First Time Recording Equipment

[edrock118]

I'm planning on starting to record some songs more seriously on my computer.

Recently i've been using Garageband on my '08 Macbook with a 2.4 processor and 2GB RAM to record guitar from the line in. But I want to start recording drums and probably guitar from an amp when I get a better one.

I just bought a couple of sm57's for snare/hi-hat and bass drum, and recording from the guitar amp. I got two because I heard they were good for snare and were usable for a bass drum and I got them cheap. I'm looking to get a couple of overhead mics and so far it seems like Oktava 012's would be a good call on a tight budget as my house has a good empty room that I would use.

My main query is what I need to record several mics onto the computer. From what i've read mixers are to expensive because pre-amps, etc may be needed. I think I need a audio interface with 4-8 inputs and probably equal outputs if they are what I think they are (outputs to a channel/track in the computer software), and firewire I think, as I heard USB can't handle over 2 tracks very well. I'd love to know what a good one of these would be to buy, that would provide acceptable quality.

Thanks in advance.

 

[moresound]

Yes an audio interface is what your after.
But the one you want will be determined by what you will want to accomplish.
You stated that you wanted drums to be recorded....now that could be anything from two microphones to twelve microphones, and an other thought would be are you ever going to record more than one instrument at a time such as a live recording?

 

[edrock118]

My current microphone situation is 2, but i'm planning on buying two more. Probably a few more in the future as well, depending on how my needs expand.

Basically i'd say that I need it to accomodate 6 to 8 microphones for the drums.

And I don't think I'd be doing much live recording with, so all I need is one in the 6-8 region.

 

[The Cancers]

The number of inputs on the interface is the number you need to look at for how many separate individual tracks you can record at a time.
Outputs are physical outputs from the interface that you can send line level signals out of - be it the whole stereo mix of a song through the two main monitor outputs, or a single track or combination of tracks that you want to send to a hardware processor (eq or compression or what have you) or maybe a DI guitar track you want to re-amp - as assigned from your DAW.

You should do a bit more research about the USB vs. Firewire thing, as the information you've heard is a bit off.
You will want to make sure, if you go with USB, that you go with USB 2.0, as the negative points you've heard about USB apply only to USB 1.0.

Make sure when you're researching interfaces that you distinguish between the number of inputs and the number of preamps on it.
An interface can advertise having 12 inputs, but if only two of them are mic preamps, it won't fit your requirements.

 

[moresound]

My current microphone situation is 2, but i'm planning on buying two more. Probably a few more in the future as well, depending on how my needs expand.

Basically i'd say that I need it to accomodate 6 to 8 microphones for the drums.

And I don't think I'd be doing much live recording with, so all I need is one in the 6-8 region.

I mean not so much as *live* as in going to a show and record, but *live* in a studio situation like drums, bass and guitar at once instead of one at a time for some musicians prefer to record that way.

 

[edrock118]

The number of inputs on the interface is the number you need to look at for how many separate individual tracks you can record at a time.
Outputs are physical outputs from the interface that you can send line level signals out of - be it the whole stereo mix of a song through the two main monitor outputs, or a single track or combination of tracks that you want to send to a hardware processor (eq or compression or what have you) or maybe a DI guitar track you want to re-amp - as assigned from your DAW.

You should do a bit more research about the USB vs. Firewire thing, as the information you've heard is a bit off.
You will want to make sure, if you go with USB, that you go with USB 2.0, as the negative points you've heard about USB apply only to USB 1.0.

Make sure when you're researching interfaces that you distinguish between the number of inputs and the number of preamps on it.
An interface can advertise having 12 inputs, but if only two of them are mic preamps, it won't fit your requirements.

That makes a lot of sense, considering I think the site I read it on was quite dated as well. I thought it was weird that I was seeing so many USB interfaces on ebay with 16 or more, to me they appeared useless. Now I feel stupid!

So would I need pre-amps on all the inputs that were being fed to straight from a microphone? And does having that bump the price up a lot?

 

[edrock118]

I mean not so much as *live* as in going to a show and record, but *live* in a studio situation like drums, bass and guitar at once instead of one at a time for some musicians prefer to record that way.

Yeah I understand that, but I'd be recording instruments separately really. It would only be two of us doing live recording anyway, so it would only be another 2 inputs for guitar and vocals on top of the drums, so I don't think I'd be needing any more than 8 inputs really.

 

[The Cancers]

1 microphone = 1 preamp.
No way around that.
Most interfaces I've seen floating around are either of the "mini" variety, with one or two preamps, or are the kind with eight preamps - regardless of the total number of potential inputs either kind has.

 

[edrock118]

I think I'm starting to understand. Could you recommend any of the 8 pre-amp variety for a smaller budget?

 

[jdier]

I think I'm starting to understand. Could you recommend any of the 8 pre-amp variety for a smaller budget?

I have used this unit: http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.co...23144&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=426911450

It has 8 inputs that all go through the firewire into your computer and each input has it's own preamp.

All you need to bring to the party are 8 mics and 8 mic cables.

I do not think it is suited for the next grammy winning release, but it is certainly capable of making really nice recordings.

A step up from this would be an RME Fireface 800 or their new USB version which is called something like a Multiface RC.

 

[jdier]

Oh yeah, I would get that unit then buy reaper (www.reaper.fm) to do the recording and editing. Reaper comes with a great set of tools for mixing you music and is super powerful.