A real newbie needs some terms explained.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chewie
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Chewie

Chewie

New member
I'm a real newbie and I would like someone to shed some light on some things for me.
What's a DAW?
What's a multitrack recorder?
 
DAW = Digital Audio Workstation

Multitrack recorder = a standalone unit that allows the recording of multiple tracks of audio for later mixdown to a stereo track
 
Hmmm. I wonder how you even found this website without knowing what multitrack recording was.

Multitrack Recorder - A machine which has the capability to record multiple, isolated audio tracks onto a single medium. IE: 4-track cassette recorders have the ability to record four seperate audio tracks on a single cassette tape, and then play them back together. The isolation of the tracks gives you the ability to maniuplate any of the individual (or group of tracks) without affecting the others.

DAW - Digital Audio Workstation.
Usually refers to a multitrack recorder, complete with a built-in mixing component, which records the audio in digital format onto some form of digital storage medium like Zip disks, internal hard drives or MiniDiscs.
 
Thanks.

That's why I'm posting in newbie, arjanitor.

So a DAW is not a computer?
A multitrack recorder will record all tracks simultaneously?
 
A computer can be a DAW for sure. So can a portastudio.
A multitrack recorder that's worth a shit will record on all tracks simultainiously. Some of the entry level portastudios will only do two at a time. Also if you set up a computer as a DAW (which now becomes a multitrack recorder) but the sound card only has a stereo input soundcard, it can only record two at a time yet it a multi track recorder AND a DAW. Confusing eh?
 
The main differnce between the two is that a DAW usually has built in mixing capabilities whether it be hardware or software. A multitrack recorder can be used to describe a DAW but usually that would refer to a recorder only, with no mixing capabilities. You would need to use an external mixer with a dedicated Digital or Analog Recorder.

The amount of tracks you can record at once varies greatly from unit to unit and usually the more you pay the more tracks at once you will get.
 
Is there a way to use a multitrack recorder with your sound card to record about 8 tracks.
 
If you're wanting to record all 8 tracks simultaneously, you'll need a soundcard that can accomodate that many tracks -- at least 4 stereo inputs.

If you're using your computer as a DAW, you'll most likely want to use a multitrack recording program. Check out www.fasoft.com.
N-track Studio is pretty easy to use, and the cheapest option by far when compared to some of the other "big gun" programs like Cakewalk and Cubase...but there are some stability issues. Most multitrack recording programs will allow you to record AT LEAST 8 tracks. I think Cakewalk Guitar studio is limited to only 8 audio track, plus some midi...but I could be wrong.

BTW, I wasn't trying to flame you earlier. I was just a little shocked. That's why I'm trying to give you some decent and honest answers. So, it's cool.
 
It's cool arjanitor. But can Cool Edit and soundforge work with as many as 8 tracks simultaneously?
 
Any and all multitrack software apps can do that. Soundforge is a two track editor though and can not. Now Vegas by Sonic Foundry can.
 
Chewie, first of all the answers to your questions - Cool Edit is a multi-track program, so you can therefore record multiple tracks. Sound Forge is a STEREO editor, so NO - you can't record multiple tracks, unless your definition of multiple is only TWO.

Before I make my next point, a little background so you hopefully don't take offence (this happens a lot with newbies, since most are young and generally self-centered even when trying NOT to be) (I know this, having a good memory, even though I'm now old enough to have INVENTED DIRT)

Anyway, my point to ALL newbies, not just you, is ECONOMY OF TIME.

What do I mean by this? Those of us who try to help new-comers to recording, only have so much extra time (if any) and that DOESN'T include the time it takes to answer the same questions over and over and over....

This is why we post LINKS, such as the excellent ones SPINSTERWUN has posted for you. If you had followed several of these links, a lot of the questions you have would have been answered, saving at least two people enough time to either GET A LIFE or help someone else who may have already tried finding information that's already available BEFORE posting questions that could be answered with a little research.

For example, looking on ANY music sales website that handles software will get you the name of the company that produces Sound Forge (it's sonic foundry, BTW) so if you type in sonicfoundry for the URL you will get to their website. A click or two on products will take you to a description of their offerings, and by reading the text you would see that Sound Forge is called a STEREO editor. Its main function is for editing STEREO tracks, as in mastering AFTER mixdown. The newest version, from what I've read, also once again includes CD burning capabilities, so it could also be used as a high end do-everything CD burning software.

There have been a few newbies that, at this point, have taken to swearing at all of us here, thinking (in their supreme egotism) that we have ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD to answer every question everyone has about everything.

I'm hoping you're more mature than that and can see OUR SIDE of this - NONE of us have enough time in the day to spend this much of it on anwers that can be found with some well-directed research. Try putting yourself in our position and see if you don't agree on this.

This is NOT meant as any kind of put-down, so please don't take it that way - My goal here is to help you learn how to research the things you're interested in, without having to be spoon-fed every step of the way.

Most of the time, if you know where/how to look and HOW TO READ what you find, you can get answers to most of your questions FASTER than waiting for a personal answer.

One helpful tip: When looking at information on a website or catalog description, remember that it comes from SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING. What this means, is that they will BRAG about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING they possibly can, in order to SELL their product. Sooo, if they DON'T mention a particular capability, it pretty much GUARANTEES that they DON'T HAVE IT !!! Case in point - Sound cards that really talk up 24 bit, but say NOTHING about 96 k Sample rates - guess what? IT AIN'T THERE !!!

It takes a while to learn to read ad copy pessimistically enough to weed out the bullshit, but once you learn that, you can tell a LOT about a particular piece of gear by what they DON'T say.

It took me about 10 minutes to compose and type this answer, and that is time I could have used to help 2 or 3 other people, or work on the design for my own new studio complex. That's why I anwered at all, because hopefully this will help you find more information through RESEARCH and study. If so, I promise you that you'll LEARN more (and sooner) and FEEL more accomplished than you ever would by just asking questions as they pop into your head, and waiting for the answers.

Again, this is NO WAY intended as any kind of put-down, only as a direction for you to take on your own path of enlightenment, whether in the field of sound and recording or anything else that interests you. Research is a lot like sales - you just keep looking until you find the answer you want.

Please, go back and follow more of SPINSTERWUN'S links, read a lot, and you'll find you have deeper questions but at the same time more knowledge.

The internet is a goldmine of information. Use it well and there is no end to what you can find... Steve
 
Thanks Knightfly. I know what you are saying and agree. I just ask these questions just to make sure. And I by no means expect people to answer me. If they do they do if not oh well. But the main thing is that I'm using the net in school and don't have lots of time to research. But I do understand people such as I can be annoying.
And specifically with this question I know of the multitracking capabilities of some programs but I use Cool Edit and I do not know how to record on more than one track so I was just making sure. Now I still don't know but I'm assuming there is a way.
And I previously was told that Sound Forge could be used with multiple tracks i.e. more that 2. But I figured this was wrong from my experience. So once again I was making sure because you never who you are getting info from and it's validity.

Btw. Thanks for spending your non existant time on me.
 
Hey Chewie, first of all If anybody learns anything it isn't wasted time - Secondly, thanks for seeing the other side of the coin, perhaps better than I did. And, thirdly, I should have done more research before I commented on Sound Forge - I was looking at a brochure they sent me today, since I'm a registered owner of V4.0 including the Noise Reduction Module and they'd like me to upgrade - it seems I missed the fact that SF 6.0 now ships with their Vegas Video LE 3.0, which definitely IS a multitrack editor. The LE usually stands for Limited Edition, with the emphasis on Limited, but you could still do any heavy duty editing in SF, then "fly it" back into Vegas. I think that would be kind of a klunky way to do it though - you'd probably be better off getting the FULL version of Vegas Video 3.0 if you were going to go that route.

As to Cool Edit, I have an old copy of that somewhere, but fell in love with Samplitude about 6 years ago and don't like ANYTHING else for audio since then. If you check all the help files in CE, or search for any terms you can think of that might clarify how to do extra tracks, you might get lucky.

Generally, in most multitrack programs you just click the R button or record button in the next track on the screen, and a window pops up giving you options for what you want to do next. One of these may be "monitor while recording " or something similar. This lets you listen to the track you just recorded while recording another track.

It's getting late and I get up @ 4:20 in the morning, so I'll leave it at this for now - I hope some of what I suggested above helps you out.

Sorry you're stuck with limited net access, researching really does take some time. At least we didn't each make an enemy - most of the time communication beats confrontation... Steve
 
Thanks for the info knightfly. I need to play around until I figure such stuff out.
Hey I have another question. If I want to use mics in my line in what would be the MOST cost effective way of amplifying the signals.
 
Is your LINE IN on a :

Dedicated Digital Recorder?

Dedicated Analogue Recorder?

Computer Soundcard?

Mixing Board?

;)
 
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