757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 So i am a artist that is slowly investing in a studio to record. In which im heavily critical of low quality music but i dont know all too much as the language is pretty foreign to me though i been picking up on a lot. So i am curious, is there any musical engineers on here? Any artists? Im not gonna be the one to push out a final product but i want a good solid recording before i bring it to a master engineer. So i have a decent rig but now im investing in an interface. Got quite of research down to a few choices and would like general advice. Anybody here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 What’s the difference between a music engineer and a producer? Serious question. (also there are some artists on here @LaRonDontLikeUgly I think if I remember correctly) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredSkins Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 I will never give up my Tube amps for Kemper!!!! That's about all I can contribute here. Aside from recording in a studio I've never gotten into that side of business. I'm happy when I plug my pedalboard in and it works the first time. I cant imagine running studio equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 54 minutes ago, Springfield said: What’s the difference between a music engineer and a producer? Serious question. (also there are some artists on here @LaRonDontLikeUgly I think if I remember correctly) Music engineering can coincide with producing. But a music engineer is those who are into mixing/mastering laid tracks while a producer is one who made the beat. They can be the same person or separate, depending on their abilities. I got a good friend who makes fire instrumentals but cant mix for his life and i got a boy that can mix a good deal and cant make beats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Not sure where to start since I'll prolly have a lot o questions. First what kinda music do you want to mainly record? Home or commercial studio ? Whats your budget? What gear do you currently have? Could you please explain what you mean by decent rig? CPU? DAW? What interfaces have you used? Here's an example of some of the in the box recording I do. Used a Focusrite 2i2 and plug ins to create it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCSaints_fan Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 3 hours ago, Springfield said: What’s the difference between a music engineer and a producer? Serious question. (also there are some artists on here @LaRonDontLikeUgly I think if I remember correctly) The more usual term is sound engineer. They are involved in the technical aspects or sound/music recording, like appropriate mic'ing, etc., usually decide whats a "good take" or not, and do the mix down. Mixing is combing all the different tracks (each instrument/voice is usually mic'd and recorded seperately), equallization and adding in effects. The producer would be above the sound engineer, basically the guy/gal who is funding it/orchestrating the whole process, will sometimes give creative input/etc, which sound engineers usually don't. Think Tom Hanks character in 'That Thing You Do' (producer) vs the guy in the booth (sound engineer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Talk to TryTheBeal or Riggo-toni. Both are experienced and can probably offer great advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 5 hours ago, clietas said: Not sure where to start since I'll prolly have a lot o questions. First what kinda music do you want to mainly record? Home or commercial studio ? Whats your budget? What gear do you currently have? Could you please explain what you mean by decent rig? CPU? DAW? What interfaces have you used? Here's an example of some of the in the box recording I do. Used a Focusrite 2i2 and plug ins to create it. Currently got an imac, yamah hs8's, pro tools 2018 and interface wise i been looking at either the universal audio apollo twin mk2, or an apogee element. Ive used a scarlett 2i2, m audio firewire 1814 Mostly for rap vocals with the occasional singer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 I've been out of the game for a several years now, which is an eternity in the digital age, and was never an engineer. Historically, Macs have been superior to PCs for recording/editing. Unless things have changed (which they probably have), I think you need analog to digital converters if you record straight to a computer rather than buying a digital recorder. Cakewalk used to be the premier editing software, but I have NO idea if that's still true. Last demo I made was probably 10 years ago, so don't take anything I say as gospel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 Well either interface i get has ad da converters. Always heard and known pro tools as the industry standard when it comes down to editing but ive heard of cakewalk. Not sure if its obsolete though, which i believe i know somebody that used it. Buddy of mine uses Logic akd another uses cubase though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 54 minutes ago, 757SeanTaylor21 said: Currently got an imac, yamah hs8's, pro tools 2018 and interface wise i been looking at either the universal audio apollo twin mk2, or an apogee element. Ive used a scarlett 2i2, m audio firewire 1814 Mostly for rap vocals with the occasional singer Ive never used either of those interfaces. Though I own API and great river mic pres the promise of the apollo mk2 to emulate api and neve mic pres is interesting. I would recommend saving your money for AAX plugins since you already have pro tools. You have the software subscription from Avid as well? No reason to spend $600 on an interface Imo. Certainly if you have the extra cash go ahead and get what you. What microphones and plugins do you currently have? The 2nd generation Focusrite Scarlett line is definitely suited to what you're looking to do. For under $400 a 2i2 2 mic pre, one AT 2035, and a sm58 you'll be set for the time being. 5 minutes ago, 757SeanTaylor21 said: Well either interface i get has ad da converters. Always heard and known pro tools as the industry standard when it comes down to editing but ive heard of cakewalk. Not sure if its obsolete though, which i believe i know somebody that used it. Buddy of mine uses Logic akd another uses cubase though Cakewalk is Sonar now and all the kids use Ableton Live. Old grandpas like me still use pro tools..... Just comes down to whatever you're comfortable using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 I figured my info was wayyyyy out of date but might stimulate some conversation. My expertise has always been guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 I got a rode nt2A mic right now. Well im pretty new to the recording arena even though i been writing for a good minute so its time i invested in it. So my comfortability using pro tools or any daw is a lot of foreign language to me. I have minimal understanding of what a compressor and eq do thougg i hear the difference. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Yeah pro tools is the way to go imo. I think most people have switched over to Live tho because of cost and ease of use. I'd also recommend getting a Pro Tools 101 book. Or if you have the time and money take a pro tools course. Online or at a community college. Berklee College of Music offers classes online. Not cheap but I learned a ton from both their 101 and 110 classes even after earning a degree is music production. Good luck. PM me if ya have any questions. I'm certainly no Lil Pump but somehow I manage.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 Them tracks sound good bro @clietas that drop in the haircut one gave me a video game super boss fight music lol. Yeah i need to invest in a pro tools book but plug in wise i dont have much outside of the free ones. What would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCSaints_fan Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 BTW do you have a room that you can sound proof? This looks like a good resource Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 8 hours ago, 757SeanTaylor21 said: Them tracks sound good bro @clietas that drop in the haircut one gave me a video game super boss fight music lol. Yeah i need to invest in a pro tools book but plug in wise i dont have much outside of the free ones. What would you recommend? Thanks. Id say invest in as many AAX virtual instruments plugins as you can. Swee****er sells most of the major software bundles. IK , Sample Logic, AIR are all solid Imo. The Avid plugins available for subscription with PT12 are worth it as well. Youtube various virtual instrument tutorials and reviews. Mainly so you can hear them for yourself before making a large investment. A lot of EDM producers for example mostly use MASSIVE or ABSYNTH. Team those with a good drum VI and you're off to a good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 My focus is more along the lines of recording vocals, and mixing them. I definitely want to get back into making beats eventually though..when i was 16 i was pretty nice with FL amd fl was garbage but i made it work lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Yeah you should be fine then with either of the interfaces you mentioned. The stock PT plugins should be fine as well since you'll mostly be using reverb, delay, compression, ect on vocal tracks. Only other thing would be investing in a variety of mics and that can easily be done over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
757SeanTaylor21 Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 I got the quad mk2 in the cart yet i haven't quite pulled the trigger. I got the money but man i been doing a lot of reading and i wanna justify getting it cause you did bring up a great point of investing in plugins. Like if i bought the element that leaves 700 for whatever. But based upon musictech, the mk2 is worth getting over the element. Idk. I hopefully will be making a decision by tonight. I just dont want buyers remorse lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaRonDontLikeUgly Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 If your main goal is process/record vocals then Pro Tools or Logic are the way to go. I would say the same is true if you are recording mostly with live instruments. If your objective is to make beats and have fun while doing it, nothing compares to Ableton Live. I produce/mix all of my music in Ableton and then export to Logic for mastering. (I feel like everything sounds a little bit more "full" coming out of either Logic or Pro Tools.) In terms of hardware, here are a few of my personal recommendations: Microphone: Shure SM7B ($399) -- Widely regarded as the most versatile microphone of all time-- and it's CHEAP! Industry standard for broadcast radio and the primary mic for Michael Jackson's thriller album. The low-end response is like nothing I've ever heard, so you can mic up your bass cabinet or kick-drum if you'd like. No studio is complete without one. Headphones: Shure SRH1540 ($499) -- I've been a Senneiser guy all my life, so I was shocked when my sales-rep told me about these headphones. They are AWESOME. Flat-response with a VERY wide frequency range. (If you make music that involves deep bass 50-80hz and want to be able to recognize that range without having it "boosted" in the mix, these are the cans for you.). For pure vocals or instrumental music that mostly includes acoustic guitars, strings, and normal percussion go for the cheaper (and equally amazing) Sennheiser HD 280's ($99) Interface: RME BabyFace Pro ($749) -- Hands down, best interface out there for the price. Low-latency, portable, and amazing sound. I've had an Apogee Duet ($595) for over 5 years now and love it, but the BabyFace is better. Monitors: KRK V4 S4 4'' Powered Studio Monitors ($800) + KRK 10s Powered Subwoofer ($399) -- I was never a fan of the KRK Rokit series. The low ends would KNOCK but the high-ends were muddled... that is not the case with these new V4 S4's. Bright and accurate, these monitors with the subwoofer give me the most complete sound I've ever experienced. For vocal-driven music, (folk, singer-songwriter, rock, punk, etc) look no further than the Yamaha HS5 ($199). Some of my favorite Plug-ins: Izotope Nectar - Awesome vocal treatment software. Izotope Ozone - The best Mastering/Mixing suite out there. Izotope Stutter Edit - Super fun way to chop/stutter vocal and drum samples LIVE on your keyboard. (Must-have for EDM/hip-hop producers) Izotope DDLY Dynamic Delay - Very cool delay software. FabFilter Saturn - The best multi-band distortio/saturation plug in. FabFilter Timeless - Cool tape-delay software with some odd effects features. FabFilter Pro Q 2 - The best EQ out there. FabFilter Pro L 2 - My favorite limiter. Native Instruments Komplete Players bundle FREE (https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-players/) Native Instruments Massive - Very versatile synth with lots of libraries out there. Native Instruments Reverb Classics - Absolutely incredible reverb plug-ins. (2 included) ** There are many more, but I have to get back to work ** OK! Hope that helps you or someone else out there! Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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