Looking to take my recording gear up a knotch (pun intended)

[Shotgunshack]

Notch* sorry for my bad spelling

Hello all,

I've been using Pro tools Le through an Mbox for the past 5 years. I record everything (voice/guitar/amp) with my Rhodes NT1A microphone and then mix it by hand on pro tools. It's definitely a step up from garageband, no doubt. But it still does not have that "professional" sound that you hear when you listen to an artist on itunes. Granted, they record on equipment that costs 100,000 dollars or more; but there has to be something I can add that will increase the quality of my recordings. What's the key component that I'm looking for? Is it more than just a nice microphone or a better pre-amp? I'm not looking to spend thousands of dollars here, but just some knowledge that will steer me in the right direction.

Thanks very much

 

[Jason_The_Angry]

Re: Looking to take my recording gear up a knotch (pun intended)

Knowledge of how to properly use EQ, compression, limiters, panning, and reverb go a long way. I'm not sure about Pro Tools, but most of the DAWs contain these inbuilt features. Also, some of the specific add-ons like T-Racks might help with final mastering.

In addition, a few other mic choices might help too. I have a Sure SM57 and an Audix i5 in addition to the NT1A. Using different mics, or two mics simultaneously can help bring out some awesome tones.