computer based home studio

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thememuzik

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My question is... if you have a computer with software like Cubase that i want to use as the recorder (basically the center of it all since it will ahve a cdr)... and a keyboard/synth to create beats on... what should my setup consist of?

What type of soundcard, do i need an external mixer, mic(s)????

Help me because I am confused about what I should have and how it should be set up, and how I should be using it all.

THEME
 
This depends on what you expect your setup to do. Microphones, a mixer and a soundcard are all essential. The question is what level of features, sound quality and how much money to do you want to spend?

Emeric
 
I am supposed to be getting a new computer and this alesis qs6.1 keyboard. I was looking at the EVENT GINA, the ALESIS 3630 or DBX 266XL, the RODE NT-1, and the MACKIE 1202 if needed. My question is why would I need all of those outputs on the GINA and why would I need the MACKIE board for that matter if I had programs like Cubase that does mixing and tracking and so forth...
 
Ok, I see.

Maybe you don't need all the outputs of the GINA. But it's better to have too many. With the extra outputs, you can send a specific track from Cubase to your mixer for additional EQ or compression using the 3630.

Most of the better quality sound cards always have more than 2 in's and out. As for the mixer, you need one. With the Rode mic, the only way your going to get a good sound out of it is to plug it into a mixer with good preamps, and send it out to an input of your Gina. Without the preamp your not going to get a good signal to your soundcard. As well, the Rode requires phantom power, so whichever mixer you choose, make sure it provides that.

A mixer is useful for all sorts of things. You can run your keyboard into it, your cd-rom, the output from your game card if you choose to keep one in your computer.

So, to sum up. Cubase is a good choice for multitracking, but it is only good when it's working with good quality signal to begin with. So this is where you need a good mic, and to get full potential out of a good mic, you need a mixer(or just a single mic preamp, but a mixer is more flexible).

Hope this helps.

Emeric


[This message has been edited by Emeric (edited 08-25-1999).]
 
How does this sound?


What I want to do is pro quality music from home. I am getting a new computer soon which will more than likely be no less than a Pentium 2 333MHz. I am looking at the Gina by Event as far as the soundcard goes.

I want to use the computer as the multitrack recorder and effects unit... and I will mixdown to minidisc.

I am thinking that I could run the mics (thru the mackie board) into a compressor, which will also hold a keyboard and turntables. The compressor will run into the soundcard. Once I have all of my tracks and effects (Cubase), I will run out of the soundcard into the Mackie board to mixdown into the minidisc recorder. I chose to go the minidisc route becuase it is to my understanding that with the help of a converter, I can digitally trade songs back and forth between the Gina and MiniDisc in the event that I would like to burn cds.

My choice thus far for studio monitors has been Event 20/20p speakers. Mackie board will be the 1202. I have yet to decide on a MiniDisc or compressor. Mics will be Rode NT1, unless you have any suggestions.

peace
 
Sound fine,

Only thing I might suggest is a CD-RW instead of the minidisc. $200 will get you a decent IDE version. Good for backing up data as well.

Emeric
 
before you buy your gina .....the folks at echo...have now made the darla 24..2 ins and 8 outs...with an outboard box just like gina for $379....look around the site and you will find the link.....to the event site....i don't see any talk about the gina any longer so make sure you don't get a card that will not have support
 
I have to go with Emeric on this; unless you need the portability of a minidisk recorder, the CDR-RW unit would be cheaper up front and in media costs. Not to mention that the sound signal doesn't have to go through a compression Codec each time it enters or leaves the MD. Maybe this point is somewhat overstated; MD players do sound nice. But on theoretical grounds, and cheapskate grounds, the CDR wins hands down.
 
In addition to needing the mixer for preamps, you will most likely need it to
set up a good monitor/headphone system. You will find, when recording vocals,
that your gonna want to record while listening to your music tracks. A mixer,
when set up properly, will allow you to "kill" the sound to the monitors and
give you an easy-to-get-to headphone jack. Otherwise, you'll be unplugging
your speaker outputs all the time to give you a headphone out. If your soundcard
has both, more power to ya. However, I'd still rather have the controls for both
right in front of me. You will need a mixer with a pair (or stereo) Aux sends.
Sub and/or Group sends are other names for these outputs. I use the Peavey
RSM mixer and it works fine for this. Goodluck.......
 
I have a question about thememusik's idea. How would you run it from the sound card to the mackie console and mix it to the minidisc or CDR. Would it work with Soundblaster AWE 64? I'm just curious, because it sounds kinda complicated.
 
thememuzik
I think that your selection of equipment will work graet. One thing you have to watch when recording out of and PC interface is the signal level coming out of your device. The more tracks you stack, the closer you will run the risk of clipping your signal. Breaking your tracks into different outputs will give you more hearoom to work with. Once you start using the multiple outouts you will also realize the flexability that it provides. Although the Darla is cheapper, I would tend to go with the Gina so that you can have the digital I/O.
About the MiniDisk: I have used one since 1994 and it does not sound bad at all, but for the money I would advise buying a CD-RW since you are going to need one any way.
I would definatly get the compressor. I would use it mainly on the vocals (another reason for having multiple outputs) I know there are many software fx programs out there, but sometimes you can't beat the sonic qualities of outboard gear.
 
tarandkorn,


The CD-R is the last step. Inputs/Outputs at this point do not matter. What you end up with after all the hard work recording, mixing and mastering is a 2 track, stereo wav file. You send this file to your CD-R all internal, no connections(assuming your CD-R is internal, same difference though send it out through parallel ports, usb whatever. ) With a minidisk though, you would have plug the outputs of your mixer or sound card into the inputs of the minidisk. Or.. If the soundcard and the minidisk have digital connectors, you could use those.

Emeric
 
I'm not to familiar with the gina sound card but for some reason event electronics pulled the plug on it with the other two pci's as well. Also the darla has no midi I/O if the gina is the same it could be worht looking at one that does, it's always handy if you are working with a keyboard. The EWS88MT looks like a good sound card for around the same price 8ins/8outs midi I/O Digital I/O
Also middi man have a few good ones worth looking at.
 
I'm in just about the same postion as thememusik....

I want to get Cubase VST....And I want to build a system that is going to work with minimal problems.... :)

I'm going to upgrade to P2 with UDMA66...and hard drive.

I have a AMDK6 233, a Soundblaster Live!....with Dig I/O at present, and Ricoh MP7040A Cd Burner...

I'm using cool edit pro at present...but It's slow.....keep getting "can't process in realtime" messages.....

Will this be likely to change with P2 and a UDMA drive?

Will I be able to go straight from the SB LIVE! to the CD burner?...or do I have to record wav. and compile a Cd?

Any help on building this system would be appreceited.

TIA

mark
 
I'm in just about the same postion as thememusik....

I want to get Cubase VST....And I want to build a system that is going to work with minimal problems.... :)

I'm going to upgrade to P2 with UDMA66...and hard drive.

I have a AMDK6 233, a Soundblaster Live!....with Dig I/O at present, and Ricoh MP7040A Cd Burner...

I'm using cool edit pro at present...but It's slow.....keep getting "can't process in realtime" messages.....

Will this be likely to change with P2 and a UDMA drive?

Will I be able to go straight from the SB LIVE! to the CD burner?...or do I have to record wav. and compile a Cd?

Any help on building this system would be appreceited.

TIA

mark
 
I don't exactly know what you were invoking during these recording sessions, but I've created plenty of digital audio from the two analog input channels on my old soundcard and CDRs directly from these .wav files on a Pentium 90 with just 24MB RAM and two IDE HDs having 4.0 GB between them.
 
hey, I know you have had 20 suggestions already and it will cost you a mint to do them all. But for all you folks "getting a new computer", get a mac. I say this as a PC vet. But nothing out guns a mac G3 for audio purposes. Read all the software... many only work on mac or "Now for PC"... thats because mac has a smoother cpu. Interfaces: spend the extra today and avoid upgrade next month. MOTU2408, no question. You can plug your refrigerator into this thing, and loop it! I have found that a few software programs are pretty serious when they say Pentium too. That means Pentium, not amd, celeron and the like.<shrug> but thats me
 
Now, if I'm running a program like cakewalk, can I buy a mixer that will run w/the program
 
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