Music Producing Thread

[CliffBurton]

So yeah, a bunch of you guys are into this stuff.

Figured a separate thread would be used for stuff that wasn't purely guitar related, and had nothing to do with any COBOT Album projects.



So yeah, my computer is fucking dead, and I've been thinking about starting from the ground up.

This is my external Soundcard.

Edirol UA-25

I never really use it anymore. Unless I plug my guitar into it to use my comp as an amp, and use effects through FL studio, which I haven't done in months. So I want to get rid of that for something more suited to what I do now, which is really just mixing and playing with Ableton. I play my keyboard more than anything when using that, plus I want to get some controllers with launchpads and some knobs and shizzz.

So, my computer now, I can't even go get all the stats cause its torn apart, and in various bits, and the maker of it is away on vacation. 4gb ram, dual core AMD processor, some other shit, yadda yadda.

I plan on giving the computer to my dad, he's going to repair it and keep it, and help me getting a new computer. I'm also strongly considering selling my bass amp, which is 100watt ss, with a nice 18" speaker. Not sure if I should keep this for the heavy beats, more as a novelty, as I get more than enough bass from my PC speakers.

So. All I really do musically is fuckign around with electronic music. Dubstep, Trance, Dance, and some ambient.

So I admit I don't know wtf I'm talking about, so help is appreciated. The only thing I know I'm keeping is my USB keyboard.

What are some good sound cards suited to what I'm doing. Lots of MIDI controlling.....and, (inb4:shitstorm) Is a Mac really all that much better? I've been arguing otherwise for a very long time, but my friend just got a Mac Desktop, and I do admit its very sexy.

A Laptop is also in serious consideration, but the fact it can't really be upgraded has me worried.


Also, post you're shit if you have any, I'd like to hear it.

 

[snowy]

My Recording and mixing equipment (except for the Toneport and Mbox which I rarely use.My guitars are also missing in those pics and my mics. most of them are in the wodden box and I couldnt be bothered to take them out for the pic). But for mixing the most important stuff is software on my laptop :/ Plugins and DAW.
I'm some douchebag audio engineering student and I'm recording bands when I got the time and I'm mixing that shit afterwards, so that's what keeps me busy all the time. I'm playing in a band which I happen to record to and I'm a one man band also

->mixing place


I'm playing and recording various styles of music, mostly guitar oriented stuff(blues & punk) and electronica stuff with guitar or without guitars (mostly dub and chill out tracks and sometimes some weird shit ). Since I'm quite busy at the moment, everything I have recorded up to now are some demos and jams buuut I recently started recording my little ep because I have written some much stuff and those silly demos and jams kept annoying me as they doesnt really show the music I really write
I released a song with my bro a while ago but its 4 years old and I only played some chords as it is really just a chill out track: http://soundcloud.com/skyk/skyk-and-the-cat-at-court-ease

about macs.. well I really like using them but I havent been on a new windows computer recently. My old xp pc is nice for music and films but I prefer using my DAW and music production in general on my mac

 

[vikk]

i went to a music production school (*use shelters*). But it was totally worth, i learn the theory behind it. I feel it definitely bought me some time, that i would spend in a studio just watching someone else doing. But studio time is definitely important also. I'm lurking for some post-graduation in audio. My plans are working with production (music/movies/whatnot) and Acoustics, is pretty badass too

don't buy M-Audio, no fucking headroom my knob is at 3 o'clock, because on 4 it fucking clips

 

[The Emptier]

yeah i'm basically looking for a jazz studies/performance major and a music tech/production/recording/business etc. minor, unfortunately ive never been the type to fiddle around with recording stuff like most people but i'm working on getting a new computer soon so i may get some stuff

what are the cheapest things to get to just write/record music? i'm real interested in film composing so anything with orchestrating capabilities would be cool

 

[CliffBurton]

what are the cheapest things to get to just write/record music?

 

[vikk]

this is something i mixed only: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2672656/final1.mp3 (25 tracks iirc) it was recorded by someone else, i got the raw tracks here, if anyone wants to practice. Macs are not flawless, but the run more smoothly IMO, i'm still using Win, but i'd definitely would pay twice as much for a mac, not to have the headaches windows gives me. And Ryan, if you're going to do only digital stuff, i recommend Logic, very intuitive and fit for digital music.

what are the cheapest things to get to just write/record music? i'm real interested in film composing so anything with orchestrating capabilities would be cool

how much is cheap? will you be recording in your room? What kind of instruments you will be recording? Which will be synths?

 

[The Emptier]

1 dollar, i dunno just bare bone shit, i'll know once i get my computer built. yes in my room, probably just guitar, voice, keyboard
whats just like the cheapest interfaces and mics etc. to record

 

[vikk]

if you don't care about quality:
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Digidesign-Mbox-2-Mini-Recording-Bundle?sku=702525
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-Audiobox-USB-Recording-Package?sku=243008

 

[The Emptier]

so 400 bucks wouldn't get me decent-ish quality?

and what's a program that can do orchestration stuff? like i could just plug in my keyboard and get something going or what not

 

[vikk]

there are a number or Orchestration stuff, here is one of them

 

[CliffBurton]

so 400 bucks wouldn't get me decent-ish quality?

and what's a program that can do orchestration stuff? like i could just plug in my keyboard and get something going or what not

My keyboard works with just USB, though has MIDI in and out. You obviously need something with a 1/4" plug for you're guitar.

The soundcard I posted was like $250 new (I think), so for $400 you could do simple.

Look up VSTs. like the Hollywood strings one Vik Posted. My friend and I just use Nexus as it has a huge collection of sounds on one program and its really simple to use.

 

[Ensi]

and what's a program that can do orchestration stuff? like i could just plug in my keyboard and get something going or what not

East West Symphonic Orchestra, hands down.

 

[The Emptier]

thanks lads i'll look those up. probably wont invest on any crazy recording gear besides orchestratino stuff because all the colleges i'm looking at i'm hoping to have a degree or minor in music production so i'll have plenty of time to work and learn everything...especially if i get into Berklee college of music because i plan on doing film composing and music production and engineering...that'd be amazing

 

[zirkonflex]

thanks lads i'll look those up. probably wont invest on any crazy recording gear besides orchestratino stuff because all the colleges i'm looking at i'm hoping to have a degree or minor in music production so i'll have plenty of time to work and learn everything...especially if i get into Berklee college of music because i plan on doing film composing and music production and engineering...that'd be amazing

You obviously don't need all that shit.
Buy some Superlux headphones (HD 681B), a M-Audio Fasttrack of your choice and use REAPER as a DAW (You can use it fully without paying), it has loads of good plugins and effects with it.
You'd need some mics, probably T.Bone, you'd get a condenser and Sm57 fake for less than 100 bucks with stands and popkiller.
Thats how I would start out.
But beware, so called "audio engineers" in the internet will keep telling you you need a fucking control console for 12.000 before you can start a solo project.
Im just sayin'.

 

[snowy]

if you don't care about quality:
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Digidesign-Mbox-2-Mini-Recording-Bundle?sku=702525
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-Audiobox-USB-Recording-Package?sku=243008

typical audio engineering student.. All the time they say these boxes suck (soundwise, qualitywise) but I dont really agree on that. The D/A converter aint the best but they are ok. just overpriced.
When beginning with such stuff I would buy good mics and later a good audio interface because you'll need to spend more money on that anyway and if you keep on recording and doing that stuff for some time you'll buy some new interface anyway.

1 dollar, i dunno just bare bone shit, i'll know once i get my computer built. yes in my room, probably just guitar, voice, keyboard
whats just like the cheapest interfaces and mics etc. to record

Depends on what you need. How many mics( at once ) will be used?
And yeah, sm57 or fake sm57 will do it when it comes to e-guitars (eventhough I prefer it combined with other mics) and some condenser for the acoustic guitar. I dont know how much you can spend for the mics or is it 400 for both?
Otherwise I could recommend you some mics before you buy any t.bone stuff

 

[The Emptier]

Shit, Im not really set on actually getting anything I'm just poking around to see whats out there....just think sort of rinky dink things to get riffs down because i always forget them...it won't be any big thing, i can only imagine having one mic at once since it'll probably be just myself
lets just SAY 400 for everything what should I look at?

 

[snowy]

One question before answering yours :
Are you going to buy the DAW? because I forgot that they're always a bit expensive.
And it really depends on what you're going to do. You can buy some good interface with lets say 2 mic and 2 line inputs and some cheaper interface with more inputs. If you're recording your amp or acoustic guitars 2 mic inputs will be fine (unless you want to use 4 mics for the amp ) but if you plan to do more in the near future consider buying a bigger one.
But I guess you just need the 2 mic input version. Well, since I started with a toneport and switched from it to some 4 input interface and then to some ''good'' 8 input interface I can't really recommend any good interface with 2 inputs.
Buuut
http://www.thomann.de/de/se_electronics_se_2000.htm
http://www.thomann.de/de/audio_technica_at2020.htm
these are the 2 condenser I would recommend if you start with recording vocals are acoustic guitars. I think they're pretty good for these prices.

 

[Crzy_Aus]

@failure_of_threads If you don't want studio quality, I'd say any guitar processor with a USB out and a cheap mic can take care of it. I recorded my band demos through Digitech RP255 and mic>line in for vocals and it sounds just about fine (Disjection demos on my Youtube).

Or, that thing vikk posted. My school's music dept. uses that one among other things and it worked fine for me, roughly same sound quality.

 

[CliffBurton]

(You can use it fully without paying)

OH MY WHAT AN ADVANTAGE TO ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS ON THE INTERNET

Is anyone here who isn't into this stuff professionally actually paying $300+ for a legit copy of a DAW?

 

[Muffin]

Lol buy a DI unit and a Mic, download the software.

That's probably as cheap as you can get, and no one cares.
As long as you aren't gonna sell the stuff you make with it, it doesn't matter how pirated your software is.
Heck, for guitar, you can get away with DI and guitar amp simulators if you're just looking at recording riffs to not forget.

There's a different in necessities for creating full blown songs with semi-studio quality, and recording some riffs and adding some harmonies on top of them for lulz.