Set up a new mobile recording studio

[robbysoul]

Hi guys,
I've just started setting up my mobile recording stuff. I'm using a Macbook Pro 2.53 with 4 GB RAM, Logic Pro 9 as a DAW. I will record mainly pop/rock bands (mainly playing all togheter )so I really need good suggestions from you for the basic gear I should buy.
I was thinking to save money to buy an Apogee Ensemble and good set of mics. What other gear should I buy? Do I need a mic preamp or maybe the Ensemble would be enough? I would really appreciate your opinion.
Thank you very much! thumbsup

[AlexK]

This should really be in the Location Recording forum, hopefully a moderator will move it for you.


An Apogee Ensemble will do the trick, although I'm personally not a great fan. The RME Fireface IMO has better converters, gives you more inputs and outputs, and has TotalMix (which is absolutely indispensable). The RME is also ridiculously stable and reliable beyond belief, whilst I really wouldn't put my money on the Apogee in terms fo stability.

The only downside of the RME under the Apogee is that the RME's preamps really are very boring. The RME has one up on the Apogee on everything else IMO.

The RME + a good preamp/8-ch preamp is a clear winner over the Ensemble in my books, which is why I went for a FF800 (and some preamps soon) instead of the Ensemble.

[robbysoul]

Ohhh good to know, thank you so much! I really need this kind of tips thumbsup I would prefer to record as "clear" as possible all the tracks and later, while mixing in the studio, I would work on the sounds and dynamics etc. etc. Shall I need also other stuff other then the audio interface and a very good set of mics? I mean for example stuff like DI Boxes etc. etc. Have you any suggestions for the mics set?

[johndykstra]

Well, while this is in the wrong forum, since you're here...

Do you have any plans to construct some gobos, portable bass traps, etc?

In terms of gear, you will need some good dynamic mics (SM7b, Sennheiser 609s and 421's, 57s of course) as room micing instruments won't get you too far with live recordings. A good di is a great tool to have for bass and keys, so I'd have a few of them, and a re-amp box would be aweesome. Both of those, Radial makes some nice options. Depending on the situation, headphone amps may not be critical, but better safe than sorry. I like Furman's amp offering, though anything will do really.

[xaMdaM]

Originally Posted by robbysoul

Ohhh good to know, thank you so much! I really need this kind of tips thumbsup I would prefer to record as "clear" as possible all the tracks and later, while mixing in the studio, I would work on the sounds and dynamics etc. etc. Shall I need also other stuff other then the audio interface and a very good set of mics? I mean for example stuff like DI Boxes etc. etc. Have you any suggestions for the mics set?

Oh what the hell... since you're here and/or until this gets moved to the Remote forum...

You should have everything you do in a studio plus a lot more, IF you plan on doing it right.

If you're just doing budget stuff, then a simple compliment of mic's and DI's should do you just fine.

DI's are a whole subject unto themselves, but at least 2-4 of each; active and passive DI's is the minimum... pick a flavor.

Dynamic Mic's is wide open as well... about 6 each SM57's and SM58's. An SM7, some 421's, D112, Beta 52, D6 are good compliments as well.

Condensor's such as pairs of 81's, 414's, 4033's, C3000's and the like are minimum mic locker components. Spend whatcha' got after that.

Ribbons... here's the yummy stuff... 121's, SF12, R84's, M80, 44BX, 77DX and the like are your basic ear candy essentials. Spend heavily here.

Cables are a deep money hole... and they hurt when people steal your shit... buy good, buy once here. Label them according to length and your name.

Adapters... fill your Jesus Box with em'.... XLR to TS, XLR to TRS, turn arounds, impedance x-formers, phase reverse, TRS to mini... Just about anything you can think of... make or buy 5-7 of each... ad nausem.

A UPS is ESSENTIAL... period.

A good 3-way transformer w/isolated splits is what I would call an essential item, but lots of folks wanna think you can hijack an insert point from FOH... not on any of the gigs I do. You shove anything in a pro rig w/o permission, and you'll likely get your fingers broken... at the least... and probably worse.

At least get a 16-24 channel 2 way split.

Big booms are pretty standard. You don't need many, but 2-4 will make your life easier.

After that... invest in good locking cases and a good handtruck. An 8 ft ladder is damned handy at a minimum as well.

A half dozen 2'x4'x2" fabric wrapped 703 panels, a drum shield, a fat spool of trick line, some packing blankets, woodworking spring type glue clips, fabric remnants and a staple gun are a few of the extra's I carry on remote sessions.

Oh... and ALWAYS carry an extra half dozen mic clips... they either disappear or get broken like they cost a nickle.

[therealbigd]

I would say the above is a bit OTT.

Interface wise I would be looking at a pair of MOTU 8pres. They're pretty cheap and give you 8 reasonable mic pre-amps into firewire (or ADAT). The Metric Halo is a better mobile system but you'd still need to buy Pre-Amps, the MOTU is ready to go and gives you 16 pres into Logic in a 2U rack space!

On the kick mic front, I wouldn't go the normal D112 / B52 direction, I'd look at an RE20 or Heil PR40 really, much better sound for recording work. Get a good stash of 57s, you can use them on anything but they are the standard for guitars and snares. However, you may want to look at Sennheiser 906s for guitar. They're useful in that you can hang them over the amp instead of using a stand, as they are flat at the front. Clip on mics for Toms - look at Audix (with clamps) or Senn 604s which come with their own clamps. 421s are a better sound but big and pricey. Some little clip on mics for violins and sax's when you get them are useful, there are many small gooseneck options from Shure and AKG. Then a few pencil condensors - the SE1 being my best priced favourite, or AKG451s for those who can afford.

Then of course, some DIs. Passive are my preferred as you can double them up as re-amps when you get home if a guitar wants re-doing. the EMO boxes are very good. Obviously can't go wrong with Radial if you can afford.

Headphone wise I'd go Senn HD25s as they've got great detail and are small and portable.

I'd be tempted to buy a 10U rack case and rack the 2 MOTUs and 4 2U mic drawers (rack drawers - then buy yourself some blocks of foam the size of the drawers and cut out slots for mics). On the back you can fit a simple 2U rack panel with all the connections on it (remember to include Firewire!), to keep wiring simple and reduce the wear and tear on the sockets on the actual interfaces. You can fit wheels to the case to make movement easier, and some vents to the case to keep the MOTUs cool as they do run hot. Fit a power strip into the back of the case with screws so people can't use it for their amps.

Obviously you'll then want a decent XLR snake and stage box.

And then you're looking pretty good for a full band setup. You'd be able to use that commercially and charge good money for a professional product.

Obviously, when money allows, the next thing you need is some racks of active mic splitters. If you're recording bands at gigs, you'll need these an awful lot. Regardless of if you're international or british, try the English company 'Orchid Electronics' for their spliiters, really good. Obviously the KTs are also amazing but like serious $$$$$!!!

Stand wise, buy plenty of short stands. For 99% of micing up, short ones are more useful than tall ones. Drums + amps? Do you often see them 5ft off the floor?! An X-Y stereo pair bar is useful as it means you can put both drum overheads on one stand.

A drum mat is good - though a roll of old carpet is fine for this!

[xaMdaM]

Originally Posted by therealbigd

I would say the above is a bit OTT.

Sorry, but that's just about 1/4 of what's in my rig, and my rig ain't nuttin' compared to say... what Remoteness runs.

I would also dump the idea of a lappie and interface for a decent analog console and a pair of HD24's. In the end, your rig is a lot more stable, reliable and cheaper.

Obviously, when money allows, the next thing you need is some racks of active mic splitters. If you're recording bands at gigs, you'll need these an awful lot. Regardless of if you're international or british, try the English company 'Orchid Electronics' for their spliiters, really good. Obviously the KTs are also amazing but like serious $$$$$!!!

+1 on the Orchid or KT move... However, I have yet to need more than a transformer isolated 3 way split for standard tracking. When I put rig #2 on the road next year, I probably will load it with the KT's to make tying in to video trucks a lot easier/cleaner.

As far as investing in your gear to set up a professional mobile rig... see my sig below.

[therealbigd]

Originally Posted by xaMdaM

Sorry, but that's just about 1/4 of what's in my rig, and my rig ain't nuttin' compared to say... what Remoteness runs.

I appreciate that what you listed isn't 'OTT for live recording' but it is a bit 'OTT for live recording' when the poster said they've got the budget for a macbook pro, apogee ensemble and some mics!

it's all very well listing what you need for a portable recording system, but if everybody who put 'I'm building a home studio' on this website got a response of 'well first you need a Neve VR60 and Prism converters' this website would be rubbish!

[xaMdaM]

OK, so you tell me how someone wanting to put a budget rig together is supposed to lay 16-24 tracks down w/o having 16-24 input devices, cables and mic stands... especially when my experience is that when dealing with most venues and production companies, that they won't let you take direct outs from their consoles.

Additionally, you will invariably come across situations where you need some sort of adapter to get some signal format to another... so how are you supposed to do that w/o adapters?

The OP hasn't mentioned a budget, and stated he wanted good mic's... so I listed good mic's to have in the kit. Hell, you mentioned the RE20... and that's not a cheap mic.

The OP also wanted to know what else was kit that was needed... including whether to buy pre's. I didn't mention Orchid or the KT active splitters, therealbigd did. I just confirmed that on my 2nd rig, I'm considering stepping up my game and getting them... and even you mentioned when extra money allows it.

I don't see a UPS as being over the top. I KNOW it's essential. If you loose power because your lappie battery took a dump, you got no product to offer the client.

A couple of big booms are worth the investment, and you can typically use the venue/production company's base mic's/stand packages until you build up your own locker. So, buying a couple a light stands is cheaper than some of the audio stands, and that's OTT?

Picking up fabric remnants and packing blankets on the cheap is OTT?

C'mon... lets face it therealbigd, you're jumping the gun and knee jerking in that you assume that I'm saying you gotta have all this to even get started... which I neither said, nor implied. Just as no studio is ever complete, neither is a mobile rig... especially a mobile rig. You grow into it, and they just keep growing.

Granted, a 3 way iso split is gonna be a chunk of change, but it's the heart of the business end of offering yourself as a service. If you can't afford a 3 way, then at least get a 2 way splitter... and you can find em' cheap enough used, but you gotta look for em.

I mean, you can buy used gear and save plenty of dosh to make your investment go further. No one said you have to buy new... did they?

To get 16-24 inputs into a lappie isn't gonna be cheap, but it doesn't have to cost you a large fortune... just a small one. To change course a bit and go with a decent analogue console and HD24's gets you the pre's, converters and I/O for about as dirt cheap as any other system configuration... and it's stable as hell. After 16 years of running a mobile rig, that's what my experience has proven. I started out with hauling 16 channels of ADAT's up and down the road, and grew to 32 channels of parallel ADAT's and MOTU. I'm now down to 2 HD24's and a console, and doing just fine with that configuration.

And all I'm tryin' to do is make the OP aware of, is that he/she needs to get the professional results that they are likely wanting to achieve, he/she needs to be aware that mobile recording can, and usually does, require extra stuff that a regular studio doesn't need.

If that's OTT, I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna bullshit anyone about what the reality is.

[therealbigd]

I appreciate that, but where budget doesn't allow, budget doesn't allow!

I think what the OP was really saying was 'I've got a bit of cash and I want to buy a basic setup which I can fit in the car boot and take into gigs at the local venues / regional venues and record bands for a bit of cash' not 'I want to setup a new major live recording company'.

I think your list was just a bit daunting, for the sake of a 'first portable recording studio' list, I was just trying to say you don't need that much to get started!

Im not saying your post is bad or the facts are incorrect, just I don't think you answered his question.

[johndykstra]

Well...

I don't think he once mentions recording at venues at all. Lots of guys out there are going mobile by recording bands in their own practice spaces. If that's the case, there's no need for splitters at all.

[xaMdaM]

Originally Posted by dykstraster@gmai

Well...

I don't think he once mentions recording at venues at all. Lots of guys out there are going mobile by recording bands in their own practice spaces. If that's the case, there's no need for splitters at all.

This is true... but invariably, when you need one... you ain't got one. But yes, that was just a logical assumption I made, that I probably didn't need to make.

If nothing else, I'd at least check some of the local production companies in the area to find out if you can rent one.... just in case.

I actually have 3 snakes. Two splits (one 2-way and one 3-way) and one standard 24x8 that I use for regular sole source location work.

[robbysoul]

Originally Posted by therealbigd

I appreciate that, but where budget doesn't allow, budget doesn't allow!

I think what the OP was really saying was 'I've got a bit of cash and I want to buy a basic setup which I can fit in the car boot and take into gigs at the local venues / regional venues and record bands for a bit of cash' not 'I want to setup a new major live recording company'.

I think your list was just a bit daunting, for the sake of a 'first portable recording studio' list, I was just trying to say you don't need that much to get started!

Im not saying your post is bad or the facts are incorrect, just I don't think you answered his question.

Yes, That's exactly what I was meaning. I have appreciated very much the long list of stuff suggested by xaMdaM but it really got me scared. I forgot to mention that I'm a novice, studying a lot of theory about audio, recording technics, mixing but I need hand-on experience and I'm trying to figure out the really basic stuff I need (eventually with a good Price/Quality ratio) in order to start recording a few bands gigging in a reharsal room. I'm just starting so good suggestions are really really appreciated but please, don't scare me
Thank you very much to everybody