Covering Editors: how to record synth

[thief]

Hello, it's my first post here, please don't shoot on the spot!
I'm obssessed with Editors song called All the Kings. I don't know much about recording, but I'd love to do a decent enough cover, using little resources and what I already have.
To make it short, I play electric guitar and bought interface, Presonus Audiobox USB, a couple of weeks ago. I used Reaper and some free VSTs to test it & make some newbish recording. I don't play piano or sing very well, but I have Yamaha Clavinova at my disposal, and I'm willing to buy some cheap microphone to sing along.
I just started tabbing aforementioned song, All the Kings, in Guitar Pro. I hope to finish this tab in a week or two. Then, I hope, I will record a cover version with drum track, two vocal tracks, one for guitar and 4+ for synthesizers.

Problems are:
1) don't know nothing about recording vocals, drum machines or synthesizers
2) I'm not sure if it's better to go 100% software with synths, or record myslef playing Clavinova and then add some FX/VST to make it sound like synthesizers.

To give you a better idea what I'm talking about, here is the song, please check it out and give me some advice on where to start. I have a month or two to do it, but there is a lot of ground to cover for such a newbie.

 

[DM60]

Doesn't really matter about the song. First things first. Start understanding your DAW (Reaper), how to record with Reaper, setting up your AI (Presonus) with ASIO drivers, and buffer settings, and getting Reaper to communicate with it.

Next, learn you to use Synth plug ins (VSTi) with Reaper and record MIDI.

Then next, how to use VSTs (reverb, compression, etc.) and mixing

Then, once you have that, then you can work on the song.

Point here is, there is more to this than just pushing record. Lots of information here, and please feel free to ask questions, but some homework on your part is required. Get the Reaper manual so you can look up how to do something, skimming through it isn't a bad idea, but pretty unrealistic for most of us.

Start with the basics, walk your way though it, it will be something you can do your whole life. This site, or I recommend Recording for Dummies if you want a book that has most of the basics in one place.

Good luck.

 

[thief]

Thanks so much for quick reply. I hope it's ok to post further questions here as they come along. I need some time to tab it right, but there will be lots of homework to do afterwards.
Just to get it started: is it possible to alter midi sounds from Guitar Pro into decent synth/drum sounds? Maybe I won't need to buy/borrow equipment and do 80% of work with my PC...

 

[DM60]

If guitar pro converts to MIDI, then you will export out of that into a DAW and put the VSTi on that track. Then go from there. It is an easy question if you understand the basics, but I am afraid you might not, therefore the answer will only confuse you.

I am not being an butt hole, what you want to do is possible, but it is not simple until you understand the fundamentals. Tab your song, if guitar pro exports the MIDI, then you have a start. If it does notation and that exports, then even better.

But I am afraid you want to get from point A-Z in two steps, bypassing B-Y. We are here to help, you cannot ask too many questions, but do not be disappointed if it is difficult at the start. There is a reason the music you reference sounds so good. There is a lot of skill and knowledge behind the scenes, that is something you need to learn as well. Not just the notes.

I encourage you to learn it and ask as many questions as you can, and many will be here to help. But just be ready to put in the work. You will be rewarded.