A little green, need some help.

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bonneraaron18

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Hello!

I'd like to preface this by saying that I'm sorry if I've posted a common question or to the wrong place, I gave a cursory glance and thought this may be best.

Some background about me: I run a (very) amateur DJ service using mostly secondhand equipment. I know the basic ins and outs, how to get decent quality audio, how simple mixers work, that kind of thing. But I AM pretty green still, there's a lot I need to learn. I've tinkered with some audio programs and hardware in my free time, but it's all self taught and far from professional.

Now for what I need help with. As a personal side project, I'm looking to record some stuff (obviously). I use Audacity, and, if I recall, it supports up to 16 channels recorded at once. I'm starting a small media company on the side and want to record commentary from my group. I want each person to have their own mic and channel so that in post production I can edit all the tracks separately as I please. I've scoured the web and gotten about a dozen different answers and devices.

We've got 6 Audio Technica AT2020 mics that we got second-hand. They all work fine, we just don't have a means to use them with a PC right now.

Here's a neat little list of my questions:

1. Is it possible to record multiple tracks each from their own source in Audacity?

2. If not, what software allows that?

3. If so, what hardware is out there that you recommend?

4. Does it have phantom power to support 6 XLR compressor mics?

Price isn't really an issue, but I'd prefer to keep things as inexpensive while still maintaining a level of quality. Again, I'm not looking for a way to get 6 inputs into a single channel in Audacity, I want 6 individual tracks recording simultaneously from their own source. If I wasn't clear or you need more info or I just totally goofed, please let me know!

Thank you!
 
Don't know Audacity, but I always recommend Reaper - free to try out, $60 to register.

You need an audio interface with 6 (or more) mic preamps, phantom power. Tons of choices, be a little more specific with your budget.
 
Ok! I tried Reaper a few years ago and remember being overwhelmed, but maybe I can take a look again. Ok, so off of the specs you just said, maybe $500 or under? I have no idea if that's a feasible number or not. Also I've seen a handful of mixers that use firewire, is it possible with USB? Or a whole different interface entirely?
 
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20. Try reaper again, if not, the Scarlett comes with Ableton Live Lite and a Scarlett bundle of plugins. It's just within your budget, Zero latency monitoring, decent pres, best conversion in the price range and expandable if you need it to be later on down the line. you have adat outputs that'll allow you to add on an additional 8 channels later. Also usb so compatibility won't be an issue. Hope this helps.
 
Maybe a silly question, but what puts Reaper above Audacity in your books? Like I said, my experience with it was limited, so I never got into a lot of the features or functionality.
 
Never used reaper or audacity, but I've heard more good things about reaper. I'd just recommend it cuz it's free, but I think the Ableton live lite that comes with the scarlett is what I'd go with since I've actually used it and I like it.
 
Audacity will give you as many tracks as the electronics in the interface provides so something like the Tascam 1800 for instance will show 8 mic inputs.

Reaper is good. I have it, payed for, rarely use it! My goto DAW is Samplitude se8. You can't have that (now, more's the pity!) but you can download the totally free and pretty straight forward Samplitude Silver cloud. Only 8 tracks total but you only need 6 right?

But then whatever AI you get will have some sort of software with it, most likely Cubase LE6. Now! You thought Reaper had a learning curve?!! Cubase is K2 by comparison. Good tho and the great thing about Cubase is that there are millions of people out in forumland that can help you with it....Again, I have LE6 and hardly ever use it except to help noobs! But I always find it hard work.

Dave.
 
Audacity is far more limited than Reaper. Its an audio editor, has no real time plug-ins, not very intuitive for "mixing" or even recording for that matter. I love Audacity, but I love it for audio editing.

Reaper can do everything.
 
So then say I order the Scarlett 18i20 and use Reaper, will the two interface relatively easily? No patching or 3rd party software needed, I should be able to (more or less) plug and play the mics into the mixer, then the mixer into Reaper to record multiple tracks at the same time? Also, is that the only Focusrite model that will do that? Say if I only had 4 mics, could I get away with using the 18i8?

Sorry for so many questions, I appreciate all the help!
 
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