Recomendations

void wrote on 12/19/2000, 10:33 AM

Okay, since my last post was whining about having no money
and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will tell
you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to best
help my little studio along.

Heres what I have:

PIII 733 (256 meg ram / two ata66 hard drives)
M-Audio Delta 44
M-Audio Omni i/o (mixing unit w/pre-amps)
Vegas Pro
Cakewalk Audio
Digitech DSP256 Mulit-effects processor
Sure SM57
Marshall MXL 2001 Condensor mic
Headphones / Computer Speakers
4x CD-Burner

Heres what I do with it:

Record acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with drums
composed in Acid.

Heres how much money I have to spend: $250.00

What should my next studio piece of equipment be?
Thanks for any input. Just curious what you guys think.

-James

Comments

PipelineAudio wrote on 12/19/2000, 11:24 AM

James Harold wrote:
>>Okay, since my last post was whining about having no
money
>>and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will tell
>>you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
>>holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to best
>>help my little studio along.
>>

What version of Vegas do you have?
Vegas 2 comes with a pretty hefty chunk of plug ins...
The SF plugs are very utilitarian and not snazzy, yet will
do almost anything if you mess with them enough...
The most important of these in my opinion, the multi-band
dynamics, doesnt quite work as it should, I wish SF would
take a look at this one...

What version of cakewalk do you have? That comes with some
DX FX in the newer versions I think

If you are doing drums, I would NOT be able to live without
the Arboretum Hyperprism MS decoder....you can get the same
result by copying the S track in vegas and sending the copy
to Sound Forge to flip the phase (WHERE is the phase switch
in VEGAS SF??? )but the hyperprism MS decoder will save
lots of time

The waves stuff really really does kick ass though

Noone really makes a decent flanger, the one on your 256
beats the hell out of any plug Ive seen, however the new
waves one is VERY interesting.
Noone makes a great chorus, though you will get decent
results with some of them: Sometimes better to do a "manual
fx":
Copy a track twice, right click the event and
choose "change pitch preserve length" and raise one by 5-10
cents and lower the other by 5-10 cents.

And check out www.analogx.com for some fx

If you get a VST adaptor there are TONS and TONS of free
VST plugs out there.

JimT wrote on 12/19/2000, 11:28 AM

Other than recommending that you upgrade to Vegas Audio 2.0b, here's my suggestion:
- Spend $189 on a Rode NT-1 studio condenser mic here:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product_search2.asp?combined=rode
It's a really great sounding mic for vocals and many instruments.
- Spend the remainder on the best mic cables you can get...you won't regret it.

James Harold wrote:
>>Okay, since my last post was whining about having no money
>>and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will tell
>>you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
>>holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to best
>>help my little studio along.
>>
>>Heres what I have:
>>
>>PIII 733 (256 meg ram / two ata66 hard drives)
>>M-Audio Delta 44
>>M-Audio Omni i/o (mixing unit w/pre-amps)
>>Vegas Pro
>>Cakewalk Audio
>>Digitech DSP256 Mulit-effects processor
>>Sure SM57
>>Marshall MXL 2001 Condensor mic
>>Headphones / Computer Speakers
>>4x CD-Burner
>>
>>Heres what I do with it:
>>
>>Record acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with drums
>>composed in Acid.
>>
>>Heres how much money I have to spend: $250.00
>>
>>What should my next studio piece of equipment be?
>>Thanks for any input. Just curious what you guys think.
>>
>>-James
>>

karlc wrote on 12/19/2000, 12:03 PM

No DI?

Can't imagine a session without at least one. Recording
your EG into an amp and direct at the same time can let you
come up with some interesting sounds and more flexibility
during mixdown. Also indispensible for recording electric
Bass.

You can often pick these up at pawn shops pretty cheap if you are
in or near a big city.

KAC ...

James Harold wrote:
>>Okay, since my last post was whining about having no
money
>>and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will tell
>>you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
>>holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to best
>>help my little studio along.
>>
>>Heres what I have:
>>
>>PIII 733 (256 meg ram / two ata66 hard drives)
>>M-Audio Delta 44
>>M-Audio Omni i/o (mixing unit w/pre-amps)
>>Vegas Pro
>>Cakewalk Audio
>>Digitech DSP256 Mulit-effects processor
>>Sure SM57
>>Marshall MXL 2001 Condensor mic
>>Headphones / Computer Speakers
>>4x CD-Burner
>>
>>Heres what I do with it:
>>
>>Record acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with
drums
>>composed in Acid.
>>
>>Heres how much money I have to spend: $250.00
>>
>>What should my next studio piece of equipment be?
>>Thanks for any input. Just curious what you guys think.
>>
>>-James
>>

Rednroll wrote on 12/19/2000, 12:21 PM

The most important thing that you're missing in your studio
setup is a reliable set of monitors to hear what is really
going on. With $250.00 you can buy a pair of Alesis
Monitor Ones, so there's your budget. Next you'll have to
save up for a good amp to power them...don't go with the
Alesis RA-100. Guitar Center currently has a Hafler
50watt/channel amp for $199.00. All the other suggestions
that everyone else mentioned was good advice, but does you
no good if you can't reliable hear them and adjust them.

Karl Caillouet wrote:
>>No DI?
>>
>>Can't imagine a session without at least one. Recording
>>your EG into an amp and direct at the same time can let
you
>>come up with some interesting sounds and more flexibility
>>during mixdown. Also indispensible for recording electric
>>Bass.
>>
>>You can often pick these up at pawn shops pretty cheap if
you are
>>in or near a big city.
>>
>>KAC ...
>>
>>James Harold wrote:
>>>>Okay, since my last post was whining about having no
>>money
>>>>and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will
tell
>>>>you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
>>>>holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to
best
>>>>help my little studio along.
>>>>
>>>>Heres what I have:
>>>>
>>>>PIII 733 (256 meg ram / two ata66 hard drives)
>>>>M-Audio Delta 44
>>>>M-Audio Omni i/o (mixing unit w/pre-amps)
>>>>Vegas Pro
>>>>Cakewalk Audio
>>>>Digitech DSP256 Mulit-effects processor
>>>>Sure SM57
>>>>Marshall MXL 2001 Condensor mic
>>>>Headphones / Computer Speakers
>>>>4x CD-Burner
>>>>
>>>>Heres what I do with it:
>>>>
>>>>Record acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with
>>drums
>>>>composed in Acid.
>>>>
>>>>Heres how much money I have to spend: $250.00
>>>>
>>>>What should my next studio piece of equipment be?
>>>>Thanks for any input. Just curious what you guys think.
>>>>
>>>>-James
>>>>

Santa wrote on 12/19/2000, 6:46 PM

Ho, ho, ho...

From my "polar coordinates" I observe the plight of my struggling children musicians, and have to stop
whatever it is I do with Rudolph for keeping warm to give some much needed advice:

Since you, Dear Jimmy, only have $250.00 hard earned dollars ( I know they are hard earned because
always those who actually work hard for their money are the only ones who have so little), my advice is
very simple, efficient and controversial (what the hell, that's my nature, ho ho ho...):

Get yourself a fast internet connection. DSL or Cable, whichever will install first. Basic package will
cost $40, and thats it. You save your 210 dollars for the direct box that my jolly old friend Karl
suggested (get and ART) and a SM57 mic. If you shop around, you'll have enough money left for
some Johnny Walker.

Now, why an internet connection? Why DSL or cable?

Because it will allow you to download, install and test WORKING versions of your favorite software, all
this while searching for your favorite porn video (mine is "Santa comes...but once a year!"). When you
are certain your software works as advertised, you go and buy it. Your concience's call.

You can even get laid if you hit the chat rooms. Just make sure the critter at the other end of the
modem is what you think it is....

You can download Mp3's to your heart's contents while raising hell in the forum that deletes your posts
. Discover that there are more Photoshop plugins than stars in the firmament, and that the postal
service is going the way of the dinosaur. That life is better when you realize there's always a better
way around the corner of the mind...that $250 is far more than what most people will get for
them!

Merry Christmas!

Santa.

This lesson brought to David "The Jackal" Ruby courtesy of the letters F&U. Ho ho ho...Rudolph...ho
ho ho...let me empty my sack for all the kids in the world... ho ho ho...get the pot out...oh,
shit!....is that a siren, Rudy?....What? You don't give no fu**king speeding ticket to me!!! I'M SANTA!!!
the real one!!! helllllllllllllllp...........

James Harold wrote:
>>Okay, since my last post was whining about having no money
>>and that studio equipment is very expensive. I will tell
>>you what I have and how much I have to spend over this
>>holiday weekend and you guys tell me what to get to best
>>help my little studio along.
>>
>>Heres what I have:
>>
>>PIII 733 (256 meg ram / two ata66 hard drives)
>>M-Audio Delta 44
>>M-Audio Omni i/o (mixing unit w/pre-amps)
>>Vegas Pro
>>Cakewalk Audio
>>Digitech DSP256 Mulit-effects processor
>>Sure SM57
>>Marshall MXL 2001 Condensor mic
>>Headphones / Computer Speakers
>>4x CD-Burner
>>
>>Heres what I do with it:
>>
>>Record acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with drums
>>composed in Acid.
>>
>>Heres how much money I have to spend: $250.00
>>
>>What should my next studio piece of equipment be?
>>Thanks for any input. Just curious what you guys think.
>>
>>-James
>>