Dennis Mount Joy

Recommendations in price range $0-$400. In this video blog I discuss ways to get the best possible sound, while spending the least possible money. I offer tips and tricks to guide you in home recording while displaying some of the techniques I have utilized over the years. I try to be a detailed as possible but as always, if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help.

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As of late, my Logitech webcam hasn’t been wanting to cooperate with mics other than it’s own – thanks in advance for understanding.

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Duration : 0:10:2

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i want to build my own recording studio, i am going to using a imac, now this is how i see it correct me if im wrong, i need:

1. A microphone ( i am looking at the rode NT1-A, rode NT2-A or rode NTK which one is the best for professional sound? )

2. i need a firewire audio interface which has built in pre amps for the microphone, and a midi out for my keyboard, any ideas which 1? (this is so i can plug the firewire into the imac)

3 some studio monitor speakers, now im a bit confused about these hows will i hook this up to the imac, do i plug it into the firewire audio interface? or how?

please can you advise me on the above questions and any other help on building a recording studio will be great thank you

1. As much as these are all very nice mics, starting off i might not recommend jumping this far into the budget incase you dont stick with recording for very long. That being said, if you have lots of cash to burn or if you’re sure you’re into this for the long haul then by all means dont waste your money on sub par mics that you will end up upgrading soon enough anyways.

Out of these choices i would personally choose the NT2-A but i would also look at getting maybe a cheaper set of matched pencil mics. SM-57’s are useful in many many ways and although their sound quality isn’t top of the line im sure you’ll find a use for it somewhere.

2. Firewire interface:
i’d personally choose something from focusrite such as the saphire 10 but there are many other options made by focusrite or other companies such as M-Audio.

Generally the studio monitors will connect directly into an output on the audio interface. Though you could most likely somehow route the signal thru the speaker output on your iMac it wouldnt make sense and you’d loose a lot of the audio quality that would be produced if you used your audio interface.

Dont forget to budget for cables!!

I am 17 and would really love to record a demo. Not to make it famous or anything just to do because I love to sing. Now I know how to play piano and guitar but i want beats like rhianna. You know techno-ish/pop what do i need to get all this…And i need to get the cheaper stuff 1st….afterall I am only 17…. oh and explain to me what it is and what it does…thanx!

Sorry, but there’s no cheap way to do what you want to do.

There’s free recording software to record your guitar and piano called Audacity.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Recording software lets you record, edit, mix, and master. This is where you get the polished sound when you buy a CD. The editing, mixing, and mastering are huge parts of producing a demo or CD.

As for getting techo-ish / pop sounds you’ll need to get a virtual synth software called Reason. And it’s easier to use this software with a MIDI Keyboard Controller. This way you can play other instruments with a Keyboard. Reason is loaded with drum beats, synths, stringed instruments, flutes, organs, pads, etc. It’s what a lot of professional studios use for creating hip hop and rap beats.

There’s a cheaper version of Reason called Fruity Loops, but it doesn’t offer half as much as Reason does. And the virtual synth instruments sound fake in Fruity Loops.

Reason 4 – $400
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/reason4

Axiom 61 – $299
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/axiom61

Start saving up.

I am starting from scratch…All I have is the LOGIC studio program. List the things I will need
I am getting a government grant to start my own studio…enough money to buy the building and everything I need to go inside so dont worry about the price at all. I want nothing but the best anyway

Well if money’s not a limit then you have a lot of things to get: soundproof walls (made out of sound-proof material) & plexiglass for the booth, condenser microphones, pop filters, stands for the mics, XLR Cables for the mics, Computers with Pro Tools & Reason (both are programs), Amplifiers, Speakers, Mixers, an interface, a good Yamaha piano with MIDI capabilities, MIDI cables, USB Cords, etc. etc. There’s tons of stuff to buy. My advice is look this up online. Search up ‘Building Professional music studio" or something of that nature. How did you get this grant?! That’s awesome! I would go all out!

All I have in my house is a condenser mic, the cables, an interface, the computer with the program, and a Yamaha keyboard.

P.S. you also need lots of wood and measuring tape to build stuff like the booth and mixing rooms. It’s a tough job!

Learn tips on how to create good acoustic in the main room in a recording studio once you have chosen the building in this free video clip on soundproofing.

Expert: Gregg Tauriello
Contact: www.sweet16studio.com
Bio: Gregg Tauriello has studied guitar, vocal, bass, percussion, and mandolin. He also owns and operates Sweet 16 Studio in northern Arizona.
Filmmaker: Chuck Tyler

Duration : 0:2:37

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Technorati Tags: acousticsfree, expertvillage, free, music, recording, sound, soundproofing, sounds, studios, videos, volume

I’m planning on building a recording studio using my PC, but my sound card is standard low quality. Which sound card would you recommend if you plan on using your PC as a recording studio?

Sound Blaster X-Fi™ Fatal1ty is perfect i think.. from creative..

I’m interested in building a recording studio where people can come and record music. How much would you say are building and land cost? Equipment cost? Ect

Whats the best way to get the money? Loans? Support Groups? How did you do it?

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you’re interested in.

I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you’ll inevitably have as well as many you haven’t anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* The Savvy Studio Owner: A Complete Guide to Setting Up and Running Your Own recording studio by John Shirley, Richard Strasser
* Make Money with Your Studio: Setting Up and Operating a Successful Recording Studio by Tom Volinchak
* The Studio Business Book, Third Edition by Mitch Gallagher
* How to Build A Small Budget Recording Studio From Scratch: With 12 Tested Designs (TAB Mastering Electronics Series) by Michael Shea

I also posted links to some free articles in the source box.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Learn tips on how to install sound boards in a recording studio once you have chosen the building in this free video clip on soundproofing.

Expert: Gregg Tauriello
Contact: www.sweet16studio.com
Bio: Gregg Tauriello has studied guitar, vocal, bass, percussion, and mandolin. He also owns and operates Sweet 16 Studio in northern Arizona.
Filmmaker: Chuck Tyler

Duration : 0:2:8

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Technorati Tags: expertvillage, free, music, recording, sound, soundproofing, sounds, studios, videos, volume

Well, I’m a pretty avid player of The Sims 2 for PS2, and I don’t believe there is one. You can purchase a DJ booth and spin records for all of your friends to dance to. But thats the closest thing to a recording studio I think there is in the game.

OK, so I’m building a recording studio in my room. I was wondering if i could use the amplifier I have as the studio monitor.

I WILL CHOSE A BEST ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes you can, but you DON’T want to. Amps and even PA speakers are not going to give you an accurate sound when you are mixing, mastering, and editing. Live sound and processed sound are two different things, and they take two different types of speakers to play back. Thus having specific studio monitors is very beneficial.

You can purchase some cheap M-Audio’s that won’t break the bank, and will give you a much more accurate sound than that amp will.

M-Audio Studio Pro 3 – $99
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StudioPro3/