Do i really need all this ??

S

SEREOUS

New member
Okay I want to buy a mixer - but Im learning all this stuff about having to buy a new soundcard, (real-tek ac97 what i have) , ,then i need an interface, then the list goes on and on. DO i really need all this?
Im a rapper and want to record rap vocals so I don't need to record more
then 2 channels at one time. Do they have mixers with interfaces built in to them? Also I have been warned to stay away from USB mixers, and i cant afford firewire. I have about 2-$300 to spend.

If i upgrade soundcards - wich one to get?

Thanks for the help
 
The interface is the sound card unless you're recording direct to the pc via Firewire or USB. The problem with the sound card in your typical PC (even the high end computer sound cards) is that they're not purpose built for recording. The spec they post may appear impressive but we're not talking apples to apples here. BUT...BUT,...many people use them and claim to get good results.

The mixer to interface (recording sound card) route is a pretty decent budget approach. If you shop wisely, you can find a decent multi-channel mixer which will have mic preamps, phantom power for microphones and often times other little effects features. The mixer will take multiple mic inputs and funnel them down to a single stereo output which can then be put into the PC audio interface (sound card) which needs to be a stereo input. Hit record on the PC and voila.

With this approach, you need to be aware that all your mixing takes place outside the pc unless you have a multi-track recording application on the computer. If you have this luxury, then you can record one track, go back and lay down another and another and another, so on and so on.

Now that we've gone to talk about multi-tracking, it's nice to be able to play back the previous recording so that you can listen to it while recording the next. This takes a little PC and sound card horsepower. This is where things step up a bit and the advantages of the dedicated/purpose built sound cards pay off but with the added performance, you PC (hard drive, RAM, CPU) need to be up to the task. Forgot to ask, what kind of PC are you working with? Laptop or Desktop? PCI based audio interface cards are getting cheap. Some say they're on the way out which may be true but you can pick up really nice ones at very reasonable prices right now.

I don't know maybe you know all this already and I missed the intent of your question. I hope this has been helpful and realize that I did simplify this to some degree. You've come to the right place for help with your question. I'm sure there will be other's to jump on your question here very soon.
 
The cool thing about just doing rap, is that all you need is a two channel converter and preamp for vocals and the rest is sequencing. If you plan on using an acoustic drum kit ever, you may want an eight channel. If I were you I would look at apogee rosetta 200 or the RME ADI-2p for 2 channel converters. I would think with rap vocals you would want crystal clean audio. In a pre amp you would for sure want a stand alone single channel or dual channel. Maybe a tube mic pre.

If your using software for mixing, i wouldn't even buy hardware mixer. Unless you plan on bussing out your channels from your converter (which would need multiple outputs) to feed a mixer then output back to your converter inputs in stereo.

Software mixing will simplify things, and you will also not be working with that many channels.
 
I think it would be a good idea to know what he already has software and hardware wise.
 
my comp is custom built hardware wise
fast cpu, pentium 4, video card top of the line, - only thing
i didnt care about at the time was the sound card.
the sound card is the real-tek ac97

SOft ware i have tons of muti track recording programs
i have FL 6 - cake walk studios, adobe audition 2.0-
sony acid pro 6, and audacity.

I would like to be able to mix my beats i make in the software - on the mixer
(physically) What would i need for that ? thats what i would like my mixer to do. I have a beat playing in the computer and i want to *fade* volumes n sounds. YEs i would also like the PLAY BACK - so i can listen to it while i record. My sound card does that fine right now- i just need better sounding vocals. yes crystal clear vocals HOW DO I GET THAT ?
 
To be perfectly honest, a physical mixer is not really a necessity given what you have. I use AA 2 and the mixer interface on that is enough for me (though I am still new to it). There are front ends you can get for Cake Walk I'm sure, but AA doens't anything other than the Mackie control- sucks, but that's that. As far as sound cards go you can always go with an external system. Tascam has a $1000 firewire interface that is basically a fully functioning mixer that records on your hard drive. You'd have to check on the software compatibility though. The M-Audio FireWire 410 would give you more than enough i/o, but it doesn't have balanced out for monitors; you need to get a ore expensive model for that. I use a Firewire Audiophile for general playback and a FireWire Solo for recording specific monitoring, though I have yet to use it to record vocals. If you can manae the mixer in Audition I would say save the money and get a nicer input source, either internl or external.
 
This guy is using cracked softwares for sure. he has "tons of multi track recording programs" but a cheap crappy sound card.
 
studiomaster said:
This guy is using cracked softwares for sure. he has "tons of multi track recording programs" but a cheap crappy sound card.
Click to expand...


so fucking what???

It is a Free world (well most of it), If you are a software Cop then go do your Job and Bust him, but if not it is none of your business one way or the other....


:rolleyes:
 
studiomaster said:
This guy is using cracked softwares for sure. he has "tons of multi track recording programs" but a cheap crappy sound card.
Click to expand...


You're probably right. I really bothers me that people need to steal software when there are so many kick ass free ones already. I play with Reaper almost daily and I don't see why you would need to steal software when you can use something as nice as Reaper. Sereous, we don't take too kindly to pirates around here, we'll be more than willing to help once you get legit.
 
Minion said:
so fucking what???

It is a Free world (well most of it), If you are a software Cop then go do your Job and Bust him, but if not it is none of your business one way or the other....


:rolleyes:
Click to expand...


So what? You don't have a clue do you? Do you also use cracked software? Anyone using cracked software is a piece of shit and isn't welcome here. It may be a free country but stealing is still stealing. :mad: :mad:
 
Innocent until proven guilty.

I'm hoping that someday (IF it's true), his concience will gnaw away at him, or he'll get frustrated without having the benefits of having licenced copies or he'll tire of the the crazy system resets and glitches and that he'll come 'round and get the real deal. It's a good feeling to be straight up, honest with nothing to hide.

But, for all we know, he's already there.
 
punkin said:
Innocent until proven guilty.

I'm hoping that someday (IF it's true), his concience will gnaw away at him, or he'll get frustrated without having the benefits of having licenced copies or he'll tire of the the crazy system resets and glitches and that he'll come 'round and get the real deal. It's a good feeling to be straight up, honest with nothing to hide.

But, for all we know, he's already there.
Click to expand...


Well said, and yes Innocent until proven otherwise, sometimes we jump the gun a little but you really should take advantage of some of the superb freeware out there and ditch any cracked stuff you may be using.
 
jonnyc said:
So what? You don't have a clue do you? Do you also use cracked software? Anyone using cracked software is a piece of shit and isn't welcome here. It may be a free country but stealing is still stealing. :mad: :mad:
Click to expand...



It is NOT YOUR FUCKING JOB to Bust Pirates or your place to even make a Moral judgment, If you are So against Software Pirates then go to his House and Beat the shit out of him, Or maybe become a Software Cop or actually "DO Something" to stop it....

I think you guys have your Priorities a Bit screwed up....There are Much more serious Crimes in this world and on the Internet and probably by poeple who use this forum than someone useing a cracked piece of software that he wouldn"t have bought in the First place...

Why don"t you go after the creeps who pander Kiddie porn on the net or the Internet scam artists???
Or go and grab jaywalkers and poeple who litter and hold them for a citizens arrest??

Why??

I"ll tell you why, because it is not your job or place to do so, we have cops and Judges who do that and make those determinations...If it was left up to assholes like you and Me this would be one seriously screwed up world, Not that it isn"t allready a screwed up world.....

You are also make assumptions that this person is useing cracked software with absolutly no physical or even circumstantial evidence accept that he has software and no interface... Maybe he just has the demo versions, or maybe he bought a bunch of old versions at the flea market or maybe it is none of your fucking business!! And if you really think it is your business then go Do something about it besides spouting off and trying to ruin this persons reputation on this forum because you feel you have the Moral authority to tarnish this persons reputation without a hint of real evidence is not what I would call a very moral thing to do....


And no i don"t use cracked recording software as I don"t need to as it came free with my Interface and it is none of your business even if I was useing cracked software the same way it is none of your business if I am an drug addict or a Tax evader or jay walker or steal bread to feed my family.....


This is "HomeRecording.com" Not "Watch what you say or you will be ostrocized and judged as evil without any evidence even though it is none of our business.com"....


Let the flameing begin..... :)
 
studiomaster said:
This guy is using cracked softwares for sure. he has "tons of multi track recording programs" but a cheap crappy sound card.
Click to expand...

What are you psychic? Just because a guy has more than one program doesn't mean he's a thief. My senoir citizen father has so many programs that I can't remember all of them to compile a list. But it's far more than this guy listed. He paid for all of them. (except the freeware stuff) And he jokes about his "collection". He just likes to play around with different software.

What makes you think this guy's a pirate? His age? His interest in rap? If he is, then I stand corrected. But let's not make accusations without facts!

(Oh, and my dad runs all of his software through a soundblaster.)
 
Minion said:
It is NOT YOUR FUCKING JOB to Bust Pirates or your place to even make a Moral judgment, If you are So against Software Pirates then go to his House and Beat the shit out of him, Or maybe become a Software Cop or actually "DO Something" to stop it....

I think you guys have your Priorities a Bit screwed up....There are Much more serious Crimes in this world and on the Internet and probably by poeple who use this forum than someone useing a cracked piece of software that he wouldn"t have bought in the First place...

Why don"t you go after the creeps who pander Kiddie porn on the net or the Internet scam artists???
Or go and grab jaywalkers and poeple who litter and hold them for a citizens arrest??

Why??

I"ll tell you why, because it is not your job or place to do so, we have cops and Judges who do that and make those determinations...If it was left up to assholes like you and Me this would be one seriously screwed up world, Not that it isn"t allready a screwed up world.....

You are also make assumptions that this person is useing cracked software with absolutly no physical or even circumstantial evidence accept that he has software and no interface... Maybe he just has the demo versions, or maybe he bought a bunch of old versions at the flea market or maybe it is none of your fucking business!! And if you really think it is your business then go Do something about it besides spouting off and trying to ruin this persons reputation on this forum because you feel you have the Moral authority to tarnish this persons reputation without a hint of real evidence is not what I would call a very moral thing to do....


And no i don"t use cracked recording software as I don"t need to as it came free with my Interface and it is none of your business even if I was useing cracked software the same way it is none of your business if I am an drug addict or a Tax evader or jay walker or steal bread to feed my family.....


This is "HomeRecording.com" Not "Watch what you say or you will be ostrocized and judged as evil without any evidence even though it is none of our business.com"....


Let the flameing begin..... :)
Click to expand...
It's 'flaming', and here you go.

It's not your fucking job to tell me how to think or to tell me what to do. This is indeed a free country and if I goddamn want to critique someone's literary talents, five finger discounts, or shitty parenting skills then we are 110% on the same page because sure as shit you have no more problem reguritating your crap and spewing it around than I do. There is not a damn soul on this board, or this world, who is perfect. If someone wants to make the observation that a poster is a pirate, right or wrong, and withhold advice it's none of your damn business!

I personally have no issues with piracy, just apologists who feel the need to justify it. You want to rip me off? Take food out of the mouths of my kids? Fine. There are laws in place, and if they catch, well, tough shit. You roll the dice, you take the chance. But don't you goddamn DARE to stand on your holier-than-thou holy ground and preach to anyone. I am no better than you and sure as shit you are no better than me.

Hypocrite!
 
Minion said:
It is NOT YOUR FUCKING JOB to Bust Pirates or your place to even make a Moral judgment, If you are So against Software Pirates then go to his House and Beat the shit out of him, Or maybe become a Software Cop or actually "DO Something" to stop it....

I think you guys have your Priorities a Bit screwed up....There are Much more serious Crimes in this world and on the Internet and probably by poeple who use this forum than someone useing a cracked piece of software that he wouldn"t have bought in the First place...

Why don"t you go after the creeps who pander Kiddie porn on the net or the Internet scam artists???
Or go and grab jaywalkers and poeple who litter and hold them for a citizens arrest??

Why??

I"ll tell you why, because it is not your job or place to do so, we have cops and Judges who do that and make those determinations...If it was left up to assholes like you and Me this would be one seriously screwed up world, Not that it isn"t allready a screwed up world.....

You are also make assumptions that this person is useing cracked software with absolutly no physical or even circumstantial evidence accept that he has software and no interface... Maybe he just has the demo versions, or maybe he bought a bunch of old versions at the flea market or maybe it is none of your fucking business!! And if you really think it is your business then go Do something about it besides spouting off and trying to ruin this persons reputation on this forum because you feel you have the Moral authority to tarnish this persons reputation without a hint of real evidence is not what I would call a very moral thing to do....


And no i don"t use cracked recording software as I don"t need to as it came free with my Interface and it is none of your business even if I was useing cracked software the same way it is none of your business if I am an drug addict or a Tax evader or jay walker or steal bread to feed my family.....


This is "HomeRecording.com" Not "Watch what you say or you will be ostrocized and judged as evil without any evidence even though it is none of our business.com"....


Let the flameing begin..... :)
Click to expand...

You use capitals in the strangest places.
 
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