audio recording - start and end points

[Peter Dunn]

I'm new to digital recording on a pc and have just got eJay Studio software. I want to start out on a very basic level by recording a song using a microphone for vocals and acoustic guitar, including overdubbing vocals in the chorus. So, for now, it's just basic audio recording I'm looking at, not midi.

I've read the manual and think I'm OK with the main recoding procedure. However, there's one very basic thing I'm not sure about. This is setting the start and end points for the recording. With a tape recording, you simply start 'record' and stop when you've finished.

- What is the purpose of setting these points for digtal audio?

- Do I need to split the song into separate parts, record one part, stop, then record the next part, and, if so, what's the benefit rather than recording the whole song in one go?

- How do you know where to set the two start and end points to ensure that you have enough space to record in?

- If I do split the song into separate parts when recording, will the next part follow on continuously from the previous part without a gap or do the separate parts have to somehow be joined so that there are no gaps between the separate parts?

I realise that this must be very basic to those already familiar with digital recording, but I would really appreciate any answers to the above and any other tips which may help to get me off to a good start. Thanks in advance.

Peter

[bennychico11]

not familiar with that software at all and I've never heard of one where you have to designate the start and stop times. It may be that it's use is for something other than normal recording. But I'd say just set the start to 0 and end to something like 60min. or higher.
Some programs allow you only to record up to a maximum number of minutes in one take. I can't really remember what the reason is that they do that, probably something to do with your computer not being able to handle more than that....but my guess is that's what your software program is telling you to decide.

[Peter Dunn]

Thanks Benny. The software probably dates from around 3 years ago and a review mentioned that it is "very like Cubasis VST" . I think I'm possibly confusing the instructions in the manual, as I seem to recall reading a Cubasis manual which also mentioned "setting the left and right locators" . I assumed that this meant building up a recording in parts, whereas, from what you say, it must mean setting it for the complete expected length of the recording.

Peter

[VTmosaic]

This may also be intended to be used when "punching in." In Cakewalk, you can set it up to ONLY record between the start and stop points, while allowing the performer to monitor (and perform along with) the track before and after the punch in start and stop.

For example: you just want to redo one measure of an otherwise perfect track. Set your punch in points. You start performing BEFORE the punch in point and can keep going past the end of the measure you want to replace, so your performance is smooth, but it will ONLY record the section you wish to replace.

Way nicer than doing it with our 4-tracks, before we went to using a computer.

[bennychico11]

yeah, i agree with VT....might be a punch-in length of time

[Peter Dunn]

Thanks for that, VT and Benny.

Peter

[Cloneboy Studio]

Hate to say it but Digidesign does give away a version of Pro-Tools for free. First one's free, kid!

[NYMorningstar]

The left and right locator pointers in Cubase have 2 main uses:
Recording starts at the left locator and ends at the right.
When the cycle button is activated, playback will loop between the locators.
The locators are also used for importing and exporting.

[Peter Dunn]

Thanks NY - that's helpful. I'll make a start on some test recordings now.

Peter