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The Ten Home Recording Commandments

robertas (IP Logged)
March 02, 2002 11:29PM

Sveiki,

Negaliu susilaikyti nepadares copy/paste vieno zmogaus is uzsienietisko forumo minciu - "10 namu irasinejimo isakymu" :).

Buvo labai idomu skaityti, ir daugelyje vietu pagavau save galvojanti butent taip, kaip cia aprasoma. Tikiuosi jums bus irgi idomu, na ir laukiu atsiliepimu.

1. FORGET everything you think you know about "cold, harsh, digital sound". If your recordings sound cold and harsh, the two most likely suspects are your microphones and your A/D converters, not the fact that you are recording to a digital medium. Digital can sound great as long as you have your recording (and playback) chains in order.

2. FORGET everything you think you know about "tubes. Most of the most cherished and sought-after recording gear of the past (Neve, API, Trident, etc.) are solid-state designs, not tube. Most any tube preamp for under $800 is just a solid state preamp with some peripheral tube circuitry, running low plate voltages, that adds a dose of muck to the sound. Quality tube amps do not muddy the sound. Nor are they any better than quality solid state amps, just different (often imperceptibly). And, for God's sake, don't think that "tube" gear is the solution to "cold, harsh, digital sound" (see above).

3. BEWARE of false economy. It's usually cheaper in the long run to buy something a bit better (more expensive) than you figure you need right now.

4. DYNAMIC mic's are your friends. Why do you think you have to use a "large diaphragm condensor" on eveything? Most likely because that's what the ad's say. Most of the best dynamic mic's in the world (i.e. the ones all the big studios use all the time) cost less than even the cheap large diaphragm condensors. Use dynamics. Try them on anything, especially things you don't think they'll work on.

5. EXPERIMENT. The absolute best way to learn is to try things. And never be afraid to try something bizarre. It's highly unlikely that anyone will get hurt.

6. CHOOSE knowledge over gear. It's far too easy to get caught up in buying a bunch of gear to make your recordings sound better. In order of importance, the things that will make your recordings sound better are: better songs, better players, better recording techniques and, lastly, better gear. If you're just the engineer, there is often not much you can do to improve the first two (you takes what you gets). Consequently, technique should be your primary focus. You can get some pretty damn good results with mediocre gear if you know how to use it. That said, don't buy into the people who say that gear doesn't matter. Gear does matter. Good gear can make your life a lot easier. It doesn't matter nearly as much as how you use it though.

7. THE SOUND is everything. What does it matter that a mic pre or compressor or whatever has every feature imaginable on it if it sounds like crap? Sound first. Everything else a distant second.

8. DO NOT put any stock in what a magazine article says about recording equipment. You've read good reviews on something? That means absolutely nothing. Every review of everything is always good. Check it out for yourself. Similarly, don't listen to what the salesweasel from your local "music supermart" tells you. 95% of them don't know what the @!#$ they're talking about.

9. SIMPLICITY is golden. Always set your equipment up in a manner that will allow you to work most easily. Take your time setting up mics, and getting the sounds right, but once you've done that the session should run smoothly. If the artist has to wait too long between takes or it takes you too long to setup a punch-in, figure out a better way to set up your system. Otherwise, creativity will be disrupted. Also, don't assume that a computer-based DAW is the way to go. There are a lot of disadvantages to that route as far as simplicity (or lack of it) is concerned.

10. DETERMINE your primary purpose and do not be distracted from it. Are you primarily a songwriter or a performer? If so, don't waste your time trying to become a recording engineer. It will take valuable time away from the things that are more important. It's fine to learn a little bit of recording technique and get a bit of gear, but don't go overboard on the purchases and don't spend all your time figuring out how best to mic a guitar cabinet, because it means you'll be spending much less time writing songs or practicing your instrument. And, if you are in a band and want to build a studio to save money, forget about it. Rehearse. Get your songs down, and then go into a real studio with a real engineer. The results will be much better and it will be cheaper.

And with that, I bid you adieu.
Re: The Ten Home Recording Commandments
Issproges (IP Logged)
March 03, 2002 01:57AM

Tokiais atvejais labai sunku atsirinkti, kas yra tiesa, o kas ne. Manau, kad tokiu dalyku negalima surasyti kaip isakymu. Kiekvienai situacijai, zmogui, kuriniui, vietai, laikui jie gali skirtis visiskai radikaliai. Faktas, kad muzika - visu menu menas. Cia galioja vienintele taisykle/istatymas/what ever: gerai ir galima viskas, kas priimtina ausims. Lempa? Tranzas? Taip, viskas priklauso nuo dusios, su kuria daigtas pagamintas, bet pats lyginimo principas, manau, klaidingas. Reikia lyginti vienodo lygio daigtus. Dinaminis? Kondikas? Yra situaciju, kai jie is viso nepalyginami! Fizikai nepapriestarausi...

Vis del to, pacituosiu savo teva:

Zemaite parase ant silkiu popieriaus, Ciurlionis nupiese anglim. Sedevrai. Muzikoje to nera. Dar niekas nesugrojo sedevro su MALKA. Dar niekas neirase sedevro su pigia, BE DUSIOS PAGAMINTA IRANGA...

Viska lemia ausys. Jokiu istatymu negali buti.

"Most any tube preamp for under $800 is just a solid state preamp with some peripheral tube circuitry, running low plate voltages, that adds a dose of muck to the sound. Quality tube amps do not muddy the sound."

Nesutinku. Garsa kraipo (tai galima sakyt, kad ir purvina) ir kokybiska lempine iranga. Tame ir visas grozis. Pigi lempine iranga garsa kraipo tiesiog KITAIP. Yra emociniai dalykai. Kazkodel ir CD amziuje zmones traukia is palepes senas ploksteles ir klauso per sena lempini patefona. Irasai tie patys, garso kokybe 10x prastesne, bet kaifas 10x didesnis! Pas mano seneli yra lempine radija (dydzio kaip geras telikas :)). Fonas? Jokio. Vien jau tai sako, kad GARSO atzvilgiu tranzui pries lempa - sleptis giliai giliai po 78 metu lapais... :)

P.S. Gal ir per grieztai as cia... Cia tiesiog buvo IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.
Re: The Ten Home Recording Commandments
minusas (IP Logged)
March 06, 2002 08:55AM

Oi nesamones kalbate. Kai slamstas is instrumentu sklinda, tai nepagelbes jokia aparatura. As galeciau ir gera saviveiklini irasa klausyti, kad tik butu KA klausyti. O tarkim apie Vilniaus "Tamstos" apgailetina garsa kalba net uz Lietuvos ribu. "Su dusia pagaminta iranga............":)))))))) Isvis svarbiau ne koks aparatas, o kas uz jo sedi.
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