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Thread Summer Camp set up

  • 3 replies
  • 2 participants
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Topic Summer Camp set up
Hi,

I am a summer camp director for at risk kids from Boston (check out www.crossroads4kids.org ). I would love to start a program where our kids have the ability to record their own sounds and beats and create a CD in the summer. The kind of music would be STOMP based (trash cans, mouth beats, broom sticks, etc.) all part of our cultural program. The ability to record this and then give each kid a copy would blow thier minds and help in our mission, giving them all something real to say that they have done and be proud of.

My question is, how do I get started. I am very computer savy and understand basic principals of sound systems (ie we run PA's etc at camp for playing CD's really loud and making anouncements). I am not looking to do anything with mind blowing quality, rather just trying to get the kids to see some potential in themsleves and have something to be proud of.

Would love any comments or feedback,

Thanks - Matt
2
If you want to do the stomp thing, and you already have a PA, than you should also have some mics. You have a desktop or laptop? Laptop, go with a USB audio interface. Desktop, I'd go with a PCI based one. Try www.midiman.com

Mic the kids, mix on you existing PA (with headphones if possible- mix for what sounds good in the phones, not in the house), take a left/right out of the board to the audio interface on the computer, fire up something like PG Music's Power Tracks, hit record, and go!!

If you're talkin' kids, get a copy of Acid Pro and a beat box of some kind and let 'em do some hip hop/dj/remix stuff. That'd be probably easier than trying to mic the stomp thing up.........
The Axeman (##(===> Cuts From My New Blues CD
3
Thanks Mike - makes the budget end of it easier too!

What kind of mics do I need - I find that as I move the mics that we use for the PA away from your mouth you can't hear them all the well, should I be looking at something in particular.

Thanks again - Matt
4
Matt-

To be honest, I am not the world's most knowledgeable guy on microphones. Most of the recording I do at home is either direct or uses just a standard SM58, 57, or similar. All in in much more controlled environment than you are contemplating.

Recording live performances (which is essentially what you're wanting to do) is it's own specialized field and has it's own set of problems on top of the learning curve associated with computer/home recording. The one you mentioned is one of the biggies :?

Honestly- that's why I suggested the DJ/HipHop/Remix idea rather than the Stomp genre. More controlled environment where a mix can be built a track at a time. More direct inputs. Less noise. Fewer microphones......
The Axeman (##(===> Cuts From My New Blues CD