Hello everyone!
I am a student here at Lessonface and would like to know if any teachers and fellow learners had tips for making a professional-sounding recording at home for the first time. I already have good recording equipment (audio interface, dynamic and condenser microphones) and a few different DAWs to experiment with.
Would anyone like to weigh in on:
1. The best space to record in and is soundproofing necessary;
2. Any tricks for getting the ideal mic placement;
3. Pointers for good DAW recording settings;
4. And anything you wish you'd known when first starting out?
I would sincerely appreciate any input! Thank you, Sierra
Hello Sierra,
I can give you some insights based on my experience.
1)The larger the space the better. You want as much separation as you can get between walls, floor, and ceiling. Sounds reflect on them, and those reflections get picked up by mics giving you a coloration that takes away from the pure sound of the instrument. That's where sound treatment comes in. Sound treatment panels absorb the sound and keeps them from reflecting. Sound proofing on the other hand is for keeping sounds leaving or entering the space in which you record. Neither are essential depending on your goals.
2)The mic placement depends entirely on the instrument you're recording, the mic you're using, and the sound you're going for. Can you share more details?
3)Again, this depends a lot on your hardware, OS, and DAW of choice. Do you own a computer and DAW already? If so, which ones?
4)When I started I wish I would've known how much easier and straightforward it is to record with Apple than Windows. I spent some many years struggling to get stuff done with Apple, and when I tried Apple I just couldn't believe how much easier it was.
Hi Juan, thank you so much for your advice! I really appreciate it.
Here's a little extra information on my current recording setup...
The instruments I want to record include a folk harp, violin, voice, electric guitar, wooden flute, and assorted shakers and hand drums. I have two MXL condenser mics and a Shure dynamic which XLR connections to my audio interface, a PreSonus Audio Box 96 USB. I confess, I am running Windows 11! My current DAWs are Ableton Live Lite 11 (I've spent the most time there lately) and StudioOne Artist 5.
When I have experimented recording my harp, I used a stereo set-up with my two condenser mics, one at bass, the other at treble. It worked well except for some unintended reverb. Am I too close to the strings or soundboard?
Thanks, Sierra
That sounds like a really good setup. You have really good equipment.
Reverb is nothing more than the sound reflecting from the surfaces around you, into the mics. When you pluck the harp the sound wave hits the mic, but it also continues to travel around the room. It bounces off the walls, ceiling, floor, etc and it comes back -at a later time- to your mic.
If you want less reverb place yourself as far away from surfaces as possible. Record in the biggest room available, place yourself in the middle. The other option is to treat your surfaces and stuff with acoustic panels
Thank you, JJ! I appreciate all the help and advice, Sierra