i'm dumb - please help

[musicmanz]

ok, i want to take my home studio to the next level and i don't know what i need to do. here's what i have:

1. sonar 4
2. one shitty mic
3. midi keyboard
4. dell dimension (8400, i think) computer, bought it last year.
5. my mic is going through an old tascam 4-track, which i'm using as sort of a pre-amp.

basically, i need 2 questions answered:

1. how do i get a good warm signal for recording vocals and acoustic guitar (i already know my shitty mic is partly responsible for the shitty results thus far, but what else do i need)

2. i'm just learning how use amp simulators on electric guitar tracks, but i can only apply them after they have been recorded. Does anyone know how to hear the amp sims real time, without the delay. obviously i would prefer to use a real amp, but there are noise restrictions. please be simple in this explanation.

thanks dudes.

[TimOBrien]

1) Quality mic
2) Quality pre-amp
3) Quality soundcard

It's up to you as to how much you can afford in your budget.

I would >>highly<< recomend that you get a good basic recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...books&v=glance

Good Newbie guide that also explains all the basics and has some hardware recomendations - be sure to read the Soundcard Guide:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

Other recording books:
http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

[musicmanz]

thanks tim. I'll check out the book and weblink.

i'm sure i'm not the only one out there who wishes someone could just come in and build the damn thing for me. but i suppose this book and link will be a good place to start.

[pikingrin]

Originally Posted by TimOBrien

I would >>highly<< recomend that you get a good basic recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...books&v=glance

I agree! The Home Recording for Dummies is a good resource. I bought it about a year ago, and reading through it is always a learning experience.

[Dani Pace]

Wow!!! I thought I was the only one using an old 4 track as a preamp. I know a lot of the guys on here put us down for using those things but they work surprisingly well for lots of things. This is "Home Recording," and we have to make the most of whatever we have and can afford. Like you, I'd like a bigger & better mixer/pre but for most of my needs I get by with a lot less than most of the guys here have and use. My idea is to upgrade as the need arises (and finances allow) but learn to get the most out of what you have. Hang in there and keep pressing the record button, experience is the best teacher of them all, and a good book on recording will definately open youe eyes to how to do a lot of things which may have seemed impossible, even working with limited gear.