i figured it would be best to start humbly, but with decent enough gear so i wouldn't get frustrated. i wanted to start simply by creating songs alone or with a few collaborators, track by track. so i decided on a mixerless, computer-based approach with a small audio interface, a sequencer/DAW and a midi controller.
for most of my life i've been a PC user but i've been using a Mac at work the past 3 years and i've decided it's the better platform for me (i'm a software engineer working in unix-based environments). and since i needed a new computer for home i decided on a 17" Macbook Pro. i love the flexibility of having a laptop at home so i can work from the couch or wherever, and the 17" has enough screen space for the editing. that was the big expense that i justified because it will be my main computer, not just for audio production. I got a good deal on the mac by buying through a friend's discount. one bummer is the unit they delivered has a slight bend in the lid and i'm thinking of trying to exchange it for a new one.
the audio interface i chose is the Presonus Firebox. it's firewire, not usb, but that wasn't really a driving decision. with usb 2 i can't really see a big advantage of one or the other. this unit got good reviews and has all the i/o i need. i would have gone with the MOTU if i could justify the expense at this stage. for some reason i was only considering AI's that supported MIDI in/out. that's because i thought this was where i was going to plug in my MIDI controller! i'm new to this. turns out that MIDI I/O on the audio interface is really mostly useful if you're passing MIDI CC to/from other MIDI instruments. i won't even use it right away, just plug my Axiom right into the computer via USB. Logic sees it and i'm good to go. those MIDI ports might come in handy in the future if i go more advanced..
for a MIDI controller i went with the M-AUDIO Axiom 25. i wanted to have a small workstation to deal with and i'm not a piano player so i wasn't too concerned with the small keyboard. mostly i want to use it as a controller and doing simple keyboard stuff.
i'm hoping to record some live audio, basically single snippets of found sounds and shakers, xylophones, etc... i wanted a cheap, all-around mic. most people point towards the Shure SM57 but i have access to those and wanted to try something comparable. i went with the Audix I5. we'll see how that turns out.
for now i'm going to use my home stereo for monitors, it's got decent speakers. i've also got my two 1200 turntables and mixer for sampling the record collection.
Ableton Live 6 LE (a crippled m-audio version) came bundled with the Axiom and i played around with it a bit and liked it. but the reviews for Logic 8 were so impressive i purchased a version of Logic Express 8. it's not as intuitive so i bought a book that should arrive tomorrow. then i'll decide which to go with. i think Live might be friendlier for live performing, but i'm hoping that Logic kicks ass.
There's a steep learning curve to the whole process, not just the software, but the whole thing. i'm thinking of taking a class at a local college. if anyone knows of any local resources in Portland, OR, please drop me a note!
capturing my adventure in home studio creation with the goal of amassing and sharing ideas.
Current Gear
- Macbook Pro 17" with fast hard drive
- Presonus Firebox
- M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI Controller
- Audix I5 mic
- Logic Express 8
- Ableton Live 7
- Reason 4
- M-Audio Torq Conectiv
- M-Audio Trigger Finger
1 comment:
I think that Logic is very tight man. I don't use it myself, I use MOTU's Digital Performer. It's a bit more "off the beaten track" but very powerful, does all/most of what ProTools and Logic can do so comparable in terms of features and capabilities. Logic has slowly taken over the market and now seems more popular than ProTools (THE standard for years if you were "serious" about your music). Logic comes with good plug-ins in terms of Equalizers and Filters and other effects (there are some great ones out there to be bought).
I think that once you get used to the basics of the DAW (the shortcuts, how to loop and edit and stuff) then it's about practicing and experimenting. I wish they had YouTube when I was learning Digital Performer. After playing with it for a couple of years I finally read the manual from cover to cover (I like to do things like that, it's my geeky side coming out). Reading it in detail after having messed around with the program for a year or so gave me so many ideas on how to be more efficient and more creative with the program, making my music better.
Good luck dude... let's keep up the chatter, I'm subscribing to this blog to stay up to date on what you're doing.
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