The Bare Minimum

[Ryan Silva]

A simple stand alone multitrack or a computer interface and a mic upgrade is whay I suggest. And just track track track!

+1

Sometimes I have the desire to record something in a flash, just pure inspiration. Often happens when I'm in a writing phase, or some of my buddies are screwing around with something cool at my place, and I just have to get it captured.

If I had to borrow mics every time that happened I would have half the experience I have now.

So just keep pressing record, no matter the source.

Cheers

[dynomike]

This would be my pretty hi-fi "bare minimum". If you really don't care much about the sound, just use whatever you have as much as you can, until the sound starts to annoy you!

For acoustic guitar and voice, (big assumption!) I would say you really only need a mic that sounds good on your voice, and a stereo pair of mics for the guitar / room / everything else. Then the preamp, recording interface/mixer, and speakers. Also headphones for recording.

2 small diaphragm condensers. audio-technica 4051, shure sm81 etc. etc. maybe oktava mc-012 or even beyer ribbons for more colored sound.

1 large diaphragm condenser. audio-technica 4033,4050, neumann tlm103, akg 414, etc. audio-technica 4047 is awesome but more colored.

apogee duet and mac with some audio program.

decent speakers, don't have to be super full range. i like the tannoy system 800a, which can be had pretty cheap.

headphones, any kind that are closed back and that you like the sound of.



I think its easier to start out with a pleasing "clean" than to get stuff that has a nice "color" in the lower price ranges. That's why I've left out tube mics and whatnot. Color can be added in the mixing or even mastering stage if you get that done at a studio with nice gear.



You really need to think about whether you want to use these as a songwriting tool, or whether you are trying to produce a 'finished product', and for what end. I got into recording through songwriting etc, and the recording stuff has really kind of taken over. I don't write nearly as many songs as I used to, and its really hard to get into the uninhibited creative mindset when I spend so much time in "engineer mode".