need help with recording rap vocals.

[TonyBelmont]

You need a mic preamp to plug that XLR into first... What's your budget?

[big ol shea]

I got a budget of 250-300 dollars, but I don't want to spend a lot of that on a preamp.

[Audio1420]

Speed Costs Money How Fast Do You Want To Go???? With That Budget I Guess Not That Fast.... Look on EBAY For A Presonus Eureka Might cost a little more than what you have....

[big ol shea]

i checked ebay, and the eureka looks pretty nice, except i just don't have that kinda money...

are either of these worth it at all? #1#2

btw, i didn't mention it earlier, but i'm cool with a lo-fi sound. just nothing that sounds like crap.

one other thing - what's a direct box, and would i find it useful?

thanks.

[XHipHop]

If you only have like $100 to spend, get a used Joemeek unit off of ebay.

[big ol shea]

Is this a good option?

[jsrockit]

This is the best all in one at this price range:

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

Also check out the FMR Audio stuff and the Studio Projects VTB-1.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by big ol shea

Is this a good option?

I'd say the options above are better.

[big ol shea]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

This is the best all in one at this price range:

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

Also check out the FMR Audio stuff and the Studio Projects VTB-1.

oh man, blemished for 140! perfect. thanks a ton man.

[big ol shea]

does the joemeek give you a vintage but clear sound? thats kinda what im looking for.

[XHipHop]

It gives you the best $140 vintage but clear sound money can buy.

Just buy it and start turning knobs until it sounds good.

[HeatWAVS]

Originally Posted by XHipHop

It gives you the best $140 vintage but clear sound money can buy.

Just buy it and start turning knobs until it sounds good.

exactly... I assume if you only have a few hundred to spend and you didn't know you needed a preamp then you've probably got some learning to do about compression, limiting, blah blah blah....

When I started recording hiphop vocals (mainly my own) about 2 years ago... I started with a shure sm 47. I bought it because I heard shure was a good brand... little did I know that the mic was supposed to be used for voiceover and speech work. SHEEESH... then I did some research and learned about condendser mics, picked up a MXL 2003 which for the money ($99) can't be beat if you are just beginning. I then researched preamps... and through research realized I couldn't buy a good one... lol. So I went with a Behringer Ultragain, which will get the job done as well... it won't sound great, but it will sound.... if you know what I mean.

It wasn't until about a month ago that I actually got a new mic AT4050 that I will be selling soon for a SeElectronics 4600a ($700), the 4050 is just too flat, and I'm also picking up either a Vintech x73i ($1550) or an Avalon 737sp ($1500 used) for my preamp. So just keep upgrading and learning (learning about what you REALLY need and not just what you WANT will save you ALOT of money)... and I can not stress this enough "no equipment can make up for ones lack of knowledge on how to use it".

Greets

Oh and by the way... you do have some thing to record the vocals with... right?

[big ol shea]

haha, yeah, i got a SM58 for my birthday a few days ago.

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by big ol shea

haha, yeah, i got a SM58 for my birthday a few days ago.

Good, you're set! Start making some music.

[big ol shea]

I've already been using it directly into the speakers and through my crappy turntable mixer.

I don't actually have a PA system yet...I use my guitar amp and XLR to 1/4 converter most of the time >.<

[illynoise]

DBX 286 mic channel. Very underated. I have two of them. 199.00 brand new.

I have moved up a bit and I don't use them much anymore, but I love the sound.

If your on a budget, it's a great purchase.

BaseJase
Illynoise

[Samy]

All hello!ß from Russia))) read rap during 5 years, I can help =)
my icq 392863521
I write through translator on it there can be problems)))) well think we will understand about what talk!!Added
I can tell much)

[Lawrence]

I think we're missing some of the picture here so I'll ask some relevant questions.

- What daw are you using and how much experience do you have recording?
- What's the goal? Release or decent demo?

Reason being, you're talking to people (others not me) who are working on hip-hop songs to potentially be released to the general public and their bar will be much higher than what you may be shooting for or even need.

Honestly... until you get more comfortable engineering there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with tracking a rap vocal without compression, with a decent prosumer pre, and compressing it in post using plugins. Will it sound like Tony Belmont tracked it with a Neve pre and a LA2? No.

Will it sound as good as 75% of self-made home-produced rap vocals? Sure, even better if you do it right.

The WORST thing you can do (imho) if you're new to recording is go out and buy a bunch of expensive gear that you have no idea how to use yet. Plug in your mic (when you get a pre) and track your vocals. Go from there. Your "bar" is not where their bar is, nor should it be right now.

P.S. I asked "what daw" since - subjectively - some will have better comp plugins for heavy hip-hop compression than others.

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

I think we're missing some of the picture here so I'll ask some relevant questions.

- What daw are you using and how much experience do you have recording?
- What's the goal? Release or decent demo?

Reason being, you're talking to people (others not me) who are working on hip-hop songs to potentially be released to the general public and their bar will be much higher than what you may be shooting for or even need.

Honestly... until you get more comfortable engineering there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with tracking a rap vocal without compression, with a decent prosumer pre, and compressing it in post using plugins. Will it sound like Tony Belmont tracked it with a Neve pre and a LA2? No.

Will it sound as good as 75% of self-made home-produced rap vocals? Sure, even better if you do it right.

The WORST thing you can do (imho) if you're new to recording is go out and buy a bunch of expensive gear that you have no idea how to use yet. Plug in your mic (when you get a pre) and track your vocals. Go from there.

P.S. I asked "what daw" since - subjectively - some will have better comp plugins for heavy hip-hop compression than others.

thread from 2005.

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by XHipHop

thread from 2005.

Har! Didn't notice, just the date from the post just before mine.

Either way, there's always another guy asking the same question no?

[XHipHop]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Har! Didn't notice, just the date from the post just before mine.

Either way, there's always another guy asking the same question no?

lol, of course. good post above.

[Storyville]

wirp wirp wirp, time machine.

wonder what shea is recording with now?

two years later, and I'm recording through a flux capacitor with a plutonium shock mount...

and I look like this guy:

[Samy]

For a long time it is known to all what to write down a vocal better a condenser microphone. From inexpensive I know microphones the Oktava! At the Oktava mk-105!) For a rap most that! Preamp is Didgilab or Long

[Yenrah]

I'm using a presonus TubePre. I'm a true beginner but it sounds pretty good to me. I know its pretty cheap but what do you guys think of it?

Also the mic I have was given to me. I have never heard of it before but it sounds really good. All it says in M.K. 319. Anybody heard of it?

[Samy]

You will be helped here by it Oktava USA - North American Distributer of Genuine Russian Made Microphones
Also I can show tests of some most known models at me there are some pieces.

[Black Seal]

What device are you going to record to, dedicated hardware or computer? Do you have an audio interface if going to a computer??

[Yenrah]

Originally Posted by Black Seal

What device are you going to record to, dedicated hardware or computer? Do you have an audio interface if going to a computer??

Was this at me? If so I got the mbox mini, protools 8 and a mac mini.

[Black Seal]

No,

It was directed at the original poster??

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by Samy

For a long time it is known to all what to write down a vocal better a condenser microphone. From inexpensive I know microphones the Oktava! At the Oktava mk-105!) For a rap most that! Preamp is Didgilab or Long

time to get a new translation program Samy....this one no worky!