I'm new, and I want help, what do I do?

Wine

New member
Hello HomeRecording.
I am new and want to start recording my music.
I have a guitar/amp, a 4-input mixer, 1 microphone, and a focusrite 2i2
I do not have the fosusrite's Avid DAW.
I have NO DAW or any software.

1) Can anybody reference me to any DAW? or one to bootleg?
2) Looking for beginner source material on recording, as well as one for recommended DAW

I would appreciate if somebody could direct me to a quality source of how a beginner like me can get started :-)

Tips & tricks or any info will help.
Cheers...
 
You're not going to get any help with bootlegged or cracked software here.

But that's okay, there are options. Perhaps the quickest way to get up and running is to try Reaper. It's free to try and only $60 to buy. I prefer Vegas Pro because I'm used to it (and it edits video), but I've tried Reaper and it does pretty much everything you need.

For most kinds of instruments, a good target average recording level is around -18dBFS. Stay well away from 0dBFS. For percussive instruments, keep the peak well away from 0dBFS, perhaps around -12 to -9dBFS. Keep your mix level somewhere in that realm, then get your final volume as a separate step in mastering.

You're going to need a good set of studio monitors and a decent acoustic space to get optimum mixes. For tracking, you'll need closed headphones so you can hear what you're doing without it getting into the mic.

Don't be discouraged if your early results are not super satisfying. It takes time to learn things and figure out your own personal process.
 
Since you have a Focusrite interface, you should be able to download ProTools First. Its one of the items included with the 2i2. Just search for it, you'll find the downloads. You'll have to set up an Avid account to activate the software.

Cakewalk by Bandlab is free. I've never used it, but you might download and check that out.

After playing with an old version of ProTools Free (a long time ago) and Cubase LE, I ended up going with Reaper back in the V4 days. My system is currently running V5.999. The current version is 6.19. If you purchase now, you are good to V7.999 which is probably 3 or 4 years away. Even then, the old versions will keep running. you don't HAVE to upgrade unless you need new features.

For resources, you can check out Produce Like A Pro and Recording Revolution on Youtube. They have a lot of instructional videos. You can find an answer to most any question regarding basic setup or operation on Youtube.
 
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