Topic: Band Demo Recording

I host band practice at my house and we're itching to record something to market for gigs.
We're a 4 piece band: 2 guitars/vocals, bass, and drums and practice in a small room with decent acoustics. 

As far as recording equipment, I usually run vocals through a Carvin Stagemate and everyone plays through their own amps.  So far, we've recorded by using my one mic into Audacity through a Blue Icicle usb connector.  Sound wasn't great.

Here's my REAL question.  What are thoughts about buying a second Blue Icicle mic?  I was thinking of possibly trying to record bass/drums together, and putting everything else into a separate, but simultaneous recording (both in Audacity). 

Also, we're about 50/50 acoustic and electric: Feel A Whole Lot Better (Byrds), SF Bay Blues (Clapton version), The Last Time (Stones), Little Sister (Elvis).  Thanks!!!

Re: Band Demo Recording

look up the info on REAPER that Jerome likes .  you can get a free full functioning copy from their website.  But as to the multiple mic's and recording live,, Jerome is also the man.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

Re: Band Demo Recording

I think if you want to produce a quality CD for sale you need to mic all the instruments into a mixer get the sound your happy with and send it stereo to Audacity,Audacity is fine you don't need to use Reaper just get a good mix and after recording it to audacity export it as a wav file not mp3 and burn it to a cd a wav file is larger but not compressed like a mp3 file and will sound richer smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Band Demo Recording

Russell_Harding wrote:

I think if you want to produce a quality CD for sale you need to mic all the instruments into a mixer get the sound your happy with and send it stereo to Audacity,Audacity is fine you don't need to use Reaper just get a good mix and after recording it to audacity export it as a wav file not mp3 and burn it to a cd a wav file is larger but not compressed like a mp3 file and will sound richer smile

Or yea, listen to Russel! LOLOL Sorry man I forgot about all your skills at the time.  Yep that sounds like the ticket.  Seems that they dont have a mixer  from what he said.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

Re: Band Demo Recording

no problem Beamer,yes you must have a mixer I am going to suggest an approach to solving your issue: AMS (American musical supply) has payment options and your band could pitch in and purchase what I'm using a Tascam DP 24 it has 8 microphone inputs a mixer and will make a CD they sell for around $579.00 and divide that into 4 or 5 payments which comes to around $30.00 a month for each member you have a high quality sturdy recorder,mixer and CD burner all in one that will last for years. smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Band Demo Recording

Blue Icicle isn't a mic.  It's an XLR to USB converter.  Russell is entirely correct about needing a mixer and decent mics to do this.   So get two decent mics and the ability to mix.   You can mix in hardware or software.  Doesn't matter.   I won't go into detail on that.   Ask around here, you'll get tons of good advice on affordable kit.  I'll talk about the recording process here, and assume you know how to use your kit.

You should be able to record at least two tracks at the same time.  Whether that is Reaper or Audiacity or a hardware workstation is irrelevant (although you can do more with Reaper).  The DP-25 Russ recommends is awesome (and I'm getting one) but you can spend a lot less and get a quality USB interface from a variety of vendors for a lot less money and just record directly to your computer.   Look at the Tascam US-800, for example.

Anyway, here are your recording steps.

Step 0.  WRT the space, unless you have access to an acoustically treated room, do as much as you can to deaden the room you are in.   Make a single strike on the snare and listen for flutter echoes.  Do everything you can to eliminate them.   Stuff big fluffy furniture in the corners to help reduce standing waves.   If you are in your house and have a selection of rooms, pick the biggest one that isn't square.  Square is evil.  The room you record in will have a larger effect on the finished product than any other aspect of the process.   Get to know it.   Get to know how to treat it.   Get to know what different rooms do to sound.   It's the best thing you can do to improve your recordings.

Step 1.  Record a scratch track.  This is what you've already done.   A single mic recording everyone at once.  It will probably sound like crap, and that's OK.  So long as you can play along with it, that is all that matters.

Step 2.  Put the drummer on a pair of headphones, play the scratch track through the headphones, and have your drummer play along.  Record the drums as he plays.  You can do this with two mics for a good balance between quality and easy set up.  I like the "Recorderman method" as it eliminates phase problems that can happen with overhead techniques, and it is also easy to set up in a small space.     There are a ton of other one, two, three, and multiple mic techniques out there, though.  Pick one that works for you, *learn it,* and then use it.

Step 3.  Plug the bass directly into the recorder.  This is called Direct In, or just "DI" for short.   Put the bass player on the headphones and play the scratch track back for him.  Have him play along and record that.   This can be done simultaneously with the drums if you can record that many simultaneous tracks.   If the bass player has a specific sound that he likes out of his amp, don't sweat it.  We can come back and record that later using the track he just laid down.

Step 4.  Mic up your guitar amp.  Put the scratch track on the guitar player's head, and have him play along with the scratch track.   Record that.  Repeat as necessary for all guitars.

Step 5.  Record the vocals.  At this point, you shouldn't nee the scratch track as you have a full accompaniment of instruments.

Step 6, if your bass player has an amp tone he likes:  Take the bass track he recorded, and run it directly to the bass amp.     Mic up the bass amp.   Play the bass track through the amp, then record the amp.   Use that track in your mix.

Step 7.  Mix that thing down.

This kind of layered recording is time consuming, as you'll play each song at least three times, and probably more, but it gives you great sounds (no bleed, no phasing, etc...) and allows you to mix down into stereo easily.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Band Demo Recording

Thanks for the suggestions.  Any recommendations on a budget unpowered mixer?

Re: Band Demo Recording

I will research this and get back to you smile

Cork_92 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions.  Any recommendations on a budget unpowered mixer?

"Growing old is not for sissies"

9 (edited by beamer 2013-04-02 21:30:21)

Re: Band Demo Recording

Never heard of a unpowered mixer, for any quality you gotta have power. BUT  look here  Beheringer!   I have a xenox 802 but you will want more xlr inputs and onbd effects so look at this  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi … 02fx-mixer  or
  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi … th-effects
treated with respect this company makes good stuff at a great price.  look into their studio mics also.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

Re: Band Demo Recording

You'll want a powered mixer so you can provide phantom power to your mics.   I have a thing for Tascam, but others here have had great success with other brands.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/compare … |US122mk2)

Those two + some recording software and a couple of condenser mics are plenty enough to get you started, though.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Band Demo Recording

Of the Behringers, get the USB one so you can use it for an audio interface, too.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Band Demo Recording

Aren't you supposed to use a passive/non-powered mixer with any sort of powered PA (like Carvin stagemate)?

Re: Band Demo Recording

if your plugging mics into a mixer you need power if there condenser mics like Jerome suggested they require phantom power normal mics like sure sm58 do not need phantom power but you will need power to send a signal to you pa or recording source.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Band Demo Recording

un-powered mixers must have a little power in them to push the signal to (eg) powered speakers or recorder or PC, therefor just about any mixer that does not have the "mixer/amp" tag will do the job. i use an alesis multimix8 usb, which i find gives excellent quality sound, has phantom power and has many on-board FX. there are many others on the market so shop around and get the one that fits your purpose.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

15 (edited by beamer 2013-04-02 21:22:52)

Re: Band Demo Recording

If I understand or think I see the problem,,  Is that you guys are starting from scratch and like most starters, your gonna need guidance  close and personal. Coming here is a great move, and as you can see we are all doing our best to help.  Sometimes a person just has to see it done  for the lightbulb to get bright lol   Go to a shop you trust and let them know what your trying to do. tell them your on a budget, If they are a good shop. they will talk to you for a bit about your needs, and give you basic instructions to get them most of your investment.  OR option 2, Is there a University/Coll/ good highschool around you with a music program? Run an add for a sound guy wanted for light recording project.  Find out how much he would charge you to come in and show you the best way to hook everything up, and do some engineering + show you guys how to run the stuff. 
Or do the best you can from what Jerome, Russ, and Phill have given you and scoure the history on this section.  Lots can be gained from YT, but you gotta try and put the peace's  together for what you have.  Keep at it, you will feel rewarded when you get that track sounding good.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)