Some Newbie Wants to Know What to Do Next.....

[MasterTrax]

Hey, Slutz.

I'm a fairly long-time lurker here, and have gained much insight by rummaging through the miles and miles of info generated at this site. I feel fortunate to be in the company of such a roster of seasoned pros and talented amateurs.

Brief background to demonstrate where I stand sonically and musically:

I am a woodshedder/hermit/home recordist. All noises made in my studio are my fault and mine alone. I write and record modern heavy rock styles, some classic rock, a little pop-rock and a dab of classical styles. Instrumentation includes electric and acoustic guitar, electric bass, acoustic and electronic drums and percussion, synths, acoustic piano, vocals, and in the near future, the cello.

I like big, colored-sounding mics, pres and compressors although I understand the need for, and own, clean/more accurate varieties of each also. Until recently I have always had a pretty good idea which direction to turn for each upragde to my arsenal. It seems, however, that as my collection of gear improves I find the next logical steps to become less clear.

>I have a LOUD and full tenor voice. I sometimes do many vox overdubs.

>I like loud rock guitar and love the Mesa/Gibson sound. ( Sue me.)

>I also love big drum sounds.

I have good instruments, good monitors and good cabling. My room is fairly well treated and has a sound very pleasing to my ears. 12'x24' with a 5x6 vocal booth.

Finally, a quick look at the front end of my studio:

Mics:
Blue Baby Bottle
ADK Vienna LE matched pair
Shure KSM27
Modified MXL V69ME
Sennheiser MD421
Shure SM57 x2
Modified Nady RSM-2 Ribbon x2
MXL 603 matched pair

Outboard:
Demeter VTMP-2b dual tube preamp
Great River MP-2NV dual preamp
Rane MS1b preamp x2
Modified Bellari MP105 preamp (Burr/Brown in/out opamps, P/S)
FMR RNC compressor
Black Lion Modified ART VLA compressor (class a w/FET inputs, Cinemag OPTs)
UA 1176LN limiter
Lexicon MPX550 processor (decent converters)
Modified ART DI/O AD/DA (3a P/S, tube circuit removed)

OK, there's my "audio world" in a nutshell. Where would you guys point your next wad of cash? Better mics? Or is it time for converters? Or something else entirely?Let budget be of secondary concern. I am quite serious when it comes to recording my tunes. Thanks in advance.

Mike

[Jim vanBergen]

Tell us about your console, buss chain, and master recorder?

It ain't worth working on things we don't understand fully. Someone may say, save up for a Telefunken, when you really need something else!

JvB

[zimv20]

it's the high end -- save up for a telefunken and something else.

[MasterTrax]

Got it. Thanks for the help.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by MasterTrax

Or something else entirely?Let budget be of secondary concern. I am quite serious when it comes to recording my tunes. Thanks in advance.

Mike

One word...TAPE.

Forget the digital stuff and stay analog all the way to the mastering.

[RadioMoo]

Telefunken, something else and tape.

[moon_unit]

I don't see any shortfalls in your gear. You've got enough to make some very high-quality recordings if you wanted to.

Unless you just like buying shit. Which is cool ... I mean, this is gearslutz. But seriously ... just get recording. If there's something you want or need, then you should know when the time comes.
.

I'd spend all the money you have left on music lessons. Seriously. The five years of voice lessons and ten years playing bass in orchestras are the mosy vauable things I ever did, as a recording engineer professional.

You can make a million selling record with a 57 and a portastudio, if you can make the music that sells... no joke!

[Reggie Love]

I'd say you have all the basic to make some very good recordings as you are woodshedding. For rawk, some reel to reel tape might help. Maybe some out of box summing, but whilst it may be a swearword on Slutz, sometimes your set up IS adequ*te for your needs.

[MasterTrax]

"Let budget be of secondary concern" should be an indicator of wanting to stay away from a low-end school of thought.

Why don't you move your own posts around? Mine was posted where it belonged.

"Gee, I have just picked up my new Great River NV's. Should I get a Behringer comp now?"

M

[MasterTrax]

P.S. Before I get booted forever for voicing my opinion, I wanted to thank you guys who made honest replies. I might actually look into going analog for tracking.

(Low-end Ampex or Studer, of course.)

BTW, yes, I do just like "buying shit". Isn't that the second reason we are all here in the .....first....place?

Oh, and where does one apply to become a moderator here at Slutz? You could use some help.

M

[MasterTrax]

P.P.S.

A couple more quick thoughts before the axe hits me:

> I like the notion of private lessons. Drumming lessons in particular. Percussion is my worst shortfall.

> I AM recording, all the time. I just want to maximize my setup..... and "low end theory" has no place in my plans for this aspect of my musical life.

Now if you will excuse me, I must place my head firmly between my legs in order to kiss my own ass goodbye.....the mods will swat me outta here in minutes, I'm sure.

M

[Nosound]

Hire me and my buds and we will help you make a killer CD I can't think of any one person who had commerce sucess maybe the Satch but he used a real drummer to progam the drum beats on his first Album. Goodluck

[MasterTrax]

Commercial success?

Satch?

Last thing I remember, I was happily posting a nice slutty gear post in the HIGH END FORUM expecting nice slutty replies.

I've been moved to the twilight forum.

Auntie Em????

M

[DrDeltaM]

I wonder why you feel so offended by 'Low End Theory'.

You have a nice setup, sure, but it doesn't scream high-end all over it. And that's no offence at all.

Low End Theory doesn't equal Behringer crap. If you took the time to check the forum out, you'd know I'm personally very anti Behringer and that I use high-end gear myself too.

Most homestudios fit in well here, even those with some high-end gear.

Enjoy your stay

[manning1]

mastertrax...
seems like you have a very good gear list to me.

maybe buy some behringer....for a different color..(joking !!!!)
i would suggest a gold record producer would produce great records with what you have. just my 2 cents.
if ya wanna spend some money a cruise perhaps ?? lol.

[MasterTrax]

Oh hell, Doctor, it would take a lot more than gear issues to get me offended.

I'm gonna use what I'm gonna use, I've been playing and recording for longer than would be flattering to mention here.

The point is that I posted in the high end forum because I wish to keep moving in that direction. A few stop-gaps remain here and there, and these are what I wished to address. Specifically I wished to discuss converters and LDC mics, but again, not from a low end point of view. Mics which I am interested in at the moment include several models by Gefell, Brauner and Manley, althoug I am open to suggestion as to more mics to try out.

I will never have a huge gear list. I do not need a lot of gear, just very good gear. I am the "sole soul" involved. No clients. No bands. The occasional guitarist or percussionist does come in say, twice a year to track on my projects.

I'm not trashing any and all low end gear, though. I've got several low end pieces which I do NOT consider stop-gap gear, or settling. Examples would include my Nady ribbons, which I modded here at home and could never part with, my little modded Bellari MP105 which makes a great bass DI, my V69 tube mic which now holds an old tele smooth plate 12ax7......

At any rate, I think I will try a more carefully worded post again in the high end forum. More specific, more slutty. Show a little chrome. That oughta do it.

Thanks guys

M

[DrDeltaM]

Originally Posted by MasterTrax

At any rate, I think I will try a more carefully worded post again in the high end forum. More specific, more slutty. Show a little chrome. That oughta do it.

Thanks guys

M

Might be the way to have the high end moderators keep your posts there yes

[uvc1977]

Originally Posted by MasterTrax

At any rate, I think I will try a more carefully worded post again in the high end forum. More specific, more slutty. Show a little chrome. That oughta do it.

M

Mastertrax your not alone, there are many low end theory gearslutz on here who certainly dont fall into the behringer brigades but have nice little sluty setups.

Oh when your showing the chrome dont forget to mention the 'bling', they will love you then