NON DAW Recording - Tips and Tricks

Holding Post

Hey @MrBouzouki   can this section include recording of live video? I use the cameras and a DR 40  ... but then I put it in Vegas Pro and mess with it all a bit. What do you think? Does it need it's own thread?

Do you record without the use of a DAW? If so, are there certain techniques that work for you? I am learning and piecing it (use of a DAW) together very slowly, but  I also love raw unplugged music.

In the 70's I always had a cassette recorder with a single microphone. I would put that on a chair in the middle of the room and record the home grown music that was being played around the wood stove. I wish I still had any of those tapes.

In the 90's I had a Tascam 424 4 track cassette deck. That was when I got serious about recording. I learned how to bounce tracks together to overdub a number of tracks.....no equalizers or compressors or anything like that. I didn't know they existed. 4-tracking like that taught me how to work to capture a decent sound. I still have one of those cassettes but I'm afraid to play it as it will probably self destruct if I do.

I got my first DAW (Pro Tools) right around the turn of the last century.

We live in an amazing time, though. I love hearing what folks are capturing on their phones.....it always sounds so honest and true.

When I think of DAW recording I think of multitrack all going into the computer.
To record live performances …. and open mics that we host ….. I'm using a Tascam DR40 that I rigged up with a shoe mount. It sets up right up top the camera.
The camera sound is just not as good.

Positioning is important. Getting the live sound mix right is really important!
I then EQ it on the computer to fix the room. High pass to remove rumble, cut some low-mids as needed, find and remove any annoying frequencies, etc.
I line it up with the video track and it makes what I think is a better product. I sometimes blend in a little of the camera's sound as well.

I suppose this is a hybrid of non-daw recording. 

The parametric EQ plugins we have access to now-a-days are pretty amazing. I guess it's cheating?

Did you teach yourselves? I know several of you have computer backrounds but this seems to be a whole different chapter.

Hi @Kellyanneg  ... I would say most here have some combination of self-instruction, online-instruction and "learn by experience" when it comes to recording.
My formal education is in music. I did take one class in recording at the conservatory but it was more about recording a jazz quartet or classical guitarist ..... and working in an actual studio. ... but, really, we record at home or at a gig so that is a different thing.

Regarding recording at home:
I'd say getting a workflow going is where it is at. The Youtube videos can be confusing at first so it can be useful to purchase an introductory online course from Recording Revolution, Musician on a Mission or others. (doesn't need to be/ shouldn't be expensive....) I'm sure kitchen members can make recommendations.

Did you teach yourselves? I know several of you have computer backrounds but this seems to be a whole different chapter.

Definitely self taught, although as @Bill from November Sound mentioned, there are now some excellent on-line resources that I often peruse these days to see what I might be missing.

I had already written and tracked quite a few songs when, in 2007, I joined a forum that is run by and for professional audio engineers. I immediately started to shamelessly post my songs there....at that time that was pretty much unheard of. I got a healthy dose of abuse but as I persisted I started to get some amazing tips about tracking and mixing from guys who (some of them) tracked and mixed some monster hits over the last 30 years.

 

@Leonard Scaper well you're songs always sound exceptionally recorded. Yes I think a course would be very beneficial. I recently clicked on a sc follower's profile and he uses audacity. I thought "see! Why can't I do this!?"  I will just keep trying. It's fun anyway. 

I will just keep trying. It's fun anyway. 

I appreciate that @Kellyanneg ......your above statement is hugely important I think. None of this is easy and the folks who are good at it have all been doing it for many, many years. It is so important to enjoy the process enough that you will keep plugging away.

" I will just keep trying. It's fun anyway.  "
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@Kellyanneg   In my opinion it's important to get your songs recorded  as a record that you were here and you created this. Waiting until perfect before releasing, well the song may never make it out into the world. The recordings will always get better.

@Leonard Scaper yes it's what I absolutely love to do, and will, DAW or no DAW!  and @Vince yes I agree,  I post them when they're "whole", knowing the audacity part is a completely different chapter for me. Plus I get antsy to write another one.     I greatly appreciate this encouragement and advice!

This is an interesting post for me as I've recently wanted to try and capture much more of a live sound and move away from multi tracking.

I was in a band the last couple of years and we recorded and EP and a full CD at a "proper" recording studio. They did a great job but personally I think the multiple guitar layers (which was my playing) and the multiple vocals took a lot away from the songs.

With my own band I'm really looking to get a live recording feel. That means all one take and no overdubs.

It has a lot of challenges and I'm not to sure how to go about it. I will raise a thread in this forum at some point to get some ideas from everyone.

But as for no DAW - I've been recording our rehearsals and my own stuff at home with a DR-44 which I think is just a later version of the DR-40 that @Bill from November Sound uses.

It does a really good job I think. My band Driving South recorded 5 songs at a rehearsal using it. I did plug 2 mics direct into the DR-44 for the vocals with the drums and guitars recording with the built in mics.

I then did use Reaper to do some mixing - mainly to bring up the vocals in the mix.

It's not for anyone but I like the warts and all feel of the recordings we did.

@Vince makes a great point - I like the idea of recording and getting it out.

cheers

@Jurgen I love the live sound too..the "unplugged" versions of songs...great stuff!  And I think it's great to change things up. Over-produced technology smothered songs are lifeless to me. Just my taste. I love a good song with the right instrumentation and passion of the performer(s). 
@Bill from November Sound thanks again for mentioning those websites...I went to Recording Revolution and it's like a little jackpot of info and tips, explained in ways I can grasp. Anxious to learn. Thank you!!

I just read through this thread... lots of great ideas and insight. Here are my thoughts:
1) Do lots of recordings... and listen to them. Two things will happen no matter how good you get; you will wish your performance was better and you will wish the recording was better. No worries... think about how to get better and move on... lots more recording.
2) Experiment... I mean EXPERIMENT!!! with your voice, your instrument, your microphones, spaces... it’s endless, but stay focused... you are looking for results that work! The delete button is your friend. Don’t waste time re-listening to things that didn’t work. Sometimes things don’t work as expected but the experiment results in some new idea... keep those around and check back now and then. You can always delete it later if it’s not getting you anywhere. You learned something regardless.... just by making the effort.
3) Search for feedback and advice from others... musicians and non-musicians. YouTube and forums like this one are amazing resources.
4) Stay healthy and rested and give yourself permission to have some balance. Take some time to explore Art, Literature, History, anything that advances knowledge... it all helps to feed the Muse.
5) Follow your Muse... when an idea comes and you get the itch... deal with it! Make it happen and get it out of your system so that you can move on to the next thing.
6) Work HARD! put in lots of time and effort trying to get the result you want... don’t give up... don’t forget the Delete button is your friend... it will set you free!
Once you have a decent body of work behind you, take some time to listen to all of it in chronological order. It will give you insight into how you progressed and likely give you some thoughts on where to go next.
7) Rinse an repeat 😎