Starting to record music.

Fuengi

Have an Achilles operation next week which means 3 months in plaster / boot - essentially house bound.

I've got a dozen or so ideas sketched out on my looper, so have ordered a mic and interface to record to PC. 

Has anyone got any insightful tips on recording that might be helpful to a newbie?

Please chuck any wisdom you wish you'd known on day one of recording at me.

Legionreturns

Always. ALWAYS (always!) ...start with a click track, and leave yourself two bars at the beginning for counting in and trimming. 

You can thank me later! 







ALWAYS!

stratman3142

I agree with @Legionreturns ;

Also, wait for the special deals (for example the forthcoming Black Friday) before you purchase a load of virtual instruments and effects.

What recording software do you plan to use? If you haven't chosen yet, I can recommend Reaper as being good value.

Legionreturns

stratman3142 said:
If you haven't chosen yet, I can recommend Reaper as being good value.

Seconded... The home use licence is very reasonable. 

Fuengi

stratman3142 said:

I agree with @Legionreturns ;

Also, wait for the special deals (for example the forthcoming Black Friday) before you purchase a load of virtual instruments and effects.

What recording software do you plan to use? If you haven't chosen yet, I can recommend Reaper as being good h.


- I'm dipping my toe in with the Focusrite 2i2 bundle which has interface / mic / software included. 

Legionreturns

I have a focusrite solo, and whilst I briefly installed the software, I found reaper miles better. You can use it for a good while without paying to get a feel for it

shrinkwrap

There's loads of really good free VST instruments around to get started on. A little 2 octave keyboard and some VSTs and figure out putting drum tracks together to play over, all in MIDI and your DAW - the time will go too fast.
I always found singing while playing worked better than doing them separately, probably because concentrating on both makes you forget your inhibitions.

Freebird

Legionreturns said:

Always. ALWAYS (always!) ...start with a click track, and leave yourself two bars at the beginning for counting in and trimming.

You can thank me later! 






ALWAYS!

I prefer recording using midi drum tracks from Addictive Drums, and then telling the drummer to sort it out later    I find doing it this way I can get influenced by the feel of the beat. I tried using click tracks, but I didn't like it as I find it too distracting. I also use the nudge feature to lock in the tracks. Funnily enough, I can add a click track after the fact, and everything lines up.

stratman3142

Seeing the above post made me realise I should clarify. I usually use a drum pattern as my 'click track' because I record with virtual drums at home. I usually start with the basic groove I want and edit/iterate the pattern, adding variation, as the music evolves.

spark240

I always use a template so I make sure tracks are consistent each time,  

Fuengi

spark240 said:

I always use a template so I make sure tracks are consistent each time,  

I don't know what that means! 

BRISTOL86

As someone just getting started in home recording I’d be really interested for any more tips and tricks! 

The immediate thoight that springs to mind from reading this is ‘whats a click track’?! Is it just like a metronome click?

Ive always used the toggle-able metronome in GarageBand when I’ve recorded basic things in the past 

spark240

Click track - yes just an audible metronome, it can take some practice to actually play properly to a click track, to maintain the feel but stay in time as it were. Its very helpful when adding sound bites, or vst preset phrase after. 

Template - A basic recording mixer setup with inputs and outputs preset, and a set of tracks for example I have about 8 tracks for elec guitar, 4 for Acoustics, 4 main vocal, 6 backing vocal, Bass, Keys , drums etc.

It maintains some continuity in your recordings and I get used to where all the tracks are on every session. 

Most DAWs have a few templates I would think? 

BRISTOL86

Thanks @spark240 very helpful. 

I’ve barely scratched the surface of GB yet but it’s definitely on my list to learn to use it properly. 

Legionreturns

I have two basic setups. 

Because I only have two inputs on my audio interface, if I am playing acoustic it takes both. (One for the pickup and a mic at the 12th fret). This means I have to add vocals separately. If I'm on electric I can use the second line in for vocals live. 

BRISTOL86

What’s the rationale for using the pickup and a mic on an acoustic @Legionreturns - just for a fuller sound?

Sorry probably a daft question but I’ve only ever recorded through a pickup as I didn’t have a mic until last week!

Legionreturns

Yeah it just gives a rounder, sweeter sound and includes picking noise which sounds more authentic. I tend to have the pickup input volume slightly higher than the mic on my final mix.

BRISTOL86

Legionreturns said:

Yeah it just gives a rounder, sweeter sound and includes picking noise which sounds more authentic. I tend to have the pickup input volume slightly higher than the mic on my final mix.

Thanks for that! 

BigLicks67

Legionreturns said:

Yeah it just gives a rounder, sweeter sound and includes picking noise which sounds more authentic. I tend to have the pickup input volume slightly higher than the mic on my final mix.

I'm the opposite I'd go 70/30 in favour of microphone. TBH I only use the piezo pickup sound because I think helps to give definition to the bass notes on finger style stuff.  For strumming I'd go mic only.

Legionreturns

BigLicks67 said:

Legionreturns said:

Yeah it just gives a rounder, sweeter sound and includes picking noise which sounds more authentic. I tend to have the pickup input volume slightly higher than the mic on my final mix.

I'm the opposite I'd go 70/30 in favour of microphone. TBH I only use the piezo pickup sound because I think helps to give definition to the bass notes on finger style stuff.  For strumming I'd go mic only.

I probably would if I had a better instrument mic... I only have one decent mic and it's designed for live vocals. It's on my shopping list! 

AvalonAndy

This is a great idea and a positive use of your time. When you look back on this time in a few years, you'll associate it with 'the time i got a whole lot recorded', which is a better memory than simply 'that time i had to sit on my hole for 3 months'.

Hope the operation and recovery go quickly.