[Harp-L] re: Home recording

["Jim Alciere" <jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx>]

Can home recordings be as good as studio recordings?

Yeah you can do it on a computer. The pros use a computer. The pros use
those $500.00 microphones. In fact the Shure sm57.for a hundred bucks is an
industry standard for mic'ing amps and snares. Just remember that it takes
as much practice and dedication to be good at recording as it does to learn
an instrument. There's three separate stages, all difficult. There's
production--what songs are you going to play? What arrangement? What's the
sound? the theme? Get someone objective to decide whether your stuff is
worth putting on a CD and what stuff should go on. There's mixing--putting
all the tracks on a single stereo track. If you're going to do this at home
at least find a CD of a band that sounds like you and try to use it for
comparison. If you can afford it--good speakers. If not good headphones but
remember you won't have much of an idea about how the bass sounds. Then
there's mastering, taking the stereo track and making it CD ready. A
mastering house uses all kinds of exotic expensive equipment--it's
difficult. If you have a convolution reverb, a plug in Ultra Maximiser, and
a good set of ears you can get a little close but don't expect that
professional sheen. If you have a good singer and good songs, you can get
away with it.

The Space Animals aim for the purity and sonic bliss of an early 60s Troggs
album.

Oh yeah, put the singer in the bathroom. All that porcelain gives the room a
nice reverb.

-- 
Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals