Jump to content

Your Ad Could Be Here

jameswales

Active Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    76

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by jameswales

    Think I Am There!!!

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    I actually think I am nearly there!!!! Heres what I have got:

    I already had:

    Vocal and guitar effects unit

    Basic Mixing Desk

    I have bought:

    Cubase LE - Will get a better Cuebase once I have got the hang of using everything!!!

    Presonus Firebox Firewire audio interface

    Behringer Studio Condenser Mic

    Behringer Headphones

    Monitors

    VERY Basic Yamaha keyboard - will start by recording straight into Cuebase and when I can afford it, get a better keyboard to use for sequencing!!!

    Drum Machine

    Boss Sampler

    and that's prity much it!!!!!

    I think I have got everything I need for a basic starter studio! If anybody can think of anything else I would need, not something I would want, please let me know!!!!

    UPDATE + YET MORE QUESTIONS!!!!!

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted · Edited by jameswales

    Hey

    Did I miss some posts or something? Where did all the insults come from? Starting your reply with shouting MORON to someone isn't the most friendly way to reply to someone. From what I see here it's completely uncalled for H. ??? When you are learning something, do you like being called STUPID?

    James is asking some questions about something he doesn't know. A place we've all been. He's prepared to do the work to learn, but doesn't want to open a hole and chuck his money in while he learns.

    To get back to your question James: I'll have a look about. You don't say if you are a piano player. If not the subtleties of a top notch keyboard surface would be lost on (touch sensitivity, piano action) you if all you want to do is enter notes into a midi track on cubase. Likewise, if you don't mind that you can only hear what you are playing when your PC is on, you only need a controller keyboard. By sacrificing the keyboards ability to produce it's own sounds you will get a better actual keyboard. It's a bit of a trade off.

    If you are not a keyboard player, but intend gradually improving, and have no need of a keyboard for gigs, you might be as well getting a controller keyboard like these:

    http://www.dv247.com/invt/26150

    http://www.evolution.co.uk/products/evo_mk461c.htm

    I hope this helps!

    Cheers

    John

    HOW ABOUT THE FOLLOWING FOR A HALF DECENT KEYBOARD FOR MY PC STUDIO?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CASIO-Full-Sized-Key...1QQcmdZViewItem

    Could I use to sequence?

    Also, is this desent enough drum machine?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ZOOM-MRT-3-MICRO-RHY...1QQcmdZViewItem

    Cheers guys, you are being a great help!

    UPDATE + YET MORE QUESTIONS!!!!!

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    yep. ALL with touch response and a MIDI interface.

    A S***load of good SOUNDS doesn't hurt one bit.

    THE MAIN THINGEY: NO matter WHAT the keyboard IZ.... it ALL depends on "other stuff"... so you can't HACK IT with just the keys, you need MORE.

    AND if you would stop and LISTEN for a SEC , you might GET somewhere... instead of poking around in the dark.

    Bye.

    H.

    PLEASANT!

    What is the "other stuff" you refer too?

    UPDATE + YET MORE QUESTIONS!!!!!

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    Here's where I am at the moment. I have ordered a brand new computer with the follwing spec:

    Processor Type Intel Pentium IV 3.0GHz CPU Prescott 800MHZ FSB

    Motherboard Award Winning ECS 661GX/800-M7 i661GX Skt 775

    Hard Disk 160 GB IDE 8MB lead free Cache

    RAM Memory 1024MB DDR400 PC3200 RAM

    Optical Drive 16x Dual Layer DVD +/- R/RW Drive

    I have also ordered a Presonus Firebox Firewire audio interface with Cuebase LE and also a pair of studio monitors.

    What I am having trouble with now is getting a keyboard. I have 200pounds and don't know what to get. If I was to get something like this m-audio website + specs, where abouts would I get my sounds for different instruments? Or does it actually have them? Would I also need to get a drum machine?

    Or would I be best getting the following:

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CASIO-Full-Sized-Key...1QQcmdZViewItem

    Could I use any of the above keyboards to sequence in cuebase?

    Sorry for all the questions, i'm still learning!!!

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    protools just updated to version 7, with a full makeup in the MIDI side, you may want to update...

    you have a zillion guitars?!!

    I love guitars, why don't you post some pics? [smiley=acoustic.gif]

    my setup:

    P4 1.8G, 1G SDRAM 2 monitors 17" (yes, the old big heavy ones)

    Creative Audigy 1 with KX Drivers (thanks to Finn Arild)

    my new tube mic that I bought from thomann

    my faithfull Pearl custom electric guitar

    a mouth organ (melodica)

    a hartley benton 5 strings fretless bass (from thomann too)

    a Roland PC 180A keyboard MIDI controller

    an AKAI MPD 16 Drum MIDI controller

    lots of percussive stuff spreaded around the house that includes an udu, a little djembe, some indian bells, a wood frog from thailand, shakers in all kind of shapes (I just fill with rice anything that can make a shaker)...

    How many sounds does the keyboard come with?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    That PC should be fine. You will need an interface (something to plug the keyboard and mic into), like the firebox, presonus, digi. If these plug in via midi, you won't need a soundcard. Most interfaces come with the PC card. Most interfaces have outputs that do not get sent to the PC's soundcard.

    I'm on the other end of the scale from Prom:

    PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

    Digi 001 interface with PC card included

    Protools 6.4?

    AKG D690 microphone

    cheap Yamahaha keyboard

    Piano

    more guitars than I can count

    a ZOOM guitar pedal

    Yamaha DTXpress electronic drumkit

    WHAT ABOUT THIS? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

    Would I need to buy a sound card? If so, any suggestions?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    hello!, sorry for the delay, I missed this one... here I go:

    you don't need any FX processor or mixer if you're planning to record just yourself (singing or playng).

    you don't need a MIDI interface if your sound card has one.

    you don't need a lot of other things...

    the best thing about computer recording is that your setup is very simple,

    - the main thing you need is the fastest and biggest PC (with 2 fast hard drives) that you can buy,

    - a good sound card with MIDI that fits your needs,

    - a keyboard controller (a keyboard but without a synth inside or any other sound generator, it just sends MIDI data),

    - a good microphone and a couple of cables.

    (having 2 PC monitors is also an exellent idea, so buy a video card with 2 outs if you can).

    synths, samplers and mixing is going to be done inside the PC using software.

    software is a very personal choice, beacuse most of them do the same things, don't buy one just because everybody uses it, try all of them before, you can download demos and make a choice.

    software synths and samplers abound in the net, so think about the sounds you want to hear and try some before buying as I said.

    you can find also exellent software for FREE!!, as I always recommend: buy some issues of computer music magazine

    you can find on their cd's all what you need to get started.

    follow Prometeus advice about reading songstuff tutorials and the sound on sound website.

    hope it helps a bit, gotta go now...

    cheers!!

    Is it best to buy a keyboard with all the sounds, or, like above, one that just send midi signals? If it is the later, where do all the different sounds for the instruments come from?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    That PC should be fine. You will need an interface (something to plug the keyboard and mic into), like the firebox, presonus, digi. If these plug in via midi, you won't need a soundcard. Most interfaces come with the PC card. Most interfaces have outputs that do not get sent to the PC's soundcard.

    I'm on the other end of the scale from Prom:

    PC (3Gig, 512 RAM)

    Digi 001 interface with PC card included

    Protools 6.4?

    AKG D690 microphone

    cheap Yamahaha keyboard

    Piano

    more guitars than I can count

    a ZOOM guitar pedal

    Yamaha DTXpress electronic drumkit

    Would the following interface be any good or should I spend a bit more and get a digi 001?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tascam-US-122-USB-Au...1QQcmdZViewItem

    Would I need to buy a sound card as well as the above?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted · Edited by jameswales

    Absolutely... Not meaning to be patronizing, but I'm very concerned that you (James) might be taking the attitude that if you buy a lot of fancy toys, you'll be producing commercial quality recordings in a few weeks. I've noticed that you've been jumping on every post regarding equipment and have totally ignored everything said about learning how to use the equipment... Before you spend massive amounts of money, you've got to be sure that you aren't wasting your dosh trying to run before you can walk... When I decided I wanted to move from pottering around with an eight track to being a studio engineer in big studio set ups, I went back to College and did a two year course to get some recognised qualifications and to interact with Industry experienced professionals... I've never regretted this, and while College is not for everyone, I know for a fact that unless you spend the time developing a very clear idea of what you're doing with the equipment and why you're doing it, the first time anything unexpected comes up in a recording situation, you'll be out of your depth.

    It takes a clever man years to reach the level of broadcast quality mixes, with focus, drive, direction and learning...

    A seasoned engineer with a mike, a compressor, a graphic equalizer and a tape of somekind will create a far better recording than a rookie would in abbey road... As a matter of fact, I doubt a man picked at random from the street could get as far as switching on the equipment in a big studio...

    Ok. I've taken everything everyone, especially Prometheus, intoi account and I think this is the best way forward for me. I'm going to start with a basic set-up, computer, cuebase and keyboard. Is there naything else I will need to get started?

    Is the following a good enough computer to run Cuebase? I realise I will probably have to buy a new sound card!!!

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P4-3-0-PRESCOTT-1MB-...1QQcmdZViewItem

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    I can give you a run down on what I've got...

    A Spirit Studio 24-8-1 Desk (Fantastic Routing Device)

    Alesis Point Seven Monitor Speakers (I love them)

    An Maudio Delta 10 10 (Desk to sound card Analogue digital converters)

    2 Patch bays (Behringer Ultrapatch Pro and and G & T) for patching in effects units

    A Behrigner Multigate (I usually use for working on drum sounds)

    2 x Behringer Composer Pro Compressors (For Dynamic Control and Limiting at the recording stage)

    A Boss RCL 10 Compressor

    An Alesis M-EQ 230 Graphich Equaliser

    A Digitech TSR 12 Time Domain Effects Unit (Chorus, Flange, Phaser, Reverb Etc)

    A Behringer Ultrafex II Enhancer (For adding a bit of Aural Excitment to a mix)

    A Boss RV 70 Reverb

    A Tascam DA 30 Mark II Data recorder (For mastering)

    A Yamaha R100 Reverb Unit

    A Pioneer A400 amp

    A sony MSD JE510 MiniDisc Recorder

    A Yamaha MD8 Mixer

    A Spirit Folio 8 track Desk

    A Peavey Unity 1000 desk (been through the wars and a bit battered now)

    A Stagg Cardioid Condenser Mic

    A Behringer B1 Cardioid Condenser

    A DI box (to increase signal strength and Convert Jack to XLR)

    2 Home made Pop Shields (To stop vocal plosives on recordings)

    A NAD Compact Disc Player

    A Midi Plus 61 Midicontroller Keyboard

    Instruments

    A Roland Juno 6 Analogue Synth

    A Stagg Les Paul Copy

    A thirty year old Hohner Precision Copy Bass (affectionately named Agatha)

    An Epiphone SG25

    Two C Harps

    A number of percussion devices (tambourines, Maracca's etc)

    A bongo Drum

    Some Rudimentary Video Capturing Equipment and A Samsung Digital Campcorder that takes Hi-8 tapes

    Cubase v5.0 and a number of plugins

    CoolEditPro II

    Bonk Enc (Freeware File Encoder)

    And Nero Burning Rom (For final Mastering)

    And a Tascam 244 4 track Porta Studio

    THAT'S ALOT OF STUFF!!!

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    Don't misunderstand me here, I'd just hate to talk you into spending loads of money without telling you what's involved... I think Sound Recording and mixing is great, and I'd love to see everyone getting into it, and I think it's great that your enthusiastic about getting all the right gear for it, I just want to make sure you're aware it's a long road to learn all the stuff you need to learn... Absolutely no offense was meant...

    Prometheus

    I know no offense was meant. I agree completly with what you say. I know it's gonna take me a long time to learn what I need to learn, and the way i'm going at the moment, it's gonna take me longer than most!!! I just can't wait to get started learning!!!

    Does anybody have a list of what they have in their home pc recording and what all the pieces do? And why they are there?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    Absolutely... Not meaning to be patronizing, but I'm very concerned that you (James) might be taking the attitude that if you buy a lot of fancy toys, you'll be producing commercial quality recordings in a few weeks. I've noticed that you've been jumping on every post regarding equipment and have totally ignored everything said about learning how to use the equipment... Before you spend massive amounts of money, you've got to be sure that you aren't wasting your dosh trying to run before you can walk... When I decided I wanted to move from pottering around with an eight track to being a studio engineer in big studio set ups, I went back to College and did a two year course to get some recognised qualifications and to interact with Industry experienced professionals... I've never regretted this, and while College is not for everyone, I know for a fact that unless you spend the time developing a very clear idea of what you're doing with the equipment and why you're doing it, the first time anything unexpected comes up in a recording situation, you'll be out of your depth.

    It takes a clever man years to reach the level of broadcast quality mixes, with focus, drive, direction and learning...

    A seasoned engineer with a mike, a compressor, a graphic equalizer and a tape of somekind will create a far better recording than a rookie would in abbey road... As a matter of fact, I doubt a man picked at random from the street could get as far as switching on the equipment in a big studio...

    All I have done is ask questions about different pieces of equipment. The only way I can learn what I need to buy is by asking these questions. I don't have time to go to college. I have a young family and would rather spend my time learning how to use the equipment at home rather than being away at the nearest college, which is 60 miles away. Yes I have menthioned alot of different pieces of equipment because I wanted to find out what they did, and whether they would benefit. I thought that was what this forum was for?

    I know for a fact that I am not going to be producing top class recordings anytime soon. If I don't know what a piece of equipment does, i'm not gonna buy it. However, I won't know what a piece of equipment does and whether it is what I need unless I ask.

    Steinberg Houston

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    the huston is a mix controller to control the faders and certain other elements of Cubase in a more Mixing desk like format... it has no preamps and is not a routing device for recording but it should work for mixing on any cubase sequencer newer than cubase v5.0... is it worth buying? If you have a shaky hand and can't mix with a mouse, and don't have a setup whereby you canmix on your desk, maybe. It does make performing automation passes a lot easier, and you can move more than one fader at a time which you obviously can't with a mouse, but with unlimited automation passes in Cubase, I'm not sure how relevant that is. It definitely isn't something I would give a high priority if I was setting up a studio...

    PS. For any audio recordings, put MIDI interfaces right out of your head. MIDI is computer machine code, a series of 1's and 0's, it has no relation to propagating compression waves in air or trees falling in forests when no one is around whatsoever...

    I'LL SAVE MY MONEY THEN!!!!

    How would I record vocals then? Would it be a good idea to buy some kind of small mixer that I can put microphones and guitars into? How would I then get it into the computer?

    Steinberg Houston

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    ME AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I am thing about buying the Steinberg Houston. It says that for it to work I have to have Cuebase VST V5.0 or more. Is Cuebase SX3 or Cuebase SL3 one of these? If both, which is the better?

    THANKS AGAIN!!!!!

    Dos the Houston allow me to input guitars, mics etc straight into it? Does it then go straight into the computer program or does it need to go through a midi interface (I think that's what it's called!!!)?

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted · Edited by jameswales

    As long as your audio card has audio IO yes you could do this. Most cheap soundcards don't offer you much in the way of audio quality, or a variety of sampling rates in the convesrion from analog to digital.

    You would also need to check how you get midi IO if you go with the fitted soundcard.

    IS THE FOLLOWING LINK A GOOD MIDI IO:

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/M-Audio-Delta-66-Dig...1QQcmdZViewItem

    OR IS THIS A MIDI IO:

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--STESYSTEM4

    WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

    in Music Production and Recording

    Posted

    As long as your audio card has audio IO yes you could do this. Most cheap soundcards don't offer you much in the way of audio quality, or a variety of sampling rates in the convesrion from analog to digital.

    You would also need to check how you get midi IO if you go with the fitted soundcard.

    WHAT IS MIDI IO?

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By continuing to use our site you indicate acceptance of our Terms Of Service: Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy, our Community Guidelines: Guidelines and our use of Cookies We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.