I've been hanging around for three years and I haven't contributed to this thread? What kind or forum member am I?

For those of y'all that don't know...my name is Ian Combs. I'm (almost) 24 and have been in studios of various stripes from about 5. My dad worked in radio production for years and I used to come and screw around in the studio...every now and then I helped him put stuff together...I'm probably one of the few of my generation that edited tape when it was ACTUALLY a necessity.

Fast forward...I've been working for pops for the last 9 years doing commercial production, which is my primary gig. I'm now mixing a series for the History Channel, I've recorded my own bands and several others...I'm really learning the art of engineering. My mixing especially has come quite a long way in this last year. I'm excited to get more work...I don't know that bands that I work with know how excited I am about working and applying some of the ideas that we talk about here.

Y'all can read more about my studios and my projects in my journal. I figure a lot of you have...I think my journal has a couple thousand views...

I’m 24 and have been making a living as a musician for about 5 years. I teach, gig, and do a bit of editing/production work. I’m a guitarist by trade but am a pretty decent pianist/mandolin player (is mandolinist correct?), and a passable cellist/drummer/bassist. My biggest strengths are probably my theoretical knowledge, ear for changes, and ability to sound at least decent on almost any instrument. My biggest weakness is my difficulty hearing vocal harmonies, but I work on that every day. I'm also WAY too big a perfectionist when tracking songs.

I began writing and recording around the time I started playing guitar, which was just over 10 years ago. I started out, in my bedroom at 14, jacking a 1/8” Radio Shack computer mic into the left input of a tape deck and my guitar directly into the right.

I moved on to a Tascam 424 MKII 4-Track with an SM57 as my lone mic. No effects, no compression. I’d program MIDI instruments in Master Tracks Pro, using a Roland Sound Canvas for sounds, and record all the MIDI instruments onto one mono track. I’d then lay down my guitars and voices on the remaining three tracks. After a while I figured out SMPTE, which gave me more flexibility and allowed me to have all my MIDI instruments in stereo. I’d mixdown to a low end Sony tape deck.

I read a lot, and slowly began aquiring the gear I thought I was lacking. A Rode NT1 condenser, a Digitech S100 effects processor, and perhaps my worst purchase, a Presonus BlueMax compressor. Compression seemed vital, but complex and hard to master, so the presets on the BlueMax were what attracted me. I’d select the type of source I was recording, set the gain, and go. Listening back now to all those over-compressed recordings is pretty painful.

At some point I realized that I could probably mixdown to my computer’s SoundBlaster soundcard, and then be able to burn CDs! It worked like a charm, and having my stuff on CDs was very satisfying. But mainly, it opened my eyes to the fact that I could use my computer to record audio.

For the past 6 years I’ve been entirely digital, using just my SoundBlaster 16 and Cakewalk 8 (I know, shoot me). Considering the gear, I actually got some pretty decent recordings.

Finally, about 8 months ago, I just couldn’t stomach Cakewalk anymore, so I got Cubase SX and Reason 3.0. Using those babies in tandem proved to be life altering. With all the power I now had at my fingertips, I decided it was time to get serious, improve my entire setup, and hone my skills.

I’m currently working on my second album of original material, and am looking forward to practicing my recording/engineering chops recording a local songwriter I gig with.

quote:

Originally posted by Shona:
i once did a session with a marantz flash-recorder at sunrise in a boat on the Amazon river in the Peruvian jungle, while being surrounded by pink fresh-water dolphins.

haven't we all..
I once did a session, on a semi-moonlit evening, recording a band on a VS880 in a 1950s bungalow lathe & plaster garage with cat piss smelling harvest gold carpet hung on the walls, drinking Miller High Life out of a old 60s grease smeared around the handle fridge.

quote:

I once did a session, on a semi-moonlit evening, recording a band on a VS880 in a 1950s bungalow lathe & plaster garage with cat piss smelling harvest gold carpet hung on the walls, drinking Miller High Life out of a old 60s grease smeared around the handle fridge.

Made my day, dude. I can smell the cat piss and taste the beer.

quote:

Originally posted by 8th_note:
I can smell the cat piss and taste the beer.

Pfft, High Life ain't beer - it's the same stuff that was stinkin' up the carpet.

My name is Jeff DenHerder, 51 years young.
I got the nickname Dutchman along time ago. Probably because I'm Dutch
I was a long time lurker, still a wannabee, Seemed like a nice place so I decided to register
I began my journey into the recording world after becoming disabled with genetic heart disease, after years of being a Respiratory Therapist. I was a real type "A" personality, and specialized in trauma, trauma flight team Emergency room medicine and Adult intensive Care. My interest in trauma care began as an Army flight medic in the 70's.

I've always loved music, started playing guitars around age 12 and "sponsored" my college education (and beer drinking) playing guitar in Rock bands. I also really enjoy the Acoustic sound of Bluegrass and how much fun you can have playing Bluegrass.

I don't have much for Gear, here's the list.....
Recording stuff:

Presonus Firepod
ART Pro Channel
Alesis M1 Active MK2 Monitors
Dynaudio BM6A Monitors
Shure KSM 32 mic 2ea
Shure SM 57 mic 2ea
Sennheiser E906 mic 2ea
Sony Vaio Computer
Cubase SX3.1 Software
2 pair of AKG 240 Headphones

Instruments

1979 Walnut Gibson Les Paul
1979 Precision Bass
1980 Strat
Custom Shop Strat with Abigail Ybarra pups
2004 "52 Telecaster
Hamer Studio Custom
Hamer Monaco Elite Goldtop with P90's
4 Various Ovations from the 70's

Amps:
1980 Mesa Boogie Mark IIb
1965 AA165 Fender Bassman
1969 Superbassman

Keys:
Korg N5 keyboard

This is a great site visited by some incredibly talented people.

Hello to All

I pop in and read fairly regularly, but have never read this thread. It’s fun to see where everyone is coming from. Lots of talented people.

To join the club:

I’m 53, and work in a completely non-musical career. My dad sang, and later played guitar, all his life, and started me early. After trying accordion (hey - it was 1960!), I started with a 4 string tenor guitar around 1963. I played Peter Paul & Mary, Kingston Trio, and started singing. I had a couple year stint in a band as a singer, but left the band when they scheduled a “battle of the bands” appearance on a night I had a date to a school dance. I chose the girl.

By the late 60's I fell hard for the singer songwriter genre - James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Don McLean, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce. Bought a 2 track reel to reel recorder and tried to record a little. Played in a few bars; got run out of one when I played “Friendship Night” (beer 50 cents a pitcher) and a massive chair and bottle throwing fight broke out. I sang in dozens of weddings.

For the last 30 years I play out 1 or 2 times a year, and sing at home or around the campfire. Bought a BR-8 3 or 4 years ago and caught the attic recording bug. I can’t believe how much better recording sounds now. I love layering harmonies with myself. I shoot a CD to friends and family occasionally, but have no desire to do much more. I love the way new tech has made music making fun again for me.

Recording stuff:

Roland VS 2000; M Box w/Apple G4 notebook; RNC; VTB-1; 2 x Alesis GT51; Dynaudio Bm5a; Sound Forge


Instruments:

1969 Gibson Dove; 1975 Martin D-28; 1973 Gibson 12 string dread; 1994 Strat; 2003 MIM Tele; 2001 Les Paul Studio; Kentucky Mandolin; no-name banjo; MIM P-Bass; Yamaha P90 keys; Fender Blues Jr;

Well, I started out as a street singer in Austin when I was 18. I had a four track for a while but it was lost when my friends truck exploded. I was always intimidated by the technology and was content to stay on the other side of glass. About four years ago I decided I wanted to start recording song ideas before I went into the studio. I bought a book, Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies, and a digital recorder. I started gaining some serious confidence and found my songs were better when I wasn't playing "beat the clock" in the studio. I also started to think about audio as a career. About three years ago I was injured pretty badly and was almost completely deaf. My hearing slowly returned but never fully recovered. I started trying to record again but quickly realized I would never be able to do it professionally. When I was discharged from the service my digital recorder didn't make it home with the rest of my personal effects. In researching the cheapest way to replace it I started learning about computer based recording. In my research I also discovered forums and have learned so much just from reading different forums. I started on the computer about a year and half ago on an old 1.3ghz dell hand me down from my wife. My hearing has developed nicely although there are still gaping holes in the high frequency range in my right ear. I guess I have just adapted to translating what I'm supposed to be hearing to what I am hearing. Personally, audio has really given me an opportunity to gain some mastery over my disabilities. Theres nothing to be done about my back or head but if I can be successful in recording my own albums than I win. It has also given some purpose to my day. A reason to get up in the morning. I am finally at a place where I am confident that I can deliver a solid mix and in the next few weeks I will start working on an actual album. I also just got a new computer that is making things so much easier. I found this forum a few months ago when I followed a link from Massive Mastering over at the UA forum. I really dig it here and look forward to being here for a long time.

Lance

I am Ben Harris, and I live in Nashville, TN. I have been working in studios since 1968....a long time. I was taught the moveable Doe system by my grandfather who taught singing schools across the country. I played trumpet and french horn in high school and college. Learned to play guitar the old thumb style method, but last several years have not played a lot. I was chief engineer for GroundStar Lab in Nashville for 14 years, studio owned by Ronnie Milsap. I also did some background vocal work, and played acoustic occassionally on sessions. I am also a rep for Audio Precision test equipment. In my home studio I have a 1932 6 Baldwin grand, a vintage Silvertone guitar (no its not for sale) Pro Tools LE, a dual core 3 gHz PC with 4 gig ram, a couple Presonus Eureka Mic Pres with digital outputs, a couple of handbuilt Jenson/990 mic pres, Some Neumann vintage stuff, a Rode K2, and Avelex (87 looking thing) a Mackie 1604 VLZ, Tannoy Monitors, Genelec Monitors, dbx drive rack, Ashley 1/3 octave,M-Audio Pro 88 keyboards, Kurzweil rack. I have Waves Diamond, IR-1 reverb, Bombfactory plugs and of course digi plugs, and I think thats about it. I record tracks in the commercial studios here in town, and bring the .wavs here for post, overdubs and mixing. I also sing with a gospel group on the road about 140 dates per year. I am 57, soon to be 58, married with 2 grown kids, and one grandchild. I guess I am the old man on these boards. Oh yeah, I also build custom monitors for studio, and custom touring speaker systems. Whew!

Ken Morgan...51 going on 19...serious transitioning stage right now....all I can say is gimme da hardware....plugs are fine and great (really!) but I just prefer old fashioned ways...

We have migrated from cutting edge to console, recorder, and hardware...just muy preference...great (not perfect, but great) mics, 3-4 flavors of superlative pres, and hit record...my clients seem to love this approach, opting for their performance, not what I can manipulate it into.

Even my personal guitar rig consists of a cord, pick, ancient compressor, occasional overdrive, and reverb on a 2979 Music Man amp...tele....strat....335....

Keeping it simple....check the website for more...

Ian - I want your Quad 8 board

Dang, I didn't realize there were so many old farts on this board. I forgot to mention in my post that I'm 52.

Yay for middle age!

quote:

Originally posted by Ben Harris:
I was taught the moveable Doe system by my grandfather who taught singing schools

Thank god. I hate that fixed Doe shit. So illogical.

quote:

I have a 1932 6 Baldwin grand

Man, that sounds juicy. Do you have any recordings of it?

quote:

Dang, I didn't realize there were so many old farts on this board. I forgot to mention in my post that I'm 52

Well thank-you 8th note. I turned 32 yesterday and I've been mourning my youth. Now I feel better.

Lance

I am half way though that same book,Home recording for musicians for dummies also! I love it! and I feel the same way about recording music, it is about the only thing I get up for in the morning! It IS my FIRST love.

quote:

I'm 48 going on 28.

Hey, Kelly! I HEAR YA, BRO!!!

mud

Hmmm, OK, here goes.....
My name is Randy, and unfortunately I didn't find this forum until a week or two ago. I've spent WAY too many hours on Gearslutz and Talkbass.
Anyway, I'm just a 33 year-old happily married guy with a small studio in a converted garage and a little original project. My musical journey started when I picked up trombone at age 10. I eventually picked up most brass instruments, and now primarily do bass and keys. I've been into recording for the past ten years or so, and probably enjoy it more than playing (depends on the day).
The current setup goes like this....
Nuendo 3 on a PC, fed by a Presonus Firestudio and Digimax FS, controlled by a Mackie Control Pro and some extenders. Other equipment includes a Vintech 1272, a UA LA610, Purple MC76, Electrix Filter Factory, a dozen or so mics and a Presonus Central Station feeding some KRK V-88's, a Genelec 1094 sub, and some Avantone MixCubes. The room is treated with assorted panels from GIK Acoustics (thanks again Glenn). Also have some random synths and a couple of great Lakland basses.
Anyway, that should give you an idea. Thanks for being a great forum!

quote:

Abbey Road Studios

It is really inspiring to record at the abbey road studios.

http://www.beatleslyricsclub.com/

(Taking a deep breath) So my deal...
I am 37 (or 36...hard to remember) and started playing saxaphone in middle school, drums in 9th grade-orange vistalites, guitar in 12th-Guild acoustic and an American Strat-gifts from my father, and played out for the first time at...

FRANK'S SEAFOOD in Lincoln, Alabama...cross Porky's with a retirement home. Old Time Rock and Roll was the highlight of the evening. The owner had a mic wired into the monitor rig so he could tell us when the volume was too loud! The keyboard player would place a box of Kleenex on his rig when we played "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and everyone would sob into the mics...

one more franks image for your entertainment...the singer would sing the Elvis Trilogy...spotlight and her on the dancefloor...the whole place would stop for the event..."really dramatic"...she would step out of the way for the emotional rousing solo, and stepped infront of the mains which in return began to feedback...and such a trooper, she cupped her hands over the mic to keep this from getting worse....wooooooeeeeeeoooooooeeeeeeeeee
her face was priceless...FRANKS face was even better. He was having sex with her against her will because she needed the extra money from the gig...Prick of the world.

I have at least five more mental snapshots but I won't bore you with those...

Then cover bands...hearing loss...the guitar player would book gigs for $2000 and tell us they were for $1500. I hope his AT&T; stocks are doing well for him (prick).

Recording started at the same time: 4-track, then vestax six track, then too much money spent on three ADATs and a BRC...boat anchors now... Peavey MkIV board...then Mackie 32x8-still used for head phone mixes now.

Picked up Pedal steel-sort of- for a country band. Mandolin and banjo-sort of-. Harmonica etc. I now am a jack of all trades and play all music if a client wants me to. Building gear as I go and I would really like to thank all of you for the comfortable environment to learn share and laugh.

I teach 11th grade history, am married and have a 2 year old little girl...

Life is good.
Paul

quote:

Then cover bands...hearing loss...the guitar player would book gigs for $2000 and tell us they were for $1500.

$2K for a cover band?!? What kind of venue was THAT? Youse guys musta been reeeeeeeal good.

quote:

...then Mackie 32x8-still used for head phone mixes now.

Wow, that's sort of overkill, ain't it? You could sell that board for at least $1500, get a Behringer for $200 for such usage, no?

Just sayin.

mud

Mud...these were fraternity shows at University of Alabama, Auburn and a few in South Carolina. We were playing Widespread Panic and Phish tunes...wealthy frat pot-heads loved it and were willing to pay . Actually the fraternity gigs at large universities pay very well. Much better than bar gigs-but originals had to be placed carefully.

I thought about selling the Mackie, but running headphones for a full band tracking in three rooms uses most of it...easier just to keep it!