HOME RECORDING
Multi-track digital hard-disk recorders are now available for as little as $1200.
These machines make it more tempting than ever for musicians to record their own albums.
Home recording is a great way to try out ideas, work out arrangements, and make rough demos.
It is indeed possible to make a well produced, professional sounding album at home
using some of these machines. It's been done!
But, you have to take sincere pleasure and satisfaction in things like
watching meters,
positioning microphones, tweaking knobs, staring at computer screens, connecting wires,
flipping switches, reading manuals, testing gear, tracking down problems, getting stuff
repaired, and learning
to use all kinds of devices.
If you want to record at home only because you think you're going
to save money or avoid the
pressure of recording in a studio, then you're
in for a frustrating waste of time, money and energy.
Before you start down the slippery slope, consider the following:
1. In addition to a recorder, you'll eventually need good microphones, a reverb, a compressor, a decent pair of speakers and a power amp to drive them. And don't underestimate the cost of cables to connect all of these things; even for a simple multi-track setup cables can wind up costing hundreds of dollars.
2. Despite what the ads say, learning to use recording gear takes a lot of time. It will probably be weeks or months before you're comfortable with new equipment.
3. Having to worry about both sides of the microphones will definitely interfere with your ability to concentrate on your performance.
4. The knowledge that you can spend as much time recording and editing as you want without paying for it may seem to be a plus with no downside, but in fact it can sap the discipline you need to deliver a really good performance.
5. Soon "gear lust" will set in. You'll want a better microphone, better reverb, better speakers, etc. Each new thing you buy will expose the faults in some other piece of gear, so that gear lust will become self-perpetuating.
6. After a year or so, stuff will start to break or wear, and maintenance costs will set in.
Bottom line:
A good engineer will make your album better, faster and cheaper than you ever could yourself.
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