Everyone wants to become a world famous musician, conductor, cello player in a James Bond movie but what about a recording engineer?
A very good, rather excellent, website to get your talent juices flowing is that of David Mellor’s Audio Master Class, where valuable time and money is spent in training dunces like me in the world of professional recording, giving free titbits of information and real world case studies.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
I had just purchased a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and whilst doing some recording tests realised very quickly how important having a proper studio for this function is. And I mean, really is. Spending millions on a home studio is obviously not within everyone’s reach but knowing what to do and how to do it on a budget is inevitably the best route to follow. Whilst we sing the old adage, “a bad workman blames his tools”, it’s no surprise to find that many started somewhere, mostly on a tight budget working their way up to being extremely knowledgeable in audio or sound engineering.
My first experiences in home recording is somewhat vague suffice to say it was with a four track tape recorder and ceramic microphone. Moving on a couple of decades and with a Live sound card and a great little mic I did some more tests and was amazed at my progress. The thing is that when you do go the “professional” route, even with what the glassy eyed, snobbed out wannabes classify as an entry level mic preamp, the Focusrite delivers. It delivers so well that the Shure SM7 microphone and quiet little preamplifiers reproduced the stunning performance of the refrigerator next door. Ditto my Zoom H6 picking up the air-conditioner compressor outside switching on and off.
Yes, sound engineering isn’t for the faint-hearted. I have heard some absolutely incredible recordings from solo artists and their Scarlett 2i2 rigs and to be honest, times have changed for the better.
This website is not affiliate to master Audio Class in any way. Before going out and spending upwards of R20 000 on a course in sound engineering maybe have a look and do some reading. Lots and lots of reading. Exciting stuff!
You can get your 2i2 in South Africa at Sound Select the Shop (and no, we’re not affiliates here either). Shop around if you wish 🙂