Let's Build a Studio!!!

[whitelightening]

What would you consider to be the MOST IMPORTANT pieces needed to put together a recording studio? I think this could be a pretty fun thread. Let's compile a list of gear to build our own virtual studio. What would you put in it?

[Kurzweilfreak]

If you're making a recording studio, I think most of the most important pieces are going to be pretty obvious:

1. Recording hardware - this could be a dedicated hardware recorder, or a computer with audio interface + recording software.

2. Speakers - good set of monitors, preferably with a 2.1 system with monitors and a subwoofer. Don't skimp on money here as these things will last you a while, you'll be listening to them a while, and they aren't something you need to upgrade everytime something new comes out.

3. Mixer - to get all the different sounds into your recorder

4. Processors - effects units, stuff like that. Get the Kurzweil KSP8, it's got everything all in one box. :wink:

I think that would cover all of the absolutely essential items, what else?

[Over The Edge]

...and microphones. I recommend the Shure KSM 44 and anything by Blue.
If you become dissatisfied with the mic pres on your mixer anything by Avalon on Grace would get you that million dollar sound.


FL
www.franklucas.net

[Purator]

The most important part of the studio is...........























a studio pet!!!

[Over The Edge]

I know what the most important piece in YOUR studio is.


That Neuron! (drool drool)



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Purator]

I know what the most important piece in YOUR studio is.


That Neuron! (drool drool)



FL
www.franklucas.net

\m/

[Tigerfolly]

What would you consider to be the MOST IMPORTANT pieces needed to put together a recording studio? I think this could be a pretty fun thread. Let's compile a list of gear to build our own virtual studio. What would you put in it?

I think that the most important parts of a studio are:

1. A good, clean recording system. I prefer digital, and although I personally prefer hardware recorders because of my analog recording background and experience, you can set up any computer based recording system (like Pro-Tools) to work the way you feel most comfortable. Pro-Tools with the Digidesign Pro-24 control board, properly set up, could just feel like a 24 channel analog mixer going to ADATs, or 2" tape. As far as sound quality goes, once you become comfortable with your gear, you can do anything. Digital recording is like a camera taking a snapshot of what's there, so can you rely a bit more on outboard gear/plugins to create your preferred tonal color palette.

2. Nothing beats a good mic and a good preamp. A good mic selection is important, but if you don't have the budget for a lot of options, go for the best mic you possibly can afford. Again, using the camera analogy.. you're going to a complete representation of what the mic is hearing. The better that mic sounds, the better your recording sounds. Frank (OverTheEdge) already mentioned the Shure KSM44 (although I personally prefer the KSM32.. it sounds a little sweeter to my ears, and I can't explain it) and the microphones by B.L.U.E., which by far are my favorite.. especially the Mouse. For something a little more versatile, I prefer the AKG C414. It's a very bright, detailed microphone, but it fattens up wonderfully with a nice tube preamp like the Avalons. If you can afford if ($2,000-$2,500) the Neumann U87 is another wonderfully versatile microphone that works well on just about everything.

Do some research.. figure out what you're going to be recording a lot of. If you're doing a lot of sequencing and looping, you probably don't need to worry about drum mics. If your music has a lot of space, and is very vocal oriented, you want the best vocal mic you can afford. It's all subjective. You can use an SM57 and get some great vocal takes, and you can use a U87 on a guitar amp and hate it. The more information you have, the easier it is to narrow down your needs.

3. Monitoring. Whether you're using powered monitors, passive monitors, powered monitors with a subwoofer, or a pair of reference headphones, what's most important is that you are able to translate what you're hearing with your setup into what's really going on in your mix. You can have the best monitors money can buy, but there is no such thing as a perfect monitoring environment. Whether you've got the highest of the high end, or a pair of PC speakers.. if you know what you're hearing, you can translate your mix to sound good in any environment.

I personally do a lot of headphone monitoring. It's very important to me that I can record at any time of the day with my project studio, and not disrupt anyone else. I don't have the luxury of an actual full studio right now, but I'm so comfortable with my headphones and what I'm hearing that my mixes sound a billion times better now, than when I was using near-flat response digital reference monitors in a tuned control room. That's not to say one is better, but my ability to translate what I'm hearing is better after so much practice. I still mix up some stinkers, but I've got a very respective good mix to bad mix ratio now, merely because of my comfort level with my environment.

Beautiful sounding monitors like those from Mackie, Tannoy, Genelec, and Blue Sky (my four personal favorites, in no particular order) are wonderful choices. But once again, realistically look at your budget, and what you want out of your studio.. and pick the best option for your needs. Try to let budget be your least concern with all of these choices, even though we all know how it all comes down to what you can afford. But it's always better to buy the right tool for the job.

From there, it's all personal taste. If you're a keyboardist who is doing mainly sequenced tracks, then the most important piece will be your keyboard and sequencer. If you're a guitarist doing instrumental guitar, your tone is the most important element.

My project studio:
Roland VS-1824CD recorder
Roland DS90A digital powered monitors
Sony MDR9000 headphones
Shure KSM27 microphone

My most important elements:
Sony MDR9000 headphones - I've finally gotten to a point where I can get a mix sounding right in my headphones, and have it come out the way i want to hear it in my monitors, on my PC's 4.1 reference speakers, and most importantly: in my car!
Trace Elliot GP12SMX bass preamp - After years of toiling with inferior "good enough for government" tone, I've finally got a bass tone that inspires me. And it's flexible enough to get a wide range of tones, since I'm always all over the map.

Your mileage may vary :)

[Spacehog]

Patch leads... whole load of 'em... studio wouldn't run without them! Cables generally, rack cases, mic stands, pop shields, keyboard stands... all the practical but boring bits... you need them all, and it makes sense to pay a bit extra for decent ones that won't break in a day or two.

Also a DI box... or seven! Certainly every studio should have at least one... I've got a Behringer DI20 that I use primarily for my keyboards, but it's always there handy if I need to plug in an acoustic guitar or a bass and I can't be bothered routing it through something else.

Martin

[Over The Edge]

Some of the new standalone recording workstations are phenomenal.
All you'd really need after getting one are mics. monitors and cables.
You guys should check out the new offferings by Korg.
They're gonna give Roland a run for the money.


www.korg.com


FL
www.franklucas.net

[Astroshock]

I was looking for a good mic for the christmas CD I'm working on. I was thinking about the Blue baby bottle. I'm gonna have a choir singing in this with a few vocalists.

Getting back to the topic; I feel having good hardware and software is the first thing a person needs. A person can always add more to their studio in the future.

Scott,

[Over The Edge]

The Baby Bottle is awesome. For choral work, I think it would be
great. Just make sure your mixer has a lot of headroom.
Your gonna have to do some EQing since it doesn't have any
polarity switches.


FL
www.franklucas.net