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1 hour ago, Fretless said:

That's good to hear, Nutty 1. I must go and find your Recording Challenge track to hear your new-found ability. As ever, I am happy to give constructive advice but only up to the point where you overtake me!

It would be great to have any tips on improving @Fretless, I am always grateful for advice. I will not ever overtake you even if I live to be 200!?

Just taking baby steps towards singing and playing at the same time at the moment. 

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15 hours ago, Nutty 1 said:

I have recently purchased the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio pack and after reading about Neil's adventure with the included software I made the decision to stick with Garageband. I am happy to report that on a Mac it is practically a plug in and play item. I did not need to download anything (not even a driver). I got it up and running within minutes. I even got it to do multi track recording in Garageband (how cool is that) as well as being able to record a guitar and microphone simultaneously for Quicktime videos (as used in my entry in this months Recording Challenge).

I think the Studio pack is superb (thanks for the recommendation @NeilES335). The headphones are brilliant for me as I have just had to donate a load of headphones to charity because they made my ears red and sore. These fit around the ear and do not actually touch the outer ear. Fantastic! ???

@Nutty 1. Thats wonderful?Im very glad its working out so well for you! Have fun recording!

Neil

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This is an old thread containing a lot of interesting info relevant to me just now.

Over the past months, I got frustrated with the poor sound quality of my acoustic guitar recordings using the iRig Acoustic clip-on microphone and interface into Garageband. I never really got it to sound natural.

So I decided to join @Nutty 1 and @NeilES335 and ordered a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio bundle (and a Gravity microphone stand) just yesterday. The shipment should arrive later this week.

The Scarlett should work with my iPad and Garageband using the Apple Lightning to USB Adapter that I ordered as well.

I do consider changing platform and the use of a Windows laptop instead of iPad. Learning from Neil's adventures, I will try out the Reaper DAW and stay away from Pro Tools for now.

Hopefully there will still be some time left to practice guitar when I start digging deeper into the world of DAW 😏

Wim.

 

 

 

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Well, its' been about 2 yrs or so, since I started on the recording journey, and this topic.  (hard to believe) I've recorded about 15 songs now, many of which are linked here on this site, and on my SoundCloud account. 

I've been using my Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 Interface, with my guitar, which is  plugged in directly to my PC computer, using the headphones I got with the "Kit" and "Reaper" as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). 

There are lots of choices for gear, like interfaces, and headphones, and monitor speakers and DAW's, so it can feel a bit daunting at first, BUT, take heart... you'll get it in the end. And the gear cost is quite reasonable too...you can do it for under $300CDN or about $250USD. for good gear. With Focusrite, a lot of the software, DAW's etc are included.  (Reaper is a free download, with a "suggested" license fee of $80 +/-)  I tried a pair of Macie "studio monitor" speakers, but didn't like the sound, so I returned them and just use the Focusrite headphones.

I can use and produce songs in multiple tracks, (I play my own rhythm track and play the melody over top of it), edit the song and render it to a format that can be used on music players, SoundCloud etc. (.wav, mp3 etc...)  

And it's not just about recording songs. It's an excellent practice tool too. 

But in no way am I an expert at it! There are hours and hours of really good training videos on their site however, which make the process pretty easy to understand. It does take time and some effort like most good things...

I'd say without reservation, it's one of the best things I've done, as far as learning and playing guitar is concerned. If you're considering it, just DO IT! 

 

 

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Hey everyone,

I've only really recorded myself playing my acoustic guitar using my phone so far so this is really new stuff for me. But I'm thinking about purchasing some basic recording gear.

I've heard and read a lot of good reviews about the Scarlett Solo and 2i2 among some other interfaces so I'm considering this to be a good option. I notice that some of the interfaces also come packaged with headphones, microphone, cables etc for an all in one solution.

But will a good USB microphone connecting directly to my computer give good results also instead of having to use an interface? If so, what would be the main considerations when choosing a mic?

Nairon

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Nairon,

The best use of your budget will be to spend 50% on gear and 50% on acoustic treatment for your room. More on this in a minute.

The Scarlett Solo, 2i2 and similar 2-channel audio interfaces are great for home users because they are of high enough audio quality, audio routing in and out, and robustly enough made.

These open the door to being able to use most of the microphones on the market. Choosing a USB mic negates the need for an audio interface but that will confine you to just that mic. It is not a wise route to go unless your total budget is so small that you cannot even afford good value budget equipment.

Probably the most popular home recording mic is the Rode NT1-A. If your budget permits getting a bundle that includes a shock mount and (maybe separately) a microphone stand and an XLR cable, that will set you up for a good start. A second mic, when you are ready, will provide further recording options, be it one sound recorded in stereo or a second sound source, eg. voice and acoustic guitar.

Headphones. My opinion is that bundled headphones tend to be cheap (and nasty). If you can afford a pair of BeyerDynamic DT-770, Sony MDR-7506 or something that appeals to you at that price and quality point then you will not need to upgrade them ever.

When you sing or play, sound bounces around the room, creating reverb (which is lots of relections of the original sound) - a tiled bathroom more than a room with lots of curtains and cushions. Microphones pick up (ie. record) sound that reaches the mic. In an ideal recording environment you want to record the sound coming directly from the voice or guitar but not the reflected sounds. Because home rooms are small the resulting recording will have a small, boxy sound. This is why the wisest advice is to commit 50% of your budget to acoustic treatment. As you purchase more gear, also purchase (or make) more acoustic treatment. This will start blocking the reflected sounds, leaving a purer recording. Companies like GIK Acoustics sell ready-made traps (called that because they trap the sound like a sponge would trap spilled water). It is not difficult to make your own which can be much cheaper. I can explain if you are interested.

Why should you trust me, someone you don't know? Don't. Read further and discover these truths for yourself. Everyone has their opinion, their favourite piece of equipment. Me too. Once you start to notice many people (not from the same cluster) recommending the same direction, you can be more confident of the path being suggested.

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@Nairon @Fretless @NeilES335  

NeilES335 has a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 bundled package,  he'll tell you the headphones in it aren't that bad,

I haven't heard them myself. 

One thing I have learned from recording with a mic, 

Heating and AC kicks in , you'll get the whooshing sound in your mic.

I block the vent off with several large books, but the low rumble of the furnace can still be seen in the lower bars of the VU meter.

Have to time your live recording between heat/cool cycles 

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10 hours ago, Fretless said:

Nairon,

The best use of your budget will be to spend 50% on gear and 50% on acoustic treatment for your room. More on this in a minute.

The Scarlett Solo, 2i2 and similar 2-channel audio interfaces are great for home users because they are of high enough audio quality, audio routing in and out, and robustly enough made.

These open the door to being able to use most of the microphones on the market. Choosing a USB mic negates the need for an audio interface but that will confine you to just that mic. It is not a wise route to go unless your total budget is so small that you cannot even afford good value budget equipment.

Probably the most popular home recording mic is the Rode NT1-A. If your budget permits getting a bundle that includes a shock mount and (maybe separately) a microphone stand and an XLR cable, that will set you up for a good start. A second mic, when you are ready, will provide further recording options, be it one sound recorded in stereo or a second sound source, eg. voice and acoustic guitar.

Headphones. My opinion is that bundled headphones tend to be cheap (and nasty). If you can afford a pair of BeyerDynamic DT-770, Sony MDR-7506 or something that appeals to you at that price and quality point then you will not need to upgrade them ever.

When you sing or play, sound bounces around the room, creating reverb (which is lots of relections of the original sound) - a tiled bathroom more than a room with lots of curtains and cushions. Microphones pick up (ie. record) sound that reaches the mic. In an ideal recording environment you want to record the sound coming directly from the voice or guitar but not the reflected sounds. Because home rooms are small the resulting recording will have a small, boxy sound. This is why the wisest advice is to commit 50% of your budget to acoustic treatment. As you purchase more gear, also purchase (or make) more acoustic treatment. This will start blocking the reflected sounds, leaving a purer recording. Companies like GIK Acoustics sell ready-made traps (called that because they trap the sound like a sponge would trap spilled water). It is not difficult to make your own which can be much cheaper. I can explain if you are interested.

Why should you trust me, someone you don't know? Don't. Read further and discover these truths for yourself. Everyone has their opinion, their favourite piece of equipment. Me too. Once you start to notice many people (not from the same cluster) recommending the same direction, you can be more confident of the path being suggested.

Thanks for the advice and the info. Much appreciated!!

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7 hours ago, Eracer_Team-DougH said:

@Nairon @Fretless @NeilES335  

NeilES335 has a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 bundled package,  he'll tell you the headphones in it aren't that bad,

I haven't heard them myself. 

One thing I have learned from recording with a mic, 

Heating and AC kicks in , you'll get the whooshing sound in your mic.

I block the vent off with several large books, but the low rumble of the furnace can still be seen in the lower bars of the VU meter.

Have to time your live recording between heat/cool cycles 

Thanks for the info DougH!! If I decide to go with the Scarlett headphones I'll feedback what I think about it too.

Nairon

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On 4/5/2021 at 7:03 AM, Eracer_Team-DougH said:

@Nairon @Fretless @NeilES335  

NeilES335 has a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 bundled package,  he'll tell you the headphones in it aren't that bad,

I haven't heard them myself. 

One thing I have learned from recording with a mic, 

Heating and AC kicks in , you'll get the whooshing sound in your mic.

I block the vent off with several large books, but the low rumble of the furnace can still be seen in the lower bars of the VU meter.

Have to time your live recording between heat/cool cycles 

Right. I like the Focusright headphones. They're comfortable and sound very good to me. I use them for general listening and recording. Are there better ones? Probably. But very satisfactory for my use. 

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