Building my recording studio!

What I Need

I am putting together a portable recording studio this summer to start my career as a sound engineer and producer. I live between cities, working jobs and internships in Virginia, New York, and California (and everywhere in between), and need equipment that I will be able to transport from project to project. I've been researching equipment all semester, and these are the investments that I'm hoping to make in the next month with the money I raise (in order of importance):

Focusrite Saffire PRO 40 (an I/O with 8 preamplified channels) - $450

Shure DKM57/52 (Mic kit with 3 SM-57s, a Beta 52, and mic clips) - $295

5-10 30' High Quality Mic Cables at $28 each

4 K&M Mic Stands at $62 each

Sennheiser HD 598 (professional mixing headphones) - $250

Two power strips and extension cords

Cart

Any extra funds raised will go towards travel expenses for recording bands or working concerts throughout the summer.

About Me

Hi! Cassie Medcalf here, sound engineer and audio production student at Ithaca College. The past three years I've been studying all aspects of audio, from producing radio spots to film mixing to music recording, and have gained experience in the field and in the studio producing professional quality work. I've done on-set and post work for student films, recorded musicians, and mixed music and dialogue for several school and work-related projects. You can find my full resume on LinkedIn here! Currently I'm interning at grammy-award winning recording studio, Electric Wilburland, in Newfield, New York, and will be working in live sound and music recording in Ithaca and in Northern Virginia this summer, before heading to LA to study in the fall.

With all this travelling around, I need to be able to take my work with me. My goal is to put together a portable recording studio so I can record and mix demos for new musicians. I'm going to be volunteering for a non-profit in Fredericksburg that puts on all-ages shows in northern VA that works to connect young, local artists with successful bands, and give them the chance to perform in reputable venues and even record. This portable studio will allow me to help local artists, and provide affordable services for artists in the areas in which I work.

Currently, I have a MacBook Pro with Pro Tools 10 (I'll be upgrading to 11 next month), a Bluebird condenser microphone, one mic stand, and one XLR cable. I've been using those to edit audio and mix recordings, and have been borrowing extra equipment to record ADR and studio sessions. Acquiring the stuff on the list will help me make some pretty good recordings! If you'd like to hear samples of my recording and mixing work, check out some of the acoustic in-studio recordings I did for my college radio station of Jukebox the Ghost and Matt Pond. 

Other fun facts about me: I love reading, writing, and acting. I'm a huge fan of Shakespeare, Star Trek, Robert Frost, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, travelling, kids, and Jukebox the Ghost (my favorite band- again, check out the recording!). I like to bake and cook, and do a mean Butters impression (you know... from South Park?)! Family, friends, and music are the most important parts of my life- and I want nothing more than to help musicians produce great recordings.

Rewards

As I said, I like to bake and cook, so if you let me know your favorite kind of cookie I will be glad to send over a care package, as well as a thank you card with a fun cartoon :) Also, this equipment is helping me get my studio off the ground, and primary investors will receive a discount on sound services in the future.

Thank you so much!