Home Recording thread

black aspirin · December 20, 2015, 09:25:13 PM

I don't see much posted here about home recording. I recently got back into playing, writing and recording music.

Does anyone wanna discuss techniques, their home studio setup, DAWs, plug-ins, EQ, mixing, etc? I have more fun recording and mixing than I do playing. Part science, part art, part happy accidents.

Just picked up Voxengo Elephant, a mastering limiter to help with the final product, and it's pretty awesome. The latest mix I'm working on is the best-sounding recording I've ever done.

Come at me, bro?

everdrone · December 20, 2015, 09:47:16 PM

I use reaper to mix, and 22vsl presonus as an interface, and I use Toontrack Superior 2.3 for drums and a Shure SM7B for vox

its fun stuff! I never read a manual or took the time to learn, so I just use presets and tweak em. for "mastering" I use Ozone 5.

black aspirin · December 20, 2015, 10:22:42 PM

I'm using an iMac with Mackie Trackton 4 (thinking about moving up to Logic Pro X) and a Steinberg UR242 interface. I use BFD Drum software for the MIDI-programmed drum sounds (it's amazing, all real kits recorded in a studio), and Absynth 4 for the synth sounds. I record bass with a Sansamp direct, split between clean and distorted, and sometimes an extra mic'd track (which I separate as lows/mids/highs, and mix them until I get the combination I want). Guitars are mic'd, all with a Shure SM57.

I try to read a lot about techniques and theory, but it is so fun because there aren't that many hard rules. Weird ideas might pay off huge.

lordfinesse · December 20, 2015, 10:27:05 PM

I'd say if the latest mix you've done is the best sounding, you're doing it right. I'd be interested to hear if you'd like to post a clip when you get it finished. Since our last album in 2013 I haven't been recording much other than demos and stuff with my kids. My room sucks bad for mixing... software says it's impossible to treat enough to bring it up being "correct".. it's tiny, kind of L shaped, and multi-leveled.. so I ended up mixing our last album in my Honda Element.

I've been using the same setup for around 10 years... Reaper on my laptop, and an old version of Cubase on an old Windows XP desktop, with 2 Aardvark DirectPro Q10 interfaces. The ol' "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing I guess. I'm sure newer stuff is awesome but I don't really have the need or time to get into it at the moment. One day I'm sure I will. Maybe before our next album.

I think my approach might draw some groans over on one of the home recording forums. I do enjoy talking about this stuff though, or at least I used to. I guess I still do. So thanks for starting this thread.

Danny G · December 21, 2015, 01:26:05 AM

I'm still using my Tascam digital 8-track.

Bad news is it's pretty outdated and limiting. Good news is I've been using it for 10 years and have gotten quite good at working around its limitations.

Like how to mic a full drum set with only two track inputs and make it not sound like I only have two inputs to work with.

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jibberish · December 21, 2015, 01:40:52 AM

Quote from: Danny G on December 21, 2015, 01:26:05 AM
I'm still using my Tascam digital 8-track.

Bad news is it's pretty outdated and limiting. Good news is I've been using it for 10 years and have gotten quite good at working around its limitations.

Like how to mic a full drum set with only two track inputs and make it not sound like I only have two inputs to work with.

Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

that right there is why I specifically bought a Tascam 24track a few years back: it can record 8 tracks simultaneously and easily can do a fully mic'd drum kit.
my son was doing it with a stereo pc interface too, so I took care of his issue of being limited to 2 mics only. he lost the fcking power supply..dammit heh

it's ok, I just use a pc power supply now anyway for everything at once and I made a special power cable that goes from Tascam to pc supply.

also, being portable 12v makes field recording cool.

giantchris · December 21, 2015, 05:45:21 AM

I do all of my stuff DI'd and program drums with my solo stuff. Using the Ignite amps/IRCabs/PodFarm 2.5 for guitars and occasionally a T21 Oxford or Leeds with some sort of distortion pedal. I really like the PodFarm effects you can do some awesome delay/modulation stuff on there. For mixing and mastering I usually use my Tonebooster's plugins or I have some of the Stillwell Plugins that work great.

For drums I use EZDrummer 2 Metalheads expansion, use the big room setting and tweak the cymbals up higher and the reverb up a touch then I bounce the kick/snare/toms to a bus track and compress the shit out of that. It works pretty good I just started using bus compression on drums halfway through recording my last solo effort and you can hear the difference on the tracks that used it.

For keys I use EZKeys Classic Electrics, Mellotoon, Retro Electrics, and the Schwa Olga synth which is really awesome. The EZKeys stuff is highly underrated once you stack some FX on it it can get pretty crazy sounding.

My next goal is I want to try to get the EZKeys Pipe Organ and I'd like to get a Line 6 Helix I've been very impressed with the clips of the Helix I've heard.

Danny G · December 21, 2015, 10:41:56 AM

8 tracks simultaneously... I don't even own that many mics, and most of the mic stands would consist of things that aren't mic stands + duct tape ;P

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SensoryOverload · December 21, 2015, 01:33:46 PM

Great thread idea. The vast majority of people who record at home have some pretty ghetto-ass set-ups I've found haha. I used to love reading threads like this before purchasing gear because it gave me hope for what was possible despite limited equipment and funds.

My home-recording set-up is very simple:

1 x Shure SM57 Microphone ($99) > Steinberg CI1 USB Audio Interface ($99) > Sequel LE 2 Audio editing/recording program (Free with the interface)

Guitar/Bass: Microphone pretty much directly in center of amp speaker
Drums: Usually hanging 2 ft infront of the kit closer to the bass drum (I only 1-mic drums due to funds)
Vocals: Varies, I get my singer to sing quiet parts close and then step back for the loud parts or words that start with the letter P.
I've noticed it makes a "PUH" sound which spikes the volume and causes clipping so we gotta work around that alot haha

Here's an example of one of the songs by my band project where everything was done 1 microphone, 1 at a time, then mashed together.

Also my band soundcloud page is full of similar set-ups and recordings. I feel like as far as demo's go, you only need primitive gear like this. But once you're doing something serious for an album, get your ass in the studio haha
https://soundcloud.com/SensoryOL

Corey Y · December 21, 2015, 02:24:18 PM

I use a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre interface (Thundbolt based) into an iMac for recording, using Logic X. Shure SM7B for guitar, EV RE20 for bass, with my little home rigs:

Traynor DH15H > Eminence Swamp Thang 12" for guitar, GK MB800 > Eminence Basslite 10" for bass.

I have a couple LDC mics I use for vocal recording (ADK Vienna and AT4047), but I haven't done any vocals on anything that's just for me in a long while.

Here's a clip of that rig in action:

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/corey-y/current-demo-recording-rig-december-2015[/soundcloud]

Previously I was using a Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 for an interface and my Carvin X100B head into a Celestion G12-80 loaded 2x12 for all my guitar tracks. It took up a lot of space though, just recently pulled the trigger on the smaller guitar stuff and took a while to find the right speaker for the tones I like. The Thunderbolt based interface was worth the upgrade, virtually no latency and the stock preamps on everything Focusrite I've owned sound good. I used to use boutique outboard preamps for years, before I went all in the box and I honestly don't miss them. I just go for color with mics and plug-ins now, which gives me more flexibility in the mix anyway.

black aspirin · December 21, 2015, 03:27:38 PM

Good Lord, Corey Y...that sounds amazing.

Danny G · December 21, 2015, 04:01:09 PM

Here's my handiwork, guerrilla recorded at several different locations using the primitive techniques I've been perfecting since doing the RPM challenge every year since 2009. This is my full band. Had it professionally mastered by a master of mastering which helped quite a bit

http://oceanofstars.bandcamp.com

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Corey Y · December 21, 2015, 04:22:50 PM

Quote from: black aspirin on December 21, 2015, 03:27:38 PM
Good Lord, Corey Y...that sounds amazing.

Thanks man

black aspirin · December 21, 2015, 06:20:53 PM

Quote from: Danny G on December 21, 2015, 04:01:09 PM
Here's my handiwork, guerrilla recorded at several different locations using the primitive techniques I've been perfecting since doing the RPM challenge every year since 2009. This is my full band. Had it professionally mastered by a master of mastering which helped quite a bit

http://oceanofstars.bandcamp.com

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Damn, Danny! I dig that record, and had no idea you had done all the recording...nice work!

black aspirin · December 21, 2015, 06:26:03 PM

Here's part of the track I'm working on, it's supposed to be the soundtrack for my flatland BMX edit that I'm putting out in February, when I turn 45. There's an intro and some other parts coming, but I'm still working on it. There's one synth swirling in the background, and all of the other stuff is bass and guitar. Any constructive criticism or feedback is welcome. I can't do vocals, so I try to fill in the space with synths, guitar psych stuff, and sometimes voice samples...

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/black-aspirin-1/fourpointfive[/soundcloud]

zachoff · December 21, 2015, 06:47:30 PM

I have an old ass Line6 TonePort UX1 and Reaper. It does the job for personal stuff, but isnt' great.

Beta Cloud · December 21, 2015, 07:27:21 PM

for rough songwriting, just ableton, beta monkey drum samples, and amplitube for my guitar.

for the real stuff, alotta other gear!

chille01 · December 21, 2015, 08:01:37 PM

I've got some pretty decent recording gear - not cork sniffer fancy, but probably more than the average home studio. Decent mic selection with most of the bases covered (drum mics, small and large diagram condensers, 57's, RE20, Apex tube mic, CAD ribbon mic etc. etc.). I use a Macbook Pro, Logic X, with a Focusrite interface and an old Frontier Audio Tango slaved to it via SPDIF. All of that is interfaced with an old Mackie 24x8 bus board, and your standard KRK Rocket monitors. A couple of DBX, Ashley, and ART outboard compressors, and a pretty decent selection of plugin fx in Logic. I patched it all together on Craigslist for the most part, over several years. The mix room itself is terrible, but I built some homemade bass traps to try and help there.

Up until a year or so ago I usually recorded my own band, so it was all live instruments. Now I'm not in a band, so I've been tinkering with programming drums, keys... looking for a good brass section VST at the moment. The MIDI, virtual instrument stuff is fun, but its a whole new ball game for me, and I don't know jack about it yet. I know I'm just scratching the surface there, and what I'm doing is pretty rudimentary.

This was the last album the old band put out, and also probably the best results I've ever managed to personally get at recording. We tracked pretty much everything in our jam room using the above mentioned gear, mixed it in my old living room, and then had my buddy who is a *real* recording engineer master it.

https://thebelushis.bandcamp.com/releases

Danny G · December 21, 2015, 09:22:44 PM

Quote from: black aspirin on December 21, 2015, 06:20:53 PM
Quote from: Danny G on December 21, 2015, 04:01:09 PMHere's my handiwork, guerrilla recorded at several different locations using the primitive techniques I've been perfecting since doing the RPM challenge every year since 2009. This is my full band. Had it professionally mastered by a master of mastering which helped quite a bit

http://oceanofstars.bandcamp.com

Sent from a can on some string using Tapatalk

Damn, Danny! I dig that record, and had no idea you had done all the recording...nice work!

Thanks man. I should just do all of our recording like this and save myself a fortune (but pay to have it mastered)

And we'd spend a little more time on it. This was recorded literally on the fly a month after our first two gigs last year

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black aspirin · December 24, 2015, 07:35:56 PM

Downloading Logic Pro X right now (and it's taking a while). Pretty excited about moving up to this DAW though, all of the reviews I've seen are terrific. The first thing I'm gonna do is start trying to move all of the tracks from the new song I'm working on from Tracktion 4 to Logic Pro X...and start by loading the BFD2 midi to multiple outputs so I can tweak each piece of the kit.

jibberish · December 26, 2015, 03:21:28 AM

Quote from: Danny G on December 21, 2015, 10:41:56 AM
8 tracks simultaneously... I don't even own that many mics, and most of the mic stands would consist of things that aren't mic stands + duct tape ;P

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a) I don't own 8 mics either
b) my son and his buddies were doing it while trying to seriously record some songs and they really needed 4 mics
c) my old trusty warhorse VS-880 harddisk recorder was getting sketchy and the idea of a solid state multitrack was VERY appealing
d) B&H was blowing them out for like $400 and change, so yeah all the stars aligned correctly for me to get that at that time.
e) 99.9% of my recording goes through the mackie mixer->focusrite scarlett 2i4 stereo interface->reaper

I have ableton lite that came with the focusrite and it seems cool. but I haven't needed to lose reaper yet, so I haven't really explored it fully

black aspirin · December 27, 2015, 01:46:45 PM

Really loving Logic Pro X, the learning curve hasn't been too bad after switching from Tracktion 4. There are so many plug-ins, EQ presets to work with (and simplify things), and I haven't even fucked with the drum program, the synth program, or the guitar and bass simulators (I tend to avoid simulators, but I'll have to try them out).

Also, 64-bit. NICE.

Lumpy · December 27, 2015, 08:54:39 PM

Quote from: black aspirin on December 21, 2015, 06:26:03 PM
Here's part of the track I'm working on, it's supposed to be the soundtrack for my flatland BMX edit that I'm putting out in February, when I turn 45. There's an intro and some other parts coming, but I'm still working on it. There's one synth swirling in the background, and all of the other stuff is bass and guitar. Any constructive criticism or feedback is welcome. I can't do vocals, so I try to fill in the space with synths, guitar psych stuff, and sometimes voice samples...

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/black-aspirin-1/fourpointfive[/soundcloud]

Sounds good (I have tin ears though). You have a slight Chrome vibe happening (a good thing). Not sure what you mean by "can't" do vocals, but if you're using it as background music for your BMX video, vocals might be distracting anyway. You could add some minimal vocals that are processed heavily (distortion, delays) and keep them low in the mix?

black aspirin · December 28, 2015, 11:23:04 AM

Thanks, Lumpy. Yeah, the only way I could get by with vocals would be to figure out some heavily processed style (a la Ufomammut), but for now I wanna concentrate on getting better at recording the instruments, programming, EQ and all that. That mix was done in Tracktion, but I'm re-doing the song in Logic Pro X. I'll post it up when I'm done.

My riding style is kind of the slow-but-smooth thing, so this track is kind of intentionally laid-back and slow to fit the video.

eyeprod · January 01, 2016, 01:47:39 PM

Quote from: black aspirin on December 21, 2015, 06:26:03 PM
Here's part of the track I'm working on, it's supposed to be the soundtrack for my flatland BMX edit that I'm putting out in February, when I turn 45. There's an intro and some other parts coming, but I'm still working on it. There's one synth swirling in the background, and all of the other stuff is bass and guitar. Any constructive criticism or feedback is welcome. I can't do vocals, so I try to fill in the space with synths, guitar psych stuff, and sometimes voice samples...

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/black-aspirin-1/fourpointfive[/soundcloud]

Sounds cool. Maybe bring the guitars up a little. Percussive sounds are a little loud in headphones.