totally lost

S

SteelStrings

New member
Hello,
This is my first post here. I enjoy composing music - mostly guitar. I want to be able to record my songs. I searched online to determine which DAW and hardware is necessary. I am totally lost. There are a plethora of products on the market and they are not cheap. I guess that I need something simple and cost effective. Then, maybe someday, I will upgrade to one of the more professional setups as my knowledge expands. I will keep my question simple.:) Any recommendations/suggestions?
 
Hello SteelStrings,

A simple interface with a instrument input and a mic input can be a lot of models, like UMC22 from behringer, you can plug in your guitar and use any amp simulator, or you can buy a mic and put in front your amp. About the DAW, there´s a topic you can search for infos, anyone will do the job.
 
SteelStrings said:
.... I want to be able to record my songs. ...
Click to expand...
Honestly, if you can perform your songs with an instrument and (or) voice, a modern smartphone can do that. The cost is nothing if you have a capable phone, or maybe $100 if you buy a dedicated digital recorder, like the Zoom H1 or similar.

If you want to record with multiple tracks, mix the result, add effects, etc., well, you can still do that on a smartphone or tablet, but as you have determined, many folks go the DAW + interface + microphone route. The prices have gotten so low that, if you already have a capable computer, you can start doing that for not much more than $100, but a couple hundred is a more comfortable budget, using entry hardware and a "lite" DAW that is typically included with any interface you buy. And, yes, you can spend a lot more, and it can get complicated.

I'll suggest looking at therecordingrevolution.com for his videos about getting started. You can swap in cheaper hardware than the pieces he recommends to reduce the cost further, if necessary, though I'd bounce your plans around on sites like this.

A little more input on what you want to record will help the folks here. So, do you plan to record vocals? Acoustic or electric guitar? Other instruments, like a keyboard? Is your current computer relatively current, and available for use for this purpose? And, budget, if you have a hard upper limit.
 
keith.rogers said:
Honestly, if you can perform your songs with an instrument and (or) voice, a modern smartphone can do that. The cost is nothing if you have a capable phone, or maybe $100 if you buy a dedicated digital recorder, like the Zoom H1 or similar.

If you want to record with multiple tracks, mix the result, add effects, etc., well, you can still do that on a smartphone or tablet, but as you have determined, many folks go the DAW + interface + microphone route. The prices have gotten so low that, if you already have a capable computer, you can start doing that for not much more than $100, but a couple hundred is a more comfortable budget, using entry hardware and a "lite" DAW that is typically included with any interface you buy. And, yes, you can spend a lot more, and it can get complicated.

I'll suggest looking at therecordingrevolution.com for his videos about getting started. You can swap in cheaper hardware than the pieces he recommends to reduce the cost further, if necessary, though I'd bounce your plans around on sites like this.

A little more input on what you want to record will help the folks here. So, do you plan to record vocals? Acoustic or electric guitar? Other instruments, like a keyboard? Is your current computer relatively current, and available for use for this purpose? And, budget, if you have a hard upper limit.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your replies. About ten years ago, I did purchase Reason 3, EMU Tracker Pre interface, and Sonar Producer 8.5. I struggled trying to figure out how to use this setup and gave up. Just recently, I became interested again and so I installed the software on an old laptop with Windows 7 Pro. The software seems to be working correctly, but I found it overwhelming trying to figure out how to use it. Because the software is old, I could not find any books or comprehensive online videos on how to use these products.

I did not plan on using a microphone to record instruments - at least not yet. My primary instrument of choice is the electric guitar, but I also play a classical guitar, a mandolin, and a steel string acoustic (I will need a mic for these). I have an electric drum set and keyboard as well (still learning how to play these two). In the early 90's, I bought a Fostex analog mixer-recorder that uses cassette tapes. It is simple, but ancient. I am looking for computer software that serves the same purpose. Maybe I made a mistake in purchasing Sonar. The manual that accompanies the Sonar Producer 8.5 goes over my head, but I find that the little I do understand to be very interesting and would like to learn more. Are there any online classes in which I can enroll in order to become more proficient in understanding how a DAW works? I checked the local community colleges, but to no avail. I am not looking for a degree. I only want to make sense of all this.

But first things first, I want computer software that I can use to record just like my Fostex. I assume that I can still use my EMU Traker Pre as the interface.
Then after a little more exposure I can tackle the whole DAW thing.
 
That EMU device looks fine - actually kind of advanced for the time it was released, so as long as it works, definitely keep it.

The one video I found stated it had 60dB gain, so I'd say you'll have, in general, no problems with condenser microphones once you start looking around. Depending on the signal, and how clean it really is at max gain, some dynamic mics might push it to the limit.

If you want to look at a modern DAW, you can get a trial of Reaper, which has a very large following with community support. Like all DAWs, there will be a "learning curve" but that's the price of admission, IMO. There are others, and you can find Sonar users, as well, but it might be time well spent just searching YouTube for videos that show you how to do what you want to do using some different DAWs, to see which ones make the best sense. (Not a Windows users these days, so cannot make a more concrete recommendation.)

Good luck!
 
Unfortunately, getting started can be a struggle. You just have to push through to learn the stuff. Once you are set up and understand what you are doing, you can focus on the creativity part.

Sonar has a lot going on. It allows users to do so much and it has to have the controls and functions to allow that. It is easy to get intimidated and/or lost. Unfortunately, most DAW programs are going to be about the same. As Keith mentioned, Reaper is a great alternative. It has a very good demo mode, final price is not expensive and it is probably a little easier to learn. But you still have to put the time in to learn, not only the software, but how to record and mix.

I didn't see any windows drivers for the EMU Pre. Maybe they are there, or maybe you have them, or maybe you're a Mac user. A two channel interface should be enough for a one-man band.
 
To add on what Chili said ^^ Reaper has an extensive manual (PDF) - and you can pick and choose the sections you want to read and learn about, saving the harder stuff (advanced routing, MIDI, etc) for later. Extensive user forum. Lots of youtubes. And the 'demo' mode is full-features, but after 30 days you get a pop-up warning when you kick it on letting you know you should cough up the $60.
The basic User Interface in Reaper is simple to understand - looks like a mixing board, with the master tracks to the left. The hardest part is to get started - setting your inputs and outputs, figuring out the buttons.
 
I'd spend a few hundred at least just on the interface, as for the DAW itself, I'd go with cubase, I'm using version 8 because I'm too tight to upgrade to the latest one, I'm concerned/worried about bugs or it not performing correctly which has happened before with updates, it's something to be aware of if you use an older OS e.t.c.
 
SteelStrings, I know this forum is called "Home Recording" but IMHO it should be, "Home Recording AND Reproduction!

Yes, there are very many and devious ways to record sound. Some are surprisingly good but, does not matter a HOOT if what you hear back on screws with the quality. Cheap buds or headphones, PC speakers the size of a decent potato, these thigs will give you a completely wrong impression of even THE most "perfect" recording.

You are a musician and so I guess like listening to music. On what? Unless you have some form of decent repro kit you are forever doomed to mediocrity in the recording you intend to make.

Dave.
 
Reaper is of course the only correct answer, but I worry that if one couldn't figure out basic recording and mixing in Sonar, it kinda doesn't matter what DAW you get. Most of them are about the same when you use them like a tape machine and mixer. Tell the program how you want it to use your interface, arm tracks, record, mix, render. After the initial setup, you don't ever have to look in another menu aside maybe for the File menu for open/save/save as. The buttons and knobs on the screen are almost exactly analogous to those on a portastudio.

Maybe it's that initial setup that's your hurdle, but honestly I can't imagine why. With modernish gear with up to date drivers for your OS properly installed, you can usually just pick it from the list and go. Sometimes you have to mess around some in the interface's own software, but they usually default to usable.

Unless you had trouble figuring out which cable you need to connect your instrument to the interface, but if you haven't figured that out in 20 years... ;)

But more seriously: What actually is the hold up? There's a bunch of smart helpful people here willing to find you an answer to any specific question you might encounter along the way. Some might have experience with the same stuff you're using.

But all I can think right now is that maybe you're hung up on some trauma you had last century and it's blocking you from taking the few simple steps that it takes to record right now. I remember the 90s, and it could harrowing at times. Mostly because everybody (manufacturers, coders, consumers) was flailing around in the dark with no standards and few clues and things that should have worked often just didn't for no good reason. Things are a bit more predictable nowadays.

I feel like this whole thing sounds negative. It's meant to be encouraging. Seriously, it's not that hard as long as none of your gear is actually broken. There's a lot of extra fancy crap in any modern DAW, but there's no reason to use any of it. Use it as a portastudio. If/when you think you need/want something else, poke around and see if/how to do it in your DAW. If at any point you get actually stuck, give us a holler. It's exactly why this community exists.

But also Reaper is the correct answer. :)
 
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