COMPLETE Newbie.

[albinoblackbear]

I've wanted to start recording music for a long time, but have been investing money in other hobbies.

Recently, I got a hold of a Behringer Xenyx 502 mixer for just six dollars.

Honestly, I have no idea how to hook this thing up to my macbook pro. I'll pretty much just be using a microphone to record vocals and acoustic guitar. I'll probably just mic my amp if I want to do electric stuff. No drums.

I'll just be using Audacity or Garageband for now. Don't have too much money at the moment, just enough to get started recording.

Thanks, and sorry for being ignorant.

 

[The Cancers]

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

 

[mjbphotos]

A lot of people here feel the Behringer gear is crap. That mixer sells for $45 new - if someone was selling it for $6, they thought a beer was worth more than it!
You need a way to get the sound into your computer. The built-in soundcard is probably not going to give you very decent sound. Read everything you can and get an interface.

 

[austinm08]

I started with this thing, and it will get you two inputs into your computer.

M-Audio AudioBuddy @ Google Products

You can get it for $50 new.

EDIT: I guess it doesn't solve your need for an interface, as you'd still have to go into your sound card from this. I had remembered incorrectly, thinking this was a USB interface. Corrected now.

 

[Richard Monroe]

I started with this thing, and it will get you two inputs into your computer.

M-Audio AudioBuddy @ Google Products

It's a USB interface.

You can get it for $50 new.

If you really started with an Audiobuddy, you should know that it is *not* a USB interface. It is a 2 channel preamp and direct box with *NO USB OUTPUT*. And for it's price, it is surprisingly good. But- it wouldn't do a thing for the original poster. This would be a more appropriate unit:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=40819&Category=Audio_Interfaces

As far as that mixer goes, it does make a pretty good doorstop.

Aside from that, we have insufficient data to help the OP. What are you interested in recording, where do you intend to do that recording, and what does your budget look like?-Richie

 

[Jeff_D]

Does a MacBook Pro have a line in? If so, you could get started for the cost of a cable and a little time. It wont be stellar quality or anything, and an interface would definately be the way to go if you really want to get into this.

 

[austinm08]

If you really started with an Audiobuddy, you should know that it is *not* a USB interface. It is a 2 channel preamp and direct box with *NO USB OUTPUT*. And for it's price, it is surprisingly good. But- it wouldn't do a thing for the original poster.

Oh, shnikeyz.. I guess it's been too long since I used that thing. I must have been going into my sound card from it. Weird! I just didn't remember that.

Sorry for the misinformation. Thanks for correcting me, Richard.

 

[albinoblackbear]

Thanks for the info, guys. I don't think I'm ready to spend $50 for anything else for recording(yet). I guess I should go with just a cable. My Macbook Pro does have a line-in.

Also, I got it for $6 because GuitarCenter made a mistake and I got it for the cost of shipping. Someone wasn't selling it for that cheap

 

[Jeff_D]

You'll need a cable like this...

I wouldn't expect too much out of the onboard soundcard, but this should work.

You'll need software. Doesn't Mac come with garageband or something? Also, check out Reaper.

Plug the RCA ends into the left and right output of the mixer. This will get you two channels- for instance... do a vocal mic into mixer channel 1 and a guitar mic into mixer hannel two. Pan one channel hard right- the other hard left. In your software, create two new tracks. Set one track to record from the left input of your soundcard and the other track to record the right channel. Now, you'll have your voice on one track and your guitar on the other...

That'll get you started for about $6. lol. If you decide you want something decent, be prepared to spend A LOT more.

 

[austinm08]

We're only advising you for what would be better mid to long-term.

If you decide you want to be halfway serious about recording (and you want AT LEAST half-decent quality recordings), you'll probably want to spend a bit more on a USB or firewire interface (that has its own built-in preamps which are far superior than what your sound card will do for you).

Might as well pick up a cable and go by Jeff's instructions. You already have a way to get the sound into your computer, it just may not be as good as the sound that many of us have grown accustomed to. But definitely better than nothing! Once you get started, it's up to you to decide where you want to go from there.

Also, keep in mind that most of us have shelled out quite a bit of cash for our recording hobby (for some it's more than a hobby), so it can be easy for us to advise others to do the same...

 

[kcearl]

Ive picked up line 6 interfaces for as little as $20 for a GX studio and thats enough to get you going...I recorded an entire song on it while on travelling and no one said anything about the sound quality....maybe my awful playing but not sound quality


btw I run a few synths through an 802 which is the same as your mixer...no issues with it, quiet and you can use the mic pre amp at a push

 

[albinoblackbear]

Again, thanks for the help, guys.

I kind of picked this thing up for the price not knowing what I could do with it. I'll research home recording a bit more and maybe pick something else up when I have the money. I kind of assumed the quality on this would be better than the built-in mic on my laptop. I'll just go get the cable, and if I don't like the sound, I'll invest later. Hopefully I'll find use for this somewhere. It was only $6, after all