Completely Confused... Need Help with Basic Setup

[jman212]

I'm new to home recording and therefore completely lost when it comes to figuring out what I need to purchase to get started.

What I need to know is what equipment is absolutely necessary for recording? All I'm interested in doing is recording one track at a time (guitar, vocals, bass, etc..) onto a program like M-Audio's Session. Do I need to buy a recording interface, mixer, pre-amp, etc... just to do a simple task like this?

Is a recording interface really necessary? Couldn't I just set up a microphone and record by guitar and bass through the amp without having to connect them to the computer? Maybe this sounds dumb, but I would appreciate your guys help.

 

[Chili]

In the newbies section, there's no such thing as a dumb question. Just be careful if you start posting dumb questions in the other sections....

But seriously, I'm still a newb myself, but I think I can help you a little. To answer your biggest question, if you want to record, you're going to need something to record with. A stand-alone unit, an interface to your computer, your radio shack cassette tape recorder. Something.

The first place you should go is the Search section. Lots of people have blazed this trail and most of your questions have been answered already in this very cool forum.

After that, define your goals and what you want to accomplish. Budget? Level of quality? Do you just want to lay down some ideas or make a broadcast ready CD? How much time are you willing put in to learn?

Good Luck and have fun

 

[Dogman]

You will need something to boost a mic's signal...a pre of some sorts. Then, something to capture that signal...whether it's stand alone, or on your pc. I prefer the pc, as that's what I'm used to, but others use a dedicated recorded...some even have preamps built in.

 

[Pitseleh]

a recording interface is going to improve the quality of your tracks a lot. Also the interface will provide a preamp for your mic. A mic's signal is originally very low, the preamp will boost it up so you can actually hear it. Some can also provide phantom power incase you ever end up wanting to use a condensor mic. An interface will also allow you to connect any line instruments (guitar, bass) directly to your computer.

Other than that, the kind of quality you want is going to determine what you need to get. Computer specs (sound card, hard drive, processor speed) will be a big determinate of quality and latency. If your only going to record 1 track at a time, a mixer will more than likely be a luxury.

If your going to buy an interface, I would recomend getting a firewire capable one, not a USB. If your comp doesnt have a firewire port, you can buy a pci card that provides them for around $20-$30.