Getting Started...

[Dijon]

I know this should have probably been posted in the Newbie forum but they didn't help much. Anyways I going to get a Mac Powerbook G4 or G5 (if they come out with a G5 when im ready to buy my laptop). I'm getting a laptop because I want everything I do to be mobil. However, I don't know what equipment I should use. I want to get one of those boxes that attaches your bass, guitars, and mics into the computer via the USB port. I don't want a phyiscal mixer I want the mixer to be on the computer (however, if you think a physical mixer would be better feel free to tell me why). I need to know if I need to up grade or change the soundcard. What programs I would need. and what other equipment I would need in order to be mobil and have good quility. Price is not a main factor. I'm not looking for the state-of-the-art equiment just something to, "Get 'er done" at the cheapest price but not at the expense of quility.

 

[manning1]

just as an alternative if your open minded.
you might want to check out some of the huge track and plug in counts folks are getting with amd 64 laptops.
check out some of the posts by henchman at gearslutz.com for example if you doubt me. he is using a emachines/gateway 6800 series laptop if i remember and its blowing away everything unless you get a dual g5 or dual opteron or xeon desktop system which is more expensive.
just an idea to ponder.
on gear to buy in a studio...you can go over my posts for the last year or so
including lots of tips if your willing to spend the time. otherwise its pages of retyping for me. and i'm tired today.

 

[Dijon]

just as an alternative if your open minded.
you might want to check out some of the huge track and plug in counts folks are getting with amd 64 laptops.
check out some of the posts by henchman at gearslutz.com for example if you doubt me. he is using a emachines/gateway 6800 series laptop if i remember and its blowing away everything unless you get a dual g5 or dual opteron or xeon desktop system which is more expensive.
just an idea to ponder.
on gear to buy in a studio...you can go over my posts for the last year or so
including lots of tips if your willing to spend the time. otherwise its pages of retyping for me. and i'm tired today.

Im open to anything but the computer im not getting a different computer

 

[RhythmRmixd]

I want to get one of those boxes that attaches your bass, guitars, and mics into the computer via the USB port.

This would be an audio interface you could plug in to your Powerbook via USB, or for a faster transfer rate you'd probably want to go with firewire. There are several on the market, I know that MOTU makes a portable firewire interface for your labtop that includes XLR and analog inputs for your guitar or other instruments, as well as sp/dif, MIDI I/O, etc. If you gonna go the Pro Tools route they make a USB interface called the MBox. Here's a link for the MOTU unit:

http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/traveler/overview.html

As far as production software, your Mac labtop will probably come with Garageband, which is basic mixing software. Good mixing software (Pro Tools LE, DP 4.5, Cubase, Logic) will run you around $400 to up to $1000 bucks, but includes everything you would need to record, edit, and mix your performances. There is cheaper software out there, but if your going to splurge on a nice G4 labtop I'd go with one of the better programs, especially if your serious about sticking to recording music for a while.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[Dijon]

This would be an audio interface you could plug in to your Powerbook via USB, or for a faster transfer rate you'd probably want to go with firewire. There are several on the market, I know that MOTU makes a portable firewire interface for your labtop that includes XLR and analog inputs for your guitar or other instruments, as well as sp/dif, MIDI I/O, etc. If you gonna go the Pro Tools route they make a USB interface called the MBox. Here's a link for the MOTU unit:

http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/traveler/overview.html

As far as production software, your Mac labtop will probably come with Garageband, which is basic mixing software. Good mixing software (Pro Tools LE, DP 4.5, Cubase, Logic) will run you around $400 to up to $1000 bucks, but includes everything you would need to record, edit, and mix your performances. There is cheaper software out there, but if your going to splurge on a nice G4 labtop I'd go with one of the better programs, especially if your serious about sticking to recording music for a while.

Hope this helps a little.

Yes that helped alot. I also want to know for mics if I mic the drums do I have to get something to plug the mics into or can I just plug them into that audio interface and mix it like that

 

[RhythmRmixd]

Yes that helped alot. I also want to know for mics if I mic the drums do I have to get something to plug the mics into or can I just plug them into that audio interface and mix it like that

Plug the mics directly into the XLR inputs on the back of the interface. Then you could use software effects plug-ins (compression, reverb, EQ) to process the drum sounds, as well as adjust volume and pan, after you've recorded them to a track or tracks in your production software.