my recording setup
I get a lot of questions on YouTube about this, so here’s the complete current look at my home studio, such as it is. (I started this post a few months ago and I’ve had to update some major parts of this description.)
For recording my Rhodes, I prefer to go direct in stereo. To do that, I take the two unbalanced line outputs from the suitcase bottom. These outputs are connected to the balanced inputs of my Edirol UA-25 interface. I used to convert to balanced with a direct box, but I get just as good a sound with the unbalanced lines. I’m very happy with this unit–it has good-quality mic preamps (not used in this setting) and a lot of desirable features for me (but most importantly it sounds good). The Edirol box is connected to my computer by USB 2.0 connection. I have the latest drivers, which are capable of ASIO. However, I am currently using Audacity 1.2.6 to record, so I can not take advantage of the ASIO capability of the interface. What this means is that I have not minimized the latency at the interface. I need to build my own Audacity from source to correct this, or use a different program (like Reaper). I now only use Reaper for all tracking and mixing. It is absolutely superb. I paid for my non-commercial license cheerfully because this software is just a sheer joy to use.
For recording my Yamaha G3 grand, I have two matching Behringer ECM-8000 omnidirectional condenser mics. I have arranged these into an array known as a Jecklin disc, which is intended to create a stereo image. It works quite well. These condenser mics need phantom power, which the Edirol box provides. Testing shows that I get the best stereo image with the axis of my Jecklin disc pointing at middle C and the disc positioned in the crook of the piano making about a 45 degree angle with the keys.
I try to add very little processing to my acoustic piano recordings. I get a certain amount of room sound when recording the grand, and I like it. I do add a mild amount of compression to get a more robust sounding tone. Rhodes is totally dry, so I’ll occasionally sweeten things up a bit with a very small amount of reverb using the GVerb Audacity plugin being recorded with a BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer and a Lexicon MPX100 in the FX loop. I mostly use a tempo-synced delay set to a quarter note, and the Lexicon box (which has reverb, delay, pitch shifting, chorus, flange and so on) has a button you can easily tap the tempo in. I prefer to add reverb after tracking, because I like to place the various instruments into the same space, which is not easily done with my hardware verb. On the suitcase preamp I keep my tone controls zeroed, and I always engage the stereo tremolo, usually with the speed set at minimum and the depth close to minimum. Most of my Rhodes tone comes from good setup, but I will sometimes apply a very light compression (3:1 with a 3dB knee) if I want to smooth things out some afterward.
A cople months ago I got fed up with playing drum parts on a keyboard, and I bought an Alesis DM5 drum kit. I buy everything used, and I got a good enough deal on this that I could probably sell off just the brain for what I have in the thing. I love this thing, it lets me track up a grooving drum part really quickly. I trigger samples rather than use its internal sounds, just because I retain the quantizing flexibility that way.
I monitor through a pair of JBL Control 1 Monitors with the matching sub, powered by a QSC RMX 850. I really like this amp and I’m very impressed with the 6 year warranty that QSC is offering on their RMX line. bought this used like everything, and it hadn’t been registered for warranty yet, so it was as good as a new one, having been sold by an authorized dealer. I bought the JBLs almost 20 years ago, abused the crap out of them for years on stage, and they still work great. I have two sets I like them so much.
My DAW peecee is a three year old Dell box, but I have a smashing monitor: the 28″ Hanns.G HG281DPB, which is just perfect and unbelievably huge. I run comfortably at 1920×1200 and Reaper just looks great and runs beautifully. I rarely push my box past 50% CPU except while rendering, but I’ll probably upgrade this year.
I am currently using a Canon Powershot A540 still camera to shoot the video–the size makes it easier to mount overhead on a boom arm to get the first person POV people like so much. I capture the video analog with my ATI AIW X600 card, because I have issues with the AVI files that the camera creates. I usually capture to a 400×400 MPEG, but I’m thinking about using a higher-fidelity format to store stuff (disk is getting stupid cheap). I definitely aim to upgrade my camera, but I want to stay with a clean workflow more than I want more resolution. I have adequate resolution for Youtube and then some. To hell with high def.
I mix all my audio tracks (recorded capture plus whatever backing) in Reaper, and create a 16-bit .wav that I then sync to the video in Pinnacle Studio. I hate Pinnacle, but I own it, so I’m using it. I will probably move to Vegas soon for the video munging part of the workflow. Once I have audio and video synced, I add my titles and transitions, then save it and export to MPEG with very high bitrate MP3 audio. I then convert to .flv using Any Video Converter for upload to YouTube to retain the stereo audio.
Hopefully this description is helpful to you. I’m upgrading stuff all the time.
