mixing down to computer...

[kietro]

i do some pretty bare-bones recording with my tascam 424mkII (just vocals, acoustic guitar and bass). I want to start mixing down onto my hard drive, but i'm not sure where to begin. i know i'll need a soundcard (any suggestions?) and some type of software. what type of software should i get, where can i get it, and can i get it for free? also, what type of audio format will i be working with? can i create mp3s fairly easily? obviously, i'm not a tech wizard, but i think i have some halfway decent songs that i'd like to get out there. thanks for reading. hope you can help.

[LongWaveStudio]

there's two ways to go about it. do you want to mix your four tracks on computer? or mix on the tascam and then have the stereo mix on your computer.

if you've got 4 outputs on the tascam, and you want to mix in the computer, you wil need a soundcard that accepts 4 ins at once.i know the guillemot maxistudio accepts 8. if you've only got one stereo out, you'll have to do 2 tracks at once. so pan your vocals hard left, your guitar hard right, and send it in the computer like that. then do the bass, and whatever else. BUT, yo'll have sync probs. i dont know much about the 4 tracks available. does that model have midi sync? if it does, no problem.

if you're just mixing on the tascam, and want to send the stereo mix to your computer, any soundcard will do as they all accept stereo ins. get something which accepts 1/4 jack inputs. get the Guillemot Maxi Studio. you can record 8 ins at once, output 4 at once. you could get rid of the four track:-) lexicon core is another amazing card. 4 ins at once, 8 outs. ive got that in my dance studio. allthough pro tools 24 replaced it, but it's an amazing card. ADAT I/O, even got DBX limiters on each channel!

-Romesh
Long Wave Studio