[bafonso]

I don't think anyone is saying he needs to have a line of APIs and Neves for pre's. My main goal was to put across that he could buy better pre's for the money of a clearly an oversized setup of mackies and from a sonic perspective, it would get him much more bang for the money. Your setup should be balanced. If you're investing money on dedicated ADCs, it just seems a crime to feed it mackie's pres for no other than sonic creativity. I'd rather get an ensemble and have an overall better sound path with slightly less converter quality but another level of preamps. those mackies are great for live sound though but with nowadays computers and technology, their use in home studios is questionable for other than starter setups.

that said, if the music is good enough, it could even have been done in a behringer, almost with no "golden ears" ;-)

stay cool

[AJAXRAYOVAC]

My first Mic Pres were on an old Trident A range nearly 20 years ago. (as an intern getting for coffee and sleeping under piano's for 5 years) since then, i've used my ears to get my name on 10 million records and many platinum and gold as a producer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist. I see a trend in semi-pro gear and cheap or free home recording and cheap or free music that has turned the industry into 50 feet of water trying to fit through a half inch pipe. I've heard some really bad records made on world class gear also, so you are right, it is the ears not the gear. That said, in my humble opinion, pro gear used by experienced pro audio professionals will always make for better records than people in the process of learning on semi-pro gear will end up with. (88%of the time) At the end of the day though its not even the gear or the ears, its the song. I'm sorry i was a snob. i'm over it now and stand corrected.

AJAX

[Jim Dalrymple]

Guys, I really appreciate all of the feedback you've given here. The purpose of this series and the album itself is to try to show people what can and can't be done in a home studio. If I had all the money I needed and could go to Ocean Way, I'd be there in a heartbeat, but I can't.

Like I said in the first article, all of the songs will be sent out to be professionally mixed and master (as soon as I find someone to do that), so the end result should sound good. I'm trying to give whoever does that job as much quality audio as I can.

I have about 20 AKG mics that I'm using, all specialized for their particular recording purpose. Bottom line here is that I'm trying to get some quality recordings without going way over the top.

Please, keep the feedback coming. There are a lot of people reading these articles and forums that learn from the conversations that go on here. I include myself in that group.

Jim

[protoolshdman]

As I read some responses it seams I may have come off a little harsh. Sorry for that. One of the greatest advantages of the digital age is that it has made recording accessible to anyone. One of the greatest disadvantages of the digital age is that it has made recording accessible to anyone. The myth out there is that the music industry is shrinking and that couldn't be further from the truth, at least in my world. I started off working on major label releases and eventually became a producer for one of the largest labels in the world. Average budget was 30-50 thousand per album. I usually worked about 2.5 to 3 weeks per month on average. I made enough to support a young family (I am 26 now, my wife is 24....I think) and buy some cool recording toys. Then came the budget cuts. I started making records for 15-25 thousand and had to do it in half the time. So I moved. I opened a private studio in the middle of east Jesus nowhere. And I found a thriving, if not exploding independent music scene. average budget for an album is now 5-10 thousand an album. I work 6 days a week and stay booked 6 months in advance. I make more money now and also work a whole lot harder. The trade off is seeing your name in the lights. I still travel to Nashville about 4 times a year to work on albums where people still know me (that list is shrinking). Here is the point. The industry isn't shrinking, it's getting bigger. more records are being produced today than 10 years ago. That trend will certainly continue. What's changing is that the majors are shrinking, well sort of. What I like about this article is that it is fleshing out a lot of headaches for someone new to the business. And because it deals with creative people things can get passionate.
I learned something else, this is specifically for Jim.
NEVER SELL ANYTHING! You never know when you will need it again. I have several pieces of gear that are basically just rack fillers (Behringer V-Amp) but don't think i don't look at that rack from time to time and try something with that stuff. We all have that one piece of gear or instrument that we can't believe we sold. What's even funnier is that we probably sold it to buy something we no longer own anymore. So if you find yourself not needing those two mackie mixers through them in a closet, never sell. Seems like you have been tinkering with recording for sometime so you probably already know this but just in case, don't say noone ever told you.
AJAX,
had this been about computers I would have suggested he through away his PC and save up for the fastest mac on the planet. Sorry to be a hippocrit.

[AJAXRAYOVAC]

Ive been using only macs since my first apple 2E with 64 k memory!
when i got the extended "128" k upgrade i was a real big shot.
that machine still will run DR -T's sequencer. I love the way ATARI 1040 ST's groove also.
I'm still printing drums and guitars to 2" inch tape when ever possible. (budget allowing)

ajax

[Jim Dalrymple]

I heard that the tape these days isn't like it was years ago -- true? Maybe because not as many people are using it, not many companies are making it anymore, so you get what you get.

[Jim Dalrymple]

I never throw anything musical away, so I'm already taking your advice. I just spent some time with Jack Joseph Puig and his collection of vintage gear. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

[Jim Dalrymple]

Quote

{quote:title=protoolshdman wrote:}We all have that one piece of gear or instrument that we can't believe we sold. What's even funnier is that we probably sold it to buy something we no longer own anymore.

{quote}

LOL I've heard so many terrible stories about some great gear lost this way.

[mblasini66]

For all those who misunderstood my point of view, especially protoolshdman (by the way Pro Tools HD does not sound very good without Apogee converters. That 192 I/O can only sound decent with the Big Ben Master Clock. Ask other professional engineers if you don't believe me. Pro Tools has a thiness to it -on its own-that many engineers dislike. Only with some analog help, Pro Tools can sound good. Many of us prefer Logic, Nuendo, Cubase or Digital Performer):
It is very true that gear is not the only thing. Like I said before, you need to have good ears and you have to be a great engineer. I have been very lucky because from the very beginning of my career I have been around great studios and pro gear. Believe it or not, I started with Neve and SSL consoles because I went to a recording school and then worked at other big facilities. I don't have a SSL console now, but I do have two SSL Alpha channels. They are awesome and they allow you to have at least a piece of an SSL console. Even the SSL, Neve and API plug-ins sound amazing!!! (If money is an issue, I trully recommend the plug-ins!!! ALSO: NEVE PREAMPS ALWAYS SOUND GOOD IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DO PROPER MIC PLACEMENT. AND ABOUT THE MICS, YES... I ALSO OWN NEUMANNS, ROYERS, AKGs and Audio-Technicas!!!)
I have heard and tried lots of different gear, both cheap and expensive, and I have been in this industry for seven years. I'm not saying it's a sin to use cheaper stuff, especially when you have budget issues, but the truth hurts: Mackie pres and M-Audio, 001s and 003s sound bad with every mic and every musician. You guys don't seem to be purists; I am. Of course, using gear like that is better than nothing, and you can use it to your advantage. When I mention the expensive gear is because I have used it, own it and recommend it to those who are looking for a better sound, that's all. I never meant to offend anybody.
Also, keep in mind: DIGITAL ONLY SOUNDS GOOD WITH GOOD CLOCKING AND SOME ANALOG HELP!!!
Peace and all the best to those who love recording the way I do!!!!