There are a few days left in the giveaway from IK Multimedia and Orange Amplification. The contest just requires an email address, and is available to all countries. It looks like you will be entered onto a mailing list by entering the contest, so keep that in mind when deciding which address to share.
You can read more and enter the contest here: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/news/?item_id=2307
Home Recording Equipment
Getting Started With Home Recording
Home recording equipment can be as cheap or as expensive as you want. Knowing which budget purchases aren’t worth your time and which expensive items are past the point of diminishing returns of cost versus quality takes experience. With a modest budget it is possible to get started recording and producing music. You may even have some of the necessary equipment already.
Heck, if you have a computer you already have most everything you need gear-wise. Add a $49 USB mic, and you can record professional sounding audio, assuming you have a bit of knowledge. But hey, that’s what we’re here for:).
Our 5-part post series, How To Build A Home Recording Studio shows you how to get started, including everything you need for several different levels of initial budget.
Bjorgvin Benediktsson over at Audio Issues is of much the same mind. In 2013 you don’t need much to enter into the world of professional recording. Check out his take on it here: http://www.audio-production-tips.com/essential-home-recording-equipment.html
Cheers!
Ken
Lewin's 6 Favorite Microphones For Home Recording
I have my own collection of microphones and my own opinions about what would constitute the top 5-10 mics to use for home recording. But there are a lot of mics out there to choose from and it would be difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to try them all. So it is nice to get a different perspective on these things from time to time.
In my case, I would probably list the Rode NT2-A, Shure SM81, Audio-Technica AT2035, AKG C3000, Sennheiser MKH416, and Oktava MK-319 as great choices for my top 6.
Lewin Barringer put out the below video talking about his 6 favorite mics for home recording, which are very different from the ones on my list. In fact there is not a single mic in common to the two lists.
Anyway, see below for the video from Lewin:
Boom Bap – Dark Kits Now Available From Future Loops
Future Loops has released the Boom Bap – Dark Kits sample library. This collection of hip-hop samples is a great addition to any producers collection. Whether you’re just getting started, or just looking to add some variety to your lineup, do yourself a favor and at least listen to the great demos.
You can listen to the demos and read more about this collection here: http://www.futureloops.com/product-boom-bap-dark-kits.php
Loudspeakers Versus In-Ear-Monitors
In-ear-monitors sometimes have a negative reputation, and that is not without reason. Loudspeakers are arguably the most natural way to reproduce sound, and shoving electronics into your ear is sure to create some challenges for sound reproduction. Technology has come a long way, though. If you wrote off in-ear-monitors long ago, they’re worth taking another look at!
You can read about some of the new technologies here: http://audioundone.com/in-ear-monitors-why-do-they-sound-like-that-jay-kadis-and-stephen-ambrose