I started producing band driven artists back in 2003 with what was out at that time. I had what most project studios had...a Digi 002 running PT native, a power mac, an 8 channel ADAT connected preamp unit for extra inputs, Mackie 8 inch monitors, a large diaphragm condenser for vocals and drum mic package. I think I spent 7,000 on that first set up with some extra Waves plug-ins. I ended up engineering tracks that made it on the radio with that set-up. I think what Steve is saying here is that for a basic but effective set-up this is what he is recommending from what is available and what is the best value at its price point. I agree on the sm7b...that mic is incredibly versatile, from screaming to whisper light females. You just have to have enough preamp gain to run it. I've owned the 8 inch Yamahas with a sub and the 5 inch versions before...in my opinion they are very harsh and will punish your ears on long sessions. At their price point not much else is better, as they are somewhat true in the low end due to a closed cabinet design with no ports, but I would recommend spending a little more for something that's more listenable yet still flat. The Apollo I want to try, as I'm planning a set-up for electronic pop production that is separate from my current PT rig. If I don't love the UA daw platform they include, I can always go into PT. The Komplete 12 package is a lot of dough, but I think his point is that it's the most bang for your buck if you are doing all electronic production with a vocal, and it will be something I will look at. In reality, I do believe there are many pros who are using the set-up he describing even with some of the components switched for others around the same price point. And yes, if it's for bigger artists, they are probably not doing final mixes and masters on it, but for the rest of the world releasing indie music on youtube, it's more than a competent solution.
And you get it! My video was not fit beginners or the gear they should get. This video was simply about a small pro set up that professionals are using like on the projects I mentioned. I agree 100% on the Yamaha monitors, I’ve never been a fan and never used them. I’m a Focal guys. I certainly remember the 002 days, my first Pro Tools rig was the 001 with pcie card! There is a big misunderstanding with this video that I am recommending this stuff for beginners, I’m not, but as every producer grows and becomes more successful, we upgrade our tools, the overall point of this video is that I have spent millions of dollars over the last 25 years on my gear and multiple studios in several states, it’s amazing to me that where we are with technology, a small home studio can produce amazing results with just $3,400. People have a hard time with me saying “just”, but when you do this professionally, there are expectations from clients. They want to use high end gear, if that weren’t the case, the gear manufacturers would only make cheaper gear. $3,400 to a professional is nothing as far as costs for a complete small home setup. I have mics that cost 5 times that and they sit in a closet. It all depends on what level you are playing the game.
@@TheSteveFreeman Absolutely. A lot of studios and producers that have higher end gear are servicing a certain client level or are simply offering those pieces to demand a higher hourly rate for studio rental. To me, at least in the old days, the biggest difference was the converters a high end studio would have running PT HD both ways through a neve or ssl compared to what you could do in the box at 44.1khz...the differences today, minus having an analog desk for summing purposes, are negligible. Of course it's nice to have real hardware instead of emulations as well, but that gap has closed too. As it's been said, many times it's not the gear you have but how you use it...and as both of us know...how good the song and the performance is. It's really always about that in the end in my opinion no matter what system, gear, or process someone is working with.
@@ustulo3488 well, I think the smartest thing is to run in a hybrid mode. Some analog gear and analog synths and then processing all in the box. As far as mastering I think it's a completely different topic and the sky is the limit. But for the hybrid studio you would have to spend more than what this video recommends.
i know im asking randomly but does any of you know a way to log back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot the account password. I would love any tips you can give me.
@@angelorozul241 everything starts with a great song for sure. From there you'll want to be able to use gear and craftsmanship that will make the song stand through the ages of time.
@@TheSteveFreeman looks like the one lacking common sense is the guy who missed the wink emoji on that comment there, got baited, and chose to take an overly aggressive stance
TJ HUMPHREY SHOW I make my money from the hit songs I’ve written, my publishing deal, the records I produce, and the points on the platinum records I’ve produced in the past. I don’t do sponsored videos and could care less about UA-cam ad revenue.
Steve Freeman I respect your point of view, from your reaction video I get where you coming from , most platinum artist are used to seeing certain things, it’s more mental, people associate quality with price. 💯
This video wasn't about the mixing and mastering process, it was about the tools used to create the songs. You also have to realize, of it isn't good going in, it won't be good coming out.
@@TheSteveFreeman Yea, true. It's a good list and i couldn't argue with any of the selections, appreciate you putting it together. To your point though, shit in = shit out. Maybe some acoustic insulation would be a good addition to a list like this. Bump the budget up to 3,500 😂
@@jonathanbolger6173 Agreed... need to treat your room, makes a huge diff in the sound in and the playback quality. DYI Owens Corning, cover them, radical transformation
@@TheSteveFreeman with this set-up you could mix a song with just a good pair of headphones, don't you think? (provided, of course, that the material you're working with is good enough)
Motu makes great affordable interfaces with really good converters... but if you are in an untreated room with yamaha monitors youwould be lucky to hear any difference between different converters or preamps.
My band (no names will be dropped) had a $200k budget for our last record. We used millions in analog gear and every penny plus some of our budget. Nearly every album review mag stated that the sounds and samples we used were dated and sounded cheap, haha. It was all actually played real gear!! Everything we did with plugins only on a quarter of the budget had much more commercial success, comparatively. Ill never make that mistake again. Ever.
Steve Freeman If I was to make up a “pro” story, it certainly wouldn’t be about how my band lost a major label deal by wasting a bunch of cash on a record, just to have had more success on previous records on a quarter of the budget, haha. Nothing to prove here. Just my experience I felt like sharing. Was more or less agreeing with you anyhow.
Unless I completely miss read that and you really were saying that was a good read and that the “pros” had us spend a bunch on a record. In which case, I still have to take the blame, as I wanted to do it the old school way and with the current style, it just didn’t sonically translate. So, it was actually my fault, haha. It was a fun ride, though! Just don’t want to share the band, out of respect for everyone involved. Not a tiny band. Your vid is 100% on point, though.
@@bce3210 I had a similar thing happen with my band back in the early 2000s. Had Jimmy Iovine working with us, we went with a celebrated engineer trying to become a producer. We went super old school, authentic everything, raw, etc. And we just didn't sound "new" enough. Sonically our new music sounded old.
perfect video man my home studio Universal Audio Apollo , Monitors: Focal Alpha 80 Evo, Mic AKG P220,Headphones AKG K712 PRO,Midi Keyboards Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2 & maschine MK3,DAW FL STUDIO & Cubase 12
As soon as I used the Arrow, I was all in on the UA ecosystem. Then I got the x8 for my main studio, and then got the Twin X for my testing rig, and it is pretty much my perfect interface. Two great preamps. Processing. And expansion if you want.
This video is deceitful and nobody is pointing out that you need talent and skills to make platinum music not just a home studio and also you don't have to have a 3400 dollar setup to make Platinum records, there are way more budget friendly Setups that ppl can get just as good a sound out of! This is the reality of ppl that were never broke in there life lol, He said its only 3400 dollars multiple times like its pocket change and that is wack the average teen or young adult getting into music production dont have that kind of money!! With skills you can Make PLATINUM records on a way more budget friendly setup than this. I know yall are prolly friends and im not trying to be mean its just deceitful when ppl do this, YOUR UA-cam PAGE IS WAY MORE HONEST THAN THIS AND THANKS FOR THAT I"VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU BRO!
@@BrijeshSarin what I mean I use audient to produce commercial tracks that goes on tour and compete very well with other mix coming out of apollo interface as a matter of fact the audient preamp is better than uad preamp The thing that save the uad preamp is the mic unison which is great for what they do. The shark processor is great for processing too But the audient is powerful real powerful transparent sound n clean that I can color with vst or outboard gear but mainly vst n get the job done real good
Back in the day, I used to have friends who made the most incredible music out of their closet with an ASR-10 and a bunch of Radio Shack mixer and cheap mic. I would be blown away asking what they used until i actually went to their house and saw the closet for myself. This 3400.00 studio would be an upgrade for them and can just imagine what they would produce with it.
Don’t get me wrong. This is all fantastic equipment and as someone who has been doing audio engineering and music production for almost 20 years and music merchandise in retail I’d say you’re spot on with your choices and reason for picking them. But, there are still a lot of things missing. First off cables and stands. Anyone can tell you even just decent cables cost a fair amount and none of that equipment comes with the necessary audio cabling to hook everything up. You’ll also need something to put those monitors on to isolate them. Otherwise you’re going to get inaccurate mixes. A decent set of headphones are needed for vocal takes as well. Lastly room treatment. It doesn’t matter how good the equipment is if your room is lying to you. It doesn’t take much but it’ll go a long way to helping you get accurate mixes and better sounding vocal takes. All in all still a great video and a great choice of gear. Honestly it’s a lot of the same gear I recommend to my customers who wanted to build a high end home studio, and I’ve definitely sold my fair share of SM7B’s with the “It’s the mic Michael Jackson used on Thriller” mention.
As far as the room treatment, I agree with you and so does the thousands and thousands of dollars it cost me to properly have my 3 studios dialed in, I think it's an area where people can get lost and confused and more and more producers are going to mixing and mastering with headphones over more traditional treated rooms and monitors. Most of today's music is mixed and mastered so far below actual quality levels so that it sounds good on a set of Beats or apple airpods. I can't tell you the number of times I'll finish a project, turn it in to the label and they want revisions because it doesn't sound the way they want it to sound in their fucking earbuds. Sounds amazing on my $50,000 worth of monitors, sounds great in the car, but sounds "too compressed" on earbuds, so i have to go in an remove all the dynamics that make a record a record to please the low bar for quality of the current consumer! Sad days! LOL!
Oh my god, the amount of people that have come to me asking if they could just use their beats to record. It makes my skin crawl. 😂. Totally agree though. Unfortunately we have to mix for the platforms people are using.
Thank...that's the truth ...just like the inferior things China produce that makes original things not getting in turn again...and because of these social media thing everyone is now a mix master engineer ...the world is looking crap now,now because of the new mislead generation who dont learn basic and get lost in it over time...ask him if he had won a Grammy before talking on marketing strategy to get more views on Facebook.....The truth is that an ssl console cant sound same as the latest crap interface...talent is enhance my money and what you have access to in an environment...I live in Africa now I am a mix and master engineer studied abroad .. spending minimum of 50 thousand dollar on my home studio ...with a carefully selection of advance audio fidelity as a type. ..I cant be in a class with a low quality engineer. ..talent with equipment is the ultimate. ..today I could have been a successful footballer, but I was born in a part in Nigeria where my potential as a child wasnt exposed to the world because of lack of good money...just imagine me playing football at 7 with a standard where people saw me as a genius ..now today I an doing music cause I lost the the chance of money to push myself or parent that can help me ..money makes you move fast with standard that's the truth.
Exactly!!! Balanced cables are VERY important, otherwise you have buzzes, and noise on everything, and not know where it´s coming from. Room treatment, or at least the Sonarworks program to calibrate your monitors and headphones is also very important. 2 or 3 decent mic stands will do it for a 1-2 man production studio.
To those who don't have 3400$, here's a 1000$ alternative. Audient iD4 200$, Kali Audio LP6 300$, Audio Technica AT4040 mic 200$, Audio Technica M50x Headphones 100$, Native Instruments A49 keyboard 220$ (comes with essential Komplete software which you can upgrade at a discount later when you have more money). You can buy most of them used - especially monitors, mics and keyboard. They depreciate quick and don't be cheap on the interface - which is already budget - there could be sth wrong with it and you wouldn't know. Buy used if you can always. And get the highest CPU you can afford.
let me add that you dont need to buy all at once, you can get the interface, headphones, and mic, as a start and then get the monitors and keyboard after, and the keyboard when you are well set financially
@@dulla8469 Yeahhh. I only have a laptop for the first two years before I bought all of it. Took me 4 years to buy all of it. You don't need any of this to make Grammy winning music tbh. There's plenty of unknown grammy winners who made music on decade old equipments.
@@StephenOrion i started recording with a macbook and a guitar hero mic, and used my guitar amp as a speaker... with two or three socks as pop filters, it was hella fun though
Very true! I don’t believe you have to have this specific gear to be successful or win Grammy’s and didn’t say that you did, I was highlighting the specific gear that was used in the projects I mentioned
@@TheSteveFreeman You did a good job, man. Hope to see an alternative video that goes absolute budget. And also wish more music youtubers do specific PC building or buying stuff (with benchmarks, real world performance, from low to unlimited budget, Linus Tech style). This is just what i would value to see on youtube.
Dude I have a 5.1 Mac pro and its from 2010 with no problems with plug-ins. Also use a motu 828es and love it. Without a treated room kiss it all goodbye. Oh ya and also talent. Your miss leading new folks
The truth Shall not be hidden! Silva this video had nothing to do with all the gear you need for a proper home studio or how to build a home studio, it simply was showcasing the gear used on the projects incited in the video. Glad you love the gear you have.
Focusrite offers no onboard dsp processing for plugins and the AD/DA in focusrite interfaces can't come close to competing with the conversion from Apogee, Universal Audio or Lynx. I'm not saying you can't get a great recording or sound from them, but they are consumer grade at the level they offer most of their interfaces.
Steve, i've done some converter comparisons. for today's gear it's so subtle i won't let it waste my time anymore. for any of you that are able to do comparisons please do them and see for yourself. digital converters have some a long way in 30 years.
Jack Spade the Twin x has the new processors that are quite a bit faster, however, you can’t go wrong with the older versions either. The average person wouldn’t notice a tremendous difference
Artturi Laukkanen show me where I said you HAVE to have or NEED this specific gear to be successful. Not what you thought I said or the way you interpreted it, but what I actually said, you know the actual words that came out of my mouth.
Ok. 2:04 "I got to be honest with you, if you are not using the Universal audio Apollo line of interfaces you need to sell, get rid of, trash anything else that you are using, and go with Universal Audio and the Apollo line on interfaces. Now for the purposes of the budget we are putting together today which is 3400 dollars, I want to talk about the new Universal Audio Twin x Duo" 6:37 "What i'm gonna recommend for you comes in at 400 dollars and that is the Shure sm7b." 8:41 "what I'm going to recommend for you is the komplete ultimate 12 package"
@@artturilaukkanen9448 Yes, I said recommend, I didn't say "You HAVE to have" or "You NEED to have" in order to be successful. Try again. You won't find it because I didn't say it. If that's what you are interpreting, then thats on you
I think it’s worth mentioning, if you send your tracks out for mixing and mastering , you can cut back significantly on all this. No need for tons of plug ins or super great monitors . A clean signal with proper gain staging and real talent, and u can make excellent records. That being said, this is thorough content so thank u. And if u can afford this set up it’s professional grade quality for sure.
Tim Aka TAllent agree 100%. I do not believe any artist should be mixing and mastering their own work, especially when you want your music to compete in the marketplace. I’m not at all saying that it’s not possible to do it well, I’m saying that when you bring in a great mixing and mastering engineer, they bring their stamp, expertise and talent to each song and when you use the right ones, it elevates the product and takes it to a new level. I never mix or master the projects I produced, the same reason I don’t fix plumbing problems at my house, I’m not a plumber. I could probably fix it, but I wouldn’t do near as good of a job!
@@TheSteveFreeman lol! perfect analogy and a thorough response, thank you for further convincing me , and saving me and many others a ton of time, while also encouraging us!
I used the focusrite interface and then switched to the apollo twin soon after I love it the loudest and clearness made me fall in love I feel like the focusrite doesn’t compare to apollo as far as the loudness and pre amps
hah! focusrite has some of the best pres in the biz! most, if not all of these companies that make consumer grade products will also have professional grade gear. maybe not behringer, but focusrite most certainly!
New to having a home studio, i have the apollo twin quad core, a nuemann tlm 103, logic pro x, the yamaha 8". Still need to treat my studio tho. What panels/brands do u recommend. Studio is about 12'×14' and 10' ceiling.
Auralux makes some great acoustic foam, I also use use producer blankets from vocalboothtogo.com and I have had some custom panels made by a company here in nashville. Amazon also has some really good premade sound panels, they are pricey, but I have 10 of them that hang on the wall in my a room and b room and they are really really good!
Armando Gonzalez Stay away from foam. It’s only good for treating a bright vocal booth or recording space. They only absorb high frequencies and most rooms have problems with the low frequencies. Check out GIK if you want to balance your room for listening and mixing.
What "tons" of instruments does luna come with? You have to buy them separately and they're freakishly expensive..... I also, i doubt VERY much, that anyone watching this video would own focals or barefoot. I will also argue that most people don't have rooms that justify having 8" monitors.
Nobody seems to point this out... 8inch monitor as an absolute reference is just bullocks... The thing I learned by purchasing my dream monitors a few years ago (cms65) and now have add a sub to them... The size is so important to match the room... Hs8 are the worst of this line and every top engineer (who have use this line) now that the 7 inch are the more balanced of them all and so the most bang for the buck!
its not about what u have and how much you spend its how you use what you have u dont need all this to make hits if you know what and how you use what u have then be good with that if one believes in his or herself u will make it no matter if u spend 300.00 or millions of dollars keep this in mind for all the young producers coming up
I agree and disagree at the same time. I agree 100% with the sentiment of what you are saying, yes, it's about knowing how to use whatever you have, however, just like building a house, the better material you use, the stronger the house and the longer it will last. Not having expensive equipment is not a good reason not to start, grow and learn, but it's also important to remember that as you grow and learn, acquiring and learning better tools only makes the product better.
Appreciate the tips. Aren't you forgetting the DAW? Headphones? Mic stands/screens? Mixer? I've heard good things already about the Twin X duo, but never about the Complete Ultimate 12. I've been looking to upgrade from my MOXF, so will definitely check this out!
Also, you'll need that extra grand to pay for the ONE thing he did not mention.......a LAPTOP. All this equipment is useless without one....duh. Also, you'll need a pair of headphones. Also necessary. I think that $3400 target is pretty doable overall.
@@chinmeysway 80% of my gear has been purchased from e-bay. 100% of that gear worked perfectly with absolutely no issues. Find the sellers with lots of sales under their belt and a 100% positive rating and you'll be fine. Why spend full price for something when you can buy it lightly used at a 30-50%+ discount? I've probably saved about $40k this way.
After years of hardheadedness I finally sold all the junk I bought over the years and bought many of the things you just promoted except the sure mic thanks for that one.
If I were to pair a sm7b with the Apollo twin would I need a cloud lifter? I didn't love the sound of the sm7b previously- but I am willing to give it another go with a different set up.
No, I travel with 2 Apollo Twin X quads and have no issues driving the SM7b. The unison pre's on in the Apollo have plenty of gain. No cloudlifter needed
The level of sincerity on your face when you deliver the line "I don't consider people who drag & drop samples as real producers, that's called computer programming." If only those uncultured drones ever found the substance within themselves to do some REAL skilled and CREATIVE work, they'd be in the illustrious profession of making pretty ear noises sound vaguely similar to preexisting and commercially popular versions of pretty ear noises, exclusively using a workflow created and maintained entirely by computer programmers. It's time to draw a line between those who drag and drop all mousey like, and REAL pro-FESSIONAL-ducers, who utilise their superior breeding to delicately drag and drop their vintage knobs into our unworthy ear-holes. Thank ye most generous lord.
I know this is an old video but BOY!!!! I’m so glad I watched it… I’m a new producer starting out and learning but I’m already a DJ and very musically minded apart from that… I was recently starting to think, am I crazy for thinking I want to create my own music from scratch while everyone else is dragging and dropping loops… thank you for pushing aside my fears!
I don't understand all the hate. I don't see anything wrong with anything he is saying. There's so many records being recorded and produced in hotel rooms and air bnb's now a days. A lot of people are using mobile rigs or bedroom studio equipment. Granted expensive and high end gear can make things easier and sound better but it really comes down to the engineer. A good engineer that knows what he is doing can make anything sound good with the tools he has.
@@RayAndre yes. Apollo is essentially a dongle for their plugins. I sold mine and bought actual hardware as the plugin costs add up over a very short time.
Didn’t fail to mention anything, this video was not about mixing and mastering, it’s about the creation tools! You can only mix and master tracks that exist….
@@TheSteveFreeman at 12:40 you make it seem like finneas mixed it on the hs8’s which to someone who doesn’t actually know they would believe that. But for creation, yes this video is very accurate.
@@Francisco-dr4yi I didn’t “make it seam like” anything. Those are the monitors he has in his home studio. I didn’t talk about mixing and mastering, neither which he does. This video was about creation tools, not mixing and mastering. Anyone taking themselves seriously is having their product mixed and mastered by a professional mixing and/or mastering engineer.
@@TheSteveFreeman This is exactly what I am talking about. Not all home producers want to use VSTs. Some like analog synths a lot. Some play real drums, guitars, and other instruments. One microphone is not going to be enough. That little sound interface that you recommended is just not going to provide the needed number of inputs.
EARS beat GEAR. I can still play, program plug-ins and mix in my very first PC (p4, XP, internal card) to this day whether its 32/24 or 16 bit. Every popular DAW, PIECE of GEAR, COMPUTER, MICROPHONE has a HIT record in history. We all need to engineer our own systems, gear, working strategies and sound.
I'm still recording through a Reason Balance interface. Old school , I know. Would my recordings really improve with the Apollo twin? Not sure if it makes that much a difference
@@TheSteveFreeman Thanks for the reply :) It's working but I wonder. Is there a huge difference in recording quality between the Apollo and cheaper interfaces. Cleaner sounds, more detail? Or is it more the software that comes with it that makes the difference?
@@dede-sm7sl REgardless of what other people on this thread will tell you, YES, there is a huge difference in the quality. Higher-end interfaces have way better converters, AD/DA and in the case of the Apollo, it offers DSP, Unison pre's and available plugins, that in my opinion, are industry-leading and more natural sounding as it relates to analog gear that I'm used to working with. That is not to say that can't achieve GREAT results with lower end interfaces. I have a friend of mine that has produced 3 platinum-selling records this year using Focusrite Scarlette interfaces. They aren't my fav, but to each his own. The end result is all that matters.
Hit songwriter and multiplatinum producer spending his time making advertising videos for cheap equipment in his cheap studio (judging by those cheap Focals in the background). Times must be tough man :D
Yeah I only made 3 million last year, times are certainly rough. By the way, this isn't my set up. It's my mobile rig. And I happen to prefer the cheap Focals for that room, which is a C room at my studio in Nashville. If you would like to compare setups and studios and income, I'm ready when you are.
@@TheSteveFreeman yeah, i don't see why not. Just please be patient for a month or two couse im in the final stage of my new studio. Alsow I would like to compare sound if you don't mind... You got me at years income tho ;)
@@d.r.dmedia2481 Let me know when you're ready! LOL. I'd love to hear about your new place though, seriously! Both of my tracking studios in Nashville and LA are outfitted with 2 UA Apollo 16x's for a total of 32 channels and 12 cores of UAD processing. Each studio has 8 API 512'c for drums, 8 Neve 1073's for guitars, bass, vocals. We have a couple API lunchboxes with various 500 series pre's and compressors in case someone wants something specific. Then on the second 16x we have 4 Universal audio 4-710's for analog inputs on those channels. Since they have an 1176 style compressor on each channel, they are great for just about any instrument or vocals. I'm sure someone here will disagree, but that's what I like. For monitoring in both studios we use the Focal Trio11's, matched pair obviously. Gear is so personal and subjective. I've chosen the gear I love and that sound the way I want my projects to sound. IT is by no means what is right for everyone or the only way or tools to get the job done. There are so many flavors, just like ice cream. At the end of the day, it's about the flavor you want, you like.
@HareKrishna777 Because using an UAD interface doesn't really matter if you have an interface like a focusrite lol or using an SM7B. If your room is shit it doesn't matter how much better your microphone or plugins are. If you're shit at recording it doesn't matter having a good interface either
Great video! The only thing that confused me was the pricing on the Yamaha 8 inch monitors did they drop the price? I thought it was 400 for the 5 inch monitors?
The Apollo Twin line will not allow you to record a full band because of the limited i/o. You will want to look at what I use in both of my studios, if you want to stay with the Universal Audio interface, look at the Apollo 16x. That gives you 16 channels of i/o. If you have a small band, look at the 8x.
This is extremely useful! although I'd also add a powerful computer, which I think is crucial in terms of not ruining your workflow.The Apollo interface can help you with the processing of UAD plugins but what about the rest of the plugins?. Totally agreed on omnisphere, you can get absolutely any synth sound you can imagine. Extremely powerful (and CPU hungry)
The Yamaha monitor you mentioned is 400 per unit, wouldn’t one need 2? What about the sub woofer, might that be a nice addition to capturing the bass frequencies accurately? Please advise! Thank you!
Great video, but you obviously don’t need all of this. I will say, this is the ideal set up for all-in-one solo jobs for sure. I have an Apollo twin x duo, but I also have an MTrack 2x2 which is MUCH cheaper. I track with both because the Apollo Twin is great for Mac but won’t work correctly on my PC. You don’t need an Apollo. You can just use selection based processing in Logic, or “apply fx to item” in any other DAW. There are ways around using the exact items listed, if you don’t have the money. So don’t get discouraged my friends. I think I’ll make a $100 set up to compare against this set up and see who does it better! Trust me, this $3400 set up will NOT run circles around a $100 set up. Stay tuned 🙂
The converters in the TwinX are better than the Arrow, as is the processing power for UAD plugins, but the Arrow is a great buy for the cost, especially as an entry to the UA ecosphere.
You forgot to mention yet another big advantage of the SM7b. Being a dynamic mic you need MUCH less room treatment to get a nice clean and dry signal on the way in. Acutally you might not need any at all!
Crazy cuz you just described my exact home studio ! Couldn’t agree more with all of your recommendations. Apollo into the shure with the HS8’s can accomplish just about anything! I will say my only gripe with the video is the whole bit about sample / loop users aren’t producers etc, I’m a multi instrumentalist but still use loops from time to time. It’s about what you do with the sounds, not how you got them! Great video nonetheless. Cheers
Thanks for the advice! I've been slowly buying gear. its been my dream to produce for a long time. I did a lot of research before I settled on the apollo twin X. I'm glad its the one you recommended. I also got a Neumann U87 and a native instruments keyboard, I didn't buy the Komplete 12 though because I didn't think I needed it. the next thing I need to get is a sound booth which I will get next. Thanks again!
I agree that talent has to drive the gear, but a great deal the purpose of investing your time and gaining knowledge in this business has to do with learning the gear that will help you accomplish the sound that you want. The gear matters.
@@djmandala2091 that logic may work for someone who does music as a passion, but it does not hold water for those of us who do it professionally for a living
Question.....if my PC has a USB-C input, but its not Thunderbolt, am I still going to be able to take advantage of all the sound quality/power/performance of this Apollo interface?
@Steve Freeman do you recommend Focus Right Scarllet interfaces? I'm wanting to record my band and I have been looking at the scarllet 18i20 as a option.
The Presonus eris xt8 and Yamaha NS speakers are so similar, what the difference....The Crossover points...that's it. An interpretation! Go listen and choose...If your local store doesn't have Presonus line of monitors set up ask why, then demand it!
You forgot to mention sound treatment Steve! That's a very important element in any studio. You can have crap monitors and make them sound great with the right room treatment.
Chris Answeeney I didn’t forget, this video was not about mixing and mastering, just the creation tools. I understand the importance of room treatment, but I can also say that I’ve produced 5 platinum selling records in rooms that had absolutely none. If you are mixing and mastering final product, then absolutely, proper room treatment mid essential.
I have a rack of 512c's, they live on drums. Apogee duets are great interfaces. Very transparent and the pre's are very good. I know several major projects that vocals were done exclusively thru a duet with the onboard pre's only
First piece of gear I bought for my studio was a mic, and it was a Shure SM7B. It’s the mic I recorded my vocals with on my albums before I knew I needed my own studio.
You sure you wanna ask that? Because it ain’t pretty haha... I’m currently running two MOTU 24 AO’s to the desk. From the desk, all DO’s are running into 7 Alesis ADAT 8’s (I have them all synced to the BRC for ease of use, and to take advantage of the WC input). I then have an RME HDSP 9652, linked to two RME Digiface USB’s trough ADAT sync. All of this is then linked together using an Antelope OCX HD. Is it the greatest? Hell no. Is most of it pointless/obsolete? Probably. Did it still cost some? More than I’d like, yes. But until I decide I wanna give up having around 8 master tapes for each project, or fancy dropping another £6K to replace my beautiful ADAT’s, I’m good. Plus, it gives me that authentic “What the fuck, was this recorded in the 90’s?” kinda vibe. Anyway, keep up the great work man! And I hope you have a good day. Edit: Just to add, the desk I’m referring to is a A&H GL4000. And I’m currently watching your new video... Facts! You’re showing what is capable with $3400, not what is essential. Understanding how to use what you already have, most of the time, is better than buying new gear. But, if you are just buying your gear for the first time, and you want something proven to win Grammy’s for $3400... Then that is it. People can have their own opinion if they like the products, but that’s not the point. Also you’re right about most modern studio’s nowadays, you’re hardly gonna see a Focusrite. You might see a RedNet system out in the wild (I think CLA’s assistant still has one), but other than that, it’s mostly brands like UA.
The Fake News Frog🐸 man, it sounds like a complicated but GREAT setup. And the only thing that matters is your workflow, if it works for you, it doesn’t matter!! I love hearing about other people’s setups and how they have them configured.
Steve Freeman - Thanks man. There probably is a better, more efficient way to go about it... Only I didn’t really want to spend another £10,000 on converters. My problem is making use of those ADAT’s. RME seem to be one the last companies offering full support for them. So for example, if I wanted to take full advantage of the BRC and sync 128-tracks, there’s no audio interfaces supporting 16 ADAT I/O’s with World Clock. It’s hard to enough to find ones with 4. So I chose the RME Digiface USB’s with the HDSP 9652 for that side of things. Then the ADAT’s can be used as AD converters, as well as recorders. I went with MOTU for the DA conversation because it’s one of the best 48-channel setups I could find for less than £2000. That’s pretty much the only reason for that. In hindsight, I probably could of cut out the HDSP 9523 entirely, and chained the Digiface USB’s to a MOTU through ADAT. Then sync the MOTU’s and BRC to the clock. But I didn’t know if I was going to run into any issues doing that. Plus, the HDSP gives me some bonus sound processing, and 9-pin ADAT sync as a backup. So I’d say it’s complicated, but a win-win in a way.
The 5 inch Yamaha monitirs are the ones at 400 per paur, did you mean them, rather than the more expensive 8 inch you mentioned? Please advise! Thank you!!!
i never thought about getting the sm7b cause it seems too warm, i like my vocals to have some pleasing high end on it and not too much of the low mids, the frequency response on the sm7b shows a dip in the highs, which i think will ruin my mixes, cause i dont know techniques to bring out the high ends without making it too airy / harsh
I like the clarity of Antelope Audio personally. Just my preference. But UAD is good as well. But the yammies are more than $400.00 for the pair bro!!!
The original vocal was actually taken from a live performance and then he did overdubs in the studio to correct it, but you are 100% correct. 90% of the song was take straight from a live performance with an sm57
I would make sure you get an i7 processor with 32g of ram and use either an external or internal SSD for your working drive. These specs are more than most of the manufacturers call for, but you want to over buy when it comes to computers for studios
I think that mentioning room treatment would be important. It isn’t glamorous, but if you are dropping 3400 dollars and can’t hear an accurate image of the music would be very disheartening.
Steve Freeman how can you create a palette of sounds if you can’t hear what you are doing? I think it is important to be engin-earring than engin-eyeing. See what I did there? You can tell I am a dad. Love the content man. Keep up the good work.
@@battyfang4701 I get what you are saying, but honestly, when creating and choosing sounds, especially in home studio environments, you are sitting 3' away from the monitors if not closer and the room treatment isn't a factor. You are hearing the sounds before they bounce off of anything.
@@eman0828 I think it depends on the sound you are going for and the mic you are using. FOr example, none of the vocals on the new Post Malone record were done in an iso booth or properly treated room, just the mic sitting in the middle of the control room and recorded thru an Apollo Twin. I personally like isolation on vocals so that I have complete control.
Hey Steve. Great info Bro. Question, I have the original AKG C414, Apollo x6, Studio One 4, Komplete 12 and an IMac Pro. I think I’m pretty good but do you feel my mic is pretty good for vocals?
Man, sounds like you have a great setup going! As far as the mic goes, I've never been a fan of the 414 on vocals, but that is just a personal preference. I have always found them to be too much in the mid's and highs. I use them a lot for overheads on drums though. Let me say this, if that mic sounds good with your voice, then there is no reason to change! My best friend uses a 414 on his vocals and has for over 15 years and we've had 5 #1 records together, so there s nothing that says you can't have hit records using a 414. I'm all about what works best for you and your voice!
Steve Freeman Need your assistance. I’ve been using an AKG C414 for rap vocals for about 12 years now and it seems to sounds pretty good. How would you compare it to the TLM 102? I was thinking about upgrading if that is even considered an upgrade. Thanks.
Steve Freeman Hey Steve I’m looking at upgrading my mic. I currently have the c414 for vocals. Every time I use my apollo x6, I have to boost my Neve preamp to about 50-55db to get the mic to a comfortable gain. I hear some mics have a gain boost out the box. How about the rode nt1a? Or do you have any other recommendations for mics that have the boost in gain?
Steve Freeman Hey there Steve. Quick question? So I’m getting ready to upgrade my mic. Rode NT1 or Rode NT1a? I have heard some mixed reviews. Some say the NT1 is more flat across the board providing a more accurate reference whereas the NT1a is brighter on the high end. I know you are pretty good with this kind of stuff so what you think?
@@derykbeaudreau7761 no not necessarily but there is some good stuff out there with programmed and sequenced parts. I don't necessarily think programming is inherently 'wrong'. It all depends on the artist and how they decide to use tools. Trent Reznor comes to mind. I'm a drummer and I personally enjoy the feel of an organic performance. I like the push and pull between players trying to stay in the pocket. That said, I also enjoy some stuff that is hyper tightened by snapping it into the grid. It's all good. What I was talking about in my original reply was the use of midi and vst replacement software. The organic and human performance is still there but the sounds are not caught in the moment. Most people don't have and can't afford the correct room dimensions, acoustic treatment, mics, mic pres, compressors and equipment needed to get the best out of a full big drum kit - especially when hyper detail is desired with mics on every drum - top, bottom, overhead, room mics, etc... It isn't perfect and it hasn't quite made it there but midi and vst combos along with top shelf drums like the td50 are pretty close. It won't be long before they're there.. maybe 10 years? One can also reamp and color the sound, possibly blend different sounds together and get something pretty cool. All of those mics, gear and proper space isn't feasible for most but they can use technology to their advantage and do something really interesting. - that's what I meant. In the end an artist can either paint an awesome picture or they can't. Whether or not the paintbrush has a wood or plastic handle probably doesn't matter as much.
I have a MPC X, Kronos X ,went with Presonus Studio One V 5. My S88 on order, I have Keyscape and Omnisphere 2.6. getting into Trailer music. Just bought a few Spitfire VST's. Will get that Shure mic. Checking out that UA interface... thanks
Cool, I've got the same Yamaha HS8, but I have a focusrite interface because the UA stuff is out of range for me. I got the NEAT King Bee mic because Podcastage recommended it and I love mine. It's so cheap, cant complain. Also, one of my dad's friends had a bunch of music gear and I looked though his stuff and he offered me one of his electric keyboards. Turned out to be a Roland FP-50 and worth 1,700, so that was crazy.
I started producing band driven artists back in 2003 with what was out at that time. I had what most project studios had...a Digi 002 running PT native, a power mac, an 8 channel ADAT connected preamp unit for extra inputs, Mackie 8 inch monitors, a large diaphragm condenser for vocals and drum mic package. I think I spent 7,000 on that first set up with some extra Waves plug-ins. I ended up engineering tracks that made it on the radio with that set-up. I think what Steve is saying here is that for a basic but effective set-up this is what he is recommending from what is available and what is the best value at its price point. I agree on the sm7b...that mic is incredibly versatile, from screaming to whisper light females. You just have to have enough preamp gain to run it. I've owned the 8 inch Yamahas with a sub and the 5 inch versions before...in my opinion they are very harsh and will punish your ears on long sessions. At their price point not much else is better, as they are somewhat true in the low end due to a closed cabinet design with no ports, but I would recommend spending a little more for something that's more listenable yet still flat. The Apollo I want to try, as I'm planning a set-up for electronic pop production that is separate from my current PT rig. If I don't love the UA daw platform they include, I can always go into PT. The Komplete 12 package is a lot of dough, but I think his point is that it's the most bang for your buck if you are doing all electronic production with a vocal, and it will be something I will look at. In reality, I do believe there are many pros who are using the set-up he describing even with some of the components switched for others around the same price point. And yes, if it's for bigger artists, they are probably not doing final mixes and masters on it, but for the rest of the world releasing indie music on youtube, it's more than a competent solution.
And you get it! My video was not fit beginners or the gear they should get. This video was simply about a small pro set up that professionals are using like on the projects I mentioned. I agree 100% on the Yamaha monitors, I’ve never been a fan and never used them. I’m a Focal guys. I certainly remember the 002 days, my first Pro Tools rig was the 001 with pcie card!
There is a big misunderstanding with this video that I am recommending this stuff for beginners, I’m not, but as every producer grows and becomes more successful, we upgrade our tools, the overall point of this video is that I have spent millions of dollars over the last 25 years on my gear and multiple studios in several states, it’s amazing to me that where we are with technology, a small home studio can produce amazing results with just $3,400. People have a hard time with me saying “just”, but when you do this professionally, there are expectations from clients. They want to use high end gear, if that weren’t the case, the gear manufacturers would only make cheaper gear. $3,400 to a professional is nothing as far as costs for a complete small home setup. I have mics that cost 5 times that and they sit in a closet. It all depends on what level you are playing the game.
@@TheSteveFreeman Absolutely. A lot of studios and producers that have higher end gear are servicing a certain client level or are simply offering those pieces to demand a higher hourly rate for studio rental. To me, at least in the old days, the biggest difference was the converters a high end studio would have running PT HD both ways through a neve or ssl compared to what you could do in the box at 44.1khz...the differences today, minus having an analog desk for summing purposes, are negligible. Of course it's nice to have real hardware instead of emulations as well, but that gap has closed too. As it's been said, many times it's not the gear you have but how you use it...and as both of us know...how good the song and the performance is. It's really always about that in the end in my opinion no matter what system, gear, or process someone is working with.
@@ustulo3488 well, I think the smartest thing is to run in a hybrid mode. Some analog gear and analog synths and then processing all in the box. As far as mastering I think it's a completely different topic and the sky is the limit. But for the hybrid studio you would have to spend more than what this video recommends.
i know im asking randomly but does any of you know a way to log back into an Instagram account?
I somehow forgot the account password. I would love any tips you can give me.
@Malachi Azariah Instablaster :)
You don’t have to have $3400 to make platinum hits.
Beacon, Hill I didn’t say you did.
He's just saying that this stuff will help you get professional (ready for release) quality
Good song really matters. Not the gear
@@angelorozul241 everything starts with a great song for sure. From there you'll want to be able to use gear and craftsmanship that will make the song stand through the ages of time.
He is saying for those are starting out…
I've just swapped my Neve desk for an apollo interface.... can't wait for the Grammy's to come rolling in. ;)
For real 😂😂😂
Triggered one 😂
If that’s the overall meaning you got out of the video, you’re an idiot incapable of common sense.
@@TheSteveFreeman looks like the one lacking common sense is the guy who missed the wink emoji on that comment there, got baited, and chose to take an overly aggressive stance
@@STEViEZHUU truth, I did not see the winky face! Lol
Don’t hate on this guy, he is doing his job, he is getting paid to do this. Don’t throw away your interface.
TJ HUMPHREY SHOW I make my money from the hit songs I’ve written, my publishing deal, the records I produce, and the points on the platinum records I’ve produced in the past. I don’t do sponsored videos and could care less about UA-cam ad revenue.
Steve Freeman I respect your point of view, from your reaction video I get where you coming from , most platinum artist are used to seeing certain things, it’s more mental, people associate quality with price. 💯
Let's be real, none of those artists songs were mixed or mastered in 3,400 dollar studio
This video wasn't about the mixing and mastering process, it was about the tools used to create the songs. You also have to realize, of it isn't good going in, it won't be good coming out.
@@TheSteveFreeman Yea, true. It's a good list and i couldn't argue with any of the selections, appreciate you putting it together. To your point though, shit in = shit out. Maybe some acoustic insulation would be a good addition to a list like this. Bump the budget up to 3,500 😂
@@jonathanbolger6173 Agreed... need to treat your room, makes a huge diff in the sound in and the playback quality. DYI Owens Corning, cover them, radical transformation
@@TheSteveFreeman with this set-up you could mix a song with just a good pair of headphones, don't you think? (provided, of course, that the material you're working with is good enough)
Motu makes great affordable interfaces with really good converters... but if you are in an untreated room with yamaha monitors youwould be lucky to hear any difference between different converters or preamps.
Can't buy the talent to use it....
perfectly stated!
The reason why pop music is garbage; it IS often purchased!
actually Waves has a new Talent plugin... jk
People swear it’s talent. It’s not it’s dedication.
@@nirobispruill908 its both
Hey after I bought the *one* Yamaha HS8 for $400, my mixes have been sounding worse.
Plz help
At the time I made this video almost a year ago, Sweetwater was running a special for the pair for $399.98
My band (no names will be dropped) had a $200k budget for our last record. We used millions in analog gear and every penny plus some of our budget. Nearly every album review mag stated that the sounds and samples we used were dated and sounded cheap, haha. It was all actually played real gear!! Everything we did with plugins only on a quarter of the budget had much more commercial success, comparatively. Ill never make that mistake again. Ever.
Shows you just how much the "Pro's" know! Great story man, please give me the name of the band, I would love to go take a listen!
Steve Freeman If I was to make up a “pro” story, it certainly wouldn’t be about how my band lost a major label deal by wasting a bunch of cash on a record, just to have had more success on previous records on a quarter of the budget, haha. Nothing to prove here. Just my experience I felt like sharing. Was more or less agreeing with you anyhow.
Unless I completely miss read that and you really were saying that was a good read and that the “pros” had us spend a bunch on a record. In which case, I still have to take the blame, as I wanted to do it the old school way and with the current style, it just didn’t sonically translate. So, it was actually my fault, haha. It was a fun ride, though! Just don’t want to share the band, out of respect for everyone involved. Not a tiny band. Your vid is 100% on point, though.
B C E lol, that’s exactly what I meant! The “pro’s” at the labels thinking you have to spend all that money to get quality!
@@bce3210 I had a similar thing happen with my band back in the early 2000s. Had Jimmy Iovine working with us, we went with a celebrated engineer trying to become a producer. We went super old school, authentic everything, raw, etc. And we just didn't sound "new" enough. Sonically our new music sounded old.
perfect video man my home studio Universal Audio Apollo , Monitors: Focal Alpha 80 Evo, Mic AKG P220,Headphones AKG K712 PRO,Midi Keyboards Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2 & maschine MK3,DAW FL STUDIO & Cubase 12
I have a pair of the Alpha 80’s, LOVE THEM!!!!
@@TheSteveFreeman It is fantastic
As soon as I used the Arrow, I was all in on the UA ecosystem. Then I got the x8 for my main studio, and then got the Twin X for my testing rig, and it is pretty much my perfect interface. Two great preamps. Processing. And expansion if you want.
Apollos are great. Anyways whats your take on Audient Interfaces?
This video is deceitful and nobody is pointing out that you need talent and skills to make platinum music not just a home studio and also you don't have to have a 3400 dollar setup to make Platinum records, there are way more budget friendly Setups that ppl can get just as good a sound out of! This is the reality of ppl that were never broke in there life lol, He said its only 3400 dollars multiple times like its pocket change and that is wack the average teen or young adult getting into music production dont have that kind of money!! With skills you can Make PLATINUM records on a way more budget friendly setup than this. I know yall are prolly friends and im not trying to be mean its just deceitful when ppl do this, YOUR UA-cam PAGE IS WAY MORE HONEST THAN THIS AND THANKS FOR THAT I"VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU BRO!
@@BrijeshSarin audient is perfect friend this is half truth an whole lie
@@jaymusik1235 didn't quite get you... 😅
@@BrijeshSarin what I mean I use audient to produce commercial tracks that goes on tour and compete very well with other mix coming out of apollo interface as a matter of fact the audient preamp is better than uad preamp
The thing that save the uad preamp is the mic unison which is great for what they do. The shark processor is great for processing too
But the audient is powerful real powerful transparent sound n clean that I can color with vst or outboard gear but mainly vst n get the job done real good
so helpful thank you!
Back in the day, I used to have friends who made the most incredible music out of their closet with an ASR-10 and a bunch of Radio Shack mixer and cheap mic. I would be blown away asking what they used until i actually went to their house and saw the closet for myself. This 3400.00 studio would be an upgrade for them and can just imagine what they would produce with it.
Thanks brother I already have a few mics Neumann, akg & and a few shares & krk monitors Sony cans guess need the apolo & the midi board. 👌
Right on!
Clickbait apollo commercial
and....
I highly recommend the Apogee Element. It uses DSP and thunderbolt. They have native plugins on the Control App. Super low latency.
That’s what I have and I love it
Jack Spade it really is a great audio interface! I love the plugins it comes with also
Dally Studios most definitely!
Apogee makes GREAT interfaces. I still have my symphony mk2.
Don’t get me wrong. This is all fantastic equipment and as someone who has been doing audio engineering and music production for almost 20 years and music merchandise in retail I’d say you’re spot on with your choices and reason for picking them. But, there are still a lot of things missing. First off cables and stands. Anyone can tell you even just decent cables cost a fair amount and none of that equipment comes with the necessary audio cabling to hook everything up. You’ll also need something to put those monitors on to isolate them. Otherwise you’re going to get inaccurate mixes. A decent set of headphones are needed for vocal takes as well. Lastly room treatment. It doesn’t matter how good the equipment is if your room is lying to you. It doesn’t take much but it’ll go a long way to helping you get accurate mixes and better sounding vocal takes. All in all still a great video and a great choice of gear. Honestly it’s a lot of the same gear I recommend to my customers who wanted to build a high end home studio, and I’ve definitely sold my fair share of SM7B’s with the “It’s the mic Michael Jackson used on Thriller” mention.
As far as the room treatment, I agree with you and so does the thousands and thousands of dollars it cost me to properly have my 3 studios dialed in, I think it's an area where people can get lost and confused and more and more producers are going to mixing and mastering with headphones over more traditional treated rooms and monitors. Most of today's music is mixed and mastered so far below actual quality levels so that it sounds good on a set of Beats or apple airpods. I can't tell you the number of times I'll finish a project, turn it in to the label and they want revisions because it doesn't sound the way they want it to sound in their fucking earbuds. Sounds amazing on my $50,000 worth of monitors, sounds great in the car, but sounds "too compressed" on earbuds, so i have to go in an remove all the dynamics that make a record a record to please the low bar for quality of the current consumer! Sad days! LOL!
Oh my god, the amount of people that have come to me asking if they could just use their beats to record. It makes my skin crawl. 😂. Totally agree though. Unfortunately we have to mix for the platforms people are using.
Thank...that's the truth ...just like the inferior things China produce that makes original things not getting in turn again...and because of these social media thing everyone is now a mix master engineer ...the world is looking crap now,now because of the new mislead generation who dont learn basic and get lost in it over time...ask him if he had won a Grammy before talking on marketing strategy to get more views on Facebook.....The truth is that an ssl console cant sound same as the latest crap interface...talent is enhance my money and what you have access to in an environment...I live in Africa now I am a mix and master engineer studied abroad .. spending minimum of 50 thousand dollar on my home studio ...with a carefully selection of advance audio fidelity as a type. ..I cant be in a class with a low quality engineer. ..talent with equipment is the ultimate. ..today I could have been a successful footballer, but I was born in a part in Nigeria where my potential as a child wasnt exposed to the world because of lack of good money...just imagine me playing football at 7 with a standard where people saw me as a genius ..now today I an doing music cause I lost the the chance of money to push myself or parent that can help me ..money makes you move fast with standard that's the truth.
Exactly!!! Balanced cables are VERY important, otherwise you have buzzes, and noise on everything, and not know where it´s coming from. Room treatment, or at least the Sonarworks program to calibrate your monitors and headphones is also very important. 2 or 3 decent mic stands will do it for a 1-2 man production studio.
I have the SM7B and the Twin X. Good stuff. Can you do a tutorial on mixing vocals with this setup?
I’ve used the Apollo and I didn’t like it compared to my SSL 2.
Yamaha hs8 pair for $400 or for one ? because I've been looking for these for every cheap and cant find them for a pair less that 700
Def not $400 a pair for HS8's. More like $750.00
Micheal Jackson used a Shure SM7 on Thriller, not the Shure SM7B. Just clarifying🙏
True
is that even true?
@@JeyfahAswani True indeed👍
Oh shit. Am getting one for myself
@@JeyfahAswani Remember... That was the mic he used; but it's important to also know the chain that was used in that setup with that mic🙏
To those who don't have 3400$, here's a 1000$ alternative. Audient iD4 200$, Kali Audio LP6 300$, Audio Technica AT4040 mic 200$, Audio Technica M50x Headphones 100$, Native Instruments A49 keyboard 220$ (comes with essential Komplete software which you can upgrade at a discount later when you have more money). You can buy most of them used - especially monitors, mics and keyboard. They depreciate quick and don't be cheap on the interface - which is already budget - there could be sth wrong with it and you wouldn't know. Buy used if you can always. And get the highest CPU you can afford.
let me add that you dont need to buy all at once, you can get the interface, headphones, and mic, as a start and then get the monitors and keyboard after, and the keyboard when you are well set financially
@@dulla8469 Yeahhh. I only have a laptop for the first two years before I bought all of it. Took me 4 years to buy all of it. You don't need any of this to make Grammy winning music tbh. There's plenty of unknown grammy winners who made music on decade old equipments.
@@StephenOrion i started recording with a macbook and a guitar hero mic, and used my guitar amp as a speaker... with two or three socks as pop filters, it was hella fun though
Very true! I don’t believe you have to have this specific gear to be successful or win Grammy’s and didn’t say that you did, I was highlighting the specific gear that was used in the projects I mentioned
@@TheSteveFreeman You did a good job, man. Hope to see an alternative video that goes absolute budget. And also wish more music youtubers do specific PC building or buying stuff (with benchmarks, real world performance, from low to unlimited budget, Linus Tech style). This is just what i would value to see on youtube.
This is 16 min commercial
Yes it is
Dude I have a 5.1 Mac pro and its from 2010 with no problems with plug-ins. Also use a motu 828es and love it. Without a treated room kiss it all goodbye. Oh ya and also talent. Your miss leading new folks
The truth Shall not be hidden! Silva this video had nothing to do with all the gear you need for a proper home studio or how to build a home studio, it simply was showcasing the gear used on the projects incited in the video. Glad you love the gear you have.
What's wrong with focusrite? I've had massive projects running with no cpu/memory issues. Got an old computer too.
He's not sponsored by them
Focusrite offers no onboard dsp processing for plugins and the AD/DA in focusrite interfaces can't come close to competing with the conversion from Apogee, Universal Audio or Lynx. I'm not saying you can't get a great recording or sound from them, but they are consumer grade at the level they offer most of their interfaces.
and wouldn't want to be
Steve, i've done some converter comparisons. for today's gear it's so subtle i won't let it waste my time anymore. for any of you that are able to do comparisons please do them and see for yourself. digital converters have some a long way in 30 years.
Nice vid! How much better is the UA version with thunderbolt 3 vs the 2 or usb 3 versions? You need a newer Mac for the thunderbolt 3 version
Jack Spade the Twin x has the new processors that are quite a bit faster, however, you can’t go wrong with the older versions either. The average person wouldn’t notice a tremendous difference
Steve Freeman I got The Apogee Element 46 instead. It has DSP and its said to have better conversion than the Apollo.
This video leads to a misunderstanding of what is really necessary to make a hit.
I didn't say you NEEDED any of this to make a hit, just that others were
@@TheSteveFreeman Yes you did. Own it up like a grown man.
Artturi Laukkanen show me where I said you HAVE to have or NEED this specific gear to be successful. Not what you thought I said or the way you interpreted it, but what I actually said, you know the actual words that came out of my mouth.
Ok. 2:04 "I got to be honest with you, if you are not using the Universal audio Apollo line of interfaces you need to sell, get rid of, trash anything else that you are using, and go with Universal Audio and the Apollo line on interfaces. Now for the purposes of the budget we are putting
together today which is 3400 dollars, I want to talk about the new Universal Audio Twin x Duo"
6:37 "What i'm gonna recommend for you comes in at 400 dollars and that is the Shure sm7b."
8:41 "what I'm going to recommend for you is the komplete ultimate 12 package"
@@artturilaukkanen9448 Yes, I said recommend, I didn't say "You HAVE to have" or "You NEED to have" in order to be successful. Try again. You won't find it because I didn't say it. If that's what you are interpreting, then thats on you
I think it’s worth mentioning, if you send your tracks out for mixing and mastering , you can cut back significantly on all this. No need for tons of plug ins or super great monitors . A clean signal with proper gain staging and real talent, and u can make excellent records. That being said, this is thorough content so thank u. And if u can afford this set up it’s professional grade quality for sure.
Tim Aka TAllent agree 100%. I do not believe any artist should be mixing and mastering their own work, especially when you want your music to compete in the marketplace. I’m not at all saying that it’s not possible to do it well, I’m saying that when you bring in a great mixing and mastering engineer, they bring their stamp, expertise and talent to each song and when you use the right ones, it elevates the product and takes it to a new level. I never mix or master the projects I produced, the same reason I don’t fix plumbing problems at my house, I’m not a plumber. I could probably fix it, but I wouldn’t do near as good of a job!
@@TheSteveFreeman lol! perfect analogy and a thorough response, thank you for further convincing me , and saving me and many others a ton of time, while also encouraging us!
Tim Aka TAllent thanks for taking the time to watch and engage brother!!!
Steve Freeman very welcome !
Eman 08 great point!! Acoustic treatment is critical, a vital part of your recording signal to get that clean audio to then be mixed
I used the focusrite interface and then switched to the apollo twin soon after I love it the loudest and clearness made me fall in love I feel like the focusrite doesn’t compare to apollo as far as the loudness and pre amps
Great to hear!
hah! focusrite has some of the best pres in the biz!
most, if not all of these companies that make consumer grade products will also have professional grade gear. maybe not behringer, but focusrite most certainly!
@@eman0828 u seen the new red 8pre?? 😯😯😯
Eman 08 yea don’t get me wrong focusrite is a great interface but me personally I have better mixes with the Apollo
New to having a home studio, i have the apollo twin quad core, a nuemann tlm 103, logic pro x, the yamaha 8". Still need to treat my studio tho. What panels/brands do u recommend. Studio is about 12'×14' and 10' ceiling.
Auralux makes some great acoustic foam, I also use use producer blankets from vocalboothtogo.com and I have had some custom panels made by a company here in nashville. Amazon also has some really good premade sound panels, they are pricey, but I have 10 of them that hang on the wall in my a room and b room and they are really really good!
Armando Gonzalez
Stay away from foam. It’s only good for treating a bright vocal booth or recording space. They only absorb high frequencies and most rooms have problems with the low frequencies. Check out GIK if you want to balance your room for listening and mixing.
What "tons" of instruments does luna come with? You have to buy them separately and they're freakishly expensive.....
I also, i doubt VERY much, that anyone watching this video would own focals or barefoot.
I will also argue that most people don't have rooms that justify having 8" monitors.
Nobody seems to point this out... 8inch monitor as an absolute reference is just bullocks... The thing I learned by purchasing my dream monitors a few years ago (cms65) and now have add a sub to them... The size is so important to match the room... Hs8 are the worst of this line and every top engineer (who have use this line) now that the 7 inch are the more balanced of them all and so the most bang for the buck!
its not about what u have and how much you spend its how you use what you have u dont need all this to make hits if you know what and how you use what u have then be good with that if one believes in his or herself u will make it no matter if u spend 300.00 or millions of dollars keep this in mind for all the young producers coming up
I agree and disagree at the same time. I agree 100% with the sentiment of what you are saying, yes, it's about knowing how to use whatever you have, however, just like building a house, the better material you use, the stronger the house and the longer it will last. Not having expensive equipment is not a good reason not to start, grow and learn, but it's also important to remember that as you grow and learn, acquiring and learning better tools only makes the product better.
Appreciate the tips. Aren't you forgetting the DAW? Headphones? Mic stands/screens? Mixer? I've heard good things already about the Twin X duo, but never about the Complete Ultimate 12. I've been looking to upgrade from my MOXF, so will definitely check this out!
plot twist: You can get all this for $2000,99 on Ebay😉
Also, you'll need that extra grand to pay for the ONE thing he did not mention.......a LAPTOP. All this equipment is useless without one....duh.
Also, you'll need a pair of headphones. Also necessary. I think that $3400 target is pretty doable overall.
I was thinking the same thing
Totally can, and it’ll be hella not working correctly 🥺 yaaaauye bay
@@chinmeysway 80% of my gear has been purchased from e-bay. 100% of that gear worked perfectly with absolutely no issues. Find the sellers with lots of sales under their belt and a 100% positive rating and you'll be fine. Why spend full price for something when you can buy it lightly used at a 30-50%+ discount? I've probably saved about $40k this way.
@@damelos4039 He did mention it.
After years of hardheadedness I finally sold all the junk I bought over the years and bought many of the things you just promoted except the sure mic thanks for that one.
Jim Flauntt you’ll never go wrong with an SM7b.
If I were to pair a sm7b with the Apollo twin would I need a cloud lifter?
I didn't love the sound of the sm7b previously- but I am willing to give it another go with a different set up.
No, I travel with 2 Apollo Twin X quads and have no issues driving the SM7b. The unison pre's on in the Apollo have plenty of gain. No cloudlifter needed
Hey bro! Great video! I have some of this gear but also have acquired some others. Keep up the great work bro!
The level of sincerity on your face when you deliver the line "I don't consider people who drag & drop samples as real producers, that's called computer programming." If only those uncultured drones ever found the substance within themselves to do some REAL skilled and CREATIVE work, they'd be in the illustrious profession of making pretty ear noises sound vaguely similar to preexisting and commercially popular versions of pretty ear noises, exclusively using a workflow created and maintained entirely by computer programmers. It's time to draw a line between those who drag and drop all mousey like, and REAL pro-FESSIONAL-ducers, who utilise their superior breeding to delicately drag and drop their vintage knobs into our unworthy ear-holes. Thank ye most generous lord.
That is misleading.
Can you do a alternative affordable version of this video? 🙏❤️ Thank u so much for this amazing information
Right now I picture Billie Eilish high af with her eyes half closed staring at her Grammys.
In the....firsthand smoke?
@@isaacdynys6518 No from the second hand smoke from Snoopp Dogg and Martha Stewart who is good friends with Snoop. Allegedly.
@@___David___Savian Specific
I know this is an old video but BOY!!!! I’m so glad I watched it… I’m a new producer starting out and learning but I’m already a DJ and very musically minded apart from that… I was recently starting to think, am I crazy for thinking I want to create my own music from scratch while everyone else is dragging and dropping loops… thank you for pushing aside my fears!
I don't understand all the hate. I don't see anything wrong with anything he is saying. There's so many records being recorded and produced in hotel rooms and air bnb's now a days. A lot of people are using mobile rigs or bedroom studio equipment. Granted expensive and high end gear can make things easier and sound better but it really comes down to the engineer. A good engineer that knows what he is doing can make anything sound good with the tools he has.
How do you feel about the steinburg ur lineup ?
I have the X4, but I wouldn’t recommend UAD for someone starting out. Other interfaces give you more freedom.
why can't the UAD Preamps be by-passed?
Sanley Assor some units can and other can’t be. But it locks you into their platform
@@RayAndre yes. Apollo is essentially a dongle for their plugins. I sold mine and bought actual hardware as the plugin costs add up over a very short time.
You Don't need $3,400, you need Talent, Good Songs, Connections and Patience.
Didn't say you "needed it". However, having all the things you mentioned and no gear makes it hard to have good songs, get connections
Failed to mention Billie and Finneas pay $1000+ per mix to have someone mix it in a professional studio
Didn’t fail to mention anything, this video was not about mixing and mastering, it’s about the creation tools! You can only mix and master tracks that exist….
@@TheSteveFreeman at 12:40 you make it seem like finneas mixed it on the hs8’s which to someone who doesn’t actually know they would believe that. But for creation, yes this video is very accurate.
@@Francisco-dr4yi I didn’t “make it seam like” anything. Those are the monitors he has in his home studio. I didn’t talk about mixing and mastering, neither which he does. This video was about creation tools, not mixing and mastering. Anyone taking themselves seriously is having their product mixed and mastered by a professional mixing and/or mastering engineer.
wow i liked the end! there is nothing wrong being independent!! yes!!! love this video
Thanks for watching and commenting
and if the producer does not want to come near any VST? Things get a bit complicated...
True, but this setup is really for the self-producer, the person working and creating in their own studio
@@TheSteveFreeman This is exactly what I am talking about. Not all home producers want to use VSTs. Some like analog synths a lot. Some play real drums, guitars, and other instruments. One microphone is not going to be enough. That little sound interface that you recommended is just not going to provide the needed number of inputs.
EARS beat GEAR.
I can still play, program plug-ins and mix in my very first PC (p4, XP, internal card) to this day whether its 32/24 or 16 bit.
Every popular DAW, PIECE of GEAR, COMPUTER, MICROPHONE has a HIT record in history.
We all need to engineer our own systems, gear, working strategies and sound.
Do you accept VISA?
Nope
I would like to recommend one overlooked factor of saving even more money while achieving a professional sound, Microphone Modification.
What do you think of the antelope zen audio interfaces? I'm debating between the uad twin and that one. Just can't decide!!
I’ve never used it, but have friends that have said some really positive things about them and love using them
this is a UAD commercial lol
Steve what about the soundproof I have the alcatron is that enough?
Honesty, I’ve cut platinum selling albums in rooms without any, so if you have some, you’re ahead of the game!
I'm still recording through a Reason Balance interface. Old school , I know. Would my recordings really improve with the Apollo twin? Not sure if it makes that much a difference
de de if it’s working for you and you are happy with the results, then there’s no reason to change.
@@TheSteveFreeman Thanks for the reply :)
It's working but I wonder. Is there a huge difference in recording quality between the Apollo and cheaper interfaces. Cleaner sounds, more detail? Or is it more the software that comes with it that makes the difference?
@@dede-sm7sl REgardless of what other people on this thread will tell you, YES, there is a huge difference in the quality. Higher-end interfaces have way better converters, AD/DA and in the case of the Apollo, it offers DSP, Unison pre's and available plugins, that in my opinion, are industry-leading and more natural sounding as it relates to analog gear that I'm used to working with. That is not to say that can't achieve GREAT results with lower end interfaces. I have a friend of mine that has produced 3 platinum-selling records this year using Focusrite Scarlette interfaces. They aren't my fav, but to each his own. The end result is all that matters.
Hit songwriter and multiplatinum producer spending his time making advertising videos for cheap equipment in his cheap studio (judging by those cheap Focals in the background). Times must be tough man :D
Yeah I only made 3 million last year, times are certainly rough. By the way, this isn't my set up. It's my mobile rig. And I happen to prefer the cheap Focals for that room, which is a C room at my studio in Nashville. If you would like to compare setups and studios and income, I'm ready when you are.
@@TheSteveFreeman yeah, i don't see why not. Just please be patient for a month or two couse im in the final stage of my new studio. Alsow I would like to compare sound if you don't mind... You got me at years income tho ;)
@@d.r.dmedia2481 Let me know when you're ready! LOL. I'd love to hear about your new place though, seriously! Both of my tracking studios in Nashville and LA are outfitted with 2 UA Apollo 16x's for a total of 32 channels and 12 cores of UAD processing. Each studio has 8 API 512'c for drums, 8 Neve 1073's for guitars, bass, vocals. We have a couple API lunchboxes with various 500 series pre's and compressors in case someone wants something specific. Then on the second 16x we have 4 Universal audio 4-710's for analog inputs on those channels. Since they have an 1176 style compressor on each channel, they are great for just about any instrument or vocals. I'm sure someone here will disagree, but that's what I like. For monitoring in both studios we use the Focal Trio11's, matched pair obviously.
Gear is so personal and subjective. I've chosen the gear I love and that sound the way I want my projects to sound. IT is by no means what is right for everyone or the only way or tools to get the job done. There are so many flavors, just like ice cream. At the end of the day, it's about the flavor you want, you like.
$ 3400 is a lot man
I make my shit with $500 setup
You'll see me getting great
SHIVAM TIWARI that’s the attitude to have and with it, you will!
@HareKrishna777 Because using an UAD interface doesn't really matter if you have an interface like a focusrite lol or using an SM7B. If your room is shit it doesn't matter how much better your microphone or plugins are. If you're shit at recording it doesn't matter having a good interface either
In case you forgot it’s $3,400
Great video! The only thing that confused me was the pricing on the Yamaha 8 inch monitors did they drop the price? I thought it was 400 for the 5 inch monitors?
Right lol your correct I was thinking the same 😁 I have the Hs7's and they ran me a little over $600 (pair)and the 8s a run ya like $750 a (pair)
For all together it’s $400 for the 5 inch
What additional do I need to record my band live with this setup?
The Apollo Twin line will not allow you to record a full band because of the limited i/o. You will want to look at what I use in both of my studios, if you want to stay with the Universal Audio interface, look at the Apollo 16x. That gives you 16 channels of i/o. If you have a small band, look at the 8x.
@@TheSteveFreeman ty
This is extremely useful! although I'd also add a powerful computer, which I think is crucial in terms of not ruining your workflow.The Apollo interface can help you with the processing of UAD plugins but what about the rest of the plugins?. Totally agreed on omnisphere, you can get absolutely any synth sound you can imagine. Extremely powerful (and CPU hungry)
The Yamaha monitor you mentioned is 400 per unit, wouldn’t one need 2? What about the sub woofer, might that be a nice addition to capturing the bass frequencies accurately? Please advise! Thank you!
At the time of posting this, Sweetwater was running a special on the pair…I would absolutely get a sub if it’s in your budget
@@TheSteveFreeman I will thanks for the advice!!!
Great video, but you obviously don’t need all of this. I will say, this is the ideal set up for all-in-one solo jobs for sure. I have an Apollo twin x duo, but I also have an MTrack 2x2 which is MUCH cheaper. I track with both because the Apollo Twin is great for Mac but won’t work correctly on my PC. You don’t need an Apollo. You can just use selection based processing in Logic, or “apply fx to item” in any other DAW. There are ways around using the exact items listed, if you don’t have the money. So don’t get discouraged my friends. I think I’ll make a $100 set up to compare against this set up and see who does it better! Trust me, this $3400 set up will NOT run circles around a $100 set up. Stay tuned 🙂
Is the Apollo better Than the arrow?
The converters in the TwinX are better than the Arrow, as is the processing power for UAD plugins, but the Arrow is a great buy for the cost, especially as an entry to the UA ecosphere.
You forgot to mention yet another big advantage of the SM7b. Being a dynamic mic you need MUCH less room treatment to get a nice clean and dry signal on the way in. Acutally you might not need any at all!
Can u use that mic as a home studio is any good?
Great Video. Michael used a SM7, not am SM7B on the Thriller Album. Do you have a video of the time with the sony c800g?
Crazy cuz you just described my exact home studio ! Couldn’t agree more with all of your recommendations. Apollo into the shure with the HS8’s can accomplish just about anything! I will say my only gripe with the video is the whole bit about sample / loop users aren’t producers etc, I’m a multi instrumentalist but still use loops from time to time. It’s about what you do with the sounds, not how you got them! Great video nonetheless. Cheers
where are these Yamaha 8inch monitors for 400 a pair? The HS8 are about 400 each. Is he talking about another powered monitor by Yamaha?
At the time I made this video, Sweetwater was running a sale for the pair
Thanks for the advice! I've been slowly buying gear. its been my dream to produce for a long time. I did a lot of research before I settled on the apollo twin X. I'm glad its the one you recommended. I also got a Neumann U87 and a native instruments keyboard, I didn't buy the Komplete 12 though because I didn't think I needed it. the next thing I need to get is a sound booth which I will get next. Thanks again!
Its not the gear, its the talent behind it. Save your cash, invest your time in knowledge.
I agree that talent has to drive the gear, but a great deal the purpose of investing your time and gaining knowledge in this business has to do with learning the gear that will help you accomplish the sound that you want. The gear matters.
@@TheSteveFreeman What gear you own does not matter, what matters is how well you know your gear.
@@djmandala2091 that logic may work for someone who does music as a passion, but it does not hold water for those of us who do it professionally for a living
@@TheSteveFreeman That logic applies to all levels.
@@djmandala2091 how many platinum selling artists do you know that drive a Kia? NONE, same with gear.
Couldn’t agree more about the sm7b mic... that’s my favourite mic ever!!!! And I own a u87 and a Sony c800g
Question.....if my PC has a USB-C input, but its not Thunderbolt, am I still going to be able to take advantage of all the sound quality/power/performance of this Apollo interface?
Thank you guys or watching! I would love to hear about your studio setup here in the comments. What's your "Go-To Gear"?
Steve Freeman cool setup!
@@HakmanTim Thanks man!
I have a focusrite scarlett solo interface with a sterling st169 tube microphone watching this makes me wanna get the shure sm7b
16in MacBook Pro, Logic Pro x, Audient id14, Aston Orgin, Yamaha HS8, Yamaha moxf, melodyne 4, izotope advance bundle, keyscape + omnisphere, mogami cables
@Steve Freeman do you recommend Focus Right Scarllet interfaces? I'm wanting to record my band and I have been looking at the scarllet 18i20 as a option.
10:48 is priceless! Thank you, I tell people this all the time!
The Presonus eris xt8 and Yamaha NS speakers are so similar, what the difference....The Crossover points...that's it. An interpretation! Go listen and choose...If your local store doesn't have Presonus line of monitors set up ask why, then demand it!
is the e5xt good for mixing?
Can you make a video about the best rack mount gear? Or even the most pointless rack mount gear.
I can do that!
You forgot to mention sound treatment Steve! That's a very important element in any studio. You can have crap monitors and make them sound great with the right room treatment.
Chris Answeeney I didn’t forget, this video was not about mixing and mastering, just the creation tools. I understand the importance of room treatment, but I can also say that I’ve produced 5 platinum selling records in rooms that had absolutely none. If you are mixing and mastering final product, then absolutely, proper room treatment mid essential.
Steve Freeman good point !
Steve Freeman drop me a link, I’d like to take a listen. 🙂
Get an api preamp a Neumann and an apogee duet and use the last $600 to treat your room 😂
I have a rack of 512c's, they live on drums. Apogee duets are great interfaces. Very transparent and the pre's are very good. I know several major projects that vocals were done exclusively thru a duet with the onboard pre's only
First piece of gear I bought for my studio was a mic, and it was a Shure SM7B. It’s the mic I recorded my vocals with on my albums before I knew I needed my own studio.
I'm trying to buy a new interface Pc(usb)
Should I buy Apollo or go for rme ucx2?
@@tuneunleashed Buddy why do you prefer babyface over ucxii?
This is a UA Commercial lol
My Mbox pro works fine with Slate Digital and Waves plungins running
Low if it works for you that’s all that matters
I need at least 56 channels for my mixing console...
Do you know how much that is in Universal Audio Money? A lot.
Yessir, that’s a ton. What are you currently using?
You sure you wanna ask that? Because it ain’t pretty haha...
I’m currently running two MOTU 24 AO’s to the desk. From the desk, all DO’s are running into 7 Alesis ADAT 8’s (I have them all synced to the BRC for ease of use, and to take advantage of the WC input). I then have an RME HDSP 9652, linked to two RME Digiface USB’s trough ADAT sync. All of this is then linked together using an Antelope OCX HD.
Is it the greatest? Hell no.
Is most of it pointless/obsolete? Probably.
Did it still cost some? More than I’d like, yes.
But until I decide I wanna give up having around 8 master tapes for each project, or fancy dropping another £6K to replace my beautiful ADAT’s, I’m good. Plus, it gives me that authentic “What the fuck, was this recorded in the 90’s?” kinda vibe.
Anyway, keep up the great work man! And I hope you have a good day.
Edit: Just to add, the desk I’m referring to is a A&H GL4000.
And I’m currently watching your new video... Facts! You’re showing what is capable with $3400, not what is essential. Understanding how to use what you already have, most of the time, is better than buying new gear. But, if you are just buying your gear for the first time, and you want something proven to win Grammy’s for $3400... Then that is it. People can have their own opinion if they like the products, but that’s not the point.
Also you’re right about most modern studio’s nowadays, you’re hardly gonna see a Focusrite. You might see a RedNet system out in the wild (I think CLA’s assistant still has one), but other than that, it’s mostly brands like UA.
The Fake News Frog🐸 man, it sounds like a complicated but GREAT setup. And the only thing that matters is your workflow, if it works for you, it doesn’t matter!! I love hearing about other people’s setups and how they have them configured.
Steve Freeman - Thanks man. There probably is a better, more efficient way to go about it... Only I didn’t really want to spend another £10,000 on converters.
My problem is making use of those ADAT’s. RME seem to be one the last companies offering full support for them. So for example, if I wanted to take full advantage of the BRC and sync 128-tracks, there’s no audio interfaces supporting 16 ADAT I/O’s with World Clock. It’s hard to enough to find ones with 4. So I chose the RME Digiface USB’s with the HDSP 9652 for that side of things. Then the ADAT’s can be used as AD converters, as well as recorders.
I went with MOTU for the DA conversation because it’s one of the best 48-channel setups I could find for less than £2000. That’s pretty much the only reason for that.
In hindsight, I probably could of cut out the HDSP 9523 entirely, and chained the Digiface USB’s to a MOTU through ADAT. Then sync the MOTU’s and BRC to the clock. But I didn’t know if I was going to run into any issues doing that. Plus, the HDSP gives me some bonus sound processing, and 9-pin ADAT sync as a backup.
So I’d say it’s complicated, but a win-win in a way.
I guess nobody records real drums anymore…
Right? I certainly do...
I was thinking bout that too..
I only use real drums in every record I produce, but believe me, 80% of what’s being released right now is programmed and it’s a shame
Real drums in their natural form they are great. I hate that plastic sound from programing drums or triggers.. they lack of that real human touch
Saint Vulturesoul AMEN!!!
The 5 inch Yamaha monitirs are the ones at 400 per paur, did you mean them, rather than the more expensive 8 inch you mentioned? Please advise! Thank you!!!
Sweetwater was running a sale at the time of the filming of this video….
i never thought about getting the sm7b cause it seems too warm, i like my vocals to have some pleasing high end on it and not too much of the low mids, the frequency response on the sm7b shows a dip in the highs, which i think will ruin my mixes, cause i dont know techniques to bring out the high ends without making it too airy / harsh
You would probably really like a 414. More pleasant on the high end for sure
I got a budget but can figure out what to buy first how much they pay ya
The only time a UA-cam ad brought me to a great channel
LOL, great to hear that bro and good to have you here!!
Thanks Steve! Love the show!
great suggestions. Ive got two apollos (blackface 8 and Apollo x16). HOWEVER this gear isn't necessary.
I like the clarity of Antelope Audio personally. Just my preference. But UAD is good as well. But the yammies are more than $400.00 for the pair bro!!!
BLACK REIGN MUSIK at the time of this video Sweetwater was running a special for $399.98 for the pair...
@@TheSteveFreeman Ok thanks, didn't hear the part about any special.
and why your using focal !!!
The video was about the gear that was used on the projects I cited in the video, not what in my studios in Nashville and LA.
lol DONT THROW AWAY YOUR SOUNDCARD !!!
I love how honest you are man
Prince recorded his vocal for Purple Rain on a 100 usd mic Shure SM57
The original vocal was actually taken from a live performance and then he did overdubs in the studio to correct it, but you are 100% correct. 90% of the song was take straight from a live performance with an sm57
@@TheSteveFreeman Yeah, great video by the way! Also an Apollo user here.
@@symph1744 Thanks man!
Hey Steve how about a recommendation for Computer set up, processing speed. Memory. Storage, etc.
I would make sure you get an i7 processor with 32g of ram and use either an external or internal SSD for your working drive. These specs are more than most of the manufacturers call for, but you want to over buy when it comes to computers for studios
I think that mentioning room treatment would be important. It isn’t glamorous, but if you are dropping 3400 dollars and can’t hear an accurate image of the music would be very disheartening.
I think if you are pro mixing or mastering engineer, yes, it is extremely important, but this video is about the tools for the creation process
Steve Freeman how can you create a palette of sounds if you can’t hear what you are doing? I think it is important to be engin-earring than engin-eyeing. See what I did there? You can tell I am a dad. Love the content man. Keep up the good work.
@@battyfang4701 I get what you are saying, but honestly, when creating and choosing sounds, especially in home studio environments, you are sitting 3' away from the monitors if not closer and the room treatment isn't a factor. You are hearing the sounds before they bounce off of anything.
@@eman0828 I think it depends on the sound you are going for and the mic you are using. FOr example, none of the vocals on the new Post Malone record were done in an iso booth or properly treated room, just the mic sitting in the middle of the control room and recorded thru an Apollo Twin. I personally like isolation on vocals so that I have complete control.
Hey Steve. Great info Bro. Question, I have the original AKG C414, Apollo x6, Studio One 4, Komplete 12 and an IMac Pro. I think I’m pretty good but do you feel my mic is pretty good for vocals?
Man, sounds like you have a great setup going! As far as the mic goes, I've never been a fan of the 414 on vocals, but that is just a personal preference. I have always found them to be too much in the mid's and highs. I use them a lot for overheads on drums though. Let me say this, if that mic sounds good with your voice, then there is no reason to change! My best friend uses a 414 on his vocals and has for over 15 years and we've had 5 #1 records together, so there s nothing that says you can't have hit records using a 414. I'm all about what works best for you and your voice!
Steve Freeman Thanks for the feedback. Are there any other recommendations you may have with regards to a mic? Something in the $500 budget.
Steve Freeman Need your assistance. I’ve been using an AKG C414 for rap vocals for about 12 years now and it seems to sounds pretty good. How would you compare it to the TLM 102? I was thinking about upgrading if that is even considered an upgrade. Thanks.
Steve Freeman Hey Steve I’m looking at upgrading my mic. I currently have the c414 for vocals. Every time I use my apollo x6, I have to boost my Neve preamp to about 50-55db to get the mic to a comfortable gain. I hear some mics have a gain boost out the box. How about the rode nt1a? Or do you have any other recommendations for mics that have the boost in gain?
Steve Freeman Hey there Steve. Quick question? So I’m getting ready to upgrade my mic. Rode NT1 or Rode NT1a? I have heard some mixed reviews. Some say the NT1 is more flat across the board providing a more accurate reference whereas the NT1a is brighter on the high end. I know you are pretty good with this kind of stuff so what you think?
You know what you can’t do with the Apollo Twin? Record a drum set with 8-12 mics.
Tech advancements are making that less and less necessary every year.
Sure you can, daisy chain outboard ADAT compatible devices and extend your i/o count. Have done it many times
@@studiosix8915 do you mean by programming drums & taking the human element out of the equation?
@@TheSteveFreeman I stand corrected, I didn't know the Twin had 10 in/ 6 out. You still can't do 12 mics with it ;) Wouldn't work for my situation.
@@derykbeaudreau7761 no not necessarily but there is some good stuff out there with programmed and sequenced parts. I don't necessarily think programming is inherently 'wrong'. It all depends on the artist and how they decide to use tools. Trent Reznor comes to mind.
I'm a drummer and I personally enjoy the feel of an organic performance. I like the push and pull between players trying to stay in the pocket.
That said, I also enjoy some stuff that is hyper tightened by snapping it into the grid. It's all good.
What I was talking about in my original reply was the use of midi and vst replacement software.
The organic and human performance is still there but the sounds are not caught in the moment.
Most people don't have and can't afford the correct room dimensions, acoustic treatment, mics, mic pres, compressors and equipment needed to get the best out of a full big drum kit - especially when hyper detail is desired with mics on every drum - top, bottom, overhead, room mics, etc...
It isn't perfect and it hasn't quite made it there but midi and vst combos along with top shelf drums like the td50 are pretty close. It won't be long before they're there.. maybe 10 years?
One can also reamp and color the sound, possibly blend different sounds together and get something pretty cool.
All of those mics, gear and proper space isn't feasible for most but they can use technology to their advantage and do something really interesting. - that's what I meant.
In the end an artist can either paint an awesome picture or they can't.
Whether or not the paintbrush has a wood or plastic handle probably doesn't matter as much.
I have a MPC X, Kronos X ,went with Presonus Studio One V 5. My S88 on order, I have Keyscape and Omnisphere 2.6. getting into Trailer music. Just bought a few Spitfire VST's. Will get that Shure mic. Checking out that UA interface... thanks
Cool, I've got the same Yamaha HS8, but I have a focusrite interface because the UA stuff is out of range for me. I got the NEAT King Bee mic because Podcastage recommended it and I love mine. It's so cheap, cant complain. Also, one of my dad's friends had a bunch of music gear and I looked though his stuff and he offered me one of his electric keyboards. Turned out to be a Roland FP-50 and worth 1,700, so that was crazy.
I have a msi labtop so I do not have a man book pro but I'm saving to get one