Minimal Home Studio

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007, 16:33 (GMT) Post subject: Minimal Home Studio

I have been answering only General leads and I would like to be able to do some custon leads without paying for studio time. Can someone tell me, in lay terms if you can, what a minimum home set up would be and how much I should expect to pay. I would plan to go to a studio to record any paid gigs at this point since I have no engineering knowledge yet and I have a good local studio. So it would only be for the purpose of recording some custom auds and for getting much needed practice time.

Thanks!

George Karnes · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007, 17:22 (GMT) Post subject:

Elise-
There are quite a few good threads on here that cover this topic. Check in the geeks and/or pros.

Bottom line, you can spend anywhere from 500 to 5000 dollars. If you look at something north of 1500 you can get to the point where you can start skipping the local studio.

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007, 17:40 (GMT) Post subject:

Thanks George. I did look in geeks but it was so much techno speak I felt lost. I will keep looking. $500 sounds reasonable.

If anyone has time to put it in lay terms for me, that would be great.

Thanks again!

Caryn Clark · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007, 19:01 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi,

Ok, people are going to throw things at me for saying this... but... I'll share with you what I started with.

I started out with a mic plugged into my computer. An Audacity, which is free editing software you can download on the net. That's it. It worked for auditions (would throw a blanket over my head to dampen sound when need be)... got a few jobs that way. When I booked jobs, I booked a real studio and did them there.

It's not the greatest, but it IS a start.

I now have a studio in my home with ISDN, etc. But, if you're just getting your feet wet, you don't want to blow all that money until you know this is something you want to do.

Good luck! Caryn

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007, 19:35 (GMT) Post subject:

Caryn Clark · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 00:44 (GMT) Post subject:

Ok, no one's thrown rocks at me yet... Smile

You won't believe this, but I went to Radio Shack and bought the most expensive mic they had. I think it was like $30. Plugged it in and away I went! Yes, it's better than not auditioning at all, for sure. Just watch for plosives, etc.

I haven't checked out your profile, but you will need a demo or two if you don't already have them. Find a coach, take classes, and eventually record demos. When I did the Radio Shack mic venture, I already had a demo.

This all said, keep in mind that you have to invest some money if you want to make it in voice over. You need coaching, demos, and sooner than later, you're going to need to invest in a home studio. It's the only way to be competitive.

Hope this helps! Caryn

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 00:49 (GMT) Post subject:

Caryn Clark · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 00:54 (GMT) Post subject:

HA... small world! I guess I should've read your profile. Peter's a fantastic coach!

Yes, you can download Audacity for free. You'll also have to download another little thing to be able to make mp3s, I think, but it'll tell you on the Audacity free download site.

Good Luck!!

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 11:58 (GMT) Post subject:

Thanks Caryn. I love your web site as well. And you have a terrific sound! I appreciate the help. I just couldnt get a straight answer to my question, and you helped me a lot. I downloaded audacity, and I do think I have a few more things to download. I'll stop at Radio Shack today and go from there.

Anyway, thanks again.

And yes, Peter is great. I really enjoyed working with him. Did you ever do any of his Master Reels?

Elise

Caryn Clark · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 16:38 (GMT) Post subject:

Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad I could help you out.

Yes, I'm on this year's master reel of Peter's.

Adam James · Posted: Fri May 11, 2007, 23:59 (GMT) Post subject:

Elise,

I guess I built a home studio by default rather than intentionally going out to start voice over work. I needed a set up to record radio shows at home, so spent apx $200 on a mic, $150 on a compact mixer and no more than $30 on cables, Cool Edit Pro on the computer and away you go. So all in all around $450 (with the mic pop shield) which I think was pretty reasonable.

To hire a studio over here would cost a fair bit, and would have to travel, however working for radio stations does come in handy! It is even handier though to have a home setup, to respond to those leads almost as soon as they are posted.

Best of luck with it all.

Adam

PS Audacity is a great program, and will certainly do you well to start off with, I recommend it all the time!

Steve Cotsalas · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007, 16:58 (GMT) Post subject: minimal studio

Is this Elise from Smithtown?
Elise, this is Steve from Peter's class.
I see that you are up & running...Good for you!
I went to Sam Ash in huntington (across from mall,next to diner), and got the Rode podcaster mic, a stand, headphones, and a pop filter, all for under $400. The mike has a USB plug that goes right into the PC, and also has a jack(in the mic itself) for the headphones. I downloaded Audacity(it's free).Works great.If you want, my office is near Mcarthur Airport(15 min from u), you can stop by & take a look.
Are you using the studio near the CVS on Jericho?
I am looking for a studio nearby...can you recomend someone there I should speak to?

Colin Campbell · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007, 19:02 (GMT) Post subject:

Caryn, I wasn't going to throw rocks until you mentioned Radio Shack. Ewwwwwwwwwww.

OK, my "minimal" recomendation. Shure SM58 and an M-Audio Delta 1010LT. Total: about $300.

Geeks: the 1010LT has a built-in pre.

Caryn Clark · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007, 19:17 (GMT) Post subject:

Not to worry, Colin... I've refuse to give Radio Shack any business any longer. They wouldn't take backUNOPENED packages of a common internet cable and one other cable (I don't recall which it was), with the receipt, b/c I was past the 30 days. I think I was at day 45 or 46.

And, to make matters worse, know what they said? "Technology is ever changing, and so we stand by our 30 day return policy". It was a freaking internet cable and another common stereo cable!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would understand if it was, say, TiVo, or a cell phone, or something. But cables?

Meanwhile, at my local mom and pop music store, they let me take back any cable... even if I've tried it out.

Elise Sara Siegel · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007, 19:18 (GMT) Post subject: Re: minimal studio