Anticipating Portability issues

[Dack]

Hey all, I'm pretty new to recording and still trying to figure out what route I might go as far as gear: PC, digital recorder, some mixture thereof.

I have simple aspirations- songs with a few guitars, vocals, some basic percussion. The thing is I also love to be inventive with weird sounds, like say a dog barking or a microwave beeping. Seems like this would keep me from going PC only and that a digital recorder would make more sense for capturing those things out in the world. I also may record live instruments away from the PC like over at a friend's house. What do you all think? Is a digital recorder what I should be looking into or do I have other options? I worry somewhat about the limitations of memory cards in dig. recorders, but otherwise they sound good to me.

Couple of other points:
-I'm very low budget
-I already have a solid, fast PC (minus a soundcard and software), which might make this route cheaper if I avoid recorders

 

[Rokket]

Here's a link for you to look at. All the specs about each one can be obtained by clicking on it:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search?c=4762&c=4763&c=5315&c=4867

and another for more tracks:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search?c=4868&c=4886&c=4887

Stand alone recorders:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search?c=4761&c=4757&c=4758

Some of them overlap (i.e they are listed in more than one category)...

But do some reading and make up your mind which way you want to go.

Recording interfaces:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search?c=9132

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search?c=9115


Good luck with your search and decision...

 

[thane1200]

Hey all, I'm pretty new to recording and still trying to figure out what route I might go as far as gear: PC, digital recorder, some mixture thereof.

I have simple aspirations- songs with a few guitars, vocals, some basic percussion. The thing is I also love to be inventive with weird sounds, like say a dog barking or a microwave beeping. Seems like this would keep me from going PC only and that a digital recorder would make more sense for capturing those things out in the world. I also may record live instruments away from the PC like over at a friend's house. What do you all think? Is a digital recorder what I should be looking into or do I have other options? I worry somewhat about the limitations of memory cards in dig. recorders, but otherwise they sound good to me.

Couple of other points:
-I'm very low budget
-I already have a solid, fast PC (minus a soundcard and software), which might make this route cheaper if I avoid recorders

I personally don't thing using a PC for recording would make "weird sound" capturing any more difficult than a dedicated digital recorder. Portability might become an issue if you get a full-tower PC instead of a laptop, but I would look into this subject further before making a final decision, plus there are benefits to using both. With a low-budget, a quality recording soundcard and software may be the way to go.

 

[Dack]

If I went the PC route I would essentially have to be within 10 feet or so of my computer every time I wanted to record, right? If I want to, say, be in a parking lot getting the sound of a car backfiring, what do I do? I mean it's not going to happen very often, but it will happen a few times and I'd like to have the ability to make that work. I don't think a new laptop is in my price range really.

 

[apl]

I don't think you'll be able to find an all in one solution for that. The PC will give you a great studio. A portable mini-disk recorder might be good for the remote stuff.

 

[thane1200]

I don't think you'll be able to find an all in one solution for that. The PC will give you a great studio. A portable mini-disk recorder might be good for the remote stuff.

I agree Mini Disc, or those new personnel digital recorders they sell for lectures and "notes to self."

 

[Dack]

I don't think you'll be able to find an all in one solution for that. The PC will give you a great studio. A portable mini-disk recorder might be good for the remote stuff.

This sounds like a good way to go. If I did that and just used my PC with a recording interface would I need a soundcard also? My motherboard has onboard sound. Technically speaking, what is the difference between a soundcard and a recording interface?

 

[apl]

Technically speaking, what is the difference between a soundcard and a recording interface?

The terms are interchangeable. Although some may say a souncard goes inside your PC and an interface might sit outside and connect by USB or Firewire but they do the same thing.

 

[Rokket]

The terms are interchangeable. Although some may say a souncard goes inside your PC and an interface might sit outside and connect by USB or Firewire but they do the same thing.

Yeah, I think people just started referring to the interface as a soundcard. And there are models that you mount in your PCI slot much the same way you mount a soundcard.

If you are looking for portability and the advantage of using a pc as a studio, look into getting a standalone multitracker that has a usb or firewire out. That way, you can record on the unit, and transfer your tracks to pc. That's what I do.
I use the Fostex MR-8. It doesn't have very good pre amps, however. The VF80 and VF160 are better, and the 160 has a built-in CD burner.
There are others that will interface with your pc on the links I gave you.

 

[Dack]

If you are looking for portability and the advantage of using a pc as a studio, look into getting a standalone multitracker that has a usb or firewire out. That way, you can record on the unit, and transfer your tracks to pc. That's what I do.
I use the Fostex MR-8. It doesn't have very good pre amps, however. The VF80 and VF160 are better, and the 160 has a built-in CD burner.
There are others that will interface with your pc on the links I gave you.

I was thinking of getting the MR-8 initially, but since I still need a soundcard/interface anyway it seems more economical to skip that and go direct with the pc/interface. What do you think?

 

[Rokket]

I was thinking of getting the MR-8 initially, but since I still need a soundcard/interface anyway it seems more economical to skip that and go direct with the pc/interface. What do you think?

If that's what you want, I say go for it. The only thing you will lose is the portability.

 

[Dack]

I use the Fostex MR-8. It doesn't have very good pre amps, however.

What would be the effect of having not so good pre-amps by the way? On say a guitar or vocal track.

 

[Rokket]

What would be the effect of having not so good pre-amps by the way? On say a guitar or vocal track.

Well, you have to crank the gain up on the Mr-8 to get a loud enough signal. That affects your signal to noise ratio negatively. You can get around it with a good mixer or some decent pre amps.

 

[Dack]

I see. So now I'm just wondering about what type of interface would work. I'm looking at a couple of M-audio's: the 1010LT and the mobile pre. The mobile pre has phantom power while the 1010 does not, correct? Seems like the mobile pre would also be easier to access, being outside the computer. Any important factors I should know about here?

 

[Rokket]

I see. So now I'm just wondering about what type of interface would work. I'm looking at a couple of M-audio's: the 1010LT and the mobile pre. The mobile pre has phantom power while the 1010 does not, correct? Seems like the mobile pre would also be easier to access, being outside the computer. Any important factors I should know about here?

The only one that comes to mind is that people complain about picking up fan noise off the pc while recording. That can be solved a couple different ways:
1. Drape something over the pc while recording - not good, it could overheat.
2. Getting a wireless keyboard and move yourself as far from the pc as possible while recording.
3. Deal with the fan noise with a noisegate when mixing.

To me, who doesn't use an interface, the most viable solution seems to be the wireless keyboard and move away from the pc, and still use #3 to a lesser degree (noisegates will affect your signal quality some).