What Other Gear Do I Need/do You Recommend For A Home Recording Setup?

    Hi Guys,


    I've just ordered my Kemper - needless to say I'm pretty pumped for it's arrival. I've sorted my live rig - KPA + Line 6 HD500X + Yamaha DXR 12 sounds like it will be great but I need to look at a home recording rig as I'm just going into a writing/recording phrase.


    At the moment literally all i use is a Line 6 UX-2 into Reaper and out into headphones. Rig Lite for sure! I've been looking at things like:


    MBox 3's vs Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
    Yamaha HS5 Studio Monitors



    Thoughts on these setups? Recommendations? I'm coming from a Mesa Dual Rec + Cab/Digitech Jamman/Studio Recording background so this paradigm shift is MASSIVE for me but hopefully it allows more creativity and smoother workflow.


    All the best,


    -Simon

    Will you record any vocals or acoustic instruments? If so, a microphone or two would be useful. They don't have to be expensive.


    No vocals? Then you won't need anything else. All you need is an interface, the DAW software that comes with it, and a decent pair of monitors. Really learn how to use the stuff, before thinking you need to buy more. So much of the music you hear on television was created with very little gear, by people who have learned to get great results from it.


    Interface/Software:
    Given the choice of a free version of ProTools or of Ableton, I would pick ProTools. So, I suggest the MBox. Nothing wrong with Focusrite/Ableton - but if you think you ever may want your music to be mixed for a commercial release in a Pro Studio, they'll be able to easily open your ProTools project. Any other software DAW project would likely need to be converted to multitrack audio files before the studio could mix it.


    And, you don't need to buy additional Plug-In software effects to get decent mixes. Get used to the effects bundled with the DAW, until you know what you really can do with them.

    Monitors:
    As long as you directly compare commercial releases to your mixes, as a reality check, you can mix with any decent monitors. The important thing is to train your ears to use the monitors you buy, and work on your skills to end up with good mixes.


    Some say the Yamahas are harsh. The people who like to mix on the Yamahas say they aren't harsh at all. If you can hear the Yamahas in person before buying them, and YOU think they are harsh, I suggest also listening to the JBL LSR305. But, if you like the sound of the Yamahas in person, you may find the JBLs to be too boomy :D


    If you are curious about hearing many different monitors, here's more than you want to know about the comparative sound of studio monitors - you'll hear they all sound a little different from each other, and you'll probably like some of them more than others:


    Sonic State Studio Monitor comparison clips at SoundCloud

    Hi Simon,


    It's worth giving the room you mix in some consideration..... Even the most expensive monitors will punch a long way below their weight if positioned poorly / in a room that doesn't help. For this reason, a few hours of reading will be worth your while.


    If you're getting into recording, Sound on Sound magazine is great. As well as the mag, there is a very good forum that actually has a section on studio design and acoustics.


    http://www.soundonsound.com/fo…ist.php?Cat=&Board=DESIGN


    A while back, I made a whole bunch of home-made acoustic treatment for my little man-cave at home and the difference it made to the listening experience is pretty incredible. Total cost of the project was around £200-£250 UK and it got me a vocal wall, a ceiling mount above my head, treatment behind the desk, treatment on the walls for the side reflections etc. And, because I got my wife to come along and choose the material they are covered in the all-important 'wife acceptance factor' was OK :)


    Good luck :)

    Agreed about the possibility of sound treatment - especially if your room has reflective surfaces (like a garage/unfinished basement). But, if your room is reasonably dry sounding (like a living room/ bedroom), and you and the speakers are away from the walls, you don't necessarily have to treat the room to get good mixes, as long as you use commercial releases for a reference.


    Also, get this free book, and watch all his free video tips. He makes new ones, all the time, too. The tips translate to other DAWs, if you decide against ProTools. After you have seen all the free content, his paid video series are very good, too - when I switched to ProTools from Sonar, the time they saved me were more than worth the price.


    The Recording Revolution

    Quote from Der_JD

    I wouldn't recommend the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 simply because it doesn't have SPDIF (makes re-amping much easier). Consider spending just a little more to have SPDIF.


    The Mbox has Stereo S/PDIF digital I/O, if you want that option. Maybe its because I started recording before reamping was practical, but I would finish fewer songs and instrumentals if I didn't just pick a sound, and record the part :)