BUILDING YOUR OWN STUDIO PT.2

Ok, so now you’re ready to buy your studio and want to make the right choices. Where to go now? Please don’t just buy the coolest looking mic and box and expect it to get you industry sound. Here’s some guidance.

Internal Soundcard

PCI-based, internal soundcard can be installed inside both windows and mac computers while being discreet.

M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - $100
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOAP2496


The Audiophile 2496 has become a very popular choice with its high-quality 24-bit/96kHz resolution and because M-Audio has now teamed up with Digidesign to offer an M-Audio version of Pro Tools. Pro Tools M-Powered is a cheaper version of the industry-standard software and buying the Audiophile at $100 is much cheaper than getting a Digidesign M-Box at around $500. At a small size, the Audiophile now packs the punch of larger units of the past.
(Note: to record with a condensor mic, you will need a pre-amplifier.)

Microphone Pre-Amplifiers

This is the most important component when gauging quality. Pre-Amps are what makes your mic sound full and clear

PreSonus Studio Channel Tube Microphone Preamp - $300
http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRSSTUDIOCHANNEL

This is the budget pick for a decent pre-amp. It features a class A vacuum tube which is what you need to look for in pre-amps. The vacuum tube gives natural warmth which vocals and instruments that full, crisp sound. Focusrite also makes good pre-amps, but PreSonus gives more value. This only setback is that the unit doesn’t feature S/PDIF on the stock version, but it has a slot in the back if you want to upgrade to digital. The PreSonus has XLR and 1/4in. analog connections.

Avalon VT-737SP Class A Mic Processor - $2,250
http://www.zzounds.com/item--AVAVT737SP

Avalon is the “big kahuna” brand when it comes to pre-amplifiers. It’s vacuum tube makes industry quality sound easy to achieve. You can plug a regular $100 mic up to this and make it sound like a $2000 Neumann! This pre-amp also has built in compression and EQ for advanced users. Anything coming in from an Avalon sounds full and as warm as you can get. Plus, you can hook up your guitar or other amped instruments and route it back to the mix via S/PDIF for superior quality. If you can afford it, this beast will make you sound pro in no time.

Audio Interfaces:

Audio interfaces are a very popular solution to a home studio since it combines a soundcard with a pre-amplifier. Having two in one makes workflow easier and enhances portability.

USB OPTION: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface - $200
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOFTRACKPRO

This low-budget USB interface has the 24-bit/96kHz quality and the S/PDIF (Digital Audio) inputs and outputs usually featured in more expensive interfaces. S/PDIF is a new technology that is getting more popular due to it’s clean, all-digital sound. The Fast Track Pro is also compatible with “Digidesign Pro Tools M-Powered” which is the poor man’s version of Pro Tools and handles very comparably to the original Pro Tools. Also being powered by USB makes a power cord obsolete and maximizes portability. Now with compatibility with DigiDesign Pro Tools, M-Audio products are turning as many heads as ever.


Firewire Option: Focusrite Saffire - $300
http://www.zzounds.com/item--FOCSAFFIRE

For those of you who have a firewire-ready computer, a firewire interface is the way to go. Firewire is the format of the future because the data stream goes both ways while USB is limited to one-way transfer. The quality is up to 24-bit and a stifling 192kHz which is much more than needed. The Saffire has more inputs and outputs than most musicians need and features Focusrite pre-amps which are known to be the best of the best. The main selling point of the Saffire is the DSP feature which uses non-destructive hardware-based effects. The effects are adjust in the software, but applied in the soundcard itself and can be changed unlike conventional hardware effects. Having controllable hardware effects achieves good sound without taxing your CPU. The Saffire also has S/PDIF and the headphone jacks up front make live monitoring easy in a recording session. This is what I own and it’s the way to go if you are serious about your studio and have a decent budget to work with.

Microphones

The most common miconception about recording is “the better the mic, the better the sound.” I’ve personally heard the difference between a $100 mic and a $1200 mic on the same pre-amp and noticed no increase in clarity or warmth.

Audio Technica AT2020 Studio Microphone - $100
http://www.zzounds.com/item--AUTAT2020

This is the $100 mic that performed comparably to a $1200 Neumann. Both were plugged into the “big kahuna” Avalon and both achieved crisp vocals. Condensor mics perform much better than dynamics and this is the best $100 mic i've heard. The Behringer B-1 is decent also decent. It really depends on the pre-amp and the compression and EQ you put on the vocals.

Neumann TLM103 Studio Microphone - $1200
http://www.zzounds.com/item--NEUTLM103

Like I said, I audibly didn’t hear the difference between this mic and the Audio Technica, but I know that industry vets praise Neumann mics. The Neumann has a better range and gives professional engineers more to work with. I’d advise this mic to only pure professionals who have spacious pockets. I would much rather spend $1000 on a better pre-amp than a mic.


Studio Monitors
Mackie MR8 2-Way Active Studio Monitor (1x8 in.) - $500/pair
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MACMR8



These are the TRUTH! I got these and they give you an accurate picture of what you are mixing. It’s hard to mix on sub-par speakers because it’s hard to tell between a slightly muddy mix and an industry track. After listening to these, everything else sounds muffled! Monitors are always better than headphones especially when mixing bass. Industry vets were drooling over these at the recent audio expo and I got them a bit cheaper at Guitar Center. BTW be careful because these are sooooo loud. I only have them turned up 40% on the back and they can still get me complaints in my apartment complex!

MY STUDIO



MACKIE MR-8'S - $500
AXIOM 49 USB CONTROLLER - $200
STUDIO PROJECTS B-1 CONDENSOR MIC - $200
FOCUSRITE SAFFIRE - $300
WALMART BED FOAM - $10
METAL POP FILTER - $20


FOR MORE GUIDANCE HEAD DOWN TO GUITAR CENTER!!! THEY ARE USUALLY ON-POINT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR!!

BUILDING YOUR OWN STUDIO PT.1

In this guide, I will present easy, low-budget solutions for building your own home-based audio recording studio. Whether you are an amateur looking to record for the first time or you are an experienced musician looking to get your own studio, this guide will explore the components needed to produce professional sound.

Advantages of having your own home recording studio include:

• Saving money on studio time
• Having recording access whenever you want
• Having more control over your music

Like many other technologies of modern times, audio equipment is getting smaller, cheaper and more advanced, faster than ever. In addition, computer software can now handle a lot of the functions which once required big, expensive rack-mounted equipment. With all the advances of today’s audio equipment, amateur musicians can now put together an audio recording setup capable of producing professional sound for a fraction of the price spent on commercial studios.


STAGE 1: PRE-AMPLIFIER/USB/Firewire Audio Interface

Microphone pre-amplifiers are the most crucial component of the studio. The pre-amp is where the 48V phantom power amplifies the mic signal for processing. Without a good pre-amp, a $2000 Neumann mic wouldn’t sound much better than a $100 budget mic. It is not common for the high-budget home studios to invest the bulk of their money on their pre-amps.

Pre-amps tend to have their own “sound” to them and for most uses, a warm sound is what you are looking for. Also, a low-noise pre-amp is desirable because noise is created when the gain (volume) of the signal is increased.

It is hard to find the right pre-amp by studying specifications. Generally the tube-style pre-amps sound the best, but using customer reviews or talking to other musicians is the best bet when choosing a pre-amp.

Audio interfaces are also called external cards because they perform in the same way, except they are connected to the computer with a USB or Firewire cord. In addition, most interfaces have their own built-in pre-amps so you won’t have to buy a pre-amp to pair with your other equipment. The main advantages of having external audio interfaces is the simplicity of combining a soundcard with a pre-amp and its portability.


STAGE 2: MICROPHONES

Microphones: What to Look for…

• Wide Frequency Range (20Hz to 20kHz or higher)
o Basically the wider the range, the better the mic will sound. However, a range higher than 20Hz to 20kHz is not necessary since the range of human hearing is 20Hz to 20kHz.
• High Signal-to-Noise Ratio
o This number measures the amount of signal (vocals, guitars, etc.) to background noise. The higher the ratio, the less noise the microphone will pick up.
• High Maximum SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
o This value represents the highest level of dB (decibels) that the microphone can handle before being distorted. The higher the number, the better sound.
• -10dB Pad
o This feature usually is found as a button on the microphone. This pad eliminates excessive low frequencies caused by the proximity effect. When recording at close proximities, low-pitch frequencies are accentuated making a muddy sound, the same way it sounds when talking too close to a telephone. This feature is useful when working with vocals because it automatically removes some of the extra low frequencies before it is sent out of the microphone.
• Variable Directional Patterns
o This feature allows the user to control which directions you want to emphasize when recording. For most uses, unidirectional is the best setting in the studio because it limits recording to one side of the diaphragm which results in less noise from the backside of the mic. The omnidirectional setting records from all directions and can be used for a recording with a surrounding source.

Microphone Accessories

o Microphone Stand – A sturdy microphone stand is a must when using delicate condensers and the three-legged adjustable model s makes storage easy.

o Pop Filter – A pop filter is simply an attachable screen which is used on vocals to create a barrier between the vocalist and the mic itself. In close proximities, the p- and t- words tend to create pops or knocks as the air from the consonants hit the diaphragm. The pop filter absorbs the air pressure while letting the vocals pass through the porous screen. This cheap investment is a must when recording vocals and the metal models are best since it makes cleaning easier (get rid of that stinky breath!).

o Wall foam – Reflections from the walls in home studios are worse than you expect. Putting foam on the walls to absorb the sound lessens the effects of wall reflections on your work. It is common for the casual musician to not want to foam the whole room or have the budget for a recording booth so simply foaming the corner of a room, a closet or a fold-out wall would make a big difference.

STAGE 3: ADDITIONAL HARDWARE PROCESSORS

At the capture stage of the musical process, many professional studios incorporate other hardware devices to further control the audio before it reaches the computer. These devices include:

o Mixer
o Also called the mixing board, this component can be recognized by sets of knobs, plugs, and sliders. The purpose of the mixer is to control the levels of microphones, speakers, and effects which are applied before reaching the computer.
o Compressor
o This gadget helps normalize audio by boosting low-volume parts of the recording while decreasing high-volume parts. This is useful when recording because it helps ensure that the recording is loud enough while preventing clipping (when a recording is too loud and distorts).
o Equalizer (EQ)
o This component fine tunes specific frequencies of the recording. For example, lowering the high-frequencies can reduce hiss while a low-frequency boost can give a bassy boom to your recording. This function is for more advanced users and the destructive nature of hardware equalizers has made software a lot more manageable for home studios.
o Reverb
o This effect can be placed on recordings to give it the echoey church effect. This is useful when taking a dry recording and making it sound more natural. Once again, this effect is harder to control in hardware setups than it is in software.

Since most of these features are available on recording software, signal processing hardware in home studios is declining due to cost, size and its destructive qualities.

OK, let me back up. For those of you that don’t know what destructive components are, being destructive means that the audio is processed before being saved so the changes are permanent. Let’s say we put a little too much reverb on some vocals while using a reverb box. When the audio is received in the computer, the reverberated track is uniform and the reverb is now included in the single track.

Taking out the small echos after they have been applied is hard and degrades the quality of the recording. The advancement of technology and having the freedom to go back and change effects is the main reason why signal processing is increasingly being done by software instead of hardware.

Many of the pros use hardware signal processors because they take processing strain away from your CPU, but software processors aren't very far behind quality-wise and they are often cheaper.

In the next blog, I will expand this topic by giving recommendations on specific brands and models of studio equipment.

DO-IT-YOURSELF: Advantages and Disadvantages

DO-IT-YOURSELF: Advantages and Disadvantages

For every established rock star, there are thousands of workers in the music industry that put in work some way to get the finished product to the fans. From audio engineer, to graphic designer, to publicity reps, all give support to a project in order give it the best chance to be successful.

It takes money to get the essentials done and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) is the easiest solution for most indie artists with tight budgets.

Even though the DIY method saves money, settling for less is a mistake that many artists fall for when budgets aren’t there. In order to make the DIY method work, artists must be able to distinguish between what is a good job and what is good for their pockets.

Promotion – On a local level, it is best done by the artist themselves because it allows the fans to connect with the artists on a more personal level.

Performing at shows is generally the most effective way in gaining long-term fans as they get the most complete music experience from your music. Of course promotion from major labels with TV spots and commercials is great, but for indie artists, self-promotion is the most common.

Production – Nowadays, labels often overlook bands that aren’t self-produced because of the rising amount of bands that are self-produced in the digital age. Even if an artist’s production skills aren’t quite what they are looking for, just having experience in production is a plus for A&R’s who are always looking for the total package.

Without the beats, Kanye West would have never got his break with Roc-A-Fella. Another producer-turned-artist is Timbaland who’s vocal talent is sub-par, but made it because his beats are so damn good.

Live instrumentation is a must for rock and r&b and adds another dimension to your music in all genres. Showing the most musical talent possible is a must and making your own beats gives you more control over your music. However, if your production talent isn’t truly up to par with the competition, paying a great producer over a “good enough” producer is still worth every penny.

Mastering – Having a different set of ears to perfect your work is crucial for getting that industry sound. After the multiple recording sessions and mixdowns, indie artists get their audio visuals blurred by hearing the same music over and over. This causes them to miss small details and this is where a specialized mastering engineer works magic. For quality sound, paying for mastering is a standard and should not be skimped on. Find an engineer by reputation of their past works and go from there. (Prices range from $50 per song to $150, but paying a whole album deal from $500 to $1000 can save you money)

Graphic Design – “Don’t read a book by it’s cover” is the philosophy that most fans knowingly or subliminally disobey in choosing music. When an album cover or flyer looks cheap, the artist’s lose credibility. Hiring a specialized graphic designer should be automatic because the work they do is so precise and skilled.

There is a huge difference between knowing what looks good and understanding visual space, typography, color accenting and all the other aspects which graphic designers must take into account. Unless your own quality is good enough to charge others at least $25/hour, you can’t skimp here by doing it yourself; you get what you pay for.
Gauging how good your DIY methods is crucial and this is when feedback and managers come into play. It’s easy for the band to get consensus that a song is a hit, but if the public doesn’t think so, it doesn’t matter.

Getting opinions from people who aren’t afraid to say that you suck is more valuable than the yuppie friends who like everything you throw at them. Use these un-biased and brutally honest opinions to see what you are doing well on your own and what could use help from a professional.

Nice find: Listen to an industry breakdown by Chris Blackwell of Island Records (U2, Bob Marley, etc…)
http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/a+forum+with+chris+blackwell+of+island+records+getting+signed+in+todays+music+business