Need Help With Hardware

[MusicsMom]

Hello All,
I'm a Mother of a 17yr old son, who wants to be a recording engineer/producer, He also writes rap lyrics. Well to make a long story short, he has been wanting equipment to create beats, and record them, so for Christmas I was going to buy what he needed to get started, he doesnt want to go the PC route because he wants to actually work hands on with the equipment, and also he's taking keyboarding lessons, so he wants to be able to work on one. A friend of mines who is into music and recording offered to sale me his "Boss BR8 Digital Recording Studio" for $200.00, he says thats all my son would need, along with a keyboard and mic to make and record his beats and also add his lyrics on top of the beats, I'm not so sure, because my friend strictly deals in Rock, and this may or may not be what my son needs for Rap/Hip Hop, thats why I'm here, I need help from you guys in what does someone need to get started: 1. Creating Beats 2. Recording The beats Created 3.Recording Lyrics on top of the beats? (Rap/Hip Hop) (Hardware Only) and please keep in mind that he's only 17, and I'm on a budget, I appreciate all responses.

[manning1]

well . in my opinion , and ive been recording a long time..the pc offers the most flexibility. i dont agree with the hands on point.
its all in the hands of the user how much you want the computer to do the work, and how much the user wants to do the work.
for example with band in a box. he would select a style of music, and get a back up band instantly in software which will save him time. providing he understands entering song chords. on the other hand he could get advanced and modify preset styles like some advanced users do, and really get into the nitty grittys. see what i mean ?
my own recordings on pc involve a ton of hands on work.
the boss certainly looks a good deal. but one thing i have against these type of units is the question on whether you can get service in the future in case of a malfunction.
ive been caught like this more than once. hence why i like the pc route. replacement parts are dirt cheap. if you want more info on affordable routes viz a pc - just ask.

[lansingxcore]

way to support your son's hobby. i support his decision to stay away from the pc. they have their advantages, but in the end i can't trust my data to a computer unless it's backed up somewhere else. plus at the rate we're going, nobody will even remember how to use hardware in 10 years. the boss will work to record beats and overdub many layers of vocals over top. however, it does not offer professional quality sound (although a beginner's ear won't be able to tell the difference). it's a good starting point though, and great for making demos. he'll need a drum machine or sampler/sequencer to make his beats. many keyboards come with these functions built in. many don't. there are many dedicated sampler/sequencers that have more powerful options, although i'm not well versed enough to recommend specific units (anybody??). in short, get the boss, get him a cheap but good mic (studio projects mics or marshall mxl mics are good bangs for the buck), get him a sampler/sequencer with midi, and a keyboard with midi (that way he can control the keyboard from the sequencer and vice versa). best of luck

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Mamma Mia:

I admire your support for your son's musical interests.

Don't know where you live but if there is a Junior College or a bigger college nearby, check to see if they offer any "electronic" music courses. The cost will be minimal for a course. Your son will be with other students, many of them very savvy, and he can get a ton of experience. Also, he will have good equipment to use free and will get a better idea of what he will need to start up his own little studio.

Music has always been fun for me. I didn't enjoy practicing when I was a kid but sure did enjoy jamming with other musicians.

Green Hornet