Help: I know nothing.

[jlazar]

I'm feeling desparate and would appReciate and advice.
This is what I want to be able to do:

Ceate layered recordings to use as background music while I play guitar live.

One guy I know who is doing such a thing is using a digital multi-track recording device. I'm wondering if I can do the same thing with a computer; record my work to CD, and play the CD while I play.

I'm basically looking to create what my friend calls an e-band to provide some back-up when I play live.

WHat i have: guitar, keyboard, computer (and a burning desire to roCk). (And actually, I don't have the keyboard yet, but will be given one for the holidays: I have a $300 price limit. Any suggestions?)

THe New York Times had a brief article: mentioned a few programs (powertrack pro audio), and websites.

I've downloaded one free shareware program and couldn't make heads or tails.

ANy advice would be crazily welcomed.

appreciatively,
jeffrey

 

[Jerry Kahn]

here goes...

Jeffery... I am by no means an expert, but if you are interested in recording digital audio to your computer you will need, absolutely minimally, the following stuff on your computer (Note that this is absolutely entry level, just get you in the door by a nose hair type stuff.):

8mb RAM,a fast 486 or Pentium, a Windows compatible 16 bit sound card ( examples are SoundBlaster 16, AWE32, AWE64, Ensoniq, Yamaha) 20MB free hard drive space. Realistically, you will definitely need a ton more hard disk space to do much of anything at all (I think with twenty MG you can record a couple of minutes of audio)a heck of a lot more RAM and will probably soon want a better sound card.

Then there's the little bit about a CD burner.

If you want to record vocals, or live acoustic guitar, or mic an amped guitar, you'll need a mic (maybe you know that), and some sort of preamp.

In terms of recording electric guitar, that's a whole 'nother ball game -- once again, not my area of expertise, but you will need to think about whether you want to go direct from your amp (if it has a direct output) to the sound card on the computer, or skip the amp and bet a POD, or a Sans Amp (a cheap bet probably at this point), or get these software synthesized amp effects.

Just a few ideas for you.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[DavidK]

Hi Jeffrey,
for a keyboard under $300, here is my advice;
Get an Alesis Nanosynth Sound module and a
49 key Midi Keyboard Controller. Alesis Nanosynth
is $ 179, Keyboard controller 100 Bucks, Midi
Cable Ten Bucks, still got beer money left.

A midi keyboard controller is just a keyboard
that makes no sound. Take a midi cable and run
it from the midi out port on the keyboard to
the midi in on the Nanosynth, and you are set!!

The nanosynth is a tiny box with about 500 patches
and 15 drum kits. For the price, it is amazing.
I have one, and I have a Roland JV1010. The
Roland is a much better unit, but it is $399,
so the JV1010 and a keyboard is 200 clams over
your budget.

The only new keyboards out there in your price range
are Casio and YahamaPSR stuff, the stuff you can
buy at circuit city. They might be okay for what
you are doing, but they are intended for home
hobbiests, whereas the Nanosynth is made for the
semi-pro or pro player that is really poor!

For recording on your computer, I too have heard
great things about N-tracks, but I dont think
it does midi stuff (which you might not
use anyway. Or, maybe something like Cakewalk home
studio, and if you get into it, someday upgrade
to cakewalk pro.

I think one of the Soundblaster higher end cards
ships with a cakewalk product; that might save
you a few bucks, and You dont need a fancy
pants Soundcard until you get into it: this
stuff can be tricky at first.

If you get into midi, you can get a midi cable
that plugs into your joystick port for
15 bucks. No need for a real midi interface
unless you get into it.

One last idea: If you do any cover tunes, check
out http://www.pocketsongs.com It is pre-recorded music
without the vocals, so you can play guitar
and sing with a cd. Good luck, David

 

[Sabith]

Ummmmmm........ I just answerd this post in a different forum....... please don't cross post, just post your topic in one forum only....

Sabith