Hey all, I've been lurking around for a bit, doing a lot of research both here and around the web. I'm very green at recording/mixing/etc, but I'm eager to learn and starting to gather what I need to get somewhat of a reasonable home studio going. Before I start asking questions, let me get to what I have:
-Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface
-Shure SM7b mic(my only mic at the moment)
-Fairly powerful custom built PC rig running Ableton Live 9 Suite
-M Audio Axiom 49 midi controller
-Shure SRH440 Headphones
-1964 Ears Triple driver in ear monitors
-Miscellaneous electric and acoustic guitars, amps, pedals, etc.
-Small drum set
Now here's where I start to form opinions, which may or not be wholly inaccurate! I believe that my mic and interface should be good enough to at least capture DECENT audio on most single sound sources I might try to capture, and I've got some good foundations to be able to lay down virtual instruments as well. Not a world class setup by any means, but I think good enough that my own skills would be holding me back more than the equipment. I'm thinking where I should go from here is to get a solid room, and then practice, practice, practice before I start buying a ton of gear and falling into the "If only I had ___, my recordings would sound good" trap. So question one, is this line of thinking correct? The only thing I can really think of that may fall under the NEED category might be monitors, right? Can I get away with mixing on my headphones or my in ear monitors for a bit while I work on my skillset and get my room set up? I know this isn't ideal, and that I will have a hard time getting my mixes to translate for a while, but is it feasible for the short term?
Next, there is the matter of the room. I have 3 available spaces in my room. An upstairs loft, and the 2 adjoining bedrooms. All 3 areas are carpeted. The loft is 9'x17', and there is a 14' long half wall running alongside one side that separates the loft from the stairway to the lower level. The first bedroom is 10'x10'8", and the second is 9'8"x11'10", with a 1'x3' alcove where the door to the loft is. I imagine the first room, being nearly square, would be the least optimal. The loft is by far the biggest space, but I don't know how the adjoining stairway would affect acoustics. I could probably convince the wife to let me use the loft and one of the bedrooms, say like a control room and separate live room, but definitely not both bedrooms. What would you guys choose and what should I consider in the process? Whatever I pick will be getting mild acoustic treatment(bass traps, diffusers, etc), but probably nothing fancier than what I can build myself for a couple hundred bucks.
If there are any questions, please do feel free to ask. I'm sure I've glossed over a lot of important information. Thanks in advance for all your help!
-Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface
-Shure SM7b mic(my only mic at the moment)
-Fairly powerful custom built PC rig running Ableton Live 9 Suite
-M Audio Axiom 49 midi controller
-Shure SRH440 Headphones
-1964 Ears Triple driver in ear monitors
-Miscellaneous electric and acoustic guitars, amps, pedals, etc.
-Small drum set
Now here's where I start to form opinions, which may or not be wholly inaccurate! I believe that my mic and interface should be good enough to at least capture DECENT audio on most single sound sources I might try to capture, and I've got some good foundations to be able to lay down virtual instruments as well. Not a world class setup by any means, but I think good enough that my own skills would be holding me back more than the equipment. I'm thinking where I should go from here is to get a solid room, and then practice, practice, practice before I start buying a ton of gear and falling into the "If only I had ___, my recordings would sound good" trap. So question one, is this line of thinking correct? The only thing I can really think of that may fall under the NEED category might be monitors, right? Can I get away with mixing on my headphones or my in ear monitors for a bit while I work on my skillset and get my room set up? I know this isn't ideal, and that I will have a hard time getting my mixes to translate for a while, but is it feasible for the short term?
Next, there is the matter of the room. I have 3 available spaces in my room. An upstairs loft, and the 2 adjoining bedrooms. All 3 areas are carpeted. The loft is 9'x17', and there is a 14' long half wall running alongside one side that separates the loft from the stairway to the lower level. The first bedroom is 10'x10'8", and the second is 9'8"x11'10", with a 1'x3' alcove where the door to the loft is. I imagine the first room, being nearly square, would be the least optimal. The loft is by far the biggest space, but I don't know how the adjoining stairway would affect acoustics. I could probably convince the wife to let me use the loft and one of the bedrooms, say like a control room and separate live room, but definitely not both bedrooms. What would you guys choose and what should I consider in the process? Whatever I pick will be getting mild acoustic treatment(bass traps, diffusers, etc), but probably nothing fancier than what I can build myself for a couple hundred bucks.
If there are any questions, please do feel free to ask. I'm sure I've glossed over a lot of important information. Thanks in advance for all your help!
Getting started building my home studio
