Recording on Laptop

[budbuc]

Hi, I have a Dell Laptop with a 1.8 Processor, with 512 Memory and a 30G hard drive, a Tascam 16 Channel Mixer. I want to record and mix my 5 piece band with 4 vocals. What components do I need to get it in to the Laptop. I also have Cakewalk software on the Laptop, and I want to record 5 tracks at the same time. Is this possible with what I have. Thanks much.

 

[sweetbeats]

You'll use the main or stereo out from the mixer. what model is it?

Try the computer recording forum for suggestions on the interface to use for the laptop.

 

[budbuc]

You'll use the main or stereo out from the mixer. what model is it?

Try the computer recording forum for suggestions on the interface to use for the laptop.

Thanks for the quick reply. The mixer is a Tascam MM-1 and I am using the Output R-L with RCA to USB cable but my computer will not recognize the USB Device. Thanks for any help.....budbuc

 

[TeyshaBlue]

Hi, I have a Dell Laptop with a 1.8 Processor, with 512 Memory and a 30G hard drive, a Tascam 16 Channel Mixer. I want to record and mix my 5 piece band with 4 vocals. What components do I need to get it in to the Laptop. I also have Cakewalk software on the Laptop, and I want to record 5 tracks at the same time. Is this possible with what I have. Thanks much.

I'm assuming you don't have firewire capability on this laptop. If that's so, then you're probably going to have a problem with only 512mb of memory with a USB interface streaming 4-8 tracks of simutaneous audio.
Sounds like an older laptop....does it support USB 2.0 or is it the older version?
Your computer will probably be adequate for a couple of channels at a time, but any more than that without a RAM updgrade will be seriously pushing it.

 

[jpmorris]

AFAIK there's about three strategies you can use here:

1. Combine your 5 instruments to a stereo pair using the mixer and record the mixed track into the computer. This is what Sweetbeats was proposing. It has the advantage that it's easy, but the disadvantage is that it's impossible to mute any one of the instruments independently as they've all been merged together. Anything which presents itself to the OS as a generic USB audio class device should work for that job.

2. Record all five instruments simultaneously using an 8-input audio interface. You might be able to get a USB 2.0 device that can do this, but firewire is how it's usually done if your laptop can do it. (This is what Teysha is describing). If you have a device with 8 inputs and 8 outputs, you can then mix the final track using the MM-1 to merge them. Some mixers have multiple output groups, but I don't believe the MM-1 is among these.

3. Record the five instruments one at a time and mix them digitally. For that you might be able to get away with a 2-input device, but it makes your MM-1 a pretty redundant unless you use it as some kind of routing panel which I think is really what it was designed for, looking at it - a lot of people call it a 'keyboard mixer'.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: The Dell Inspiron 510m, which is similar spec, does have a mini-firewire port. Look for a port on the machine marked "1394". Not sure about the USB2 support, though.

 

[budbuc]

Thanks Teysha and jpmorris for the help. One more question....if I upgrade the memory and use a Behringer UCA202 U-Control USB / Audio Interface, will my computer handle that.

 

[TeyshaBlue]

Thanks Teysha and jpmorris for the help. One more question....if I upgrade the memory and use a Behringer UCA202 U-Control USB / Audio Interface, will my computer handle that.

Your computer will probably handle that interface as it is....the UCA202 is only 2 in/2 out. You'll be limited to only two track simultaneous recording which is well shy of the 5 tracks you said you wanted.