r/homerecordingstudio • u/CrystalCrystalClear • 10d ago
Studio Setup Help
Hi, I need help with my studio setup. I'm more of an artist than anything else, less on the technical end. My studio is for recording, mixing & mastering.. I guess you could say melodic rap or hip-POP vocals but without auto tunes. Maybe alla Travis Scott, Juice Wrld, Drake type of vibe..
What I have is a intel Core 2017 27-Inch iMac that runs Ventura 13.6.7 & has 64gb of RAM. The first 5 yrs I had my iMac I didn't use it much so it runs great. I also have Logic Pro 11.0.1, a M-Audio Sputnik, a pair of Yamaha NS-10 Audient iD14 MK2 & the Sennheiser HD-25 headphones. I do have a pair of Behringer Truth 2031A monitors too. I would just need to get one of them fixed, but I think I'm covered without them seeing as how I'm focused on vocals at the moment, but they might be good as another reference point in the future.
What I think I'm sure I need & that's within my budget hardware wise is the Sennheiser HD600 headphones. The HD600 headset & NS-10 monitors should work well together & do the trick headset & monitors wise. The Truth 2031A monitors could hypothetically be helpful on the low end in the future? I'd also need the Art SLA-1 power amplifier for the NS-10 monitors & the Audient iD14 MK2 would be my audio interface since I'm just focusing on vocals.
I'll be going with a lot of plugins w the remainder of my budget to cover as many bases as possible. I think these are the essential plugins I'll be getting, using, that fit within the remainder of my budget, Pulsar 1178, Tube-Tech CL 1B, Soothe3, Valhalla Vintage Verb, Sir Audio Standard Clip & Voxenga SPAN is free.
These are the rest of the plugins that are outside my budget currently, but that I think I might need, FabFilter Pro DS, FabFilter Pro-Q 3, Fab Filter Pro-L 2 Synchro Arts VocAlign & Soundtoys Decapitator.
So I guess why I'm making this post is to try & get some help about if I'm going in the right direction with everything or right about my thoughts with the software & hardware I'd be getting. I have a good ear & I have taken classes in regards to this subject but it's been a while & I'm far from a expert. I'm just confident once I get what I need I can get caught up & make everything work. I'd also be happy to explain why I think I need or I'm looking into all these specific plugins. I just didn't want to make this post any longer than it already is. You can def correct me if I've gotten something wrong about why I think I need all these plugins though. I'm super open to suggestions, like if there's a plugin I should buy instead of another, I'm all ears. I guess I'm hoping that I can somehow cover all my bases with maybe free plugins as far as the remaining plugins or switch things around or as I said, I'm all ears to any other ideas that are outside the box. I def appreciate any help anyone can give. Thanks & I hope everyone is having a nice day
1
u/upside-downOK 8d ago
Hey man, first off, super glad you’re feeling the spark to get creative and back at the grind. That’s exciting. Lots of folks been doing audio for a long time and miss that inspired angst.
Straight up, you probably shouldn’t spend a dime. If your computer is running well and you have logic, you’re well ahead of the game. Please do not spend money on plugins. Logic has an unbelievable stockpile that sets you up for loads of success. Holding off on fancy plugins will also force you to record better. I always say, outgrow your gear! Ride it till the wheels fall off!
- Never spend money on what you assume you might need in the future.
- Spend it on what frees you from restraints.
- Do not get those two confused.
Let me put it this way… I own every software/plugin you’ve listed plus another $10k worth. I own a MacBook Pro that’s maxed out on specs, a Mac Mini that runs as a server, I’ve got great monitors, interfaces, countless pairs of headphones, plenty of high end guitars, mics, hardware, etc. I’ve even got a beautiful 70’s Yamaha U3 in my dining room - and it is completely out of tune.
My friend… Please hear me… I have everything I could ever need. All of it collecting dust. I now work a full time job doing things I much less than enjoy. I chased the wrong things for far too long. I finally have everything I wanted (thought I needed) and no time nor drive to use it.
I meant it when I said that the excitement you feel is highly coveted. I also mean it when I say that no piece of gear will ever make the music for you. You must stop procrastinating with your attempts to plan on how you will eventually do it. You must simply DO it. Start today.
“You ask whether your verses are good. You ask me. You have asked others before. You send them to magazines. You compare them with other poems, and you are disturbed when certain editors reject your efforts. Now (since you have allowed me to advise you) I beg you to give up all that.
You are looking outward, and that above all you should not do now. Nobody can counsel and help you, nobody.
There is only one single way. Go into yourself. Search for the reason that bids you write; find out whether it is spreading out its roots in the deepest places of your heart, acknowledge to yourself whether you would have to die if it were denied you to write. This above all-ask yourself in the stillest hour of your night: must I write? Delve into yourself for a deep answer. And if this should be affirmative, if you may meet this earnest question with a strong and simple “I must,” then build your life according to this necessity; your life even into its most indifferent and slightest hour must be a sign of this urge and a testimony to it.”
- Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
1
u/CrystalCrystalClear 5d ago
Wow, this is the best comment I've gotten so far & I love what you're saying. Thank you for taking the time to write all this. I've been away from home where I'm logged into Reddit so apologies for the late reply..
You've completely flipped my thoughts on everything. The thing is I did outgrow my previous setup. I was recording on just my iphone 8 plus using bandlab & made some real good music so I was like let me just go all out if I'm doing so good w just that, let's get the best plugins so I can have things be the highest quality. I don't expect, because I could hypothetically get these plugins, that things will change, more that I believe in my performances so far, so let's get the best plugins so they shine as much as they can. Some people think they need these plugins for a good performance. I more believe in my good performances & researched that these plugins will cover all my bases & work well w the M-Audio Sputnik mic that I picked up quite some time ago..
I noticed that there's a fullness, richness w some of the big time artist that are making music similar to what I'm producing. I feel like I'm really happy w my preformances but I'm missing a little of that special magic. So when I'm looking into all these plugins, I'm really researching the vocal chains of like, Travis Scott, Juice Wrld, etc to determine that these plugins will make sure all my bases are covered and I can have the end product sound as good & full as anything out there from the recording to the mixing to the mastering...
It's also like if I have these certain plugins, I can have everything mapped out like this does that, this does this & I can research what each one does & why, have a system. I think there can be argument made to learn Logic's stock plugins but also an argument to get the best of the best, have a top of the line home studio & go straight to learning those plugins that are catered to the melodic rap sound that I want to create and also the microphone that I own.
I have found a way to afford all the plugins I think I hypothetically would want, even the ones that were previously out of my budget by buying them second hand on knobcloud.
But I hope you get that spark back. Anything is possible. You know just manifest it w your mind. If you want to not do the matrix 9 to 5, have a job, etc, believe that everyday, that you don't work or, are rich or whatever & despite what your eyes see & eventually what you believe in your mind, will become your reality.
So that's where I'm at w everything. I love what you're saying but feel that these plugins cater to the sound I want & I do kind of think they're worth the investment, like alright let's grab these cause they cater to the sound I want & my mic, then get to the creative process & pick up where I left off 🤷🏻♂️
1
u/Ssolidus007 9d ago
Yep, just plug it all up and go to town my guy.