best recording way

[jimi]

thats what i have
1.a very dead decent sized room
2.guitars,bass,small drum set.
3.3 guitar ams (fender,marshall,Vox)
4.picks..lol(just kidding)
anyway,..
so ive got some instruments i want an A quality sound which i dont think i can get on my 424tascam11(analog) so, if i have a good budget should i buy digital and if yes whats the best for me ?
another question: is it better to have outside reverb units and compressors etc..then to use the ones built in whatever model of digital ur using? or built in is good enough ?
i know i may sound stupid but please let me know what u guys think
thank YOU

[ZEKE SAYER]

Yes! Go with digital! You will be glad that you did. With digtal the sound is 100% better sounding then in tape recorders. Now, to choose a digital recorder.......I use the fostex vf-16 ( not shure if they make it anymore but it's got a big brother with a cd burner that you can buy for i think $800-$900.)

The Effects on the vf-16 are good. The compresser would sound great if the people at fostex would have put the compresser on ALL of the channles instead of just 2. I just bought me 2 behringer composers that you can get for $89 ea. and they sound great. oh! yeah, the vf-16 can record 16-tracks.

For a list of more digitals recorders go to:

www.musiciansfriend.com


Here's the website to the vf-16:

www.vf16.com


zeke

[jimi]

thanks alot man i appreciate it
theres something i dont understand how come there is a good compressor on it but only on 2 channels? what if its an 8 track ? i cant compress all 8 tracks ? what about effects ? can i add effects like reverb, delay etc to all tracks?
u said just 2 tracks?
i dont understand please explain to me
thanks

[ZEKE SAYER]

The vf-16 has 2 compresser modes. 1. master compresser
2. Ch. 15-16 or 13-14 compression with the master compresser.

you can compress all 16-tracks but with only one compresser.

The effects are good and you have 2 effects processers. so you can't set effect processer 1 to a hall revurb and effect 2 to a flange. then what ever track/channel that you want it on, you just turn up the send level on that track/channel. Ex: to put eff. 1 on track 5, turn up the eff. 1 send level on the track. to put effect 2 on track 12, then just turn up the eff. send level on track 12.
So in the end, you can have 2 effects on on 16 tracks/channels at one time.


zeke

[jimi]

thats very cool so its like using the effects send 1 and 2 on the tascam 424mk11 ? but with better quality sound ? am i right ?

[ZEKE SAYER]

Yes, you are right!

zeke

[muzeman]

Hi Jimi!
I used to have an MKIII,your going to get much better sound on a digital recorder.
If you buy a good one,the compressor,eq,effects should suit you fine.
Much easier and quicker than setting up outboard gear,and you can have effects/dynamics on many tracks at the same time.
You can wait until everything is recorded then add them,verses having to apply them when you record.
A Big plus.

Good luck,
Pete

[jimi]

very cool !!
i think im changing my mind about using analog and just going with an allin one digital recorder ..hmmm...sounds too good to me but i guess trying it out and comparing is the only way ill know for sure .
how does radiohead for exmple do thier records ?>or sheryl crow? u think they use digital effects and recording ?

[muzeman]

"how does radiohead for exmple do thier records ?>or sheryl crow? u think they use digital effects and recording ?"

I'm sure they do,but they probably cost tens of thousands of dollars!
Digital effects are pretty much the norm these days.
Just listen to some opf the great stuff in the mp3 clinic,mostly done with digital equippment.

What kind of money are you looking to spend on a recorder?
They vary greatly by price.
What are you recording,and what equipment are you using now,if you don't mind my asking.

BTW-Are you really in Egypt,that's so cool!

Pete

[jimi]

i have acoustic and electric guitar bass guitar 3 different ams good sounding. 1 shure mic C607 or something it sounds good
and a tascam 424mk11 4 track ...and a very dead sounding room with blankets on the wall
however, i want to learn more about digital recording and i dont really have a budget yet untill i go out and know the prices but il guess about 1000 bucks for a recorder sincve i have instruments
yes im from egypt , thanks for saying its cool however i disagree i liked it more when i lived in detroit for 3 years probably going back soon to finish school (but really to try to form a band or record my own music)

[muzeman]

I really ment it was cool us talking over so great a distance.

$1000 will get you a nice recorder.
I would reccomend Yammaha,Tascam,or Roland.
All solid brands,Iv'e owned 2 Tascams,and now a Yammaha.

The things to look for are,good size display,multiple effects/dynamics at once,24 bit coverters,and the thing I use most,automation.
Motorized faders really help also,but cost a bit more.

Good luck,
Pete

[jimi]

thanks pete
ill do that

[PeteHalo]

I'm a Fostex guy and that's why I recommend the VF16 or VF160 for band use. With an external ADDA converter you can record 16 tracks at once and that's really great if you want to record your band live.

Last saturday I was recording a live 6 piece metal band with my VF16 and VM88 digital mixer at their rehearsal and it was luxurios to be able to use all the mics available without having to worry about running out of input channels. We recorded 13 tracks at once (7 for drums, 2 for guitar cabs, 2 for vocals, 1 for bass and one for keyboard) and now they want me to come and record their their live show. If I'd had a Roland or Yamaha I would have had to say to the guys "'Thanks, but no can do with my equipment". After the recording I've transferred the tracks of the 7 songs that we did in two and a half hours to Cubase for editing and mixdown.

[jimi]

wow cool
so whats the EQ ing on those 17 tracks i know it differs but im sure theres a standard for every instrument before mixdown or do u spend hours EQ uing every channel to the instrument or sound its recording? that would be hell of a job and too much time ! do u memorize it after that ?lol i mean i dont get how that works ?

[PeteHalo]

I didn't quite understand your question but I try to answer it anyways.

From every mic, the bass amp, vocalist's effects processor and synth the audio signal goes straight to it's own track in VF either thru the mic preamps of VF or the mic preamps of VM88 from where the signals are routed thru the adat lightpipe over to VF for recording. There's no equing or other processing done while recording. After the recording I connect the VF 16 to my computer using the adat lightpipe so I'm able to transfer the tracks over to Cubase 8 at a time which means I have to make two passes for each song. From there on it's just mixing tracks in Cubase.

[muzeman]

That sounds like a cool setup.
I didn't mention Fostex or Akai either,never had any experiance with them.
Both top brands,with all the features you might need.
I was referring more to an all in one box.

Pete

[jimi]

i dont think u understood my question , i will try to rephrase..
for example on my 4 track tascam i have 4 eg knobs for every channel/track. so if im recording my guitar amp on channel 1 then i have to play and listen in headphones and at the same time play with the 4 knobs till i get the guitar sound i want. then press record and start recording ..get it ? and same goes to any instrument , bass amp= playing with 4 knobs till i get the bass sound good , drums, etc , whatever the instrument or sound im recording
i hope this makes it easier to understand what i meant ??

[PeteHalo]

With VF you can't apply any effects or equing while you're rocording each input to it's own track. Even the faders don't affect the recorded signal only the trim pots that set the gain of the mic pream does.

[jimi]

oh ! so is that good or bad ?

[PeteHalo]

I think the less I have to deal with different factors in the actual recording situation the better. Or the less the players have to wait to get going is always better. I'm still trying to learn how to place the mics properly to get the healthiest possible sound without extra processing and I rather spend the time EQing at home at my own pace than while someone is on my back asking When can we start every couple of minutes.

[reco]

I saw the word RADIOHEAD! So I had to post.
I use a Roland unit (VS-890). And its so easy to use. If you are familiar with four tracks and that interface then a stand alone unit will be comfortable for you use. The fostex vf-16 w/cdr is good(CD quality) or the Boss BR1180 is good too. its very easy to use just a couple of buttons and ur in but you can only do a couple tracks at a time. If they have em out there the Korg D12 w/cd burnner is cool. and 12 trax to boot! Tascam has the 788 for like $750(burnner extra) its pretty nice and if you like tascam that will be simular to you 424.
I started on a 424 mkII.
-RECO

[jimi]

i LOVEEEEEE RAdiOhEAd !!!
i think all what i sing is insired by them DDDDDD

[reco]

have ya seen em live?
I did for the OK Computer tour In MN.
Awsome!!!!!!! Amazing!!!!!!!!! Couldnt sleep for like two nights!

-RECO

[jimi]

havent seen them live but im pretty sure im missing out on a great show , ive seen videos of concerts ...theyre crazy good !!!lol