Studio recording using cubase - training

Hi

My 13 year old daughter wants to start recording her singing performances professionally and so I have started to invest in a home recording studio. Bought a decent condenser mike and a Yamaha audio interface which comes with a cut down version of Cubase. Plan to record her singing to backing tracks and maybe keboard.

Trouble is I am finding that Cubase and the whole sound recording business is a steep learning curve. Does anyone know where one can get training or help with setting up home recording? Cubase training seems very expensive as does the product upgrade and the whole sound engineering lark seems pretty tricky when all I want to do is add some reverb and and similar effects to the singing with perhaps multitracking for the backing vocals.

I bet there is a 4N guru out there that knows all the short cuts. any hints and tips gratefully received...

Are there really no 4N sound recording gurus out there? or is just very quite on this forum.. seems that way - everyone away on hols perhaps.

I am still stuggling through the manuals and online youtube vids but there must be an easier way to crack the basics - we dont want to produce a band recording just mic and backing tracks.

Cubase came as the packaged software with the Yamaha audio interface - sneaky idea that - Yamaha now own Cubase.

We use sound engineers quite a bit - takes them an age to get the best deals for their business!!!

I've heard that CUBASE is quite a steep learning curve - I expect it will dpend upon your knowledge / background of music and live recording.

On a video job next week we need to pick up 'audio' from the MD of Toshiba talking to a small group - have no details as yet of the environment, the timings, the layout or the levels of ambient sound! or a brief for the final edit.  The video should be straight forward (unless it be a very dark room!) the audio side will be the challenge!

Do you havea local recoring studio who might be able to give you some pointers?  Best way to pick some of this stuff up is to work with some 'pros' and then work from there.

Thanks for that Gavin, yes I am probably looking for a hands on half day somewhere with a professional studio and cubase - I have found some courses but they are very very expensive - seems a good thing to get into then?

Cheers

Hi Richard, been using Cubase products for nearly 10 years!

Give me a call. I'll help if I can.
07931 191165.

Paul 

Thanks Paul I will call you after the weekend if thats ok.

This is what I am trying to achieve or something like it.

After much research it would seem to me that the way these videos are done is to record the music tracks seperately into something like cubase. Discard the audio from the video camera and then sync the new recorded and cubase treated track to the video.

This I am having troubles with - Also I suspect the only real way to shoot these vids is to mime to the track. A recording into Cubase using proper equipment requires headphones and no audible backing track to be picked up by the vocal mic so any video where the singer is not wearing headphones must surely be mimed?

Its the quality of the audio that is the key. full stereo and with all the recording effects post Cubase.

Am I on the right track (no pun intended)

Richard

no problem, look forward to it.

Paul

Thanks for the call today Paul. You clearly know your stuff . Maybe bump into to you in Bristol some day .

Thanks again

Richard

Expanding the subject a little but may throw up some useful pointers.

My 'other half' teaches piano, some of her younger students are now getting pretty good and creating their own 'music'.
I would like to record some of these and wondered if anyone (PAUL!!!) might have some tips on best method for doing this - best suited mics and positioning.

Did have a butchers at an article somewhere and it seemed quite complex and subjective! (mind you that was for a high end live performance broadcast!

My end use will be for putting 'video' visuals to the music within Premiere.

Open to discussion......

A quick google throws up this and as you say may be a lttle OTT

have you thought of playing on a midi keyboard into cubase and then adding the piano sound you fancy from withing the midi instruments?

Seems simplest way but you might need an expression pedal as well to get the proper effect.

As I am finding the home recording studio is not an easy thing to sort on a small budget. If you dont have cubase there are free programs about - try Audacity - seems to be the best of the bunch.

Cheers Richard some of the info rings a bell - certainly the 2  mics and placement distances.
Will do a bit of trialling and experimentation.
It is a very subjective and technically demanding discipline.  I have worked with sound engineers who have 'sounded' very technical adjusting the levels of various frequencies while drilling out feedback, rings and squeals - only to end up with what I 'deemed' an average sound.

Work with audacity and sound booth for my purposes so will delve into them as well!
 

Hi Richard ( good to speak with you) & Gavin.

In answer to your points above:

My 'other half' teaches piano, some of her younger students are now getting pretty good and creating their own 'music'.
I would like to record some of these and wondered if anyone (PAUL!!!) might have some tips on best method for doing this - best suited mics and positioning.
How long is a piece of string? There are so many mics on the market, from budget to top end, with many designed for a specific purpose and others which are good all rounders. Mics for broadcasting, announcing, voiceover work, instrument pick up, omnidirectional, cardioid, hyper-cardioid....I could go on! Best advice is as with most things, first decide your budget , narrow it down and then look for reviews etc online.  As regards positioning, that's trial and error to a degree. As discussed with Richard, the most important thing to getting a good recording is clarity of sound, as natural as poss, with as little background noise ( inc feedback & reverb) as possible.(unless of course you're after that 'live' feel), then you can post process with effects etc. That's why recording studios cost a bit- they're got all the pro gear to make everything sound great- (and an engineer of course)!    HoiwH 

have you thought of playing on a midi keyboard into cubase and then adding the piano sound you fancy from withing the midi instruments?Seems simplest way but you might need an expression pedal as well to get the proper effect      
 As long as it's a decent midi keyboard, with aftertouch, sustain etc. Many cheaper ones won't have this. It may sound computerised and 'blocky' without these human effect elements. And inbuilt midi sounds can often be pretty poor. But at least the sound quality will be great as it's recorded directly into the computer. You can get some amazing software that  rep[lcatesreplicates live orchestras but it ain't cheap! ... http://www.dv247.com/computer-music-software/east-west-quantum-leap-symphonic-orchestra-platinum-complete--52249 -  Only for the serious hobbyist or professional. (It's great!) . Although, a couple of really good mics can easily cost this in any case.

Audacity is good, but as with anything that's free it has its limitations.

Another thing to consider, if you really want get a top qualtiy recording made, then you might well want to look a hiring a local studio for a morning (once the kids have practised thoroughly of course!). Many will do a deal for a few hours at 'off peak' times, with engineeer included. It may not be as pricey as you think. At least you'll have a cracking recording with little stress. Alternatively, if you want to take the diy approach further, here's some great online resources that you can get your teeth into!

http://homerecording.com/bbs/forum.php
http://www.soundonsound.com/articles/SoundAdvice.php 

and especially for Richard...
http://www.steinberg.net/forum/ 

Enjoy!!

Paul
 

Are you on a mac? Then I would definitely recommend Garage Band and later upgrade to Logic Pro.

Software (also Cubase, or the smaller Cubase Artist) is so intuitive nowadays - on YouTube are tutorials on almost every aspect of music and music recording. I guess kids can learn most of it themselves now. That's how I started almost 20 years ago....

Otherwise, give me a call. I know a lot about this.