Looking to downgrade my studio (warning: long)

[Everybody]

I went into recording feet first, going all out getting the best equipment (in our pricerange). I also went into this like an idiot looking to make my money back quickly and make a job out of it. lately, ive just been realizing i tried to take on too much to early.

trying to learn how to quantize drums, guitars vocals, get good drum sounds out of mics, then switching to triggers, then getting samples to fit, and getting each hit to be there, then the guitar sound isnt good, now the bass sucks, now vocals arent good....its just overwhelming. and i dont have the time (right now) to start picking away at these things, and everytime i go into my "studio" now i just feel overwhelmed and dont even want to be in there.

so heres the thing. i took over this big room in my house, and put up a studio rta desk, rp8 monitors on stands, my drumset, and a futon.

what i want to do now is have it the way it used to be... my drums, a daybed [the bed thats in my room right now], a big tv [also in my room], a regular computer desk [in my room as well lol] for everyday use.

so if i take the tv and daybed out of my room and put it in the big room. this basically leaves my room empty minus a bookshelf and dresser (that i could prob move out) and i could keep my drums in the big room

****

I want to sell my studio rta desk.
move my firestudio interface and rackmount powersupply into a case or external rack and just get a smaller regular desk where the computer monitor is closer to me.

(i would want to sell my 8ch firestudio for something smaller and also sell the powersupply...but shit i doubt I can get any money back enough to fund a new smaller interface)

I want to start focusing on one thing at a time. and im hoping now that im going to start programing drums with the new SSDEX i got, i can focus on guitar tone and vocals and mixing. rather than struggling to coax a good drum sound out of my drums (or other peoples sets).

****

basically I want a tiny, condensed setup in my room.
deck it out with cheap/DIY soundproofing. (wouldve costed way to much to do it to the old big room)
make it more fun.
program drums.
record guitars/bass direct (like i have been)
vocals will be the only "real" thing i record now i guess, and i can do that in a diff room since there probably wont be any space in my tiny room.

instead of trying to be the best, or trying to make money, or trying to be perfect. I just want this to be fun for me, experiment, fuck up, make stuff sound like shit sometimes cause I added a new vst on it that shouldnt be there, but then make a really cool sound by adding it somewhere else.

It sounds gay, but im scared now to stray away from what i do now, for fear that it will sound bad. but how the hell can i get any better if i dont try new shit? it sucks. so im hoping this new setup and new mindset will help me improve and find a new spark in recording!


has anyone done this? any regrets?
anyone have any tips for me?

thanks for reading haha

 

[arv_foh]

You think downgrading your equipment is going to make your recordings better? What kind of fucked up logic is that?

Once you get better you are just going to want better gear again so selling it seems like a waste too.

 

[Brandon E.]

I'm sure you can find a way to get into a new mindset without selling all your shit

 

[Uladyne]

I'm trying to figure out the cost factor here. If space is your main concern then I would assume the big desk has to go, but cost wise, it seems like you'd be throwing money away downgrading the gear that doesn't really take up extra space. You'd have to downgrade intensely to get enough money from your used gear to buy new gear, so for the things that don't take up too much space I'd probably just keep and save the extra features for a rainy day. If you're looking to spend money on different gear maybe turn your smaller room into a sweet acoustic space to help hone your mixing and listening skills.

 

[Everybody]

yea, yall are prob right this is a stupid idea.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Don't sell anything, but don't buy any more gerar until you've mastered what you have. Seems silly to sell all that shit, just to probably buy it all back in a few years.

 

[Ermz]

Agreed. Find another way to get that mental refresher you want. Avoid your studio space for a few weeks, focus on something else, go on holiday, or rediscover what it is you love about music and/or production. The gear that you presently have isn't really all that much, so selling it would just put you at a point where results are out of your reach.

If you want to take it back to the basics, start to focus on monitoring. Improve the acoustics in your room. Discover the joy of hearing all these records you love in such an environment, and then go from the ground up trying to match them. Many people get caught up in buying all sorts of gear but I cannot stress enough that *the ability to hear accurately, and make correct judgment calls quickly is the most important thing of all*.

 

[CatharsisStudios]

don't give up zach,

 

[GarethSE]

Just take a break man. We all get frustrated with this shit and hit walls. Just leave it for a while and come back to it a b it later and you'll be refreshed and you'll probably make a sudden skip in quality, or it'll be more perceivable.

 

[narcossintese]

Switch from a 8ch to a 2ch interface and move stuff around your room isn´t really a downsize. You probably just need a change of mind.

 

[Everybody]

thanks guys, i needed some words of encouragement.

i think im just going to move my studio into my bedroom and try to treat my room to the best of my finances.

also im not going to sell anything, or buy anything new for a while.

thanks for the advice guys, i hope this gets me back on my feet and i can start enjoying my hobby once again!

shit i wish some of yall lived around me so i had someone to record with, and whenever i talk like this just give me a firm smack across the face ha

 

[CatharsisStudios]

get on aim.

 

[updog]

not buying anything and trying to get into the stuff you have by now sounds good. I should do that too, I have many pieces of gear I feel a bit ill not having used them properly.

Mostly expensive softsynths... Also, I don't really use the ins and outs of my Saffire Pro 40 - I don't need to. At least yet. I'm planning to start recording drums with it at some point.

Also, I feel like I don't have enough time to be productive, even though it's bullshit, I'm not really a busy person...

 

[abt]

Hey Man, I feel your pain. Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be nasty, I'm trying to help you. IMO you don't want stuff like "Aria is run by two musicians Zach (17 years old) and Jeff (also 17). They have only been recording for six months" on your myspace page or anywhere else. You've got to be honest with yourself, is that the brief you want to read when you're picking a studio?

Do a few experiment recording with some bands in your local area. Don't charge them anything, use it to learn and make it your best work. Once they start singing your praise you'll feel re-energized and be back on track. It seems hard to work for nothing but it will take the pressure off you and the band and you can all have some fun.

I had a listen to some of your recording and they're not bad. You CAN do it. It takes years of experience to become a great engineer, hang in there!

 

[ahjteam]

We've all been there and it comes back time after time. Don't give up.

I was once so at verge that I even considered selling all my gear and my whole record collection (~1500 records) and even hanging myself (but this was like after we broke up with my fiancee). And usually always like week or a day before a tour/gig I feel like "fuck this, I don't wanna go, I quit" but once I am sitting on the bus and behind the console, it usually ends up fine after I hear the music.

And when I'm now currently thinking about this moving to the States for a year as an exchange student and looking at the requirements on the Senior project (doing a full album worth of music etc) I feel like quitting the university because of all this paperwar-bullshit and stress, but once I'm on a plane I know it will be fine. It just sometimes paralyzes me so that I can't just function normally in daily routines. Which reminds me that I really need to take out the garbage, clean up my room, wash the dishes and do some laundry.

 

[Everybody]

Also, I feel like I don't have enough time to be productive, even though it's bullshit, I'm not really a busy person...

same here, it sucks =/. i think the main reason i dont feel productive is because when im in the studio working on stuff...i can never get anything to sound as good as i want it...and its kind of discouraging.

 

[Everybody]

Hey Man, I feel your pain. Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be nasty, I'm trying to help you. IMO you don't want stuff like "Aria is run by two musicians Zach (17 years old) and Jeff (also 17). They have only been recording for six months" on your myspace page or anywhere else. You've got to be honest with yourself, is that the brief you want to read when you're picking a studio?

Well yes actually haha, I want people to understand I cant make them sound great. and im new to this so things arent going to be speedy and smooth. I want them to know up front that this studio is basically 2 kids in their parents house trying to get better at their hobby and passion.

so older guys doing rock will just look past my page, rappers will look past my page, but a group of 15-18 year olds with not to much money and that just want their music recorded can get something decent!

(but yes i understand that on the business end of things...its a terrible idea to put that up there! haha)

Do a few experiment recording with some bands in your local area. Don't charge them anything, use it to learn and make it your best work. Once they start singing your praise you'll feel re-energized and be back on track. It seems hard to work for nothing but it will take the pressure off you and the band and you can all have some fun.

I did this in the very beginning, band wasnt very appreciative even tho it was free, and their first recording. but i mite give it a try again, ur right it would ease tension and make it more laid back

It takes years of experience to become a great engineer, hang in there!

yes i know, im just so eager because i hear how i want things to sound and i want to be able to do it NAOW!!!

 

[Everybody]

im glad most of yall can relate to me, makes me feel less alone ha

hopefully i can get my shit together soon and have some new recordings for yall to pick apart and help me get better!!!

 

[ahjteam]

also im not going to sell anything, or buy anything new for a while.

Then wtf is this shit then?

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...-rode-nt5s-ddrum-triggers-monster-cables.html

 

[plague_rider]

Dude stick at it... when i first started learning anything about recording it was in a college studio that although not amazing, was well ahead of anything I was capable of using...

its just a case of finding your feet

if you've had the oppurtunity to buy some decent gear, don't dare sell any of it... work out how to get your sound out of it, work out how each piece will benefit you...

only sell if you wanna swap items eg switch this mic for this mic...