have band, want digital recording

[MichaelF]

Ok, my first post, I've spent some time doing research and reviewing a lot of posts. Here's the deal. I want to use my old computer (200mmx) to record my band digitally. Nothing fancy since I'm a beginner, just want to get started and get a taste for home recording. I know I need a sound card with the ability to record on multiple tracks, check.

Here is where I'm confused: the 'mixing' and 'mixing down' process. Do I need a separate piece of gear (mixer) to adjust levels that are input to the sound card, in addition to sound recording software (mixing down?).

Don't have much money or experience (yet) so I just want to get a basic digital setup that I can play with.

Seems like the more I read the more confusing it gets.

Thanks for your help!

 

[PapillonIrl]

Welcome to the site Micheal ...You'll find it helps to give a tad more detail in questions like this. For example, how many tracks do you intend to record at the same, and do you or your band already own some outboard effect\processing units or preamps that you'd like to use on the way to your hard disk.

Technically though, you can pretty much use your PC for everything, as long as you have at least one preamp.

pAp

 

[MichaelF]

thanks pAp, i'm looking at getting a 4-track sound card. would love to have more tracks but $$ comes into play. Hoping I can bounce some tracks to get more out of it. No, we don't have any outboard effects/processing or preamps yet. I'm assuming the preamp would be used to boost the signal from the mics?

it's a 4 piece band 2 guitars, bass, drums. if that's asking too much of a 4-track recorder, i might have to toss a guitar player or 2.

 

[shackrock]

I have a sound card with only 1 line in - and use an outboard mixer if i need more tracks at once. However...I record all my tracks seperately.. drums, then bass, then guitar(s), then vox, etc.

Not only will you higer your quality (opposed to recording your band live with just mics around the room, etc.) - but you'll only really need 1 nice pre-amp, or more depending on how you would like to mic things (i use 4 mics on my drum set for example).


you'll also need some software of course. for something cheap and reliable- try out www.ntrack.com - my favorite, and i use this for everything.

 

[Lame Thrower]

Hey brother, I can sympathize with how confusing this can be when you're starting out. I've been learning to record on my PC for only a few months, so maybe I can relate on a beginner level.

The first thing I notice is that your computer is not exactly super-fast. Unless I am misreading, you have a PII 200mhz? I recently upgraded from a 400mhz machine, and I was having difficulty getting four tracks without locking it up.

Because of this, unless you want to spend alot of $ upgrading your computer and buying outboard mic preamps or a mixer. I think I'd recommend looking into one of those portable hard disk recorders. Korg, Roland, Tascam, etc. make 'em.

As far as the "mixing" aspect of pc recording. It's mostly confusing because of the limitless possibilities. You can mix on your computer, or on a mixer. You can track everything to one track in stereo, or each instrument on its own track to edit later.

I hope this helps a little!

 

[musicsdarkangel]

hmm

beginner? I second Shackrock.

Get n-track .... great quality, layout, everything.


Otherwise Goldwave (supposedly really good for beginners)

Cubase has the best layout i've seen...but i think it sounds like gludiuos maximus.

 

[esactun]

thanks pAp, i'm looking at getting a 4-track sound card. would love to have more tracks but $$ comes into play. Hoping I can bounce some tracks to get more out of it.

You don't need to "bounce" tracks on a PC-- you can use as many tracks as your CPU can handle. My CPU is only 400mhz but I can play back about 12 tracks with it (and can print out mixes with even more).

I'm assuming the preamp would be used to boost the signal from the mics?

Yessir!

it's a 4 piece band 2 guitars, bass, drums. if that's asking too much of a 4-track recorder, i might have to toss a guitar player or 2.

You may want to do some tracks separately. Theoretically you could record a 76-piece orchestra with one line in on your card-- you just couldn't do it *live*. (And it would sound like ass....) Separate tracking will let you get started for much less cash, and you can spend more on more gear when your recording/mixing technique maxes out your setup and you ears tell you you need to upgrade. Depends on what you most want and need out of your setup at this point. Recording on PC is such a vast improvement over 4-track cassettes it's amazing, even with the world's worst Radio Shack mics and other lousy gear.

You should upgrade your RAM and your processor and have a hard drive of at least 6G (it'll fill up fast!!). Without more CPU speed you'll get extremely frustrated...

 

[shackrock]

ah yeah...
but i mean - i do allll my RECORDING on my PII, 266Mhz, 198 MB RAM. 6 GIG drive, only used for recording - and all the neccessary network things. I can get 10 tracks most the time, no effects or anything there. But it works out pretty good. If i need more then 10 tracks there, i just mixdown some files, and keep recording until i'm done...then piece it together during mixing. (see below)

but for mixing, i said my files to what is actually my dad's P4 ...which is a real rocketship. on this comp, i can get more like 20-25 tracks, with a bunch of effects, and it runs great still.

so for your comp, make sure you got some ram, and it sohuld run at least OK - mine does! HOWVER, 4 tracks at once could be difficult - mine, like i said earlier, is just 1 track at a time.

 

[MichaelF]

Thank you all for your suggestions! Sounds like I've got some work to do but I'm psyched about it! After upgrading my system with a faster processor and more ram ($$), I'm looking at the
M-Audio by Midiman Audiophile 2496 (or something similar) and a preamp (Audio Buddy?) to get started with. My next new post will be either a 'couldn't be happier' spiel or maybe a 'I'm tearing my hair out' tirade! gotta jump in with both feet to figure it out I guess.

 

[esactun]

My next new post will be either a 'couldn't be happier' spiel or maybe a 'I'm tearing my hair out' tirade! gotta jump in with both feet to figure it out I guess.

That's the perfect attitude to have! You'll be starting off with somewhat better gear than I did (except maybe the pooter) but there'll still be lots of trial-and-error learning by doing. It's *lots* of fun (or frustrating, depending upon your point of view...). You can't beat the feeling of doing your best mix yet. And each one is better than the last.

(Well, maybe you can beat the feeling, but let's not go there... )

 

[shackrock]

yeah, thats pretty much better then what i use now! ha.

money - thats the problem, like always.