MEGA THREAD: Are You New To Engineering? - Page 2

**TonyBelmont** · 9th May 2006, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stress Man

I've been wondering, do you think a Teletronix LA 2A Could have any use in a Hip Hop Studio??

Yes, they are great.. Although, I prefer the Summit TLA-100 for hip hop.

nukmusic · 9th May 2006, 03:47 AM

hxxp://www.mtsu.edu/~nadam/downloads/downloads.html

replace xx with tt

blayz2002 · 9th May 2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

The next topic will be monitors....

If you are in the under $500 price range, I have found that the Blue Sky Media Desk system works well for the typical bedroom producer... It is a good choice because it also includes a subwoofer, which is good for getting the low frequencies right.

I can defo co sign these, easy to listen to for long periods, very consistant response, accurate (i.e. good translation) and for this price with the sub! can't be beat.

andrewj · 10th May 2006, 08:58 AM

And what about these monitors where you can optimize the sound for the listenng room via software? Any suggestions Tony? At the moment I am working with event 20/20 bas which I like! But the low end gives a real earthquake from time to time!

Biggsheff · 15th May 2006, 07:37 AM

I'm a little confused as to how I should have my home studio wired. I''ve got my synth going in to MV8000 and then thats going to a firbox. I've been reading other threads about DI's an pres an Im confused. I the make beat in the MV8000 an track to cubase to add Vocals. As far as where to place the DI an pre has me stumped. Should I have Synth >> DI >> Pre >> MV8000 ? or

Synth >> MV8000 >> DI >> Pre >> Cubase ?

Biggsheff · 28th May 2006, 06:46 PM

I figured it out.

soundofmind · 10th June 2006, 08:45 PM

lets get to the mixing

and this is a serious reply.

why would you delete a reply with a request for information?

Can I not have an question answered?

**TonyBelmont** · 10th June 2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundofmind

lets get to the mixing

and this is a serious reply.

why would you delete a reply with a request for information?

Can I not have an question answered?

Nobody deleted any any post of yours?

soundofmind · 11th June 2006, 02:50 AM

yeah thats my bad

i just noticed i left the reply in a different thread for some reason.

but yeah...vocal mixing tips?

nymortgagepro · 26th June 2006, 02:10 AM

I just bought a digi002

I'm going from my mpc raw into the digi. is it ok to record like this? should I run it through a pre or buy a ad converter?

soundofmind · 29th June 2006, 09:45 PM

should be fine..

ive been doing the same thing for a while now

make sure you hook up the midi from the 002 to the mpc and slave it when u track out ur stuff

makes it a lot easier

**TonyBelmont** · 18th July 2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nymortgagepro

I just bought a digi002

I'm going from my mpc raw into the digi. is it ok to record like this? should I run it through a pre or buy a ad converter?

It's preferable to run the MPC through a DI or preamp...

To put it another way, I would NEVER record an MPC or keyboard without a DI/preamp.

ozramidi · 25th July 2006, 04:39 AM

I have stock pres of emu 1820, and I want to buy a mic for rap vocals (the room has concrete walls, carpet, and crumbly 'sprayed-on' cement ceiling (altho I do plan on building a proper booth in time). so for now I'm looking at the $500~$400 range of mics and I was wondering what you would recommend for my situation.

How is the shure ksm-27?? it's in the same league as the sm7b I think.

Thanx in advance!

David Math · 26th July 2006, 08:03 PM

Much respect for creating this thread...you're a life-saver for kats like myself just getting their fet weet in the engineering game...

I am building a studio and have about #2000 to spend on a mic and tube compressor/pre-amp set-up...

I recently tried out both the Neumann TLM 103 and Blueberry mic from Blue...and I liked the Blue better because the artists I'm working with have rich, giant-sized vocals (one dancehall artist, an MC, and a soul vocalist)...their vocals are generally large (in terms of output) and the blueberry handled it very well, and produced a bright, intricate sound....the TLM 103 seemed rather dull to me in contrast....have you found the same thing? I'm sure it depends on the artist speaking into the mic, of course...but you would know better than I.

What other mics should I be considering?

Also, is there a particular tube compressor/pre-amp combination that you would suggest to go with the Blueberry mic? I've also heard a lot about the Bottle combined with the B-6...any opinions on that would be greatly appreciative.

respect due.

-D. Math

yoyoyoyo1 · 4th August 2006, 02:19 AM

so i got my firewire solo..bout 2 purchase either a rode mic or the at4040...ne1 have experience with the "brick" preamp with these mics??wut do u think about the brick>? wut mics are good for hit? strictly hip-hop vocals...

3rdeyeKnight · 10th August 2006, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

It's preferable to run the MPC through a DI or preamp...

To put it another way, I would NEVER record an MPC or keyboard without a DI/preamp.

Hey Tony,

I've been interested in trying this also. I read an article on Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez and he said that it's good to run your samples through a good tube pre. He recommended the Avalon 747. I was a little confused because I know that's not a tube-pre. Did he mean the 737? I have a Buzz Audio MA 2.2TX(not a tube-pre, I know) and an MPC 1000. Can I pull it off with that? Also I heard that the FATSO has RCA outs on it for this purpose as well. Have you tried it with any good results? Just curious.

Stitch333 · 17th August 2006, 11:48 PM

On a tite budget, a kill solution to getting a good color in the signal chain is get a moderate priced micpre (like the presonus digitube) and swap out the lame chinese tube fer an old NOS mullard or telefunken tube.

Blindside · 26th August 2006, 11:48 PM

What's up. I've been using Reason since I started making beats but got fed up with it. I was directed by a pretty prolific producer to try the new setup that I got.
MPC 2000xl
Motif Es Rack
ProTools M-Powered
M-Audio ProjectMix I/O
M-Audio Midi controller
Native Instruments soft synths and plug-ins

Being a total novice when it comes to hardware, can you help me figure out the best way to set it up and utilize it? Thanks.

Bendybones · 13th September 2006, 11:54 PM

Hi Tony, and everyone else. Thanks for the thread!!
I'm looking for monitors in the $1700-$2600 range for hip hop and also Drum n' Bass and IDM. So I really want that bass!
So far it's a tie between the ADAM P11A's and the ADAM P33A's - but as a total newb I'm not sure how to tell the difference between them based on specs (and here in Ireland there are no shops where I can audition them - which means flying to Germany)
Some repeorts on the P11A's talk of insufficient bass when used without a sub.
Other reprts say the opposite.
What so the folks here say?
Or am I better waiting a few months to get the $4700 for the ADAM S3A?

Also... is there a concensus on using monitors with / without a sub as to which is generally the better way to set up?

cellamix · 14th September 2006, 09:31 PM

see demo/in progress tracks on http://www.myspace.com/cellamixproductions

"everything sounds very thin------even the last track with the 808's----it could be your eqing or your sound choices i cant really tell...i like the groove on the cassie thing, but if your gonna let the whole song revolve around such a simple loop, i'd make that loop a little more interesting, or at least just better quality....i think sound choices are your main prob. in my opinion---all around your stuff is okay though---keep grindin"

yup it is weird how it gets thinned out ... so here is the GEAR slut stuff so Tony doesn't close down my thread...(and FYI for those who are set up the same and those who know better...)

The sounds come from ALESIS QSR, a rack that does have nice sounds. But for some reason the track never comes across phat or thick (on the final mp3), such as they would if you even used native stock sounds out of, say Fruity Loops if sequenced in-box.

I track in ProTools LE and don't do too much more than normalization. I have a Lexicon for effects and a Mackie 24-4 VLZ board.

When I listen/EQ I am using MACKIE H624s reference monitors to mix and in headset. Of course it sounds phat and I am really feelin those 808's and everything is bright right then.

Now let me know if this is the problem --- since Vision opcode (sequencer) is now defunct I am running the sequence from a G3 laptop and tracking via Pro-Tools on G4 (midi / hard disk are separate). Also there is NO digi rackmount in this case (no multi-channels). MIDI trigger is setting off QSR straight through MACKIE 24-4 board (uh, which means I am using only ONE channel to send the 8 midi channels or so, b/c the levels are pre-mixed in sequencer software) straight through an (RCA input) AudioMedia Card into Pro-tools. Yeah I do guesstimate on the vox levels with the essentially two track mix (scary) but can EQ real time at least when I get a voc level. No I haven't gotten to automation or levelling each phrase, etc. -- just need to know why it gets thinned out. After tracking and it sounds great on those studio monitors -- bounce it to mp3, post to my myspace music page then it's like --- what went wrong?

Is this where I am getting hurt?

a) the QSR? (stock sounds)
b) pre-mixing and doing final tracking via one channel
c) not mixing the Vox against each sound?
d) combination of above?
e) Other (PLEASE SPECIFY)

GEAR SLUT PEEPS from round the planet -- PLEASE HELP ME y'ALL!!!

Bendybones · 15th September 2006, 01:21 PM

Cellamix. THis might sound like a silly question but with the amount u've got going ontyhere it's worth asking, beit as it may really obvious - Have u listened to the MP3 version NOT thru MySpace?
I ask coz I've felt SERIOUS sound changes from online media players. NOt on MySpace tho, on Soundclick. Turned out that the player in question wasn't friendly with my MP3 encoding. When I encoded in other converters it worked fine.

The rest of what u said is way too complicated for me to understand (me = NEWB!!)

cellamix · 15th September 2006, 06:38 PM

thanks bendybones -- no it wasn't obvious, lol

OMG could that be it? I of course do the standard reference listening from mackie monitors or burned to disc (CDA) as a CD play (which always sounds great in the car) but never thought the player might be an issue (certainly NOT on myspace fo sho).

But that is a definite thought -- has anyone had problems with the MP3 encoder on Pro-tools LE (verson 5.1) changing the breadth of your sound?

I am running that version because the install worked better on classic 9 rather than Mac OS X -- but regardless could this be the core issue to my thinning problem?

Of course good EQ, levels and sounds plus making the vocalists work it out are always key, so no doubt the demo stuff will be improved.

But could it be the encoder is a little to old school and thinning out the phat sounds I can hear (and feel) on the Mackie 624 monitors???

J Twin · 23rd September 2006, 07:22 PM

Cella, hard to tell if the MP3 stream is the problem, but I have 4 tracks up at Myspace - 2 mixed and "mastered," 2 not - and none sound that thin. I use Sonar and export song files out at 24 bit then use Audacity - it's free - (with the free LAME encoder you can find at Audacity's site) to convert the WAV to MP3. Try exporting your songs files out of PT at 24 bit and encoding them to MP3 with Audacity at 128 and see how if that makes a difference at Myspace/Soundclick.

If that doesn't work, at least you have eliminated one possibility.

cellamix · 24th September 2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Twin

Cella, hard to tell if the MP3 stream is the problem, but I have 4 tracks up at Myspace - 2 mixed and "mastered," 2 not - and none sound that thin. I use Sonar and export song files out at 24 bit then use Audacity - it's free - (with the free LAME encoder you can find at Audacity's site) to convert the WAV to MP3. Try exporting your songs files out of PT at 24 bit and encoding them to MP3 with Audacity at 128 and see how if that makes a difference at Myspace/Soundclick.

If that doesn't work, at least you have eliminated one possibility.

Hey thanks for the tip. I reworked it and there was a very slight improvement (slightly brighter) so I can't blame it all on the codec unfortunately. I even bumped up the gains and the freqs on the low ends as well as adjusted 4 band EQ AND remixed the levels against the vocals. Pushing the bottom right before those red leds hit on my monitors.

Maybe it's just my dang laptop speakers, lol.

IS THIS WHERE THE APHEX's BIG BOTTOM COMES IN? Keeps that thick bottom 808 sound in no matter how it's processed?

Anways, I think it will be easier at this point to use a new kick sound, like someone else suggested to me on a different thread. Prolly will work on something else and come back to it.

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY IDEAS I CAN TRY PLS. LET ME KNOW!!!

Hit me back GEARSLUTz...

Bendybones · 27th September 2006, 05:35 PM

Cellamix:
you are listening back to the MP3 on ur Mackie H624's right? And not on ur laptop speakers. Bcoz no matter how good those laptop speakers may be thay are still laptop speakers and I haven't heard of a pair that don't sound thin - especially compared to reference monitors.

arcanjoloco · 29th September 2006, 08:10 PM

What up yall!!!
I´m not planning to record vocals or anything else on that setup but sample from some vinyl records I have, and some stuff of my Triton LE. I plan to produce the beats and then go to a professional studio for record vocals, mixing and mastering.

I just want to get my artistic shit on, and get a professional sound with the right sequencers and sotfware modules if that is possible. IS THAT POSSIBLE ? If yes, what piece of software sequencers and sound modules do you recomend? If not, what should I get first of all ? Do I need a dedicated pre-amp 4 the vinyl samples or can I just sample from my Stanton Mixer ?

This is my Setup:

Digi002 Rack
Korg Triton LE
Bheringer Truth B1020 Monitors
AKG K100 Headphones
A Pair of Techinics MK2 TurnTables with Stanton Mixer

Lexington · 4th October 2006, 06:24 PM

Hi. Ive been making hiphop beats for a few years now. My setup consist of a Turntable into an Old Yamaha Amplifier- to my soundcard. I use Cool Edit to record my samples and chop things up, then sequence and mix in Fruity Loops with Waves Plus-Ins. Along with KRK Rock It 6" and well all works fine together.

Now my question is this.

Do i really need a mixer?
Ive seen Pre-Amps mentioned in this thread as far as sampling goes, would it help my overall sound quality?

Basically i want to know if all this gear i see in these setup pics actually usefull?

And if you had my setup what would you want to add/replace(not talking about tritons or mpc's here)

thanks

sabin hicks · 23rd October 2006, 10:32 AM

Would be nice to have a glossary of terms

shortlist of DIY materials

and a mini-mythbusters bit instead of blown-out-of-proportion threads inordinately tortously arguing tiresome misconceptions / PR hype

**TonyBelmont** · 20th November 2006, 01:22 AM

On the subject of selling beats:

Quote:

Originally Posted by trkboy

I have been in the biz for years burned many times and have had over a hundred placements/releases on
Major Records /TV /Film, so here is my fact of the business/ unless you are a superstar producer these days you are going to get screwed or never get heard.............. and all superstar producers got burned in the beginning.....

copyrighting is a waste of time for beats (I just title mine and register them with BMI)

If you get ripped off, (and you will only find that out if your beat is on the radio getting constant airplay or on a commercial on TV, and that is the only time you can get any real money), you will need 20k to hire a lawyer to get started in filing papers for a lawsuit.... you still may not win........... you may also get phone calls at 3AM with threats from folks who are veterans at fighting dirty little wars telling you to drop the case.... which would be unadmissable in court........ and the judge and jury could care less..... the case is about stolen songs, not why your health is getting worse.... and even if you win how can you collect the money from a giant????? it will not happen unless you have more money and power than them........

But for the years you are in litigation, you will help the lawyer pay for his rent, car and kids college fund... and all the while he will tell you that you are so close to winning, you are the champ fighting for the little guy, but your lawyer needs another 10k for this for that and so forth, so you get a 2nd, 3rd 4th mortgages on your house, parents house, girlfriends, inlaws, house? borrow from friends, get heavily into debt on the premise that you will get millions next week?

and in the end when you cannot pay anyone back? what do you do?

I have actually been a witness to these circumstances, which left many writers broke and the their lawyers richer in the end...... a few even got payoffs from the enemy to lose the case........... so when I got burned I just moved on to the next project.......and kept it moving......although my phone was ringing off the hook on how I could make millions suing so and so for this and that... and all I need is 10-20k to get started with a 10% percent down........ complete BS, I knew better from experience; from the misery of my former collegues....

Also if you are unknown and you sue, you will most likely be blackballed for 10 years......... every up and comer I know that has sued, had in the process embarassed their managers, record executives: and killed their careers
...... most of them have found jobs at mickey d's, rite aid. walmart ect......

FYI the quickest way to make enemies is to file a lawsuit....

In a lawsuit (litigation) everyone from the managers to the artists to the executives are named on both sides...... the song on the air gets taken off, the record gets shelved and the artist usually gets dropped.....and labels can let a suit drag on for years pissing everyone off..... it is not worth it.......... I met one guy who lost 20MM, his estate, family, all because he had a huge ego and he sued a major label over a group that they had allegedly stolen from him....... and his lawyer? when his lawyer found out that he was running out of money, the lawyer took a huge payoff from the record company(they wanted to teach the producer a lesson and send a message throughout the industry mafioso style),trashed the case and caused a mistrial....... (this was a 10 year case that was in the news a few times......) and since the producer was now broke, he could not start another one, so he lost and that lawyer is now a big producer in the movie business, and there are many true stories like that........ however.......... with your delima

What I say to do is to let them write and record to your beats, no charge(which I am currently doing with Thizznation Records)" the standard is no more demo deals", if the label picks them they will offer you probally $500 for the beat, and they (the record company not the artists) will take all of the publishing or leave you a tiny amount of it but you will still have your writers and that is still worth something.

I would take it because now you have a release pending. You use that leverage to get on as many records with other artists as you can around town or in the country........Hopefully by the time their record is released you will have a name and they will put your song out first..........then if it is a hit you will make at least $200k within 6 months if it is a number one hit like my man ryan leslie had with cassie's me and you, you will be in with the big dogs getting 15-20k a track plus studio time....... and now how long can you stay? that is the question .....

One more thing if and when I give someone a break and if they ask me about their music rights? I tell them how it is: all publishing in most cases is swallowed by the big dog (TV Film Labels)

and if they give me a hard time........ I tell them good luck......... and distance myself from them............ sad but true........... which is why I normally only work with artists producers or writers that have deals because they understand the true game of the music biz.......... anyway here is my breakdown for beats

price for beats plus studio time (do not include studio time in your beat price/ big mistake.)

low level $200-500 a beat
mid level with some releases no singles spec is 1k-5k
upper mid level more releases some singles no hit singles still on spec and if accepted 6-15k
star level more releases more singles 1-2 mid level hits some spec work and if accepted 30-50k
superstar level ........... 100-300k all money upfront you at this time have at least 20 hit singles on the charts (try getting one) your own successful label and you are a household name....

Quote:

Originally Posted by trkboy

do not look for a superstar attorney, they are expensive

get some major hits on the radio (at least 20 airplays a day) on 100 or more stations in the metropolitian areas then you will have everyone from superstar attorneys to superstar managers offering to take you on as their number one client

then you are ready........... to negoiate and make deals and then you will have the right team behind you to make things happen............

if you use them at the wrong time you will feel like you got screwed you will waste their time and the end result will be a big dissappointment..........

also when you are in the room with execs, managers, and attorneys keep your mouth shut...........Everytime you speak it could cost you thousands
let your attorneys and managers speak, work for their money, they are there to make you a deal and get you paid.....You will find out that most attorneys, managers, record execs are part of a network of friends that give each other work all the time........ esp important, do not call anyone on their BS everyone does it and to call someone on it is the quickest way out of the entertainment biz.

Meetings

Usually I set up the meetings ,show up on time, if not early with the manager, attorney, make an excuse to leave, and let them stay there to make a deals.....sometimes I do not show up.........so I will have a gift basket sent as an apology in the middle of the meeting.... which shows that I am a great guy.

You want everyone who recomends you to say "he is a great guy, a really nice guy".........these are code words for you are well qualified and ready for the job and you can deliver. If they say "you are a jerkoff?"........ time to get out of town, take a vacation and make a comeback in a year or two. and hope there was a changing of the guard

If you have to be there the entire time for the meeting, it shows you are desperate which in turn shows that you can be bought cheap.......

Biggsheff · 20th November 2006, 09:41 AM

I'm still pretty new to mixing and I have a few newbie questions if someone doesnt mind answering.

1. When mixing the levels of a track what is the highest peak I should let each channel hit without going over? Like -10, -5, -3 etc...

2. Should the Master fader stay at 0db ?

3. If I try to master the track myself an run it through a Waves L1 or L2, what kinda reading on the meter am I tryin to get close to? Get it as close to 0db with out going over or in some cases I've read -3.

Sorry if these are really dumb questions. I'm using Cubase 3 if it helps any.

9th May 2006, 03:47 AM	#32
nukmusic Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New Orleans, LA / Dallas, TX Posts: 2,934	hxxp://www.mtsu.edu/~nadam/downloads/downloads.html replace xx with tt __________________ . Some folks just can't except that, within music there are so many different ways of doing the same things. Docta'J aka Big NUK www.nukmusic.com Practice Makes Progress Last edited by nukmusic; 9th May 2006 at 04:15 PM.

10th May 2006, 08:58 AM	#34
andrewj Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hamburg (Wellingsbuettel), G-Many Posts: 1,033	And what about these monitors where you can optimize the sound for the listenng room via software? Any suggestions Tony? At the moment I am working with event 20/20 bas which I like! But the low end gives a real earthquake from time to time! __________________ Interface: MIO 2882 PreAmps: Averill 1272, Fletcher P10 Compressor: Smart C2M, EL Fatso Summing Mixer: Sumo Monitors: Klein & Hummel O300 Microphone: Audix D6, Audix i-5, Audix OM-2s, CAD E-350, Beyerdynamic M160, Beyerdynamic MC930, Peluso 22 47 Outboard FX: Lexicon PCM 81, PCM 91, Ensoniq DP4+ DAW: Intel Mac, MOTU DP 5, Apple Logic 8, Cubase 4.1, Ableton Live 7, Celemony Melodyne 3, URS & Waves Plugins

26th July 2006, 08:03 PM	#44
David Math Gear interested Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 8	Greetings Tony....Neumann TLM 103 or Blue blueberry? Much respect for creating this thread...you're a life-saver for kats like myself just getting their fet weet in the engineering game... I am building a studio and have about #2000 to spend on a mic and tube compressor/pre-amp set-up... I recently tried out both the Neumann TLM 103 and Blueberry mic from Blue...and I liked the Blue better because the artists I'm working with have rich, giant-sized vocals (one dancehall artist, an MC, and a soul vocalist)...their vocals are generally large (in terms of output) and the blueberry handled it very well, and produced a bright, intricate sound....the TLM 103 seemed rather dull to me in contrast....have you found the same thing? I'm sure it depends on the artist speaking into the mic, of course...but you would know better than I. What other mics should I be considering? Also, is there a particular tube compressor/pre-amp combination that you would suggest to go with the Blueberry mic? I've also heard a lot about the Bottle combined with the B-6...any opinions on that would be greatly appreciative. respect due. -D. Math

4th August 2006, 02:19 AM	#45
yoyoyoyo1 Gear interested Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 28	im stuck! so i got my firewire solo..bout 2 purchase either a rode mic or the at4040...ne1 have experience with the "brick" preamp with these mics??wut do u think about the brick>? wut mics are good for hit? strictly hip-hop vocals...

14th September 2006, 09:31 PM	#50
cellamix Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 26	vision opcode & protools -- hardware set-up see demo/in progress tracks on http://www.myspace.com/cellamixproductions "everything sounds very thin------even the last track with the 808's----it could be your eqing or your sound choices i cant really tell...i like the groove on the cassie thing, but if your gonna let the whole song revolve around such a simple loop, i'd make that loop a little more interesting, or at least just better quality....i think sound choices are your main prob. in my opinion---all around your stuff is okay though---keep grindin" yup it is weird how it gets thinned out ... so here is the GEAR slut stuff so Tony doesn't close down my thread...(and FYI for those who are set up the same and those who know better...) The sounds come from ALESIS QSR, a rack that does have nice sounds. But for some reason the track never comes across phat or thick (on the final mp3), such as they would if you even used native stock sounds out of, say Fruity Loops if sequenced in-box. I track in ProTools LE and don't do too much more than normalization. I have a Lexicon for effects and a Mackie 24-4 VLZ board. When I listen/EQ I am using MACKIE H624s reference monitors to mix and in headset. Of course it sounds phat and I am really feelin those 808's and everything is bright right then. Now let me know if this is the problem --- since Vision opcode (sequencer) is now defunct I am running the sequence from a G3 laptop and tracking via Pro-Tools on G4 (midi / hard disk are separate). Also there is NO digi rackmount in this case (no multi-channels). MIDI trigger is setting off QSR straight through MACKIE 24-4 board (uh, which means I am using only ONE channel to send the 8 midi channels or so, b/c the levels are pre-mixed in sequencer software) straight through an (RCA input) AudioMedia Card into Pro-tools. Yeah I do guesstimate on the vox levels with the essentially two track mix (scary) but can EQ real time at least when I get a voc level. No I haven't gotten to automation or levelling each phrase, etc. -- just need to know why it gets thinned out. After tracking and it sounds great on those studio monitors -- bounce it to mp3, post to my myspace music page then it's like --- what went wrong? Is this where I am getting hurt? a) the QSR? (stock sounds) b) pre-mixing and doing final tracking via one channel c) not mixing the Vox against each sound? d) combination of above? e) Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) GEAR SLUT PEEPS from round the planet -- PLEASE HELP ME y'ALL!!! __________________ Cellamix Productions http://www.myspace.com/cellamixproductions

15th May 2006, 07:37 AM	#35
Biggsheff Gear nut Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80	I'm a little confused as to how I should have my home studio wired. I''ve got my synth going in to MV8000 and then thats going to a firbox. I've been reading other threads about DI's an pres an Im confused. I the make beat in the MV8000 an track to cubase to add Vocals. As far as where to place the DI an pre has me stumped. Should I have Synth >> DI >> Pre >> MV8000 ? or Synth >> MV8000 >> DI >> Pre >> Cubase ?

28th May 2006, 06:46 PM	#36
Biggsheff Gear nut Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80	I figured it out.

10th June 2006, 08:45 PM	#37
soundofmind Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 18	lets get to the mixing and this is a serious reply. why would you delete a reply with a request for information? Can I not have an question answered?

11th June 2006, 02:50 AM	#39
soundofmind Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 18	yeah thats my bad i just noticed i left the reply in a different thread for some reason. but yeah...vocal mixing tips?

26th June 2006, 02:10 AM	#40
nymortgagepro Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 110	I just bought a digi002 I'm going from my mpc raw into the digi. is it ok to record like this? should I run it through a pre or buy a ad converter?

29th June 2006, 09:45 PM	#41
soundofmind Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 18	should be fine.. ive been doing the same thing for a while now make sure you hook up the midi from the 002 to the mpc and slave it when u track out ur stuff makes it a lot easier

25th July 2006, 04:39 AM	#43
ozramidi Gear interested Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 17	I have stock pres of emu 1820, and I want to buy a mic for rap vocals (the room has concrete walls, carpet, and crumbly 'sprayed-on' cement ceiling (altho I do plan on building a proper booth in time). so for now I'm looking at the $500~$400 range of mics and I was wondering what you would recommend for my situation. How is the shure ksm-27?? it's in the same league as the sm7b I think. Thanx in advance!

17th August 2006, 11:48 PM	#47
Stitch333 Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Phila, PA/Upstate MA Posts: 1,973	On a tite budget, a kill solution to getting a good color in the signal chain is get a moderate priced micpre (like the presonus digitube) and swap out the lame chinese tube fer an old NOS mullard or telefunken tube.

26th August 2006, 11:48 PM	#48
Blindside Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 482	What's up. I've been using Reason since I started making beats but got fed up with it. I was directed by a pretty prolific producer to try the new setup that I got. MPC 2000xl Motif Es Rack ProTools M-Powered M-Audio ProjectMix I/O M-Audio Midi controller Native Instruments soft synths and plug-ins Being a total novice when it comes to hardware, can you help me figure out the best way to set it up and utilize it? Thanks.

13th September 2006, 11:54 PM	#49
Bendybones Gear interested Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 16	Hi Tony, and everyone else. Thanks for the thread!! I'm looking for monitors in the $1700-$2600 range for hip hop and also Drum n' Bass and IDM. So I really want that bass! So far it's a tie between the ADAM P11A's and the ADAM P33A's - but as a total newb I'm not sure how to tell the difference between them based on specs (and here in Ireland there are no shops where I can audition them - which means flying to Germany) Some repeorts on the P11A's talk of insufficient bass when used without a sub. Other reprts say the opposite. What so the folks here say? Or am I better waiting a few months to get the $4700 for the ADAM S3A? Also... is there a concensus on using monitors with / without a sub as to which is generally the better way to set up?

15th September 2006, 01:21 PM	#51
Bendybones Gear interested Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 16	Cellamix. THis might sound like a silly question but with the amount u've got going ontyhere it's worth asking, beit as it may really obvious - Have u listened to the MP3 version NOT thru MySpace? I ask coz I've felt SERIOUS sound changes from online media players. NOt on MySpace tho, on Soundclick. Turned out that the player in question wasn't friendly with my MP3 encoding. When I encoded in other converters it worked fine. The rest of what u said is way too complicated for me to understand (me = NEWB!!)

15th September 2006, 06:38 PM	#52
cellamix Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Durham, North Carolina Posts: 26	A-HA would that be the trick? thanks bendybones -- no it wasn't obvious, lol OMG could that be it? I of course do the standard reference listening from mackie monitors or burned to disc (CDA) as a CD play (which always sounds great in the car) but never thought the player might be an issue (certainly NOT on myspace fo sho). But that is a definite thought -- has anyone had problems with the MP3 encoder on Pro-tools LE (verson 5.1) changing the breadth of your sound? I am running that version because the install worked better on classic 9 rather than Mac OS X -- but regardless could this be the core issue to my thinning problem? Of course good EQ, levels and sounds plus making the vocalists work it out are always key, so no doubt the demo stuff will be improved. But could it be the encoder is a little to old school and thinning out the phat sounds I can hear (and feel) on the Mackie 624 monitors??? __________________ Cellamix Productions http://www.myspace.com/cellamixproductions

23rd September 2006, 07:22 PM	#53
J Twin Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Yay Area Posts: 518	Cella, hard to tell if the MP3 stream is the problem, but I have 4 tracks up at Myspace - 2 mixed and "mastered," 2 not - and none sound that thin. I use Sonar and export song files out at 24 bit then use Audacity - it's free - (with the free LAME encoder you can find at Audacity's site) to convert the WAV to MP3. Try exporting your songs files out of PT at 24 bit and encoding them to MP3 with Audacity at 128 and see how if that makes a difference at Myspace/Soundclick. If that doesn't work, at least you have eliminated one possibility. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/jtwinbeats

27th September 2006, 05:35 PM	#55
Bendybones Gear interested Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 16	Cellamix: you are listening back to the MP3 on ur Mackie H624's right? And not on ur laptop speakers. Bcoz no matter how good those laptop speakers may be thay are still laptop speakers and I haven't heard of a pair that don't sound thin - especially compared to reference monitors.

29th September 2006, 08:10 PM	#56
arcanjoloco Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1	Is that possible ? What up yall!!! I´m not planning to record vocals or anything else on that setup but sample from some vinyl records I have, and some stuff of my Triton LE. I plan to produce the beats and then go to a professional studio for record vocals, mixing and mastering. I just want to get my artistic shit on, and get a professional sound with the right sequencers and sotfware modules if that is possible. IS THAT POSSIBLE ? If yes, what piece of software sequencers and sound modules do you recomend? If not, what should I get first of all ? Do I need a dedicated pre-amp 4 the vinyl samples or can I just sample from my Stanton Mixer ? This is my Setup: Digi002 Rack Korg Triton LE Bheringer Truth B1020 Monitors AKG K100 Headphones A Pair of Techinics MK2 TurnTables with Stanton Mixer

4th October 2006, 06:24 PM	#57
Lexington Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 4	Hi. Ive been making hiphop beats for a few years now. My setup consist of a Turntable into an Old Yamaha Amplifier- to my soundcard. I use Cool Edit to record my samples and chop things up, then sequence and mix in Fruity Loops with Waves Plus-Ins. Along with KRK Rock It 6" and well all works fine together. Now my question is this. Do i really need a mixer? Ive seen Pre-Amps mentioned in this thread as far as sampling goes, would it help my overall sound quality? Basically i want to know if all this gear i see in these setup pics actually usefull? And if you had my setup what would you want to add/replace(not talking about tritons or mpc's here) thanks

23rd October 2006, 10:32 AM	#58
sabin hicks Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12	Would be nice to have a glossary of terms shortlist of DIY materials and a mini-mythbusters bit instead of blown-out-of-proportion threads inordinately tortously arguing tiresome misconceptions / PR hype

20th November 2006, 09:41 AM	#60
Biggsheff Gear nut Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80	I'm still pretty new to mixing and I have a few newbie questions if someone doesnt mind answering. 1. When mixing the levels of a track what is the highest peak I should let each channel hit without going over? Like -10, -5, -3 etc... 2. Should the Master fader stay at 0db ? 3. If I try to master the track myself an run it through a Waves L1 or L2, what kinda reading on the meter am I tryin to get close to? Get it as close to 0db with out going over or in some cases I've read -3. Sorry if these are really dumb questions. I'm using Cubase 3 if it helps any.