just starting

[goodlawd]

Ok so I'm planning on learning this stuff by myself. I have no idea where to begin (sound familiar?). I'm going to invest about $1500-2000 in it if all goes according to plan. I'm going to record mostly rock. I want really warm organic non-digital sounding recordings. I want the true essence of each instrument to shing through. Any ideas on equipment. Im kind of confused on what all to buy. Should i get one of the 16 track workstations and get mics and stuff or should i do it all with my computer. Something halfway portable would be ideal as well. Any thoughts?

[bennychico11]

find a tascam 4 track cassette recorder:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Porta2mkII/

if you want something that shines, doesn't give you a "digital sound", and is portable...that's what you need (or something similar)

invest in some good mics (do a search on this forum for some opinions)...a nice preamp or two, and some monitors....and you're set to go.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by goodlawd

I want the true essence of each instrument to shing through.

You could go with what Benny recommends, but this is nice too if you really want the true essence of each instrument to shine through...

[goodlawd]

I want to be able to have more tracks than a 4 track...I was think of something more along the lines of this. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/240284/. But is this all that I would need? Do I need an editing program for my computer along with this or could i get by with just this setup?

[dwillis45]

Originally Posted by goodlawd

Should i get one of the 16 track workstations and get mics and stuff or should i do it all with my computer. Something halfway portable would be ideal as well. Any thoughts?

If portability is important, a stand-alone digital recorder (like the Fostex VF160) or a laptop are your most convenient options. If your computer is not a laptop, then I guess you choice is pretty straightforward. Go with the Fostex or similar units by Yamaha, Korg, etc. If portability is not crucial, I would use your current computer provided it has enough capability to record. This includes sufficient RAM,storage space, CPU processor speed, a fast drive, and an available PCI card slot or firewire port. Then do some research on soundcards and firewire interfaces.

If your machine doesn't have the minimum system requirements for recording, assess whether or not the computer can be upgraded and how much that would cost.

My personal opinion on computers versus all-in-one digital recorders: Go with a DAW rather than a self-contained digital recorder. I think that in the long run DAW's are easier to upgrade and provide a better base for adding new equipment like preamps and converters.

As far as the MF complete package: I'de skip it. You will probably be happier in the end if you buy one piece at a time. Focus on each component seperately, do some research, and hang out on the various forums on this BBS. In no time you'll be able to figure what best suits your needs.

One last thing. Don't sweat the digital versus analog or warm versus cold issue. Just focus on making the best recording possible.