# Home Recording Set-Ups



## Guyfrets

I've recently become active in (addicted to may be a better term) the world of home recording. So I converted a small 15' by 8' basement room into a recording space I call The Acoustic Cave (I'm almost exclusively an acoustic guitar player). The learning curve has been and continues to be steep yet incredibly enjoyable and, dare I say it, transcendent. My signal chain is really basic at this point in time and I'd like to keep things relatively simple. It consists of mikes (matched pair of SDC AKG 451 Es, matched pair of SDC Gefell M300s, SDC Sennheiser MKH 800 P48 ( it thinks it's an LDC) and an LDC Miktek CV 4 > Apogee Quartet interface > 15" 2015 MacBook Pro > Logic Pro 10.1. I'd like to add an A Designs MP2a (tube preamp) and a pair of AT 4050 LDCs in the not too distant future. In the meantime, here are some photos of my space showing the wall baffles, bass traps and clouds I had installed.


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## Guyfrets

Not sure why the photos didn't show up so I'll try posting a link.
http://s1362.photobucket.com/user/GuyFrets/media/Acoustic Cave/2015-03-16 14.09.11_zpsivyxxgne.jpg.html?o=1.
Would love to see and hear what home recording set-ups others on this forum are using.


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## greco

You get by with a little help from your friends....


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## greco

error


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## Guyfrets

Thanks, Greco. Mind my asking what you did to get the photos to show up? I clicked on the Image url option in the photo bucket share menu but it didn't work!!??


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## Guest

click on IMG link (copied), then paste it directly here.
hope you don't mind, I used another of your pics for example.


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## Guyfrets

Hey laristotle, I don't mind at all. Thanks for the advise. Did you paste the photobucket IMG url in the image icon pop-up window from the editor or paste it directly into the post? Okay, got it!!!


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## amagras

You've done a great job with the room and the Apogee has outstanding sound quality, many tracks recorded with those interfaces has made their way into commercial records. 
What monitors and headphones you are using?

Here's a 3 yrs old picture of DAW and part of my rig from when I was working with Pro Tools M-Powered and a M-Audio Fast Track USB and a bunch of dynamic microphones (Astatic, AKG, Shure). Monitors are Alesis M1 Active (not the USB version), Sennheiser eh350 headphones, Keystation 61 es midi controller... It has been upgraded since then with a Scarlett 6i6, a vintage SM57 and the latest version of Pro Tools. Next addition will be a pair of AT2035 to record acoustics using m/s and probably a Focusrite ISA One preamp.


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## Ti-Ron

Wow @Guyfrets that is one nice recording space you have there!!!

Can you list your studio monitors and headphone too, please? 

My setup is pretty simple for the moment, since I don't have a dedicated room/computer for recording.

Shure - SM57 and Audio-Technica - AT2020 -> Focusrite - Scarlett 6i6 -> Audio-Technica - ATH-M50X


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## Guyfrets

Hello amagras and Ti-Ron,
Thanks for the positive comments. I have to say, amagras, your rig is really high-tech compared to mine. As you probably noticed, just posting photos is a challenge for me (lol).
My monitors are Adam 7 near-field speakers. They're more than enough for my little room. I started out with Sennheiser HD 280 headphones but recently upgraded to Shure SRH 840. They're at once rich and transparent as well as really well balanced; very similar to my Adam 7s.


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## shoretyus

Sad lack of room treatments...but I live alone


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## shoretyus

The other side ...


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## amagras

laristotle said:


> click on IMG link (copied), then paste it directly here.
> hope you don't mind, I used another of your pics for example.


This is obviously a multi mic setup, I wonder what technique the OP is using.



shoretyus said:


> Sad lack of room treatments...but I live alone


Cool! Looks like you work a lot there. 


shoretyus said:


> The other side ...


What's that a B3? And a 122?


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## shoretyus

It's an A100 with two 32h's ..I have a 147 hooked up as well..little over the top ... but when it rains ( I actually built the closest Tallboy )


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## Adcandour

I'd snap a photo of my space, but I haven't recorded anything, so I'm a poser.

Thanks for the tab, btw.... ode to joy?


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## amagras

shoretyus said:


> It's an A100 with two 32h's ..I have a 147 hooked up as well..little over the top ... but when it rains ( I actually built the closest Tallboy )


!!!!! Love it. (I'll hide with my T-200)


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## shoretyus

Grab an m3 ....


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## amagras

shoretyus said:


> Grab an m3 ....


I have that in mind but only after I'm done modding this one. 

How do you record yours? What interface etc?


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## Guyfrets

amagras said:


> This is obviously a multi mic setup, I wonder what technique the OP is using.


Yes, I was doing an experiment comparing M/S to spaced pair. The 3 blue (active) tracks are the M/S and the 2 black (muted) tracks are the spaced pair. I configured the M/S manually (duplicated the side track and panned the two side channels hard left and right with the phase flipped on the duplicated track). The M/S could have been decoded with Logics Direction Mixer plugin but I wanted to go through the steps to really understand the process.
I hope this makes sense


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## amagras

Guyfrets said:


> Yes, I was doing an experiment comparing M/S to spaced pair. The 3 blue (active) tracks are the M/S and the 2 black (muted) tracks are the spaced pair. I configured the M/S manually (duplicated the side track and panned the two side channels hard left and right with the phase flipped on the duplicated track). The M/S could have been decoded with Logics Direction Mixer plugin but I wanted to go through the steps to really understand the process.
> I hope this makes sense


Absolutely. Logic has many cool tricks but to me is essential to know the standard procedures for anything to be able to apply them on other DAWs. 

Any audio clips? Demo? Full albums?


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## Guyfrets

amagras said:


> Absolutely. Logic has many cool tricks but to me is essential to know the standard procedures for anything to be able to apply them on other DAWs.
> 
> Any audio clips? Demo? Full albums?


Nothing to share from the Acoustic Cave at this moment but I'm close on a couple of projects and will post them here as soon as they're presentable. Thanks for asking. I'll try to post something from one of my old CDs over the next few days.


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## shoretyus

I have Tascam 1641 which is 16 channel ....8 mics plus 1/4's, midi etc. You can also use it for a quick pa.... or run everything into the pc then to the pa. Versatile. I then just mic the leslie. The organ itself has a killer amp/reverb sound as well. Which is not usually the case.


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## Kenmac

Here's a photo from the "Playroom".


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## amagras

Kenmac said:


> Here's a photo from the "Playroom".


What's the name of the toys? I can see a box that says Korg Kontrol and a pair of KRK... also is that Reaper?


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## mugtastic

my basement setup


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## Kenmac

amagras said:


> What's the name of the toys? I can see a box that says Korg Kontrol and a pair of KRK... also is that Reaper?


Yep it's Reaper and the Korg is a Korg PadKontrol. I use it for drum parts. Here's a close up photo of it:



I also took a new photo earlier tonight of the desk as I sold the desktop computer I was using at the time and bought a laptop. As you can see I also have a Korg Microkey on the desk as well.


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## amagras

@Kenmac 
What's the other controller on the right and the audio interface? 
I would put that usb hub you have on top the interface somewhere else, it might create interference.


mugtastic said:


> my basement setup


fantastic!


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## 4345567

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## Ti-Ron

nkjanssen said:


> My basement setup...


Woah, that's next level!
Any recording we can hear?


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## amagras

nkjanssen said:


> My basement setup...


Beautiful. That's a good amount of outboard gear, I can see a distressor, an 11r...UA1176? Monitors remind me of Alesis, am I right?


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## Kenmac

amagras said:


> @Kenmac
> What's the other controller on the right and the audio interface?
> I would put that usb hub you have on top the interface somewhere else, it might create interference.
> fantastic!


That other "controller" is a Roland VG-99.  As for the interference there isn't any. Those KRK monitors are very well shielded. The audio interface is an Edirol UA-25.


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## amagras

Kenmac said:


> That other "controller" is a Roland VG-99.  As for the interference there isn't any. Those KRK monitors are very well shielded. The audio interface is an Edirol UA-25.


I'm not worried about interference from/to the monitors, most of them are built to be placed next to computer screens but audio interfaces are not so well shielded. There's usually a warning on the user manual stating that the device may receive interference from external sources. I'm not an specialist tho. Anyways, if it works great, it works great!


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## Dorian2

Guyfrets said:


> Hey laristotle, I don't mind at all. Thanks for the advise. Did you paste the photobucket IMG url in the image icon pop-up window from the editor or paste it directly into the post? Okay, got it!!!


Well. Thanks a hell of a lot Guyfrets. I saw the tune, and the music....proceeded downstairs to ensure the damn song you posted that every single solitary 7 year old piano or guitar student learns as a first song was indeed correct.....with my trusty Les Paul firmly in hand...

And proceeded to not only confirm that YES, it is correct. But I spent a friggen 1/2 an hour at 12 midnight here in Edmonton rippin on as many licks as I could think of off the top of my head incorporating the very notes that you posted.

Again, thanks a lot!


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## Guest

shoretyus said:


>


That receiver you have on the floor looks like the same pioneer that I have. SX 828?


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## shoretyus

From the dump!!!!


laristotle said:


> That receiver you have on the floor looks like the same pioneer that I have. SX 828?


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## Guyfrets

Dorian2 said:


> Well. Thanks a hell of a lot Guyfrets. I saw the tune, and the music....proceeded downstairs to ensure the damn song you posted that every single solitary 7 year old piano or guitar student learns as a first song was indeed correct.....with my trusty Les Paul firmly in hand...
> 
> And proceeded to not only confirm that YES, it is correct. But I spent a friggen 1/2 an hour at 12 midnight here in Edmonton rippin on as many licks as I could think of off the top of my head incorporating the very notes that you posted.
> 
> Again, thanks a lot!


Hey Dorian 2,
It's right but for the missing bar line. This is the opening two measures of the Chorale melody from Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Several decades ago I arranged this piece for 4 part guitar ensemble and included it in my Classroom Guitar Instruction method called Guitar Bands (Gordon V. Thompson Music,1988). Mostly what this tells you is that I'm old........very, very old (lol).
BTW-You're very welcome!


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## Guyfrets

nkjanssen said:


> My basement setup...


This is a serious recording set-up!!!







[/QUOTE]


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## 4345567

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## Guyfrets

Hey NK, you certainly have some fine gear. Thanks for posting your set-up and including the sound clips. Most enjoyable.


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## Toogy

Here is my little setup, it's a 13x10 unfinished room in my basement, hardly any sound treatment yet, but it works for jamming and recording demos. Actually recorded my bands 4 song demo EP here, and I think it sounds alright:
https://jetfightermusic.bandcamp.com/releases


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## amagras

Toogy said:


> Here is my little setup, it's a 13x10 unfinished room in my basement, hardly any sound treatment yet, but it works for jamming and recording demos. Actually recorded my bands 4 song demo EP here, and I think it sounds alright:
> https://jetfightermusic.bandcamp.com/releases


Well done! I'm on my phone now but it still sounds very good.


nkjanssen said:


> I used to co-own a commercial recording facility. When we wound it down, we split the gear. I've actually already sold more than what I have left. Sadly, it's all underused these days.
> 
> API 3124+ (x2)
> Mohog 1176


I would make these 2 part of my permanent guitar signal chain. It's true most of those have been replaced lately with software but hardware still sounds magic to my ears


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## bagpipe

My corner of a spare room which we laughingly call "The Studio". Note my new Yorkville YSM5 monitors which I recently got and are awesome.


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## amagras

bagpipe said:


> My corner of a spare room which we laughingly call "The Studio". Note my new Yorkville YSM5 monitors which I recently got and are awesome.


It looks like a studio to me too. There's so much you can do with what you have. Is that a Focusrite Clarett?


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## Chito

Pardon the mess. I'm in the process of rearranging and reorganizing the studio. I primarily use this for recording band rehearsals.


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## Scotty

Guyfrets said:


> I've recently become active in (addicted to may be a better term) the world of home recording. So I converted a small 15' by 8' basement room into a recording space I call The Acoustic Cave (I'm almost exclusively an acoustic guitar player). The learning curve has been and continues to be steep yet incredibly enjoyable and, dare I say it, transcendent. My signal chain is really basic at this point in time and I'd like to keep things relatively simple. It consists of mikes (matched pair of SDC AKG 451 Es, matched pair of SDC Gefell M300s, SDC Sennheiser MKH 800 P48 ( it thinks it's an LDC) and an LDC Miktek CV 4 > Apogee Quartet interface > 15" 2015 MacBook Pro > Logic Pro 10.1. I'd like to add an A Designs MP2a (tube preamp) and a pair of AT 4050 LDCs in the not too distant future. In the meantime, here are some photos of my space showing the wall baffles, bass traps and clouds I had installed.



I'd like to know more about your wall baffles. Bought, or homebuilt? I like how clean looking they are


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## amagras

Chito said:


>


Thanks for the close up Chito!


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## Chito

Since TiRon asked in another thread. Here is how mine is setup:

The audio interface is a Tascam US1641, Mic Preamps are FMR Audio Really Nice Preamp and a Presonus Blue DP, Outboard Compressor: FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor. Presently it is setup to record 9 tracks, 2 OH MXL 603S mics, a Shure SM57 for the snare and an AKG D112 for the bass drum, 2 vocal mics, I've been using an SM7b, Electro Voice RE320, Audio Technica AT4040 for the main vocals, a Sennheiser E906 for the guitar amp and 2 Direct inputs for the keys and bass. And Reaper for the DAW. Monitors are KRK Rokit RP5 Studio Monitors.


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## shoretyus

Awesome units ....


Chito said:


> Since TiRon asked in another thread. Here is how mine is setup:
> 
> The audio interface is a Tascam US1641,


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## Guyfrets

H


Scotty said:


> I'd like to know more about your wall baffles. Bought, or homebuilt? I like how clean looking they are


Hello Scotty,
Bought. I'm paranoid about breaking finger-nails!!! My wall baffles, clouds and bass traps were built by Michael Cavano of Inity Acoustics in Toronto. His website is not yet operational but you can find him on FaceBook and I've included a link to his products. He's a great guy and very easy to work with. Mike gets an A+ from me. 
http://www.kijiji.ca/b-buy-sell/ontario/inity-acoustic-panels/k0c10l9004


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## Scotty

Thanks for the info. Nothing wrong with letting someone else make them. I'm starting to learn that outsourcing is sometimes better than doing or attempting to do on my own. Less work, more play time


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