What a great episode. So refreshing to escape from the gear lust others try to promote or instill! Keep it simple. Play good parts. Have good tone. Thanks for the reminder of what’s truly important. 👍
As an audio engineer, I agree 100%. As long as you give us a recording that’s not clipped, we can make it sound great. Just get it into the DAW cleanly, we can take care of the rest. And even the cheapest interface’s preamps are fine. All the mojo can be easily added by us after the fact. Just don’t clip and you’ll be good
Thank you, that's good advice! I have been in analysis paralysis for years regarding which interface and mic to buy. It's reassuring to hear that any one I choose will work well enough if I just keep the recording clean (no clipping).
I was with you up until the phrase, "all the mojo can be easily added by us after the fact." (I think its religion, maybe.) of course, I'm not a "pro," I just record at home for my own entertainment. for guitars, I often have delay and/or reverb on the guitar as I record. For voice, I'll add anything like that later. my "drums" are drum pads, and I usually record those as well with some reverb already on them. but I'm not doing stuff that I'm gonna hand off to someone else later to "add mojo" to it. I try to figure out how to do that myself. over the years I've concluded that learned technique is more important than having brand-name gear. although decent gear usually makes things easier.
@@brushstroke3733 the $200 interfaces nowadays sound better than some of the $1000-2000 ones we used to have back in the day! It’s actually crazy. They’re extremely capable for sure. Just get a nice clean signal in and you’re good. Most interfaces will have some type of lighting to indicate if your signal is clipping on the way in (green good level/red clipping). Here’s the easy way to get an optimum signal. Play your guitar as hard as you’ll play at your most aggressive parts of the songs (palm muting is great because the low end energy tends to spike the meters). Play aggressively as you turn up the input knob on your interface (until it turns red), then back the knob DOWN until there’s absolutely no red no matter how hard you play (only green). Now you know no matter how hard you play when you record, you won’t clip, since you’ve already set yourself for the worst-case-scenario. and after that, you can just focus on recording your cool guitar part without worrying about clipping 👍💪
@@danthegeetarman Thank you, those are very helpful tips! Is it the same with monochromatic bars on older interfaces that only show black on a lit background? I always try to keep the bars from going all the way to the top of their range, because I know for sure if the signal tries to go beyond that, it gets clipped. But even doing this, I sometimes hear distortion on the recorded signal, especially on bass and vocals. But I feel like if I record them at reduced input volumes, I can't get them loud enough in the mix. Maybe I'm just afaid to lower the faders on guitar and drum tracks below about halfway point. 😅
@@brushstroke3733 without knowing which exact interface you have, it would be hard to pinpoint, however, you can achieve a similar thing to above in a more trial-and-error method. Record a bass take (or vocal take), playing (or singing) as hard as you can (within reason). Listen back to the take. If it’s distorted/clipped, turn the input down a hair and repeat. Ideally you’ll slowly decrease the input level until you get to a spot where it never clips/distorts. This will be the sweet spot. Unfortunately you will have to repeat this each song as different parts can cause different spikes in energy.
I truly appreciate Justin opening his home to show us the setup in his garage and back up in his studio. For someone who has been a part of the Nashville country scene and sound for so long, your humbleness and ability to share ideas and techniques is really refreshing and I've learned so much with every episode. You're really a stand up guy and very talented. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge.
I'm an old man with M.S. The only reason that I record is to be able to write music and capture my music for future listening when I can't make music at my present level. I absolutely hate spending crazy money on musical equipment at this point. Thanks for validating my choices😂😂
@@graemero5532 I use Garageband. It is free with my iPad and very intuitive. Probably not "professional" level but ok for my needs. I hope all is well with you. I know the struggle and the struggle is real. Keep making music, that is the imperative.
@@graemero5532 I have A.D.D and find DAW's way too distracting. I tried for years and never ended up with a full recording of anything, always testing sounds and experimenting. My company even used to sell PC's to music shops for DAW recording packages BUT I use a Tascam DP32. No bullcrap to get in the way and amazing quality recordings. Feels just like sitting at a proper console (albeit a small one :) ) and I've completed and am part way through more than I have ever in my life since switching. Many forum people have said the same thing, struggling with option paralyses and constant VST exploring etc. Best wishes for both of you with your health issues, from down here in New Zealand.
I'm in a similar situation where my health is becoming an issue and want to get as many originals recorded as possible. I have a very minimal setup that works for my needs.
This is a really amazing resource for the learning musician! Recording seems super intimidating and not to mention expensive for the self-taught guitar player trying to learn the ropes of actually making music, and this video makes it seem much more approachable
You said "dangerously unprofessional", but the truth is knowing how to get the most out of less is probably the height of professional. I hate to admit how much even as a spare timer I have learned that money rarely if ever yielded more than learning and application of knowledge. Very much appreciate your candor and transparency. Seriously, it is inspriring to have imaginary walls taken down. Thanks for this video JO. No need to respond.
This is such a great video, and it's great insight on things! The bit at 21:00 ish where "no one has ever said..." is so true. The professionals are focused on good parts, and it always seems to be the hobbyists who say "Oh, but your gear. You're not using the most expensive gear? Oh my god." I definitely agree about having a great sound and capturing it right at the source.
This is one of the most helpful, down to earth and sensible videos I've watched in a long time. It's refreshing to see a pro at your level taking such a no-nonsense approach. This video really inspires me and reminds me that even in my little modest bedroom ordinary-average-guy hobbyist home studio, I have everything I need (almost! haha) to make music. And making music is why we're all doing this, isn't it? Thanks Justin. I'm a new subscriber and after watching this video you can be sure I'll be here often. Cheers to you my man!
Thanks Justin! I’m preparing to acquire my first recording gear and this video informs me that if a simple rig works for a professional it will absolutely work for me. Keep up the good work, I enjoy and learn a lot from your videos.
I like that you focus on simplicity and how it sounds to your ear. You do a wonderful service to your fellow guitarists and musicians. Nice job young man. God bless you
As someone who loves to buy and use gear, you are so correct in that it can be done with a very minimal setup at a high level! So much great advice in here Justin!!
In april of this year I built a small recording studio at my home. A long-cherished wish. Simple, relatively cheap, but reliable equipment. But one of the most important choices I made, if I may say so, was to turn it into a place where I wanted to be in ALL THE TIME. I spent a good sum of money on wall paint, lots of colorful indirect lighting, a comfy couch for my friends, nice stuff on the walls, a closet with most of my gear and I’m even thinking of buying a tiny fridge and a coffee machine. And lots of fake plants. 😬😬😬 I just don’t want to be anywhere else. It makes me feel young and inspired. I used to have my gear in my living room. That didn’t work for me. Having a nice inspiring place that makes you feel good really made a huge difference. I was stuck in a rut for a long time and I couldn’t understand. This was the answer. I’m happy again. 😊
I live by myself, and my living room IS the studio. When I'm not actually recording, I'll roll up the mic cables and put the mics off in a corner. Most of the time I'm noodling on guitar, searching for the "right" tone (for what, I don't know), etc. Once I know what I want to do, I'll pull out the mics and set things up. I use small 5-10W combo amps with 8" speakers. everything else goes in direct except voice and/or acoustic guitar. works for me!
Thank you for explaining what an interface is and where it fits in. I’ve been looking at these devices for years, clueless about their purpose. My own set up started in the late seventies and was added to during the eighties. It’s all analog with the exception of a few rack mounted modules. My set up was good enough to record several up and coming bands in western Canada in the early eighties. Having lunch with a friend who photographed many of those bands back then, he shared some performance photos of a very young kid lang in a bar on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, Alberta. Although I remember doing the sound for that gig, I don’t recall if I recorded the sets she played. Even then she had substantial stage presence; I may have been so mesmerized that I forgot to press the record button.
Hey Justin I just about give up and sell my drums then I watch one of your vids On my way downstairs right now to work with the click Thanks again, bro. You’re awesome.
I have a drri that I got about ten years ago. The Jensen that came in it was ice pick city! I replaced it with a Weber and it was great after that. Great video. Thank you for it.
I used to be a analog snob. Tracking on an 8 track tape console, mixing down to an old reel-to-reel. Lots of maintenance and fussing. Now, I use a cheap digital 4 track machine that fits in my pocket. It has two onboard mics that sound fine and the unit mounts on a mic stand. I record acoustic guitar, percussion, and vocals with the onboard mics, and go direct in with electric bass and keyboard. I have a pair of small studio monitors and a decent set of headphones. It takes me about 10 seconds to go from an idea to laying down tracks, which was my goal. Of course, I'm not doing any real professional work with this gear but the quality of recording I achieve with this simple setup blows me away. At times I wish I had some form of limiter or compressor because digital clipping is terrible but mostly I get by just fine. I am always fighting the urge to add a preamp, mics or other outboard gear. I have to remind myself of what my goals are: To put as few barriers between my idea and a finished track as possible. Fiddling with cables, turning dials and trouble shooting problems takes me out of a creative state of mind too fast.
Such a great video. Very practical recording. I love it. Very similar to my setup. I’m a big fan of mono guitar recording and doubling up parts for stereo too. You’ve just confirmed my beliefs. So thanks for that. Also, if folks wanna skip the Avid sub. Luna is pretty good for UAD users. 😊
Excellent information. I love your setup and its so simple and your tone is great. There's no excuse for me not to be recording. Well other than my bad playing......
This is great! Especially for someone like me who sometimes will overthink or second guess myself. I just recently discovered your channel , I really enjoy your content , and find it inspiring! Thank you 🙏 from Maine -John M.
4:28 😂 I was hoping for this video, thank you! I would really love to hear your thoughts on this setup vs load box vs modeler/plugins. Those options seem even more ideal for recording, but clearly you aren’t getting the tones you want out of them and it would be awesome to compare the difference a real amp makes in your recordings.
Great video Justin, equipment can definitely shut down creativity - especially steep learning curves with some stuff. Looking at the water stains on your speaker boxes sent chills down my spine as a flood solved a lot of my equipment issues forcing a reset. Simpler is definitely better. Thanks for sharing
Agreed with your philosophy here! I would say if you’re going to much acoustic guitar tracking, spend your money on nice mics. Don’t be afraid of used mics, it’s really the way to go. The most important thing is to get your stuff set up and figure out your work flow. If you can create a template in your DAW, do that so everything stays the way you like it. Then leave everything set up and the same so you can get right to it when needed. ✌🏼
So true. I've played guitar 40 years, worked in commercial studios, had a home studio for 30 years. My current setup is very minimal, just a laptop and a IK tonex interface. Nothing else is really needed.
dibs on the Jim dunlop volume pedal in the tub of "gear Justin's been trying to sell for 4 years"! lol appreciate this video. I do the same for the session work that I do. I always say that artists would be surprised to see "the lab" that cooked up these tracks. Appreciate you and all these posts. hooked on it
Great video for those of us that prefer to play more than geek out over gear…not that there’s anything wrong with that! 😉 Straight to the point. The way I like it. Thanks brother.
Tim Pierce is jealous of the stack of tires next to your cab. 😊 Clearly, that is the key to your sound. It creates a low frequency sympathetic response that Tim's sound lacks. I KNEW there was something off! I have discovered the secret! Seriously though, I'll take that old Matchless cab off your hands. Hell, you won't even have to pay me to cart it off, I'll do it for free! Love you!
I finally switched to pro tools , and went to M-Audio interface- I’m really trying to get a more professional sound. Using a reissue 1991 deluxe reverb . I’m still fumbling a bit with pro tools and finding good go to plug ins that come stock with pro tools artist, getting better as I use it more and more. Thanks again for your awesome content! Rob
You’re a hero for showing this. I am a gear nut in many ways, and an audiophile in others, but I am 110% behind your philosophy here. Well said. Music first. Unless you’re into technical ecstacy, of course. 😂 er.. Another problem of mine😊. 👍👍👍👍👍
‘You don’t have to spend money to record at home!’ (Proceeds to show thousands of dollars in equipment to record at home) Me: Reaper (free), plug-ins (free), old Line 6 UX2 (all you need, used maybe $60), splurged on a Mojave 201 for recording acoustic stuff, $675). Everybody’s got a computer, so nothing there. Decent wireless headphones, $125. What’s that, $185 without the mic, which you don’t need if you’re only recording electric stuff. 5 guitars, each with a purpose. LP standard, SG w/P-90’s, Strat, D-41, and the 1961 LP Junior my dad bought when I was born, thinking I’d learn early (learned piano instead until I was 14). No, you don’t need much money to record at home.
Yeah I suppose there are levels to “affordable”. I’m using a $200 mic, cables, optional external mic pre, $999 interface, and $600 DAW. The point is, you don’t need a locker of expensive mics, an API lunchbox loaded with outboard gear or a bunch of plugins to get great sounding tracks. I’m not using freeware obviously, but my setup is also a LOT simpler and cheaper than people might think. Cheers
@@JustinOstrander Agreed. I’m sure if I were a professional, gigging musician, my setup would be different. I’ve never understood obsession with gear, chasing tone by modding perfectly good hardware, etc. I left out maybe 8 pedals, but they were purchased years ago and I rarely use more than 2-3 of them since I don’t play through an amp any longer. To each his own, I guess.
@@JustinOstrander Yeah, you should check out the Tone King VST. I know you don't like modelers, but it is pretty amazing. Kind of like a Deluxe Reverb.
Ah but you HAVE to make sure you have a good laptop with damn good specs and accept no substitutes. I have old HP that had upgraded specs and still couldn't run a trial of neural dsp or helix native worth a shit. Had to succumb to a refurbished microsoft surface laptop in order for smooth operations. But I supposed it's still cheaper than some flagship modelers. Arguably more powerful than some too🤷♂️
Justin, have you ever heard a final mix with your guitar track altered by an effect that you thought sounded really great? So, an engineer or producer added it to your clean track. Thanks, Ian. Great episode!
One of the most important pieces that you hit on briefly is, playing in tune. Amazing how many ‘levels up’ peoples recordings would be if the guitars were just in tune
Thanks for the cool tour of your set up! Simplicity at its finest! I've been going through the speaker search and recently I discovered the Eminence Swamp Thang. 150w in 8 or 16 ohms. It's still in the break in period but already sounds tremendous. Thought I'd throw that at you in case you haven't tried it.
I've had to sleep in my studio over the past year.... just had to move out a lot of stuff to make space. Gone from loads of gear I don't use, to minimalist setup. It's OK, surprising how little you need.
Really useful video as I’m trying to put together a home recording setup! I sadly don’t have a useless Matchless cab lying around to use as a stand unfortunately ;). I’ll make do. I’ve got mics and have tried using a Zoom H6 as an interface but it is sort of a nuisance to use in that capacity. So monitors and a dedicated interface are up next.
Running a pre into a pre might be why your tracks sound so full and complete! If you ever want to know what not using the UA pre sounds like run a TRS cable in not the XLR. Using the line inputs on the back bypass the Twin's pres. Regardless, if it sounds good it is good! Love what you do dude!
It's sound advice. And you can even just get a Captor 16 and skip the cab & mic and play through studio monitors, with reverb ITB too. Depends on the person's plans for it, but if mainly using to mic up guitar or bass cabs ... I'd personally probably skip the Apollo Twin X and get the just as good sounding SSL2 or Audient ID14 mk.II. Then use the money not spent on an Apollo Twin X to get a good versatile condensor mic like an Austrian Audio OC16. Or a workhorse dynamic like an SM7b or an Electro-voice RE-20 and pair with cheap but good ribbon mic like the GAP R1 or Cascade Fathead, or maybe a funky dynamic like the Warm Audio WA-19. Line Audio CM4 SDC is another cheap mic for around 130, that's great in lots of applications, including acoustic guitar. They're versatile mics you'll find other uses for. I'd probably also buy a cheap but good mono preamp like a Cranbourne Camden EC1 (with nice headphone amp too), a GAP Pre73 or a DIY CAPI pre. The GAP Pre73 is a good DI box that's useful for bass too. Apollos are great, but UAD products are expensive, pretty much $$$$!
I use a Shure 57A. Focusrite 2I2. I have Behringer Ms20 monitors. I usually use a headset. I usually use an amp in Garageband to record. I cant use an amp because of the loudness of my amps. I thought of making an iso cab but I am just a guitar enthusiast. I just like to have fun. Just monkey business here. I am a retired bus driver. that's my Bio.
Luckily not one of those gearfluencer videos stimulating GAS. I feel relieved. ;-) You actually showed me that I have more than enough gear to record with - only the garage is missing.
Love it! there's a bag of dogfood on my cab! iams, of course!! BUT, it's there for sonic purposes. it keeps the cab "calm". the sound holds together at the bottom end when pushed hard with mids and lows. but it could also be the pot. the ocd/grill cloth comment drew a laugh. i can dig it. i got sloppy tricked out setups too, but i'm damn picky about certain things. funny!
Funny that you mentioned Webber speakers. I live in the town where Webber speakers are made and used to run a recording studio in the basement of one of their buildings. I also have a couple of friends that work there now.
Or, for those of us without garage space or anywhere to blast cabs: Get a good interface and dynamic mic or something like the Zoom H5 or H6, ie. battery powered mic, interface and SD card tracker. in one device, Find a free DAW that suits your ways (or a hardware multi track device) Get The Best speakers and headphones you can find. Learn how to setup and maintain a stable PC/Mac/Linux rig. Learn how to use impulse responses (aka IRs) for reverb and cabs. Learn how to use Neural Amp Modeler or any other amp profiler (or modeller) you prefer. Learn how to listen.
I sit down with the speakers at chin level to ear level two or so feet from my face. Bloomed at just behind 7 on an old Vibrolux. Guitar volume varies for what I need. I just play for me mostly but in band context I gravitate towards my speakers still just so I can hear myself.
It`s weird that a recording of guitar and vocals into a mono track with one mic can be split into two separate sounds and mixed or edited now. I have some old tracks I`d like to remix, fix, and finish with the new technology.
The Apollo Twin is almost 1k.If you are an absolute beginner, I would go with something like a Focusrite 2i2, and an SM57. That way you are spending about $350. Then you could afford a decent set of headphones, too. Of course you'd need a mic stand and cables.
