Gnome Recording

By Doug Lloyd, Jr.

Last month we talked about how to get consistent results when recording. This month we took a step back.... Ever wanted to record yourself, but don't know how to get started? Well the Gnome is here to help....

Question:

What is the basic equipment I need to record myself at home? I sing and play the guitar and piano. I want to record the guitar and piano separately from the voice. I want to do some harmonies, too. How do I start?
Answer:

Now there's a question! The field is wide open, so let's first try to narrow it down a little. This sounds like someone who has never recorded before, so Recording 101 would be in order. Another assumption might be the budget. Someone just getting started is probably on a fairly tight budget. And why are you recording? Is it for musical practice, just for fun, or are you trying to produce a production CD? The assumption here will be that we are recording for fun, recording experience and perhaps for musical practice.

You'll need a recorder, to state the obvious. There is a very large selection available, with features and prices all over the map. For a Newbie a good choice might be a 4 track analog recorder. There are several good brands available at very reasonable prices both new and used. With four tracks you can handle guitar, piano, vocal and one harmony without any complicated track manipulation (called bouncing). A google on '4 track analog recorder' provides a lot of information on brands, and also revealed http://homerecording.com/4trackfaq.html which is a potpourri of information about the subject with opinion included for completeness.

You'll need a microphone. There are more microphone types, manufacturers and prices than you might think, but to start out you might consider an inexpensive dynamic mic with a normal cardioid pickup pattern. A little shopping and you can be in business for under $200 for both the recorder and mic. A few other things to look out for - get a good stable mic stand, and make sure you have the right mic holder attachment. Make sure the mic you get is compatible with the recorder input - there are two physical styles, XLR (three prong) and 1/4" TRS (and there may be others, such as miniature styles), and there are two electrical interfaces, high impedance and low impedance. The thing here is to match up - and there are adapters to handle every situation. Usually XLR connections are associated with low impedance and TRS with high impedance. It's best to avoid adapters if possible, so try to acquire compatible equipment. If you connect high impedance and low impedance you will not damage anything, but the audio results will not be good.

You'll want/need a headset. Perhaps the biggest trick when recording multiple tracks separately using a mic is recording only the sound you intend to record. This may sound simple, but as you will discover, it can be very tricky! (Do you pat your foot to keep time?) The mic hears all. When recording with the mic (vocals, piano), all other sound in the area must be controlled. If you are singing along with a recorded guitar track, you'll want to set up the recorder to play the guitar track and record the singing track, while listening to both tracks in the headset. This way only the vocal will be recorded on the new track. This setup is common and usually very easy to accomplish with any 4 track recorder. The key, though, is using the headset, which may take a little getting use to. There are, of course, many options in headsets, but with minimum cost as a driver, select a headset that fully covers the ears and allows minimum external sound IN and minimum headset sound OUT (the mic will pick it up!).

Equipment so far:

* Mic
* Mic stand
* Mic holder attachment
* Mic cord
* Recorder
* Tapes*
* Headset
* Piano/Keyboard
* Guitar
* Any other musical equipment, like drum machine, etc.
* Cables (mostly 1/4" TRS)

* Inexpensive 4 track analog recorders use cassette tapes, record at higher speed, and use a different recording format than your normal cassette player. Use the higher quality tape recommended for your recorder, not the standard blank cassettes, for the best quality, lowest noise recording results.

You're almost ready! Relax.

Next you need a plan. Tempo, tuning and volume need to be considered up front. Your recording may not be completed in one sitting, so you should write down your plan and keep it up to date as it changes. It's all simple, usually, but before you are finished there will be a lot of information, and it is just plain easier if it is written down to keep it straight (end of lecture).

Back to the plan. Many people like to first record a tempo track. This track could be a simple 'click track', just a metronome, or you might use a drum machine. Sometimes it is a bass. The options are many, and totally up to the individual, but a tempo track at the beginning helps to coordinate the whole recording as it progresses. Some also like to record a 'reminder' or 'director' track - a track with verbal instructions and cues to help organize/coordinate the recording. This could include cues such as 'softly here', or 'guitar solo now' or 'slow down', or anything that might help the performer to remember the arrangement. (~Gnome - Later on, you just record over the click track or director tracks.)

Use a tuning standard every time - check tuning prior to recording any track. If your recorder has a speed adjustment, make sure the recorder is 'in tune'! One way to do this is to initially record an in-tune note (on the director track, perhaps), and check that note with your tuner prior to recording a new track. Adjust the recorder speed if necessary. You should make sure your recorder always plays back 'in tune' with what was recorded - if it doesn't, return it!

Volume. Generally speaking, each track should be recorded at the maximum level that avoids clipping. Most recorders have some sort of a visual indication of the record level on each track, and the volume should be adjusted such that the maximum instrument or vocal level used during the whole song produces a 0db (or just slightly positive db) level indication (just barely clips). This adjustment will take some practice, but it's important to take the time up front. Start by playing the loudest part of the song and watch the meter, adjusting the volume so that the meter seldom exceeds 0db. You don't have to actually record to do this.

We'll continue this discussion in the next issue. Your questions and comments are welcome - please use the Musicians Forum.