Suggestion for New Article

[soul&folk]

I've got a basement studio. Not much spare cash either, but I have ok equipment to work with. Here's what I've got: Vintage Rogers drums, Alvarez electric acoustic guitar, a Yamaha AGStomp, a Guild s-100 electric guitar, a Behringer GX210 amp, and an old beat up Ibanez bass. Also have a Casio WK3000 keyboard. I play some blues harp and have a few hand drums and percussion items around too. I'm recording with N-Track for the last 2-3 years. I've got a Layla20 interface, and ART TPS preamp, an Alesis 3630 compressor, and a bunch of very usable mics (SM57, SM58, Sennheiser e385, Studio Projects B1, ATM25, a pair of PZMs, a pair of SDCs marked as Radio Shack but really Shure Prologues), a behringer ub2222fx mixer and a pair of yorkville monitors and finally akg k240 headphones.

I play drums, guitar & sing. I've explored MIDI a little bit.

I have a day job and a family. Many of the cool gadgets to buy are not going to happen beyond what I've already bought. My time is limited too, therefore while I do play with other musicians from time to time, my recording is done alone, so I don't have to commit to any special time frame. I've recorded 9 songs and posted them at http://www.motagator.net/bands/25/ I've got another 5 songs in the pipeline. If you have a listen you'll see that I have some recording skills but have much to learn.


Here's what I would love to see in an article or perhaps an ongoing series in a section of your great magazine:

1. How to make the most of my small basement space (low ceiling...), paneled walls, ceramic floor, without buying wall treatment

2. How to wisely plan the whole recording process, since this is being done all alone. Is there a best order? ie. first scratch guitar, then drums and bass, then redo guitar, then vocals.... etc?

3. Should I get rid of some of my eqipment in favor of others? For instance: I've read about the Kel Audio HM-1s. The reviews claim that they're designed for my situation and while they won't provide the highs of most overheads, they'll be less harsh than most SDCs in a basement situation. Or perhaps PZMs the way to go? So far I've only experimented with the SDCs for overheads. How about the preamp I'm using? Is there something that's so much better, that it's worth getting rid of the one I have plus a mic or two and getting a better preamp?

4. A discussion on click tracks. Are they the holy grail? When to use them and when can you do without them -or can you?

5. How about some tips on getting into collaborating? That might a good direction to expand my music, since right now I'm doing it all alone on a schedule that can only work in cyberspace.

So in short, how about an article for the simple guy on the street who's been reading alot, and experimenting a bit too. Now he needs some clear direction to get to the next level and doesn't want to hear the obvious answer which seems to always be- spend more money and it will improve. Please instruct me as to how to use what I have in the best way.

Thanks!

Gershon Seif
http://www.motagator.net/bands/25/

[John Jeffers]

Man, I've been reading TapeOp for four years now, and I've never once gotten the impression that "spend more money" is the best way to better recordings. Usually it's "learn to use what you have".

It also seems like you're asking for a lot of specific advice about your situation, which I doubt Larry is going to be able to cater to. No offense!

[soul&folk]

Man, I've been reading TapeOp for four years now, and I've never once gotten the impression that "spend more money" is the best way to better recordings. Usually it's "learn to use what you have".

well it's true that they talk about nice mods and how to use old analogue stuff, but then there's all those reviews of the new stuff and all those ads that make you want to druel and take out an extra mortgage on the house!

But yeah, you're right and that's why I hope Tape-Op will hear my situation and give me some worthwhile direction.

[lanterns]

find yourself soul brother, find yourself.
power to the people.

[soul&folk]

huh???

[TapeOpLarry]

We've never told anyone they must spend more money. That's your choice.

There's a lot of open-ended, case specific things here. "Without buying wall treatment" sounds kinda crazy! You need to put something up! Especially a small basement room - you want to eliminate the sound of that room.

All the best.

[soul&folk]

Larry,

I don't understand why everyone's getting so defensive... Let me start again... I love Tape-Op magazine because it has an interesting angle on everything. I read it cover to cover every month. I get to read interviews of people in the business for decades and learn about tricks of the trade. (and to druel over the latest new stuff out there) That's why I thought this would be a good place for an article or a small series to help the simple folks. My intention wasn't to say that you are probably going to tell me to spend more money. On the contrary.. Because you are innovative and looking for interesting angles, you can offer basic suggestions and tips. OTHER recording magazines would take the buy this and that approach. I was asking for you to offer some solid advice.

Here's what I was hoping for:

1) An article on how to treat walls- instead of buying ready made wall treatment try x (pictures)

2) an article on micing acoustic guitars - try this and that method of micing (pictures)

3) pictures of ways people have mic'd drums, perhaps a collection of pictures from famous albums and show how they got their sounds.

4) pictures of various ways to mic vocals and get cool fx. Pictures of different kinds of positions, equipment, whatever

PLUS: as stated above, tips on collaboration, best order to choses when recording one track at a time. the wide world of click tracks - any tips, tricks, comments, identifying the right low budget equipment for different purposes.

Once again, sorry if it sounded like I was saying something different. Hope we're all good now.