a little help

[etunes]

I am trying to record to my computer from a Roland VS 840. I am wanting to put demos up to a website. Do you folks think NTrack is the way to go? I have posted this question before but, due to information overload, I can't remember. I have downloaded the free version and it seems pretty good to me but just looking for a little guidance.

Thanks
elwood

[Slackmaster2K]

n-Track is a multitracker. If you're doing your multitracking on the roland unit, then you don't need n-Track, you just need a wave editor. If you want to move to multitracking on the PC, then IMHO n-Track is the way to go, yes.

Slackmaster 2000

[Gidge]

even though N-Track is a multitracker, you could use it for what you want...as long as you wont be doing any intense editing youll be ok.....

advantages, if you have a 24bit card, N-Track has cheap 24 bit capabilities.....

if you just have a 16 bit card youd do just as good with Goldwave @ www.goldwave.com ........

[etunes]

Thanks for the help, maybe some more info would help. I have an Auidiophile 2496 card thanks to Gidge's recommendation.

Will N-Track give me the flexibility to record direct to my computer and bypass the VS840 at some point? Can I also route Fruity loops to N-Track?

Also Gidge, call me stupid, how do I go directly to my sound card with mics and instruments? (I think I remember you having one of these cards)

[Gidge]

Yes, as Slack said,N-Track is the way to go with multitracking on the PC......

with Fruity Loops, i just export all my files as .wav files and bring them right into N-Track...its a piece of cake to do and you can keep each individual instrument (kick,snare,hihat,etc) on separate tracks in N-Track....

as for hooking up mics and instruments to the computer, you need some sort of preamp......your VS840 can serve that purpose, though standalone units are better...just plug everything into your VS, go from the outputs of the VS into the Audiophile.....play through it as if you were recording, only hit the red button on N-Track instead of the VS unit....simple as that......

keep in mind that along the way you may find additional costs associated with PC recording....when you get into higher track counts, you may need a faster hard drive....when you want tons of DX and VST effects your CPU may be a tad slow.....however, id say you probably have enough computer now to at least match what your VS does now.....and of course the PC will never beat the portability of the VS....

what are the specs on your computer?.....

[etunes]

I bet you are saying, duh! I know I was when I read your last post, I didn't think of doing it that way.

I have a Pentium II 266 mhz, 6gb hard drive, 192 ram

From what you've said I imagine I will be ok for a while as I am doing some basic guitar / vocal demos with the occasional Fruity Loops track thrown in. I recorded to Quartz from my VS840 on the one song I have uploaded but the recording levels where kind of difficult to work with.