Recording setup- whatdayathink?

[matonfan101]

I'm lookin to record some demos and the like at home and this is my first real purchase of recording gear. I'll be recording ac./elec guitar, vocals and possible keys. After researching here's what I've come up with:

Rode NT1-A> Presonus Firebox> Apple Macbook

I know its simple but it looks like good gear.

Does anybody have any suggestions/additions- will I need a preamp for the mic (even through the firebox has 2)?
Cheers

[sfmartins]

I'm interested on this also...

[sunglassesatnight]

All of that is solid gear. The mic preamps in Presonus gear are good, and everyone knows that Macs are great for multimedia stuff. I haven't used that mic, but the specs are good.

There are a couple things I'd remind you not to forget.
1. A windscreen. This one fits that mic.
2. A pop screen. A windscreen doesn't work as a pop screen and a pop screen doesn't work as a windscreen. Pretty much any of these will work.

Along with what you need, I'd suggest buying another mic if you can swing it. You then can stereo mic your guitar, which will produce remarkably better results. Using two of the same mic is a common way to stereo record a guitar, but you can also use a different mic. If you decide to get another different microphone, I'd suggest a small-diaphragm one, since the larger diaphragm mic you plan on buying will pick up lower frequencies better, the smaller mic will pick up high frequencies better. A Rode NT5 would be a good compliment, in my opinion. Just a thought.

[mangold]

All of that is solid gear. The mic preamps in Presonus gear are good, and everyone knows that Macs are great for multimedia stuff. I haven't used that mic, but the specs are good.

There are a couple things I'd remind you not to forget.
1. A windscreen. This one fits that mic.
2. A pop screen. A windscreen doesn't work as a pop screen and a pop screen doesn't work as a windscreen. Pretty much any of these will work.

Along with what you need, I'd suggest buying another mic if you can swing it. You then can stereo mic your guitar, which will produce remarkably better results. Using two of the same mic is a common way to stereo record a guitar, but you can also use a different mic. If you decide to get another different microphone, I'd suggest a small-diaphragm one, since the larger diaphragm mic you plan on buying will pick up lower frequencies better, the smaller mic will pick up high frequencies better. A Rode NT5 would be a good compliment, in my opinion. Just a thought.

great post ill just add that you dont need another preamp. the presonus will do just fine.

you would want another mic anyway for vocals, you dont want to record your guitar from its pickup unless you have a real nice one.

[sunglassesatnight]

I hope I didn't come across as saying he needed another preamp. I know the Firebox is a multichannel pre. And you don't think the NT1-A would be a good vocal mic Andy?

[RunsWithBuffalo]

The NT-1A is a great vocal mic. Of course it all depends on your voice. Really good condensers can bring out your bad qualities as well as your good ones so sometimes, cheaper mics sound better because they mask some of your flaws.

Overall though, that is one of my favorite mics ever, and its a steal at 199. It probably sounds even better with a good preamp.

Love to hear some samples when you have them!

[mangold]

I hope I didn't come across as saying he needed another preamp. I know the Firebox is a multichannel pre. And you don't think the NT1-A would be a good vocal mic Andy?

No i wasnt commenting on your mic choice, i think thats a great vocal mic, his original post implied that he only wanted/had one mic, which if used for vocals would mean he was planning on using his guitars pickup.
And your post only mentioned using the 2nd mic as a stereo option for the guitar, i was merely pointing out to him that he would need 2 mics even if he wasnt doing it in stereo.

I was agreeing with you completely and you didnt come off implying he needed a preamp, but he asked in the original post, i was only answering

[sunglassesatnight]

I hope I didn't come across as saying he needed another preamp. I know the Firebox is a multichannel pre. And you don't think the NT1-A would be a good vocal mic Andy?

No i wasnt commenting on your mic choice, i think thats a great vocal mic, his original post implied that he only wanted/had one mic, which if used for vocals would mean he was planning on using his guitars pickup.
And your post only mentioned using the 2nd mic as a stereo option for the guitar, i was merely pointing out to him that he would need 2 mics even if he wasnt doing it in stereo.

I was agreeing with you completely and you didnt come off implying he needed a preamp, but he asked in the original post, i was only answering

Got it. I missed the question about the pre. Even with the one mic, he could get solid results with just recording multiple tracks, and playing around with placement carefully, of course.

[matonfan101]

I hope I didn't come across as saying he needed another preamp. I know the Firebox is a multichannel pre. And you don't think the NT1-A would be a good vocal mic Andy?

No i wasnt commenting on your mic choice, i think thats a great vocal mic, his original post implied that he only wanted/had one mic, which if used for vocals would mean he was planning on using his guitars pickup.
And your post only mentioned using the 2nd mic as a stereo option for the guitar, i was merely pointing out to him that he would need 2 mics even if he wasnt doing it in stereo.

I was agreeing with you completely and you didnt come off implying he needed a preamp, but he asked in the original post, i was only answering

Got it. I missed the question about the pre. Even with the one mic, he could get solid results with just recording multiple tracks, and playing around with placement carefully, of course.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Yeh I can really only afford 1 mic so I figured I should go slightly higher end. I will be recording multitrack anyway so I dont need a separate vocal mic. Thanks for the preamp advice I was wondering that. Do you reckon I could record from my guitars pickup and the mic simultaneous to get a stereo sound?

[matonfan101]

All of that is solid gear. The mic preamps in Presonus gear are good, and everyone knows that Macs are great for multimedia stuff. I haven't used that mic, but the specs are good.

There are a couple things I'd remind you not to forget.
1. A windscreen. This one fits that mic.
2. A pop screen. A windscreen doesn't work as a pop screen and a pop screen doesn't work as a windscreen. Pretty much any of these will work.

Along with what you need, I'd suggest buying another mic if you can swing it. You then can stereo mic your guitar, which will produce remarkably better results. Using two of the same mic is a common way to stereo record a guitar, but you can also use a different mic. If you decide to get another different microphone, I'd suggest a small-diaphragm one, since the larger diaphragm mic you plan on buying will pick up lower frequencies better, the smaller mic will pick up high frequencies better. A Rode NT5 would be a good compliment, in my opinion. Just a thought.

sorry again- but whats the difference between the two screens?

[sunglassesatnight]

The windscreen prevents puffing and blowing noise. The pop screen prevents spit from hitting the mic when you sing into it. Unfortunately, they don't work as one another. I mean, a windscreen will stop some of the spit, but not nearly as much as a dedicated pop filter.
____________________________________________

If you want to record via mic and direct guitar, make sure to do it at the same time. If you try to do one and replicate it, it will never come out right. Just make sure to record two mono tracks, with each source panned hard left or hard right. You can set up your recording software to record only the right or left channel, just set up two tracks, one for the left and one for the right. Then mix toward the middle and mix the amount of each source you want in until you dig it.

[matonfan101]

The windscreen prevents puffing and blowing noise. The pop screen prevents spit from hitting the mic when you sing into it. Unfortunately, they don't work as one another. I mean, a windscreen will stop some of the spit, but not nearly as much as a dedicated pop filter.
____________________________________________

If you want to record via mic and direct guitar, make sure to do it at the same time. If you try to do one and replicate it, it will never come out right. Just make sure to record two mono tracks, with each source panned hard left or hard right. You can set up your recording software to record only the right or left channel, just set up two tracks, one for the left and one for the right. Then mix toward the middle and mix the amount of each source you want in until you dig it.

So you highly reccomend both?

[sunglassesatnight]

Absolutely. You can spit through a windscreen and blow through a pop screen, so the best recording will be had using both.

[matonfan101]

Absolutely. You can spit through a windscreen and blow through a pop screen, so the best recording will be had using both.

Thanks