear!!! My list for a newbie:
1. Mbox Mini - $300 or less -> with this you'll get the audio interface as well as your main 'industry standard' ProTools 8 Le DAW.
2. 49 Keyboard Controller - $100
3. Studio Monitors - I dont have the best knowledge of 'brand' but you can get the Behringer Truth B2030P for under $150
4. Mic - $100 -> you can find a fairly 'decent' mic for that price
If you have any extra money to spend I say get either NI Komplete 6 or the PT Expansion pack. With either you'll be set for sounds as well as intstruments.
Once again: IMO
Im not new i know my way around a studio iv been beat making for 2 years & have worked voluntree at a studio for the experience. But
I all ready use reason 4 & starting to use cubase 5 for recording, will i need to spend that much on a audio interface? The behringer truth are good i was thinking about getting them, i have a roland midi keyboard but i want a new one now more up to date.
As for the mic will i only have to spend £100 my buget is 3-5 hundred?
---------- Post added at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:57 AM ----------
outboard fx is NOT gonna = better quality
you can get the same job done with plugins for way less.
if you wana buy some solid plugins that dont cost a arm and a leg, then look up "stillwell audio plugins"
since you kinda got your head wrapped around the idea that you wana spend a good amount of money on this studio let make sure you get your priorities correct.
first and fore most, are you gonna need multiple inputs? ie: are you gonna record multiple sources at once? if not and you only plan on recording vocal takes, then im sorry to say but you kinda wasted ur money on buying a mixer.
if my assumptions are correct and your only recording your own voice then take that mixer back to where ever you bought it , return it and then buy yourself a PREAMP!
if your a noob, then id bet my bottom dollar if we were to do a blind test and i were to play a vocal take with reverb processing from a plugin and then one from a outboard fx YOU (im not saying everyone) wouldnt beable to tell me which one was which.point is....your new, start out slow. plugins will get you to where your trying to go just the same.
take that money that you were planning on spending on outboard gear and buy a good pair of monitors, a good condenser mic, and sound
treatment.
honestly reguardless of weather the mixer is of any real use to you. you still needa think about buying a preamp if you plan on recording vocals.
moral a the story,
you could skip out on buying outboard fx and processor and no one would ever know.
BUT.....
if you cheap out/corner cut on...a good mic, good monitors, good sound treatment, good preamp.then trust me all the seasoned vets will beable to spot the quality difference a mile away.
dont go cheap on ur mic.if you got a crappy mic then your gonna have crappy recordings.
dont cheap out on ur monitors or treatment either.how can you provide a proper mix if you dont truly know what your hearing?
skip the reverb rack and get some plugins. youll thank me later.
good luck.
Thank you for your advice, iv thought about it and your right maybe outboard equipment wont give me anything better than vst's.
The mixer i brought is 20 channels, has effects,eq, and pre amp i brought it for 150 pound i think thats a bargain and in the future i can also use it for recording other things.
Yeah my mic im spending 3-5 hundred on &
my monitor 3 hundred, how much would a good audio interface cost?
---------- Post added at 12:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------
i remember when i was u ... 2 years ago so ill tell you what i know an learned a while ago first off starting out now a days software is the way to go unless your going to strike it rich anytime soon then you could go harware but thats a non given so software is the route u wanna go starting new and ill list the dont first:
- dont go buying hardware before u pick your DAW(Digital Audio Workstation) FIRST! unless your getting any of the mbox products cause the come with Protools they only exception.
- dont buy a midi controller til you know what works for u what i mean is weather u work better with pads or keys some even prefer mouse an typing keyboard when using fl some being the primary word but a good all around is the m audio axiom 25-61 brand of midi keyboards note these are midi keyboards they make no sounds on there own!
- dont go cheap on your monitors now im still doing this part myself but you need to analyze your space good monitors can sound bad if they arent in the right space in the first place so if possible treat your space cant give anymore on this still havent finished my studio for this reason
now the do's learn your style copying in fine but if you dont make it your own its plagerism side note dont go an copy an exact part
- also pick up an instrument other than drums gurantee you will enjoy your time more with a little music theory to work from nothing wrong with drums but drums have there own structure thats different from say piano or sax
thats all i can think of at the moment so stuff u should look at with your budget:
- m audio axiom 25 if you dont play the keys that much if you do 49 but if your a wiz at the keys 61 i know a few 88 key midis but not in this range
- monitors small space too many to suggest just one pair so ill name the companies i suggest krk, maudio, behringer, and yamaha if you saved money some were else on the list but if you wanna go big for just under 300 you could get a pair of behringer 2031A Monitors but note u will need to buy a sub to acompany this down the road
- last but not least there are thosands of vst's on the net im talking free here use them but if you wnat to spend a lil cash to save time native instruments makes some great vsts and im going to tell u this stright always if possible try before u buy NI lets you use and i suggest u get this still use mine now kore player its free and its a great vst set an its just the sampler!
yeah now mics to each his own
but note there is an alternative to everything in music production but u gotta research it ...
do not fell like spell checking iphone keyboard ....
Thanks for your help and time.
First i use reason 4 & have done for 2 years. But i will be using cubase 5 for vocals.
I want a 49 to 61 key midi keyboard, what price do they come at?
Yes your right, iv been learning myself music theory the past year & learing the piano & just brought a guitar. Could i buy a eletric guitar and convert it to midi in any way to use as a controller? Hmm..
