Microphone Selection
First and foremost you need a good microphone. Assuming
like most musicians your in a band with vocals, acoustic drums, electric bass,
and at least one electric guitar and you have a extremely limited budget. If this is
the case then there is really only one mic choice that might have a chance of
recording all these instruments, the Shure SM57. Selling for between 80 and 90
dollars this mic is one of the
best overall values in the world of low end
dynamic microphones. Great for electric guitar and snare drum this mic is one of the
most versatile in the music industry. In a pinch it can be used to record vocals,
although if you can afford it I would recommend a large diaphragm mic for this
purpose. I have also seen it used for bass drum and cymbals (or overheads are
they are usually called in the studio) although like vocals these are better
preformed with specialty mics designed for the specific purpose.
If you plan to record one instrument at a time then one mic
may be all you need, but if you plan to record all instruments at the same time
then you will need several mics like a Shure 57 or similar mic for each guitar
amp, a bass mic or DI for the bass, a bass mic for the bass drum, a Shure 57 for
the snare drum and a couple of high frequency mics for the overheads plus a
large diaphragm mic like an Audio Technica or AKG for the vocals. Remember this
setup is a bare minimum and recording studios usually add many more mics to the
drums and occasionally add a second or third mic to the guitar and bass as well
as room mics for the overall room sound. (If you are thoroughly confused just keep reading and don't worry
we cover how to record each instrument in much more detail later.)
While technically its
possible to get decent sounds out of low end microphones like the Shure SM57,
higher end tube microphones like Audio Technica, AKG and Neumann can impart a
warmth and presence to a recording that can't be achieved with low end mics so
if you can afford it one of these is a terrific investment. If you can't afford
it there are some decent lower end large diaphragm mics for around 300 to 600
dollars. Remember that large diaphragms are very sensitive so don't put them up
close to a loud drum or bass amp.
Also when recording all instruments at once you will need to isolate the singer
because large diaphragm mics are extremely sensitive and will pick up massive
amounts of bleed through from the other instruments. For more
information on recording vocals click here.
Tips and Tricks - Already set up and
you just need
tips
and tricks to make your recording sound better.
Click here.
Drums - If you need
help or tips on recording acoustic drums then this is
the place to check out.
Electric
Guitars - If you want help
recording a
electric guitar then check out
this page.
Acoustic Guitars - If you want help recording
an acoustic guitar then check out
this page.
Bass - Need help capturing that
electric bass we offer a few options for you
here.
Vocals -
Vocals can make or break a project. Get some nice
tips
for recording vocals here.
Other Instruments - Want to add
that
saxophone, cello, or flute to a project. Get the
facts here.
Mixing - Need help
mixing those tracks to get the right sound from your
mix. We can help here.
Equalization or Eq - Do you have a basic overall level and the tracks panned where
you want them. Then check out our tips on
Equalization or Eq.
Adding Audio effects - If you have the levels where you want them and have
added Eq its time to add some plug-ins or effects like reverb, delay, chorus,
flanger, and other effects to help that
final mix
shine.
Mastering - Need help
mastering your songs. Get the low down
here.
Other Items of Interest
- Also while your
here feel free to check out our record label
Silver Dragon
Records and see what we can offer your band in terms of recording and other
services. Also check out
Lazarus X
Houston's hottest local band and their new
CD release
Weapon of Love or
download a free mp3 for a limited time.
Silver Dragon Records Presents
the Musicians Toolkit
Thank
you for your interest in
Houston Rock Record Label Silver Dragon Records.
Below is some information on our
record label and website catering to rock fans and musicians.
Houston Rock Record Label Silver Dragon Records
presents
rock band Lazarus X
and the their latest independent CD release
Weapon of Love.
Lazarus X's combines determined hard hitting rock with haunting and soulful
melodies which struck a chord with many
underground
rock music fans. Some fans received a preview of the
publicity photos
and
underground
rock CD WOL at a
rooftop listening
party a day before it was released
and the response was amazing. Check out
Rock Band Lazarus X
merchandise like
The Weapon of Love Tour T-Shirt and
the
Weapon of Love CD
or preview one of their songs by
downloading a
free rock mp3.
Silver Dragon Records is a
Houston
rock record label
producing and promoting experimental, hard rock and alternative metal albums. We
provide 24 bit digital recording in a
quiet
private studio
free of distractions. If you think we are the label for you
submit a
demo to our record label and let us tell you how we can help your
band with
artist promotion,
publicity, marketing, recording, mastering, help in marketing a demo or shopping
for a major label deal. We are happy to offer musicians our online resources
like our
musicians
toolkit for recording audio, our
museum of rock
music history and our
Houston rock music resource.
Thank you for checking out
music history or rock genres and subgenres and enjoy the above links.
SDR Home
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Records - All rights reserved.
