Setting up a home studio using my PC

[PulpBoy]

Hi, can someone tell me exactly everything I need to record a somewhat professional demo. This is what I have, please tell me what I need:
--a PC with a 233, I have a Pentium II, 32 megs of RAM, and enough free space, and a lousy sound card that uses FM synthesis

--a Roland MC303 Groove Box which I use to create all my music

That's all I have! I know I will probably need a new sound card and a mic and maybe a preamp for the mic. Here is what I want to do:

1.) Record the music I create with the Roland Groovebox to an audio file
2.) Mix in my voice to the file

How can I do this? What software do I need, what's the best sound card I can get, how do I hook up my mics to the PC? Thanks in advance!

Pulp

[2lim]

okay first get a good sound card.. then get at least 64 megs of ram, i am no computer expert but i would also get ntrack to use as multitrack software

[dabluesman]

Check out http://www.bway.net/~rongon/home_rec/soundcard.html for info and reviews on quality audio cards. I've been enjoying my Midiman Delta 66 audio card, the last time I checked it was going for $299 at bayviewproaudio.com. You will also need more RAM as 2lim said, go for 128 megs if you can. You will probably end up needing a mixer also especially for your mic's and to run the groovebox to. And N-track is a good inexpensive multitracking software to use, though for me Cool Edit Pro has been great. And finally a CD/R burner would be helpful to save your .wav's and your final finished product. Hope this helps, the link sure helped me.

[MISTERQCUE]

What is your budget and your goals!
With this info the members here can have an idea
what direction to send you to.

[pglewis]

I'd get more RAM absolutely first. You'll want at least 96 or 128 if you're going to be doing much audio. Then a faster CPU and/or hard drive. The sound-card might be farther down the line, depending on the performance you want and what you end up getting. 32M of RAM is going to crawl at best, especially with a 233.

[Chavis]

"Just Getting Started II"... (The Sequel... hehe)
Brief Situation: Been playing for many moons... a little recording, a REAL studio or two, but mostly home outfits...

(No Offense... they're REAL as well, hehe)

Goal: When I retire from the ole' 9 to 5, would like to do pretty good quality home recording.

Starting Point: Guitar's (acoustic, bass, lead) / bass amp
guitar amp / Computer - 450mhz, 96RAM, 13gigs, CDR/W rom, Power Tracks Pro (have used and like it pretty well), Cakewalk (not much experience with it yet), keep hearing about Cool Edit (wondering about it), sound card (?) I printed out a system summary and got things like, Vortex PCI Audio & S3 Inc. Savage4 & Vortex MPU-401 Interface etc.,etc.

Wondering what I should start getting first... Keyboard with/without workstation... want GOOD studio monitors... thinking of getting a rack and mountable type amps, effects, crossovers, compressors, EQs etc., as I could use that on the road as well...

May be getting a little ahead of myself and could be putting too much in one post, but I just get carried away when I start thinking of this stuff... (8-)...

Anyway.......... Chavis here........ Nice to meet you...

CHEERS. . . . .

[Proveras]

first you have to know exactly what do you want to do and what your gonna need, then know your budget;
do your homework and make a lot lot of research to know what are your looking for and ask for some recomendations.

Pulpboy: I really like Cool Edit Pro. nice software easy to use.

CHAvis: get your own thread! ...welcome.

[MISTERQCUE]

Peace Chavis .
Exactly what is your budget for all this equipment?
Will you purchasing all this equip at 1 time?

[Chavis]

PulpBoy, I didn't mean to crowd the thread you started... I only wanted to comply with the rules in not starting a new thread on the same subject....

Am I going to get a lot of equip at one time... I WISH...
No... guess I left some holes in my initial explanation..

I'm currently playing weekends (clubs) pretty regularly, since I need power amps etc for my Home studio anyway, figured I'd get the rack, crossover, one amp (800wts maybe) so we could start "Sub-woofing" in the band, augment the system that belongs to the lead singer...

I want to get decent, and/or at least upgradable stuff, and since I'm not getting it all at one time, will try to afford name brand (probably be around for some time to come) stuff... also, preferrable new.

My first purchase will most likely be either the rack, amp, crossover, or the keyboard. $1500. to 2000. from what I can gather...

Guess my most immediate concern would be, if I get the keyboard first, With or Without workstation and what else I need to enter act with computer...

Thanx folks............. (;-)

[MISTERQCUE]

Chavis, to start off with recording into a computer
you will need a good sound card. Prices range greatly
but check out http://www.samash.com or http://www.musiciansfriends.com.
Also you can check out recording software such as CakeWalk
or Cool Edit.Both offer free trial down-loads,so take a visit to http://www.cakewalk.com and http://www.cooledit.com.
Oops,I forgot to mention a mixer with good preamps as you
will be entering the sound card line-level with your keyboard.Check out Mackies 1202 or 1402VLZ pro mixers. A lil
hi in price but well worth it.
Last but not least a good set of monitors to check out your recordings.See Events,Yamahas,Yorkvilles etc for your price range.Good Luck!

[Chavis]

Thanx MISTERQCUE...

[tdukex]

PulpBoy. In my opinion, you need to upgrade your PC (note Chavis' setup). In San Diego I can find a quality BX motherboard for around $110, Celeron 533 (which can be overclocked) for around $120, and 128 MB PC133 RAM for about $140. CPU prices are going down every week. While you're at it, you can pickup 7200 RPM 10gig hard drives for about $100 also.

If I was going to build a performance car engine, I wouldn't start adding aftermarket goodies to a dog block that had no inherent horsepower to unleash in the first place, you'll only choke it. I would start with the best bang-for-the-buck engine block and heads I could afford.

I not suggesting you try and build a full-blown nitro Funny Computer, but your're going to need some decent horsepower to power all of the toys and tracks you will eventually want to attach to it. Your DAW needs a $300-$400 upgrade before you start buying other sound stuff. In the long run, you will be sorry if you don't.

[Chavis]

Thinking of getting the Creative Labs Sound Blaster LIVE Platinum + Live Drive II...

(Comments..>?)

[AlChuck]

The Live is fairly decent, though I don't think the LiveDrive justifies double the price from the SB Live! MP3+ or XGamer, both of which packages give you the same audio card as the Platinum.

You'll get better quality with something like an M-Audio Delta 44 or 66, Echo Gina or Darla, and Gadget Labs WavePro cards, among others. But the SB Live makes a decent synth and sampler (with downloadable Sound Fonts)... I guess it really comes down to what you want to be able to do with the stuff.

-AlChuck