Diskmakers, one of the biggest names in CD duplication and replication, have a cool free resource that may be of interest to folks who want to get their hands dirty and do some building for their home recording studio. Their new guide, building a Professional Home Studio, has instructions for things like isolation booths, sound-proofing, and the materials you need to construct and set these things up. For those who have the budget, time and skill (not to mention patience) to do something like this, the guide will be a great resource.
Check it out here:
http://www.discmakers.com
Home Recording Equipment
Cover of "That Thing You Do" – Record a Rock Song on Your Computer
I just recorded a cover of the song, That Thing You Do, (written by Adam Schlesinger). And I recorded it from scratch on my computer-based home recording studio right here in a spare bedroom. The band consisted of me, me, me, me, me and me:-P. The reason I did it, besides just loving the song and always wanting to, was to demonstrate what kind of thing can be done in a very modest home recording studio.
Before I talk about how I did it and what equipment I used, take a listen to how it came out!
I intend to follow up with a more complete step-by-step how-to, along with a video tutorial later this week. But here are the basics.
Sound Sources
- Voices – All me (a twisted version of narcissism?). I double-tracked the lead vocal to get that Beatlesque sound. I also sang the two harmony parts and double-tracked each of them. So there are 6 voice tracks in all.
- Guitars – Carvin DC200, 1985 model. I used this same guitar for both guitar parts. If I had vintage Rickenbackers I would have used those, but you work with what you’ve got.
- Bass – A Samick LB-11 4-string bass guitar I bought used in 1995.
- Drums – All sampled drum sounds (meaning “I don’t have a drum kit”) from an acoustic kit in the virtual instrument software package called StormDrum, by EastWest.
How Was It Recorded?
I used Reaper software to record it all. I started with the drum track. I created a MIDI track and loaded StormDrum onto it as a virtual instrument. Then I listened very carefully to the original recording of the song from the movie soundtrack. That allowed me to build the drum part hit-by-hit using the MIDI editor in Reaper.
Next, I recorded the bass track by plugging my Samick into a Line 6 POD Studio GX, which is a little box you can plug electric guitars and basses into. The POD then attaches to your computer via USB, and you use the Line 6 software to choose amps and effects to get the right sound.
Then I recorded the electric guitar parts the same way as the bass. I recorded 2 parts/tracks, one panned to the left and played as the “rhythm guitar” part. The other guitar was panned to the right and played with the little riff happening during the verses.
And Finally…
Last but not least, I recorded the lead vocal. As I mentioned, I sang it once on one track, and then recorded it again (listening to the 1st in the headphones) on a second track to get that double-tracked sound. I did the same thing with the low harmony part and panned it to the left, and the high harmony part, panned to the right. All vocals were recorded with the Rode NT2-A microphone hooked up to the computer via a USB audio interface – the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface box.
You can get started with a bundle I created for B&H Audio called The Home Recording Musician’s Starter Kit. CLICK HERE for more details on that.
Then I mixed and panned everything to make sure the sounds could all be heard and rendered (mixed down) the result into one audio file, which is what you heard above.
Check back here in a few days and you should find a bit more detail and a video.
Now go forth and record your own pop or rock songs!
Cheers,
Ken
New Arrivals For Pro Audio at B&H
Keep up with all the latest arrivals of the newest audio recording gear at B&H. Click on the picture on the left to be taken to a page at B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio that lists nothing but new arrivals for pro audio gear.
That link will always take you to the latest new arrivals that are updated every day. Here you can find all the coolest new toys for your home recording studio, such as microphones, recording software, interfaces, mixers, speakers, headphones, etc.
I also find that B&H sometimes puts things you wouldn’t always think of as “pro audio” into this category, such as computer monitors. But hey, since most of our home studios center around a computer these days, that’s a good thing.
Click The Picture to see the latest arrivals!
The New IK Multimedia iKlip Studio iPad Stand
IK Multimedia, maker of cool music tools to iOS in addition to their awesome software line, just announced the release of another practical tool – the iKlip Studio. This is a stand for the iPad that sets on a horizontal surface like a table or desk. This is the 3rd in their “iKlip” series. The original iKlip was to allow you to attach your iPad to a microphone stand, which is cool for reading lyrics or scrips, as well as using it on stage for controlling any number of live performance tools for iOS. Next came the iKlip mini, which is the same thing as the iKlip except it’s for the iPhone or iPod touch.
The iKlip Studio is different in that it isn’t for a mic stand but instead designed to prop your iPad up while sitting on a table or desk. This is especially useful when using the iPad music apps that require you to do a lot of tapping and stabbing, like beat-pads, synthesizers or other controllers. The stand will adjust to whatever angle you need while still allowing a firm hold and a bit of give simultaneously. It has rubber feet to grip the surface it sits on. It also has a support tray that will fit an iPad of any generation.
It sounds simple but it really is a blessing. If your workstation has a fairly high desk, having to do a lot of work on a totally flat surface can be a huge pain. In fact sometimes, as in the case of one keyboard I’ve worked with, it often requires me to stand up just so I can see the displays. I REALLY wish there were a stand like this for that particular device. Oh well. You can’t have everything.
This thing will be $29.99 and will be available, according to IK Multimedia, in Q1 2012. AS I mentioned earlier, pre-orders are already available from B&H here: iKlip Studio Pre Order.
Deals On Audio Recording Gear
We just started something new to help you keep up with the latest deals on audio recording gear. B&H runs rebate, (instant and mail-in), discount and free shipping deals all the time. We will attempt to make you aware of all the deals as they occur and in time for you to check them out before they expire. Sometimes they only last a few days!
There is a link in bold text across the top of this page that says: Latest Audio Recording Gear Deals. You can click on that link of just Click Here to visit our “Latest Deals” page and save some money on great gear for your home recording studio.
Happy Shopping!