Depressed kid (me) has $2,000 to spend on audio gear... which way to go?

[JeffTD]

Monitors and treatment.

[Dene]

I always start with the weakest link...in your case monitors, and possibly room treatment.
a pair mackie 624's is about 1000$s leaving you roughly 1000$s for some bass traps and something for your first reflection points...

[tribedescribe]

Yes I would get some nice monitors but I would also look into upgrading your interface and pro tools system. The new Mbox pro looks great and the there is a package deal with PT10 for $1000.

For Monitors I would check out the dynaudio Bm5a, they are $1000 a pair new.

The rest of your system looks great.

[sw0mgt]

What would I gain from an Mbox? I already have seperate pres, and I doubt the A/D converters are great.

How does somebody sound treat an apartment bedroom? Is it worth doing?

[tribedescribe]

Actually the New Mbox pro 3 has very nice converters. It was just a suggestion, there are many great a/d converter on the market. Personally I think the old rme adi-2 ad/da converter sounds great and will rival most high end interfaces. It has adat in/out so you could also use it for monitoring.

As far as treatment dido..... It really the missing link between pro and amature studios!

You could totally build a set up bass traps and sound panels for you studio apt. that you could take down once you move. It cost me $200 total to build 3 sound panels, 3 bass traps, and a vocal trap. I used Knauf acoustical board which is eco friendly. Do a search on the studio build site.

[jmikeperkins]

You need some real monitors badly. They sometimes get bashed on this forum, but I like the Mackie HR824's. The 624's are also good but they don't have the deep bass response of the larger 824's and you need to know what is going on down there. They are about $700 each so that would eat up most of your budget but you have to get away from cheap computer speakers as your primary monitors (but the cheap computer speakers might still be useful as a secondary monitor to hear what your mix sounds like on cheap computer speakers).

You could also use more mics. You also need a real (hardware) compressor to put after your mic pre when you record vocals.

[u b k]

Option 1: a daily regimen of 5-htp, gaba, l-theanine, alongside meditation and a savings account. This will cure your depression (mostly the savings account).

Option 2: get a nice pair of tracking monitors and let a pro mix your songs for you. I know guys that will drop a mix for $300 and make it sound like gold. You stay focused on the tune and the performance, and the pro mixer keeps you prolific. You contribute to the economy, develop a friendly relationship with another person, and gain valuable outside feedback on aspects of your songwriting that might benefit from it.

Option 3: you head down the inevitable path of always needing one more thing, practicing how to spend money rather than how to invest it, and that behavior reinforces the depression, which reinforces the depressing behavioral loops. The beauty of your recorded music is held hostage to your abilities as an engineer, and judgments about the latter spill over into the former adding that much more heft to your de-elevated mood.

If you option 3, I still say go for monitors. But really... hire a pro. Do it for your music.


Gregory Scott - ubk

[Larry Villella]

Gregory's advice is the best I've seen (maybe ever!).


Fish Oils, Music, Exercise!


And - yes, it does sound like monitors and a little room treatment.


Best of Luck!


Larry Villella, Founder, ADK Microphones

[Dappolito]

Originally Posted by sw0mgt

I'm very practiced, polished singer and guitarist who is looking to take his mixes from close-to-professional to truly professional.

No matter how much you know about mixing... you need good speakers and a well treated room. How can you become better if you can't hear what you are doing ?

[bicarbone]

Originally Posted by u b k

Option 1: a daily regimen of 5-htp, gaba, l-theanine, alongside meditation and a savings account. This will cure your depression (mostly the savings account).

Option 2: get a nice pair of tracking monitors and let a pro mix your songs for you. I know guys that will drop a mix for $300 and make it sound like gold. You stay focused on the tune and the performance, and the pro mixer keeps you prolific. You contribute to the economy, develop a friendly relationship with another person, and gain valuable outside feedback on aspects of your songwriting that might benefit from it.

Option 3: you head down the inevitable path of always needing one more thing, practicing how to spend money rather than how to invest it, and that behavior reinforces the depression, which reinforces the depressing behavioral loops. The beauty of your recorded music is held hostage to your abilities as an engineer, and judgments about the latter spill over into the former adding that much more heft to your de-elevated mood.

If you option 3, I still say go for monitors. But really... hire a pro. Do it for your music.


Gregory Scott - ubk

Oh, yes.

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by Dappolito

No matter how much you know about mixing... you need good speakers and a well treated room. How can you become better if you can't hear what you are doing ?

.

Indeed.


Although, I would caution against spending money you don't really have,
unless it's going to bring you a real reason to live.

Music is amazing, and it might even be the best a lot of the time,
but it's not the only thing, and it's not the only best thing ALL the time.

Money and things buy only temporary happiness or distraction.

A lifetime of creating music can be irreplaceable - or it might just be a lifetime of distraction.

Get in touch with yourself. Be patient, because you're worth it.

Cheers, and all the best positive energy to you, man!

.

[carllock]

Reaper=$60
Pair of Headphones=$25

rest of money on Corn or Oil futures

[Murray]

Originally Posted by sw0mgt

So, where do I go from here? I don't want any more instruments, except maybe a steel guitar slide. I'm trying to improve the sound that I already have. Mixing off $300 speakers is hard, so maybe I should start there?

I listened to your track. Sounds fine to me.

Seems to me it depends on what your goal is.

But my feeling is that you really don't need anything. You've got decent enough stuff. (If your speakers or room are frustrating, than I can see dealing with that).

Just keep doing it.

[energizer bunny]

Originally Posted by u b k

Option 1: a daily regimen of 5-htp, gaba, l-theanine, alongside meditation and a savings account. This will cure your depression (mostly the savings account).

Option 2: get a nice pair of tracking monitors and let a pro mix your songs for you. I know guys that will drop a mix for $300 and make it sound like gold. You stay focused on the tune and the performance, and the pro mixer keeps you prolific. You contribute to the economy, develop a friendly relationship with another person, and gain valuable outside feedback on aspects of your songwriting that might benefit from it.

Option 3: you head down the inevitable path of always needing one more thing, practicing how to spend money rather than how to invest it, and that behavior reinforces the depression, which reinforces the depressing behavioral loops. The beauty of your recorded music is held hostage to your abilities as an engineer, and judgments about the latter spill over into the former adding that much more heft to your de-elevated mood.

If you option 3, I still say go for monitors. But really... hire a pro. Do it for your music.


Gregory Scott - ubk

To hell with it!. I think I'll take this advice too if that's ok. Cheers.

[Bluesdog]

Originally Posted by sw0mgt

Hi,

I am a depressed child who has dreams of being a grown up who can sit in those rooms with a chair, sliders, knobs and a cup of coffee. Somehow I came across $2,000 and I need to decide in which investment should I route it.

Get some Prozac.
You're recording sounds great as it is, and I'm not kidding.

[scruffydog]

nice voice in the pipeline.....ritchie havens..!!

Richie Havens Sings "Here Comes the Sun" - YouTube

i would..if i were you...concentrate on writing and performance and not too much technology.

have you tried the tape plugin by steven slate?
might be useful.

Also try a pop shield or two together to tame the mic at times.

People say get good speakers..but they can also cause havoc...too darn good!!!
actually sounds ok...and a law of 'diminishing returns' should be considered carefully.

perhaps more interesting backdrops for your vid's...find a warehouse full of sunshine or a field of gold!

keep on keeping on bro..!..do it like you mean it...!

[jrod9900]

Hookers and blow works great for depression.
















Not me personally, this guy I know...





Seriously.











;-)



JROD

[cinealta]

Put the $2K in the bank, get out of the studio and go hiking!

[theblue1]

Being a moody guy who also had some money flow through his hands at one time, I would say, be careful what you spend your money on if you are truly depressed. In that state, it's hard to keep your priorities straight and, sometimes, it's hard to even get your emotional logic straight. The boost you get from buying something is often fraught with potential disappointment or worse.

When depressed, sometimes -- often -- it's better to do something for yourself or for others (or, of course, both). Could be an artistic project or volunteer 'good works' or any number of beneficial activities. Set up a disciplined schedule for your efforts and make sure you follow through, even when you aren't feeling like it. 'Not feeling like it' -- and giving in to that, just keeps you in the depressive cycle.


That said, maybe you were being flip in your use of the term, no prob. But there are a lot of folks who have mood issues from time to time -- particularly among 'creatives' -- so maybe someone else might get some practical benefit from my wised-up perspective.

[mikeyman]

i would talk to Black lion about a nice interface

[MickeyMassacre]

I would send the interface to be modded/new interface (apogee duet 2), get some halfway decent monitors, and some treatment for the room.

[drpeacock]

Invest it in therapy. Seriously.

[energizer bunny]

Do not buy anything until you actually NEED it!. Keep writing and learning from places like this and tutorials on Youtube, everything that's available. Then let the actual song your working on dictate what you need to buy. Make informed choices, don't just buy random blanket purchases that you think will take you somewhere. Of course it wont. Learn, learn, learn.

If you think it's getting to you psychologically. Take time away from it.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by Bluesdog

Get some Prozac.

[Sounds Great]

Spend at least a couple hours twice a week at a club working out or running. The better shape you are in the least depressed you will be.

[kafka]

Spending money always makes me depressed, unless it's on biking gear.

[energizer bunny]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Spend at least a couple hours twice a week at a club working out or running. The better shape you are in the least depressed you will be.

I love jogging. As Marty Funkhouser (Curb Your Enthusiasm) says "joggings great, helps everything".

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by energizer bunny

Do not buy anything until you actually NEED it!. Keep writing and learning from places like this and tutorials on Youtube, everything that's available. Then let the actual song your working on dictate what you need to buy. Make informed choices, don't just buy random blanket purchases that you think will take you somewhere. Of course it wont. Learn, learn, learn.

If you think it's getting to you psychologically. Take time away from it.

I 'came up' as a recordist in the 80s. I was freelancing and moonlighting in commercial studios where adequate gear was sometimes or even often an issue (before plug-ins, it was hard to get enough flexible compression in any one place) and then going home to my shoestring home studio (a beat up old 4 track reel or two) and rigging up guitar amp reverb and stomp box vocal FX.

I had a big pent up gear lust.

And, you know, when I finally got into a position to do something about it, I had to fight buying mania a lot. I did it by setting up rules for myself. Practical stuff like 'no spur of the moment purchases over $100' (now it's like over $5 ) or reading every single thing I could get on whatever I was considering. (Today, I'd have to amend that to every single thing from a credible source. You could drive yourself senseless trying to make heads or tails of the nonsense you so often read in recording forums. Many, I believe, have. )


But, at a certain point, I had every crucial part of my rig covered to my satisfaction (nothing crazy, just solid, basic gear). And, after working with it for a while, I decided that I had certainly not exploited my gear to it's fullest potential by a long shot, that it was no longer a lack of essential gear of reasonable quality that was holding me back, as had once been the case, but, rather, simply limits in my own process, practical knowledge, vision, and a lack of musical discipline rooted in the twists and turns of the long path that finally led me to learn to play music as an adult.

I absolutely know what it's like to bang your head against low end and just plain deficient gear. I spent a decade and change doing it. So, you know, I know how it can, indeed, hold you back as a recording engineer and/or artist. I could get a nudge here and there by pumping in more money -- but I also can see where spending more money isn't likely to improve what's really holding my recordings back.

[poopynuggeteer]

You live in Colorado how can you be depressed??