Introduction to Multitrack Computer Interface Recording

I thought your point about recording a basic guitar track twice then panning one to the left and the other to the right was really interesting. Is it better to record it twice, or just save the first track and then import it??? Just thinking about how obvious the differences will be in two seperate recordings.

You can do either - but if you can play it close to the same you can get a very nice thick sound with real double tracking as opposed to just copying tracks and adjusting their sound.
 
what would be the best audio interface that i should buy for $200? i just want to have a smooth and good quality recorded guitar tracks, and idk why my buddy uses line 6 ux2 but he still get some noise in his recording, im a newbie so i want to buy what can help me. i just have a basic computer setup amd athlon dual core, 3GB RAM. win 7 64 bit. any advice, im planning to buy an audio interface this coming monday, and i want to get a good audio interface for $200 or cheaper
 
This should really be a sticky. It's a well presented, well thought out and very helpful start point that answers, at least in part, probably 80% of the questions that turn up in the newbies forum.
 
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Hi everyone. In the article, there is little mention of the outputs on the interfaces. Is that the term then, that "computer recording" is the process of recording on to the computer and staying in the computer for mixing etc? My challenge is understanding how the outputs of the interface go to an analog mixer for headphone mixes.Just using a mixer with the interface. I read the whole tweakheads site and did not find the analog mixer to soundcard article helpful at all. I'll keep looking around these forums.
 
Hi everyone. In the article, there is little mention of the outputs on the interfaces. Is that the term then, that "computer recording" is the process of recording on to the computer and staying in the computer for mixing etc? My challenge is understanding how the outputs of the interface go to an analog mixer for headphone mixes.Just using a mixer with the interface. I read the whole tweakheads site and did not find the analog mixer to soundcard article helpful at all. I'll keep looking around these forums.

You typically would not go from an interface TO a mixer - plug your headphones directly into the interface.
 
Thanks arcadeco for the great information! My main issue has been getting a really good stereo recording from my keyboard. You mention:

RCA jacks are also common (usually L/R red and white stereo) for line inputs/outputs.
Common analog outputs are similar to the inputs but ¼” jack outputs are probably the most common, usually a left and right.

I do have a Soundblaster Creative Live Drive IR panel on my computer that came with the soundcard. It only has one 1/4 input, but it DOES have RCA L/R inputs that I think I'll try. Do you think the RCA inputs will get me a good stereo recording?

Thanks,
 
I do have a Soundblaster Creative Live Drive IR panel on my computer that came with the soundcard. It only has one 1/4 input, but it DOES have RCA L/R inputs that I think I'll try. Do you think the RCA inputs will get me a good stereo recording?

That is a pretty old card - I think I had one like 10 years ago! I used it for low quality voice over stuff. I don't think I ever used the Aux in but couldn't hurt to try it out. Not sure what the bit depth of that card is - you really want at least 16 and really 24 is ideal. The specs say it records at 48kHz so you may be able to get a decent signal from it.
 
Excellent little post, and certainly sticky-worthy. I would suggest you expand on it as your time and knowledge permit, and update it from time to time.
 
Excellent little post, and certainly sticky-worthy. I would suggest you expand on it as your time and knowledge permit, and update it from time to time.

I am thinking about doing one on DAW basics next. Maybe they can change a setting and make the first post editable again and I could just add it there. Otherwise it will be waaay down here :eek:
 
Arcadeko,

I do have a Soundblaster Creative Live Drive IR panel on my computer that came with the soundcard. It only has one 1/4 input, but it DOES have RCA L/R inputs that I think I'll try. Do you think the RCA inputs will get me a good stereo recording?

Well, I tried the RCA L/R inputs, and I am not getting a good stereo sound. Which means I'm going to have to upgrade my audio interface.

All I want is a good stereo recording for my keyboard, and MIDI capability. When I mean stereo, I mean the kinda sound where you can feel it go back and forth to both ears, touching your eardrums. I just cannot seem to get this.

When I look at the pictures of the audio interfaces that you have links of, I can't see the 1/4 inch L and R inputs. Do most of them have this and I'm just not seeing it?

Thanks,
 
All I want is a good stereo recording for my keyboard, and MIDI capability. When I mean stereo, I mean the kinda sound where you can feel it go back and forth to both ears, touching your eardrums. I just cannot seem to get this.

When I look at the pictures of the audio interfaces that you have links of, I can't see the 1/4 inch L and R inputs. Do most of them have this and I'm just not seeing it?

Thanks,

Almost every interface will have the standard 1/4" instrument jack as well as an XLR 3-pin mic jack - as for the midi - you don't need a midi input in your interface since you can get a USB-to-MIDI cable on ebay for like $10

- as far as stereo - if you need to record stereo output from a keyboard then you will need to get a minimum two channel interface. Almost every interface is stereo capable - like an Avid Mbox - or even an Alesis Multimix 8 would work at about $150 (you don't need the USB 2 if you only want to record 2 tracks, if you want to record each 8 channels separate get the USB 2.0 which is around $250) -

there are several small interfaces that will work that are inexpensive.

Is there any reason you want to record the midi also? the midi is just the keystrokes on the keyboard - no sound - but you can apply that to different synths via midi. You could actually record just the midi into Reaper and use a free VST synth to reproducs the sound - then you wouldn't even need an interface because you wouldn't actually need to record an audio signal - just the midi data.
 
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