Best free recording software?

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pete12string

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I'm brand new to the world of recording using a PC. Up to now I've been using a Fostex VF80 for my recordings but it is getting old and the rewind button is giving me problems.

I have an older Dell laptop with a Pentium 4 CPU 2.66GHz and 512 MB of RAM. Right now I have no audio interface. I've played around with Audacity a little and thought it was okay and pretty easy to use. I've also heard that Cubase LE is a good choice.

For a newbie like me who needs to keep it simple (I'll be recording at most 2 tracks at a time), what should I start with?

Thanks!
Pete
 
Cubase LE isn't free, though.

I think Kristal is pretty good.
 
Thanks guys. I did look at Reaper but thought it was very confusing to use. Maybe if I spent more time with it... :D
 
Reaper isn't free.... it's just free to trial. And there's a big learning curve for all DAW software, and Audacity is not DAW software.

I don't want to be harsh, but I doubt your Fostex machine was free... why are you expecting free recording software?

Seeing you already have Reaper why not spend more time with it? It shouldn't be that hard to anyone who's done recording already, as you have. Once you've got a bit more savvy with how DAW software generally works, you'll be in a better position to work out which to buy.
 
Actually, Cubase LE is almost free. It comes with some interface manufacturers purchase. It does give a $100 discount for upgrade to a paid version of Cubase. Then, it becomes basically free. So does the interface to some degree at that point...
 
Armistice said:
And there's a big learning curve for all DAW software,
Click to expand...

I just want to re-iterate this because it is so true. Take the time to learn the software.

As Jimmy said, most audio interfaces come with a bundled software CD that includes a free version of a DAW program.
 
Armistice said:
Reaper isn't free.... it's just free to trial. And there's a big learning curve for all DAW software, and Audacity is not DAW software.

I don't want to be harsh, but I doubt your Fostex machine was free... why are you expecting free recording software?

Seeing you already have Reaper why not spend more time with it? It shouldn't be that hard to anyone who's done recording already, as you have. Once you've got a bit more savvy with how DAW software generally works, you'll be in a better position to work out which to buy.
Click to expand...

You're right, the Fostex wasn't free. And it has served me well over the past years. I'm trying to decide whether to invest money in repairing the ailing rewind button on the Fostex or to move to computer recording. I've only played around a little w/Audacity and had a free trial version of Reaper. I have an older Dell that would need some work (it is currently overheating and shuts down after about 20 minutes - I cleaned the fan and it still does it!) so I'll need to see if anything relatively inexpensive can be done to solve that problem. So I'd like to see what recording on the computer is like without too much of an investment until I'm sure that's the way I want to go...

It's frustrating right now dealing with a faulty rewind on the Fostex, but I just spent a pretty good buck on a new guitar amp so a big outlay is out of the question for a while. I need to sell some stuff, but I feel like I NEED everything!!!
:confused:
 
pete12string said:
Thanks guys. I did look at Reaper but thought it was very confusing to use. Maybe if I spent more time with it... :D
Click to expand...

You definitely should give it some time, it's so worth it. If i can figure it out, anyone can, and I mean that! I was using Audacity for a while at the start, but I found it annoying to use because the interface design is like from the 90s. Still, it's free, and I know some people that create fantastic stuff with it so...

But if you want something a bit more, then in my opinion invest the time in Reaper. It's one of the most user friendly and comprehensive pieces of software I've come across. It's not free, but £30 is a bargain.
 
I found mixcraft to be VERY simple to learn initially. In turn that made it more confusing when I moved to Logic Pro. I think Mixcraft costs $70 or so and would be a great starting point.

If you're going to do computer recording you could also pick up an interface (if you don't already have one) that comes with a free version. Some come with Cubase, I think some of the mbox devices come with Pro Tools LE version.

If you are going to be doing it seriously I would suggest downloading all of them (most if not all of them have some type of free trial. Do a little reading and see what fits for you before you purchase anything. Pro Tools seems to be one of the most popular but it's very confusing for me. I found Logic difficult at first but it started to make sense quickly. Mixcraft is very simple, but I would guess that once you get into great detail it's somewhat limiting (I don't know, that's just a guess). I'm currently learning Studio One that came with some new equipment I bought.

All in all I'd say it's find what works for you, and something you like the workflow in.
 
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