HOME COOKIN'! Recording Tips ForThe Semi-Pro

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HOME COOKIN'! Recording Tips ForThe Semi-Pro

Allen Hester

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Imagine this: You are a musician working in a small club. Unknown to you, a record company exec who missed his plane decided to drop in for a drink while he waits for the next flight out of town. Your playing knocks him out; when he hears you sing an original tune, his palms get sweaty and his knees start to knock. You're IT. A week later you're at the Record Plant in L.A. with the finest engineers and studio miisicians in the world backing you up. Move it on over, Ace, here comes the Kid!

Too bad, it's only a dream for most people. The big shots don't haunt the little out-of-the-way bars, and studio time is so damn expensive, you have to be successful to afford it in the first place. Catch-22.

But you listen to the radio and you think, "Hell, I can do that. I'm just as sexy as he is, for crissake. If I could only get in the studio ..."

Well, the fact is, while you might not be able to get in the studio, you can bring the studio home with you, a piece or two at a time. And if you are patient and thorough, you can achieve professional quality sound in your bedroom or garage. It is not simple or easy to do, but neither is it impossible.

Others have done it. Bostpn's first album, for example, was done in Tom Scholz's basement studio, using Teac's relatively low-cost gear. Tomita's synthesizer works, Peter Brown's hit disco records, even the soundtrack from Star Wars was done with Teac, equipment that is designed with the home studio in mind, both in price and in function.

Where do you start? Assuming you already have some instruments and some good microphones, the first thing you'll want to look into is the recorder itself. If you are planning on doing simple two-track demps, say a vocal and guitar, you could get by with a stereo machine. More than likely, though, you will want at least four tracks on the recorder. With a Teac A-3340, this would be possible. Other similar units are available from Otari and Akai. You can expect to pay anywhere form $995 to $1495 for a good deck.

In choosing a tape deck, there are several things to look for. Probably the most important

thing is what Teac calls "Simul-Sync". This refers to the head configuration on the recorder, which will record an incoming signal (say, a synthesizer solo) and play back the tracks that you've already recorded at the same time. This is very important, since it puts the overdubbed syntho lead in sync with the rest of the tape.

Another thing to look for on a recorder is "motion sensing". Simply stated, this feature keeps you from breaking or spilling tape when switching transport functions, say, from Record to Rewind.

The Teac A-3440 is especially desirable because of its internalized functions. By using the Function Select switches on the front panel, you can switch tracks from the "Record" mode to the "Playback" mode without having to re-patch anything. This is a big time-saver, and a convenience you will enjoy after having to re-patch every time you want to listen to a playback.

The Teac A-3440 makes home recording a whiz and eliminates having to re-patch.

So you go and get a recorder. Now what? To achieve really good sound, even the best multi-track recorders need the help of a mixer. A mixer gives you control and flexibility in handling sound. Mixers are usually described by their number of inputs and outputs: 6x2, 8x4, 16x4, and so on. For use with a four-track recdtder, a mixer with six inputs minimum and four outputs will do the job just fine. Spend no more than $1500 for your mixer.

The mixer is the "brain" of the system, the control panel, jldeally, you want a mixer that allows you to balance the input levels of all the incoming signals, and gives you plenty of headroom so that you can get a strong signal from each channel without driving anything into distortion.

Equalization is very important for two reasons: First, when you make the initial recording, it is a good idea to strive for the most "natural" sound you can get. EQ will help you achieve this by ovetcoming the peculiar sound characteristics (called "ambience") of the room you are in. By carefully adjusting the EQ, you can get a "flat" sound for all the instruments being recorded.

Secondly, during the mixdown process (which takes place after the tracks have all been recorded), you can use the EQ to create different tones for any or all of thfe tracks. At this stage, you are free to experiment w/ith the EQ, but it is a good idea to go for that "flat" sound during the initial recording process.

If you plan to work alone, there is no need to isolate any area of your studio, since you will be

playing all the parts, one at a time. However, if this is what you do, you almost certainly will need a remote control for the transport functions of your tape recorder. This unit enables you to control the machine from across the room without running back and forth frantically.

If you want a situation where you can recoi J more than one instrument at a time, you'll have to isolate the drum area, the vocal booth, and also the control area. For this you will need a "snake", a multicore cable which connects to your mics in the studio and the mixing console in the control area. Snakes come in a variety of lengths and number of inputs. For your purposes, a 50-foot snake, 6x3, should be sufficient. Expect to pay a couple hundred dollars for it.

In the control area, you will need a pair of monitor speakers and amplifier, so that you can listen to the tracks that have been recorded. You will also want a set of speakers in the studio so that the musicians can hear previously recorded takes as well.

There are many good brands of speakers and amps. Electro-Voice Sentry V monitors are very good; JBL's new 4313 monitor is also very good. Your monitors don't have to be top-of-the-line, but a good full-range speaker is necessary if you want to hear everything that goes on the tape.

For power amps, BGW's 250C, Yamaha's P-2200, or Crown's new Distinction Series amps are all top-notch studio quality ynits. Prices run upwards of a grand for some of the best amps on the market.

Beyond all that, you will want some signalprocessing equipment. First on your shopping list should be some type of noise-reduction unit. DBX Model 158 is one such unit; it has eight channels and provides more tfran 30db noise reduction. A unit such as this is essential to clean quality sound.

For vocal and instrument enhancement (especially synthesized strings and brass lines), you will need some type of echo or reverb. Preferably both, but go with the Tapco 4400, or the Roland RV-lOOif your budget is really tight, then add the echo later. If your finances permit, a digital delay linebyMXR, DeltaLab Research, or any number of other firms is a good investment. A digital delay will produce multiple echo, reverb, phasing and flanging effects in great variety.

We assumed on the front end that you had some good mics already at hand. If you don't, look for Sennheiser, Beyer, or Electro-Voice mics to start with. Mics with a cardoid pickup pattern will probably be most useful to you. Be sure and get low-impedance mics, because they are quieter and more efficient than their high-impedance counterparts.

As you go along, you will find that noise and hum is a constant source of aggravation to you. If you start out with low-impedance mics and balanced inputs on all your gear whenever possible, you will have fewer problems.

Just as important as all the big expensive stuff is the little stuff: mic stands, patch cords, headphones and so forth. All this stuff must be cared for, too. Likewise, you must attend to the maintenance work on the recorder: clean the heads often, make sure they are aligned properly. Don't leave tape on the machine overnight; take it off and put it up. Be meticulous.

A good home recording studio can cost less than your dad's fancy ski boat, and will provide you with endless hours of enjoyment, regardless of the weather. And chances are, if you work long enough, someday you can mail that big record exec your little ol' home demo tape and blow him away.