Beginner Needs Help!

[insomniac2295]

Okay, so I am a beginner at recording. I am 15 years old, but i have spent the last year reading up, learning
all about the process of recording and have decided that i want it to be my career(I have thought about this
since I ran my first recording session w/ my friends). I have limited experience with hands on stuff but I have
been told that I really have a nack for it.

So basically, what i need help with is deciding what i should buy to build my home studio.

What I have right now:

Presonous Firepod.
A book on recording.

So I don't have much, but what ever. My main questions don't lie in what
microphones i should use, but rather what pre-amps and compressors i should
purchase. Also, what all I should use pre-amps and compressors on. Please
help me with this! Right now I am looking at buying Presonous dual Tube
pre's and that is only because i have used them before and I am familiar with
them. For compressors i am looking at the DBX 166XL dual channel
compressors. Do I need enough pre-amps and compressors for each channel
on my Firepod?:confused: So pretty much, I am looking to get pre-amps and compressors
that sound amazing, without breaking the bank.

[Roadpebble]

Technically the Firepod already has microphone preamps. Of course there are plenty of people on this forum that will say that the preamps are crap. They're not the best, but they are decent enough for a beginner. Later on you may want to look at a higher end preamp. I am not sure if the line in/instrument in portions of the combo jacks on the front panel of the Firepod run through the preamps as well. If this is the case then you actually might not want to use an external preamp with the Firepod because you would still be running the signal through the preamps that just aren't doing it for you. For that combination a MOTU 828mkII might be a better choice.
As far as your desire for a compressor goes, you don't need one yet. In fact since you're doing computer based recording you really don't need an external compressor at all. It is really a much better idea to record every channel dry (no FX, no compression) and then use VST effects or your DAW's builtin FX on each channel.
Speaking of which, you didn't mention what DAW you are using. I assume it is Cubase LE seeing as this is what comes with the Firepod. I am currently using Cubase VST32 and it comes with a good selection of VST effects and dynamics tools for each channel. If Cubase LE comes with any of these simple tools then you're all set. Just get yourself some good microphones (this is really where you need to focus on quality and not scrimp). Get some SM57's, it seems no studio can go without a few of those, and get some good condenser micropohnes. There are plenty of threads on this forum discussing the various pros and cons of different microphones.

[Roadpebble]

By the by, it's not necessarily the equipment that sounds amazing. It's the engineer that makes the equipment sound amazing. That's not something you can buy, it takes work and practice.

[insomniac2295]

okay, so what you are saying is that i might not want to use external preamps because i would still be running the signal through the crappy preamps that are on the firepod?

[jpleong]

My best recommendation is to go out and get experience. I don't know what the music scene is like out in Duluth, but I'm sure if you can find a recording studio or production company the experience will be worth more than a few hundred dollars spent on gear. And hey, it's summer. Maybe you can pass it off as a summer job?

As far as Roadpebble's comments, I give my thumbs up. You have an interface, software, a book (which one? some are better than others), and excitement. Learn the limitations of your gear, like what it can and cannot do. DON'T get trapped in the "I must always buy more stuff and I will be better" mode.

For me, this is what constitutes the minimum to do good recording and producing gigs:

Computer (A good laptop, if at all possible)
External Hard Drive (7200 RPM USB or IEEE1394)
Interface
DAW Software
two general purpose dynamic microphones (SM57, Audix i5, etc...)
two general purpose condenser microphones (SP C4s, RODE NT-5s, etc...)
Good pair of studio monitors (and amp, if passive speakers)
Good pair of headphones (Sony MDR-7505, AKG K140, etc...)

One other thing I've picked up recently and really wish was around years ago was Computer Music Magazine. Not only do they have good get-ya-started articles, they also include a lot of really good free stuff on DVDs and CDs. In fact, the last three issues from them (including their Free Software special issue) have enough software to get you started and not need to fret about needing more software for a long, long time. If you're using a VST-capable DAW, there's a whole slew of free stuff that's amazing for the beginner.

If you can check off the above list and focus on working on your skills rather than your gear, you can go very, very far. You can even leave out a few things, for now, and still get incredibly good results. Experience and skill trumps gear, always.

JP

[jpleong]

okay, so what you are saying is that i might not want to use external preamps because i would still be running the signal through the crappy preamps that are on the firepod?

In the FAR future, if you do decide to upgrade, the concern would be around the converters. But if you get a preamp with its own good converters, you can bypass that problem via s/pdif.

I just realized you said the Firepod. I thought you meant the Firebox. With as many inputs as you have, you should be set without having to worry about other external hardware for a while. Worry about filling those inputs with mics!

And cables! I forgot about that. Always plan to add cables, as they're easily forgotten until you don't have anything to hook up anything else with.

JP

[Roadpebble]

Here's a link to one of presonus' forums: http://www.presonus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1389.
There's a couple of recordings there that were done with the Firepod. That should give you an idea of what the Firepod is capable of.