Newbie Questions

[JB181]

I just began building my home recording studio but feel I have already gone in the wrong direction. I do Hip-Hop/R&B music and I am not sure what equipment I should use to record. I have used software programs such as Reason, Magix, Sound Forge, and most recently Sonar 2.0. I want to try using a Digital Recorder but I keep hearing that software is better. can anyone give me advice on studio set-ups built for my needs. My equipment so far consists of :

Audio-Technica 3035 Mic
Behringer UB1024FX Mixer
Audio technica Headphones
(The above programs mentioned)

My computer is rather old which is another reason I have been considering Multirack digital recorders.

[JB181]

Do you all feel its useless to record onto a digital recorder and edit/master on the computer. Would recording straight to the computer yeild the same results?

[Freeform]

when you say hip-hop/r&b, do you mean that you record vocals to beats and keyboards, or that you are going to do fully recorded r&b w/ drums, bass, guitar etc?

[willovercome]

some programs run pretty well on older computers (i don't know how old yours is). also if you own any of those programs you could look into getting a faster computer without all the bells and whistles ($600) and a decent sound card ($200) and come in well under the $1000 mark (my projected cost of a typical digital recorder). so you'd have a set up that i feel is superior to most stand alone digital recorders, and you could cruise the internet and type a doctoral thesis and do your taxes on one piece of gear! unless of course you're from the people's republic of canada in which case your taxes are easier . . . just send your pay check to the government and be done with it.

[FZfile]

....(in the context of a stand-alone digital unit like Roland/Fostex/or Yamaha has vs. a computer)

Hardware crashes less than a computer (unles, apparently you run a Mac ) and hardware is generally more portable than a computer.

Software can give a stagering amount of options as far as platforms, effects, etc.
And upgrades can be easier and more comprehensive with software....and you can keep your same computer.

But most of the hardware units have ACTUALL faders. And although most buttons will serve multiple functions, they are real, tactile, realtime controllers.....much less suceptible to processing or driver glitches that seem to happen during the "killer take" on a computer.

You need to get a midi or usb controller with software.

BUT.....the editing is sooooooo much easier on a computer.
Just the size of the screen alone and the resolution.
256 colors makes a big easy to see difference over (maybe) 3 colors on a 2" x 5" LCD.

I have a Roland VS880Vx and I use a bunch of software like Acid and Sound Forge...and most recently Cool Edit Pro.

I tend to track on the 880 and edit on the computer (which BTW is pretty outdated, though technically I built it only last year).

The 880 being portable is nice. Being able to scoot over to buddy's house with the 880 and some mics and then bring some tracks back and clean 'em up and add to them on the computer is really nice.
I know my room sucks acoustically.....but my friend's living room is killer and my moms kitchen is great , so if I can go where the sound is good, that suits me.
Besides, I cant really fit a drumset in my basement anywho.

Portablity is flexible.
Flexible is fun.....and I'm not a pro so ......fun is where its at.

It might depend on exactly what you want to do.
Computers are great for creating beats and for sequencing.

I tell ya though......I really like tape still.

-mike

[JB181]

Originally posted by Freeform
when you say hip-hop/r&b, do you mean that you record vocals to beats and keyboards, or that you are going to do fully recorded r&b w/ drums, bass, guitar etc?

I am planning to start with the basics, an MPC2000xl, middle to high end keyboard, and maybe a sound module. I want to get into live recording with instruments such as the bass and guitar but one step at a time.

[Hardcore]

For me recording on the computer is not an option. I need to have the computer monitor off when recording bass and guitar to eliminate that buzz, and having to turn it on and shut it off everytime I do a take would suck ass.

[willovercome]

does your monitor hum, or is it just a case of the cables all being too close? i have an LCD screen and i've never heard the screen in one of my recordings.

i would love to do tape recording, but 1) i don't know how, 2) i have all the digital stuff, and 3) i can't afford the analog stuff right now.

[Hardcore]

From the pickups mostly. Especially on my bass. That sucker is noisy.