Making a Hit Album with cheaper Equipment: Is Recording Equipment Over Priced?

[oceantracks]

Originally Posted by living sounds

I definitely think they are. I've always hated the Virus with a passion. And most commercial dance music these days is garbage. The people in the scene who really care about the music (= artist in the original sense) are the ones who use all the nice analog synths and outboard and care about the sound.

Well that's you. But I guarantee you many people who care deeply about what they do use all those plug ins and get great results, and many "artists" embrace new technology just as many others still swear by vinyl discs. Horses for courses.

At any rate, this is all very OT, the subject was whether you need big time studios and gear to make a hit record, and the answer will always "no," because there have too many big hits that aren't stellar audio productions. Like Fletcher says, no one has ever walked down the street humming the preamp to a song.

TH

[nuemes]

Originally Posted by JOHN

Anyone made a hit album using cheap equipment

Guided By Voices had a number of early CD's that sold well and were critically acclaimed with almost unlistenable audio quality. They had songs... same with Sebadoh on occasion.

[superjc]

Originally Posted by JOHN

say on their website? is there one million idiots out there i don't think so.

Hate to rain on your parade, but there are.... how else would the U.S. be on the verge of electing a complete neophyte/NWO sock puppet as president? but that's beside the point that some are only willing to invest a smaller amount of money into a hobby that's why Behringer sells a lot.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by superjc

Hate to rain on your parade, but there are.... how else would the U.S. be on the verge of electing a complete neophyte/NWO sock puppet as president? but that's beside the point that some are only willing to invest a smaller amount of money into a hobby that's why Behringer sells a lot.

Yeah, then you got Obama too! Electing a senator for president is not a good idea, all these guys have ever run is their mouths. Get ready for 4 years of Carter or Bush I, hold on to your wallet.

As to the "B" word, everything sounds great..... until you hear something better.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[TheChariot]

So I've totally discovered this thread much too late....

But has anyone mentioned aesthetics?

C'mon Slutz, FESS UP! If you've ever appreciated an old antique table or a nice brand new car, then you definitely understand aesthetic value in audio gear.

During our sessions there is an RCA 77 set up pretty much at all times.
Even when it's set aside.... it's in the room in all it's glory. Several decommissioned mics (which includes a 44) are living inside of a coffee table in the live room. When the singer ashes his cigarette during a break (.......) he's looking at 60 years of recording history through the glass of the table.

Of course, we use the mics and gear that are right for the situation. But my point is, we all know that we buy certain pieces of gear for their allure in ADDITION to their functionality. The ability to partake in that is something that I enjoy about this craft, and I think most of us feel the same way.

And guess what? That gear costs money. And that gear is made pretty damn well to be around 30+ years later. There will be no audio enthusiasts purchasing old Behringer gear for top dollar in 2030.

And in my opinion, there is very little new gear being produced that holds that sort of aesthetic value (or will hold it in the future)... but I suppose we'll see. It's just hard to think of someone 20 years from now saying "Dude! I just purchased a vintage Digi192! Now I can get that early millennium A/D sound!"

They'll be recording straight to water, a la Metalocolypse.

[donsolo]

man you're not already bussing straight to water on the 2bus?

That medium can handle 2,500.50 surround sound.

Seriously though, the song makes a hit. The recording quality makes it lasting.

Look at Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. Best selling jazz record of all time. Made with just a few microphones (of impecible quality)

And while people still like Django, the audio quality seriously limits the new audience.

Same with Bob Marley, the early stuff was great (probably even the best) but the timeless stuff was done in a really well equipped studio that really let Bob shine!

Can you make a good record with cheap gear? yes. Will it take you longer? yes.

Go talk to a mechanic. Do they want to have snap on wrenches that will never ever break and feel good in your hand or do they want craftsman?

Gear is meant to be transparent in that you should never think "god damn piece of ...." If the gear doesn't hinder you, that's one less variable to go wrong.

When your behringer gear starts to pop, you have to stop, address the problem and go back to working, talk about killing the momentum....

I've made good music on cheap gear and I've made bad music on good gear. The good music was HARD to make because the gear got in the way. The bad music was so easy to make because the gear was just so easy to work with...

Now if I had had access when I was making the good music...think of how much better it would have been when the gear wasn't limiting.

[plexisys]

In my humble opinion, most manufacturers of high-end or esoteric audio equipment are not in the business to get rich quickly. They build and sell the equipment because they are passionate about quality audio electronics and design.

This is not a self plug. I can tell you, you do it because of the passion not the money. Most of the high end stuff only sells a very small number of units.

As we developed our final product our concept has always been, and always will be, to make the best possible product regardless of the price and how many units would be sold. I don't think we even talked about making money during the first year or so of product development. It was always how can we make the best sounding and most useful box. I don't want to be a manufacture that sells 1,000s of boxes at $X. I'd rather sell one to the guy that says, "man this is what these things are supposed to sound like. gees that's amazing."

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by TheChariot

So I've totally discovered this thread much too late....
But has anyone mentioned aesthetics?
C'mon Slutz, FESS UP! If you've ever appreciated an old antique table or a nice brand new car, then you definitely understand aesthetic value in audio gear.

Make sure you put a picture of it on your next release and get back to us on how many copies it sold for you.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[RBowlin]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Make sure you put a picture of it on your next release and get back to us on how many copies it sold for you.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

-Rich

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by LA VERDAD

Dude, again with no disrespect intended. You need to get your ears checked. There is a difference sonically with a Mackie mixer and a Behringer. I done a test myself. Believe we all want to spend less $$$$.

I agree with the SE 5600. Great mic. I own one becaused it sounds good!! Its one of my most used mics for vox.

I've tried and tried to use that mic' in session. It's brittle, hard and NOT very valvey at all. It's just nasty harsh. I've got a few Se mics, and they're very good at the price. But they are NOT VM1s or anything else. Usable in a pinch. Fine for demo's.... it's just so EASY with Brauners etc.... I've got just over 100 mic's - at various price points - no snobbery - but pretty much it's only the GOOD mic's that get used. All the way down to a 57 up to my Brauners.... Quality is all that matters - but you generally find quality costs. There are exceptions - the 57 being a good one. But it's not the cheapest dynamic.