Ready to take the plunge.... I think

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Ljh815

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Ok, so I've been trying to figure out how to get started recording for weeks now and I am about to pull my hair out... What's left that is.

I have went back and forth from hard disc recorders to pc, and "I think" I have decided to go the pc/daw route.

So here is what I am trying to accomplish and what I am leaning towards.

I mostly sing karaoke, and have been using a pc based system for years. I m wanting to improve my voice, so naturally I feel recording is a step in the right direction. Easier said than done I've found... This is a big subject!

So at this point I've learned I need an audio interface for my pc, a condenser mic, and one of the many software programs available....along with some good headphones of course.

So Im looking at a focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (I also play guitar and bass and May want some additional inputs)

An AT4040 condenser mic

Reaper software

Am I heading in the right direction?
 
You're absolutely heading in the right direction.

What's the final goal though?
Quick 'n' nasty home demos, professional recordings, or are you just looking for a way to be able to assess and improve your voice?
 
I'd be happy with quick and not so nasty home demos.... Lol

Really just want to access and improve for now... Maybe burn a cd if I can ever get to the point I'm happy with the final product.
 
I think you're on the right track, but I would add- a good dynamic mic. Condensers and dynamics are like the yin and yang of recording, like a Les Paul and a Stratocaster. Both are tools that you need to learn to use, and there are times when one will be right and the other just won't. Next, look (and listen) really hard at your recording space. If your room sucks, your recordings will suck, and there will be nothing you can do about it except- modify the room, or find a new room. Buying gear is fun and exciting, but you need to learn to think about the signal chain from the front to the back, not the other way around. If you have a good performance of a good song on a good instrument in a good room, what you record with or record onto will matter very little. If the reverse is true, the best recording gear in the world will only highlight the fact that the source sucks.
 
I have only used shure dynamics (sm 57 & 58) for vocals and figured the next step was a condenser since that is what i've seen most people using in studios. If I am only recording vocals with the mic, will the room matter as much?
 
The sound of the room has a massive impact on your recordings, even if it is vocal only.

I suppose the advice depends on how fussy you are. If close, full and warm are words you'd use to describe what you want, then you could struggle in a bad room.
A weak vocal might be all the more difficult to mix with a karaoke track too, if that's what you'll be doing.
You'll want your vocals very dry so you can mix/verb to suit the backing later.

That said, I don't know what your room's like; Maybe it'll be fine. :p

Personally, I just get super close to a dynamic and try not to worry about it.
 
My room is fairly large... 18x18 with pine walls, vinyl floor, and large area rug. I'm sure it could be improved.
 
Ljh815 said:
My room is fairly large... 18x18 with pine walls, vinyl floor, and large area rug. I'm sure it could be improved.
Click to expand...

Well, set yourself up and record. Find from there what it is you need to change. Sounds like you are on the right track to me as well.
 
Ljh815 said:
So Im looking at a focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (I also play guitar and bass and May want some additional inputs)
Click to expand...

I'll comment on this. I think the focusrite scarlet line of interfaces are pretty nice and a good value. There are some subtle differences between them that you should consider. The one that sticks out to me is the blend control which allows you to balance your recorded signal with the playback signal. The 2i4 has one, the 6i6 does not. Having the 2i2, which does not have this control either, I find it difficult to get a good balance in my headphones when I'm singing along with my backing track. That little knob has a big impact on my workflow. Thankfully, the 2i2 is a secondary interface for me and I don't use it as my main recording interface. But if it were, I'd trade in the 2i2 for the 2i4.

With the 6i6, you're not really getting any more functionality over the 2i4. You mentioned guitars and basses, but you don't need more inputs if you aren't recording them at the same time. I find a 2 channel interface is adequate for a one man band unless you plan to record an acoustic drum kit. Or if you plan to record several players at the same time. Even then, the 6i6 is probably not the right choice.

just my over-inflated 2 cents worth.

Welcome to the site.
 
Good points chili... And you are probly right. I was just looking to error on the side of too many inputs!

I really don't even know how this is going to all come together with my karaoke. I was thinking left right for the music... 1 and 2, and vocal on 3. But if the karaoke is on the same pc, how does that work exactly?

Yes I'm a noob!
 
Well, I've never worked with karaoke stuff before. But I'd imagine you can just import the song into Reaper and sing along to it there. I don't know Reaper very well, but I am guessing it has an import function. If not, you can rip your karaoke songs using Windows or iTunes and bring it into Reaper that way.
 
most karaoke recordings are pretty low quality, but you can use them to get your vocals worked out. Just import into Reaper (import or drag and drop). Since you play guitar and bass, look to get a good drum kit (EZ Drummer to start seems to be the recommendation around here) watch for it to go on sale, you can pick it up on the bottom end for sometime $50. Start laying Groove track, then guitar (I sometimes lay bass afterwards) and build from there.

What will be hard for you when you start from scratch (verses karaoke) is getting use to layering your songs to build it up. A blank track is a hard thing to look at. But once you get the hang of it, it will come.

Keep coming and asking questions, you can get there.
 
Ljh815 said:
I really don't even know how this is going to all come together with my karaoke. I was thinking left right for the music... 1 and 2, and vocal on 3. But if the karaoke is on the same pc, how does that work exactly?

Yes I'm a noob!
Click to expand...

Are you asking this with reference to interface inputs?


Chili's right. You'd import your song into reaper and then just use any available mic input to record vocals.
Once done you can use the same input to record a fresh track of vocals over the top.
You probably don't want to, but I'm just illustrating.

The karaoke tracks don't use up inputs on your interface or anything like that.

If you get something with a mic/line/instrument input, then it only needs to be a one input device.
Those aren't common so two is probably what you want to look for.
 
Arcaxis, I think I can help with your problem.
If it's not what the OP is trying to do, fire me a PM some time.
 
Yeah, I getcha.
I just didn't want to litter the thread with advice incase the OP is going for the latter.
 
Yes, I will definitely want the lyrics on the screen while recording, and was wondering how I can accomplish that. If its not possible with reaper, maybe a 2nd monitor for the karaoke software and just turn down the volume?

Would running the karaoke tracks thru the interface not solve this problem? I assume 2 pcs would be needed in this case?
 
Ljh815 said:
Would running the karaoke tracks thru the interface not solve this problem? I assume 2 pcs would be needed in this case?
Click to expand...

Ahhh, ok.
This is a little more complicated. Apologies, I didn't realise you were going for this.
Two computers isn't necessary though.

The simplest way to do this is probably to get an audio interface with s/pdif i/o, although you can do it with line ins/outs or virtual ins/outs.

If you set your karaoke software (or system sound) to spdif out, then run a coax cable from there straight to spdif, reaper will now see the
music from your spdif input, and it'll still be able to see your voice from the mic channel.

That way you record left, right and voice all separately for further mixing.

That's definitely what I'd do, but then I happen to have an interface with spdif I/O. (presonus firestudio mobile.)
 
I'm not super familiar with reaper but it looks like it's asking for the range of inputs.
Set it to 1 + 4. I guess that will allow reaper to see all four of your inputs.

Once done create a stereo track to record from Spdif input, and a mono track to record from analog 1.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Ahhh, ok.
This is a little more complicated. Apologies, I didn't realise you were going for this.
Two computers isn't necessary though.

The simplest way to do this is probably to get an audio interface with s/pdif i/o, although you can do it with line ins/outs or virtual ins/outs.

If you set your karaoke software (or system sound) to spdif out, then run a coax cable from there straight to spdif, reaper will now see the
music from your spdif input, and it'll still be able to see your voice from the mic channel.

That way you record left, right and voice all separately for further mixing.

That's definitely what I'd do, but then I happen to have an interface with spdif I/O. (presonus firestudio mobile.)
Click to expand...


So in this case you would go from pc digital audio out to spdif in correct? How would this work with line inputs? And if you used spdif, would you then need to output that signal from the interface using spdif to monitor?
 
Ljh815 said:
So in this case you would go from pc digital audio out to spdif in correct? How would this work with line inputs? And if you used spdif, would you then need to output that signal from the interface using spdif to monitor?
Click to expand...

Either way all the monitoring is done through Reaper.
  • Karaoke software outputs to spdif out
  • cable loops it back to spdif in (so it's an input signal just like your mic)
  • Reaper stereo track sees spdif for music
  • Reaper mono track sees input 1 for vocals.

Because Reaper's master output is set to main 1+2, you'll be able to monitor everything, albeit with slight latency.
Just make sure your buffer settings are low enough that latency is unnoticeable. (say 64 or 128).

Doing the same thing with analog IO relies on you having two spare line outputs and two spare line inputs.
Spdif is stereo, you see. Line I/O are all mono.

Spdif is preferable because it's digital in and digital out. There's no unnecessary conversion going on.

All of the I/O mentioned here should be on the same single interface.
Anything built into the computer is unused.
 
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