Hello everyone, I am going to be setting up a small home recording studio in my basement and I have a few questions regarding appropriate gear. First my thoughts, needs and budget. This will be a long post but I would like to give everyone as much info on my situation to find the best possible solution. Thanks in advance.
First budget: This is where it will get a little tricky. I'm looking for the laptop itself to be 600.00 US$ or under.
DAW: I have decided on Reaper as my DAW from various reviews and articles I feel for the price and my uses it would be a good choice.
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo or a presonus 2x2 both around 100 US
Microphone: Shure SM57. I will be recording my guitar and bass directly for starters because I'm renting the basement of someone and loud sound is an issue. For vocals or instrument parts that I just cannot record directly at my house I will record through a mic and amp at another location.
My uses: I intend on recording guitar and bass with actual instruments. As stated earlier I will be recording Direct until my living situation changes or I find affordable recording space. Also I will be recording vocals. As far as virtual instruments go I will really only be using some kind of drum machine plugin/app and a decent synth plugin/app (Not sure the proper nomenclature I'm not really tech knowledgeable.) for the foreseeable future as these stated instruments are the only type I use in my personal music. Also I will use some type of midi pad or small keyboard for synth parts.
My plan is to use this laptop to touch the waters of home recording with out blowing a whole lot of money to start up. After I get this recording gear set up I will start saving for a high performance laptop (Most likely a Mac) that I will probably purchase within a year or 2 of this laptop. After which I will resign this laptop to just daily web surfing, light gaming etc...
Like I said i'm not looking for the high end premium, best of the best laptop that all the pros use. I am really just going to be recording Guitar, Bass, Piano/synth, vocals and ill be using some kind of drum machine plugin as of course I cant afford live drums nor could I record them in my current living situation.
I originally wanted to build a PC but i've decided that I would really like the portability of the laptop and gear so I could possibly record at other locations as well as limited recording space at home.
The best Laptop I am finding in my range is thisAmazon.com: Acer Aspire E5-571-56UQ 15.6-Inch Laptop (Titanium Silver): Computers & Accessories
Yes it does have a 5400 rpm 1tb HDD but I was planning on getting an exterior 7200 rpm or SSD for all of my recording stuff and leave the internal for the rest of the laptop functioning. What are your thoughts on that? It has an I5 processor, and 8gigs of DDS3 to start so should have enough power for my minimalistic uses. If anyone has any other options please feel free to suggest.
If possible I could go up to 700 for the laptop but I would like to see a sizeable upgrade in performance if that's the case. I am trying to keep the whole set up under 900 so you see my need for a less expensive pc. If I can save a little money on the laptop I could put more money into the interface and other gear. Also i've heard a certain kind of firewire port is really common. I am not too familiar with how that all works so if you all could enlighten me on that that would be awesome. Also any other really essential gear that I may need let me know i'm sure I am forgetting a few things.
Again thank you for reading my first (Long) thread and I guess my first post ever on your amazing forum. I've been a long time lurker but I look forward to the vast amount of knowledge that you gals and gents have in store for me thanks!
-Charlie (Biohazurd)
First budget: This is where it will get a little tricky. I'm looking for the laptop itself to be 600.00 US$ or under.
DAW: I have decided on Reaper as my DAW from various reviews and articles I feel for the price and my uses it would be a good choice.
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo or a presonus 2x2 both around 100 US
Microphone: Shure SM57. I will be recording my guitar and bass directly for starters because I'm renting the basement of someone and loud sound is an issue. For vocals or instrument parts that I just cannot record directly at my house I will record through a mic and amp at another location.
My uses: I intend on recording guitar and bass with actual instruments. As stated earlier I will be recording Direct until my living situation changes or I find affordable recording space. Also I will be recording vocals. As far as virtual instruments go I will really only be using some kind of drum machine plugin/app and a decent synth plugin/app (Not sure the proper nomenclature I'm not really tech knowledgeable.) for the foreseeable future as these stated instruments are the only type I use in my personal music. Also I will use some type of midi pad or small keyboard for synth parts.
My plan is to use this laptop to touch the waters of home recording with out blowing a whole lot of money to start up. After I get this recording gear set up I will start saving for a high performance laptop (Most likely a Mac) that I will probably purchase within a year or 2 of this laptop. After which I will resign this laptop to just daily web surfing, light gaming etc...
Like I said i'm not looking for the high end premium, best of the best laptop that all the pros use. I am really just going to be recording Guitar, Bass, Piano/synth, vocals and ill be using some kind of drum machine plugin as of course I cant afford live drums nor could I record them in my current living situation.
I originally wanted to build a PC but i've decided that I would really like the portability of the laptop and gear so I could possibly record at other locations as well as limited recording space at home.
The best Laptop I am finding in my range is thisAmazon.com: Acer Aspire E5-571-56UQ 15.6-Inch Laptop (Titanium Silver): Computers & Accessories
Yes it does have a 5400 rpm 1tb HDD but I was planning on getting an exterior 7200 rpm or SSD for all of my recording stuff and leave the internal for the rest of the laptop functioning. What are your thoughts on that? It has an I5 processor, and 8gigs of DDS3 to start so should have enough power for my minimalistic uses. If anyone has any other options please feel free to suggest.
If possible I could go up to 700 for the laptop but I would like to see a sizeable upgrade in performance if that's the case. I am trying to keep the whole set up under 900 so you see my need for a less expensive pc. If I can save a little money on the laptop I could put more money into the interface and other gear. Also i've heard a certain kind of firewire port is really common. I am not too familiar with how that all works so if you all could enlighten me on that that would be awesome. Also any other really essential gear that I may need let me know i'm sure I am forgetting a few things.
Again thank you for reading my first (Long) thread and I guess my first post ever on your amazing forum. I've been a long time lurker but I look forward to the vast amount of knowledge that you gals and gents have in store for me thanks!
-Charlie (Biohazurd)
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