Guitar, Bass Duo recording

[Rick6]

Any help with this would be appreciated.

It's a guitar and bass duo. One of us might sing.

I'd like to have two inputs from my guitar. One right into the "board" from the guitar. The other from a mic on my amp. I have a Sennheiser 409 (or maybe 609) which sounds good to me.

Bassist wants the same. So that's 4 inputs. We might decide to sing, although that could be overdubbed.

We want them to appear, later, in a Windows computer, as four separate wave forms, so that we can fix errors and adjust sound.

So, with my primitive level of understanding, I assume I need an audio interface. I need 4 inputs (5 if there's a vocal) and 4 outputs. I want the outputs to be all in a single USB cable that feeds the software the 4 (or 5) individual signals. I assume that's the way it works, otherwise I have no idea how it all gets into the computer.

We'd also like to set it up, forget it, and play for a couple of hours and then pick the good stuff out later.

So, my questions:

1. Does this make sense?

2. What do I need to buy? (I've got a computer and the mics)

3. What is going to bite me on the rear?

Thanks in advance,

Rick

 

[bouldersoundguy]

That all sounds pretty correct. The interface really only needs two channels of output for stereo monitoring of playback, but having four outputs can be really handy on occasion. Most interfaces come with some sort of recording software but you can generally use whatever DAW (digital audio workstation) program you prefer. Accurate speakers of some sort, as in studio monitors, are your best bet for the mixing process.

Sooner or later you'll need headphones, and with two people playing at once a headphone amp with some independent control for each player will really help.

You could stop and start the recording once in a while just to be safe, but once the computer and software is properly set up you should be able to record an hour or two no problem.

 

[Rick6]

That all sounds pretty correct. The interface really only needs two channels of output for stereo monitoring of playback, but having four outputs can be really handy on occasion. Most interfaces come with some sort of recording software but you can generally use whatever DAW (digital audio workstation) program you prefer. Accurate speakers of some sort, as in studio monitors, are your best bet for the mixing process.

Sooner or later you'll need headphones, and with two people playing at once a headphone amp with some independent control for each player will really help.

You could stop and start the recording once in a while just to be safe, but once the computer and software is properly set up you should be able to record an hour or two no problem.

There's a part of this I want to make sure I understand correctly. I want to create 4 separate tracks at once. I'd assumed that will take 4 inputs and 4 outputs -- and the outputs go thru the USB cable to the computer.

I'd thought of monitoring as something different. During the recording, either we need headphones for monitoring or we're going to have to live with some leakage. So, we need to be able to plug two sets of headphones into the audio interface and playback two of the tracks (the two with mics). Then, we put one of the amps (at least) in a different room. Hmm. It's going to take some cable.

Then, during the mixing process we just need one output (or is it two?) to run some speakers in stereo.

Does that make sense? Any idea of what device we should buy?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

There's a part of this I want to make sure I understand correctly. I want to create 4 separate tracks at once. I'd assumed that will take 4 inputs and 4 outputs -- and the outputs go thru the USB cable to the computer.

You just need the 4 inputs to connect your sources (instrument mics, vocal mics). The software will record them onto four separate tracks. Then you make a stereo mix in the software and play that back out your two outputs (left and right for stereo), either as the finished product or a monitor mix for recording more stuff.

I'd thought of monitoring as something different. During the recording, either we need headphones for monitoring or we're going to have to live with some leakage. So, we need to be able to plug two sets of headphones into the audio interface and playback two of the tracks (the two with mics). Then, we put one of the amps (at least) in a different room. Hmm. It's going to take some cable.

If you're recording stuff that makes real sounds (as opposed to connecting an instrument directly to the interface) you can just listen to each other live in the room. For overdubbing (recording more tracks to the existing ones) you'll need headphones. You could try recording two things in one room using clever amp and mic placement and experimenting with goboes (panels that block the bleed). Low frequencies (bass) will not be blocked terribly well by just a panel.

Then, during the mixing process we just need one output (or is it two?) to run some speakers in stereo.

Stereo = two channels of audio. You'll need a pair of outputs for mixing in stereo.

Does that make sense? Any idea of what device we should buy?

There are lots of USB audio interfaces on the market. Your need for four input channels narrows it a bit.

I bet you could get it done just as well with two inputs, bass direct on one and your guitar amp mic on the other. It would be simpler to deal with and there would be no bleed.