Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Gear Recommendation for setting up sort of "studio"

max cooper · 18th February 2005

The fact that you want to record drums means that you'll want to record several channels at once (at least two but possible eight). If your studio is going to be built around a DAW, you'll need to select one first. If you ask around here, I'd imagine just about all the contenders will be recommended at some point. Ultimately, if you can't try them all, you'll have to make the decision based on specs and capabilities. Obviously, it would be ideal to be able to get your hands on the gear first, but as you say, it's not always easy. I bought a DIGI 002 rig after doing lengthy reading, and it's been fine...since then I've used Nuendo and Digital Performer and I've had my hands on Logic a couple of times. I'm pretty convinced that I'd be making good recordings if I'd chosen any of those. The "best DAW" debate can rage on and on, and if you do a search here at GS you'll find that it has many times. Obviously, a DAW will require a fast computer. I'm not gonna touch the Mac/Win debate except to say that I use a Mac but I'd still be making good music if I were using a Win machine.

You'll also need an interface, which may or may not include some mic preamps and converters. I'm using a Rosetta 800 with my Digi 002. If you don't go with ProTools, you'll have options as far as the interface is concerned.

There are some good four and eight banger mic pres for not too much money. With a limited budget, one of these might be the ticket. Also you're gonna need a few mics. Consider dynamics instead of cheap condensers (IMHO at least). If I were gonna start from scratch, I'd put together something like: Shure SM7 for vocals etc, a couple or three Sennheiser 421's (toms, etc), and a couple of SM57's for guitars and other stuff. For drums, you'll probably want some overheads too. Overheads are a real personal preference thing; I recommend a search at this forum...you'll need to do some reading to set off in the right direction unless you already have some idea of what you like.

You'll want to save a little for some plugins. With a budget of $5,000, outboard compression and EQ will probably have to come later. You can get started without it.

A list of the gadgets you'll need will help you figure out which brands and models are gonna work and fit you're budget. Then you can ask specific questions about specific units.

Don't forget...it's got to be fun or it's not worth doing. Hope that at least helps you get started.

18th February 2005	#2
max cooper Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,802	The fact that you want to record drums means that you'll want to record several channels at once (at least two but possible eight). If your studio is going to be built around a DAW, you'll need to select one first. If you ask around here, I'd imagine just about all the contenders will be recommended at some point. Ultimately, if you can't try them all, you'll have to make the decision based on specs and capabilities. Obviously, it would be ideal to be able to get your hands on the gear first, but as you say, it's not always easy. I bought a DIGI 002 rig after doing lengthy reading, and it's been fine...since then I've used Nuendo and Digital Performer and I've had my hands on Logic a couple of times. I'm pretty convinced that I'd be making good recordings if I'd chosen any of those. The "best DAW" debate can rage on and on, and if you do a search here at GS you'll find that it has many times. Obviously, a DAW will require a fast computer. I'm not gonna touch the Mac/Win debate except to say that I use a Mac but I'd still be making good music if I were using a Win machine. You'll also need an interface, which may or may not include some mic preamps and converters. I'm using a Rosetta 800 with my Digi 002. If you don't go with ProTools, you'll have options as far as the interface is concerned. There are some good four and eight banger mic pres for not too much money. With a limited budget, one of these might be the ticket. Also you're gonna need a few mics. Consider dynamics instead of cheap condensers (IMHO at least). If I were gonna start from scratch, I'd put together something like: Shure SM7 for vocals etc, a couple or three Sennheiser 421's (toms, etc), and a couple of SM57's for guitars and other stuff. For drums, you'll probably want some overheads too. Overheads are a real personal preference thing; I recommend a search at this forum...you'll need to do some reading to set off in the right direction unless you already have some idea of what you like. You'll want to save a little for some plugins. With a budget of $5,000, outboard compression and EQ will probably have to come later. You can get started without it. A list of the gadgets you'll need will help you figure out which brands and models are gonna work and fit you're budget. Then you can ask specific questions about specific units. Don't forget...it's got to be fun or it's not worth doing. Hope that at least helps you get started.