Recording
Gear
Selection - If you don't have any
recording gear or your not sure what you can and can't use start here. It
will guide
you through the process of deciding what to buy to record yourself or your band
and help you figure out approximately how much you'll spend. Also we give the
basic differences between tape, digital and computer recording.
Choosing Audio Recording Equipment
(Part 2) - Now that you have the basic recording chain you need
something to record into. For the lowdown on
how to record audio by computer click
here.
Recording Medium Selection - If you
need more specific help deciding between a
DAW,
MDM, multitrack tape recorder, or
computer recording then let us help
by clicking on the underlined link. If you need a few tips on
selecting a microphone then check
this out.
Recording Optimization - If
you have the microphones, preamps,
cables, monitors, mixers, and a recording device like a DAW, MDM, multitrack tape
recorder, or computer and appropriate software and sound card then go here to
get tips on optimizing your
audio recording equipment and get started recording your band.
Recording Tips and
Tricks. Need some
general recording
tips and tricks. Maybe you need some
professional recording tips to help your recording sound like the pros.
Either way this is the page for you.
Computer audio recording
- If you have access to a
pretty fast computer then you are in luck. All you will need is a special sound
card to record into your computer and the software to run it.
Digital Audio Workstations or DAW's
- Less expensive than
computer recording, a digital audio workstation is another good option for
the home recording enthusiast. A digital audio workstation usually has a built
in mixer and effects such as reverb, chorus,
delay, and others.
Multitrack Tape recording or MDM
- If
computer recording and DAW's
are too expensive or complicated for you then multitrack tape recording may be a
viable option for you. Multitrack tape is one of the cheapest options for home
recording but be warned, the quality of a cassette tape recording has a weaker
and less accurate frequency response than DAW or Computer recording.
Microphone Selection
- First and foremost you need a good
microphone. Assuming like most musicians your in a band with vocals, acoustic
drums, electric bass, and at least one electric guitar and you have a extremely
limited budget.
Microphone Preamplifier or Mic
Pre - Next you will need a good microphone preamplifier or
mic pre as it is commonly called to boost the volume of your microphone.
Microphones are almost inaudible without a mic pre because of the low current
they use to allow them to be so accurate making recording without a mic pre
impossible.
Adding reverb,
chorus, delay and other audio effects to your final mix.
- Adding Effects - Now that we've got out
tracks equalized we need to add effects such as reverb, delay, chorus and other
audio effects to help add polish to the project.
Adding Eq or
Equalization to an Audio Recording -
Eq or equalization is the process of cutting some frequencies of sound while
boosting others. For our purposes well assume you have each instrument recorded
on an individual track. If you don't then skip ahead to mastering for more help.
Submitting a Demo - Tips: To make the most impact with your demo in all your presentations
remember the following tips.
Press kit or one sheet writing
- A press kit or
one sheet is one of the most important things you can do as a
band except for a quality demo to get your music heard. If you don't know what a
press kit is click here for an explanation.
Press kit or one sheet definition
- A press kit is a small
booklet of information which a band or artists sends to a producer or record
label along with their demo.
Recording Links - Here are some links to recording websites which might be of interest to some
readers.
Drums - If you need
help or tips on recording acoustic drums then this is
the place to check out.
Electric Guitars - If you want help
recording a electric guitar then check out this page.
Acoustic Guitars - If you want help recording
an acoustic guitar then check out this page.
Piano or Keyboards - If your band
has a keyboard or piano player
we offer a few tips for you here.
Bass - Need help capturing that
electric bass we offer a few options for you
here.
Vocals -
Vocals can make or break a project. Get some nice tips
for recording vocals here.
Other Instruments - Want to add
that saxophone, cello, or flute
to a project. Get
the facts here.
Mixing - Need help
mixing those tracks to get the right sound from your
mix. We can help here.
Mastering - Need help
mastering your songs. Get the low down
here.
Check out Musicians Toolkit
