how to build a professional studio

[popmoney]

http://www.kushaudio.com/mediaUBKFatsodemo.html#

On your budget I'd definitely get one of these machines.

[Aloysius]

15.000 €

You won't get a lot for fifteen Euro or even fifteen-thousand.

[monopoli]

what about mixer and preamp?

i was thinking about this microphones setup

nuemann u 87
shure sm 57 x2
shure sm 58
KRK V88
AKG C-414 B TL II x 2
AKG D112
Neumann KM184

how many preamps do i need?
how many compressor/limiter?

as audio device i was thinking about MOTU 828 MKII

I think I quoted this before but this is what Steve Albini says about Shure sm57's :

Piece of shit dynamic mic some people are inexplicably crazy about, so we bought one. Sounds equivalently good on everything from snare drum to electric guitar. Unfortunately, not a very high standard of "Good." If you need to record something and there's no microphone available, this will do, I guess.

I tend to agree with that. I've got two myself and have hardly used them. They're just boring, boxy sounding dynamics. There are much better ones nowadays. They just got this reputation because they are very durable (another engineer joked that they were handy for driving nails in when there's no hammer around)

Apparantly Shure SM7 is a very good dynamic mic. And Steve Albini recommends the Beyer M201 for the purposes commonly associated with the Shure SM57 (recording snare mostly and sometimes miking amps or rocksingers with a kind of raw sound)

You will need as many preamps as you are planning to use mics that need them at the same time. So in recording drums that would be already two for the overhead-condensers.

Concerning limiting and compression; I would built the studio following the sound; soundsource->microphone->preamp->soundcard-or-whatever-they-call-the-thing-that-gets-the-sound-into-the-computer->audiosequencer

To use hardwaregear in the mixingstage you would have to get the sound out of the computer again. Personally I would start with making the best recordings possible using good hardware and once the tracks are recorded stay "in the box" using software first (and maybe expand to outboard gear at a later stage when you feel it's really needed)

[yellowfever]

Out of interest, what music style do you write and what gear have you got already?

[yellowfever]

http://www.kushaudio.com/mediaUBKFatsodemo.html#

On your budget I'd definitely get one of these machines.

2K ? Bootsie's Density Mk2 does what that can and it's free

[Aloysius]

The intelligent way to build any studio is to decide on your preferred working method first. These are the foundations. You know how much money you're willing to spend, so you can 'budget'. Being careful only to purchase items that you need. I probably sounded a bit negative when I said that 15,000 won't get you far. It sounds like a lot of money but spend 5, 6 or 7 hundred on a DAW. Get a Computer. Get headphones. Get a soundcard. Get decent monitoring. Get a few quality sample sets. Get an editor. And so on, and so forth. You can easily spend twice that amount, and still not be fully equipped. There are some good deals going at the moment, so you're in with a chance but you'll need to be very, very careful. Seeking advice on a Forum like KvR is a wise thing to do. I salute you for that!

[jak666]

what about mixer and preamp?

i was thinking about this microphones setup

nuemann u 87
shure sm 57 x2
shure sm 58
KRK V88
AKG C-414 B TL II x 2
AKG D112
Neumann KM184

how many preamps do i need?
how many compressor/limiter?

as audio device i was thinking about MOTU 828 MKII

I think I quoted this before but this is what Steve Albini says about Shure sm57's :

Piece of shit dynamic mic some people are inexplicably crazy about, so we bought one. Sounds equivalently good on everything from snare drum to electric guitar. Unfortunately, not a very high standard of "Good." If you need to record something and there's no microphone available, this will do, I guess.

I tend to agree with that. I've got two myself and have hardly used them. They're just boring, boxy sounding dynamics. There are much better ones nowadays. They just got this reputation because they are very durable (another engineer joked that they were handy for driving nails in when there's no hammer around)

Apparantly Shure SM7 is a very good dynamic mic. And Steve Albini recommends the Beyer M201 for the purposes commonly associated with the Shure SM57 (recording snare mostly and sometimes miking amps or rocksingers with a kind of raw sound)

You will need as many preamps as you are planning to use mics that need them at the same time. So in recording drums that would be already two for the overhead-condensers.

Concerning limiting and compression; I would built the studio following the sound; soundsource->microphone->preamp->soundcard-or-whatever-they-call-the-thing-that-gets-the-sound-into-the-computer->audiosequencer

To use hardwaregear in the mixingstage you would have to get the sound out of the computer again. Personally I would start with making the best recordings possible using good hardware and once the tracks are recorded stay "in the box" using software first (and maybe expand to outboard gear at a later stage when you feel it's really needed)

so... do i need some compressor on drums recording? or some limiter?

what about mixers?

[EvilDragon]

You can do effects in software form anyways.

If I had 15k euros, I'd first do the room acoustics, then get some very decent monitors+subs, then several control surfaces (4x Behringer BCF2000 doesn't sound bad at all), then a great DAW computer (i7 of course), with 3 widescreen monitors. Preamps? Well, maybe a stereo channel strip with preamps and compressor built in, but that one purely for vocals and some stereo miking if needed. A great audio interface would suffice for me, and I'm thinking MOTU 828mkII or mkIII, Tascam US1641, or Apogee stuff.

Drums... I'd use electronic drumkit and trigger some sample libraries (for example Addictive drums, Superior 2.0...) - much less hassle over drum production and much more control. Much easier editing too

Mics... I'd get quite a few of those, for different purposes. SM57, Rode NT series, 2x Oktava MK012 (those work great in stereo), AKG D112 for bass cabs, etc.

I'd also get a decent MIDI controller/synthesizer, and Kurzweil PC3x is on top of that list, coupled with something like Korg nanoPAD for quick and dirty drum input, XY pad jackoffs etc.

I guess there goes your 15k, if you were me

[yellowfever]

so... do i need some compressor on drums recording? or some limiter?

I'm sorry, but if you're asking these type of fundamental questions, I really do question your wisdom in going out and spending $22,000 on a studio set up
Would it not be more sensible to buy a few basics and add to it as you go; as you get more experienced? After all, once you've spent it, there's no getting it back. I think people who suggest get this, get that are irresponsible imo.

Just my thoughts.

[popmoney]

http://www.kushaudio.com/mediaUBKFatsodemo.html#

On your budget I'd definitely get one of these machines.

2K ? Bootsie's Density Mk2 does what that can and it's free

I disagree with that claim sir.
Pistols at dawn

[Aloysius]

Handbags at dawn!

[Mr Arkadin]

i'm thinking decent monitoring like PMC speakers would do you no harm. Once you have them you don't feel the need to upgrade. i never have in the 15 years i've had mine. Obviously the right model depends on the size of the room and with a decently sized pair you won't need a sub (unless you're doing 5.1 mixes).

Italian distributer:
Feel Communications srl
Via Andorra,
24 35127 Padova Italy

Ph: +39 49 870 1075
Fax: +39 49 870 2083

mbaratto@feel.it
http://www.feel.it

[yellowfever]

Handbags at dawn!

[thecontrolcentre]

Handbags at dawn!

[jak666]

i was thinking about this set up

MIC

Audix D6
Audix D4
Sennaiser 421
451B AKG
AKG C414 B-XLS (x2)
Nuemann u 87
Apex 460 (x2)
shure sm57 (x2)

PREAMP

FCF SB100 Stereo
API 512C x 6
BEHRINGER MINI AMP800

COMPRESSOR

DBX 266XL (x2)


MONITORING

KRK V8 II
AKG K141 (x3)