Hi I'm new and I have a question about what recording software to get & certain mics

[dan27]

Hi I'm new and I have a question about what recording software to get & certain mics

I'm looking to record acoustic guitar and vocals just to hear how it sounds and improve etc. I'm not really looking to make it professional quality or anything, just to get the rough sound of it recorded. Is there any free software that is super simple like this besides audacity? Im going to buy a vocals recording a mic and a mic to record the acoustic guitar, if you guys have any suggestions on which to get for cheap I'd appreciate it. Thanks!




****nevermind, Audacity should work. I think...

 

[JimmyS1969]

Do you plan on recording both the vocals and acoustic at the same time? There are sticky's to read at the top of the Newbies forum that may help some. Reaper is free to try, but it will take much more learning than Audacity will. Either way, you are going to need to purchase an 'interface' (see sticky's) in order to record more than one track at a time.

Welcome to the site dan. Many are here to help. Don't ever be afraid to ask whatever. The sticky threads here are compiled here to help those who have questions like these. Much to learn from them. Start there man.

Jimmy

 

[ecc83]

Hi Dan, Download the free Magix Samplitude Silver. It is "fairly" easy to use (none of them are easy to start with!) and has the advantage that it looks and works like 90% of every other recording software. Audacity is great but, well, it don't!

If by a "vocal" mic you mean a Large Diaphragm Capacitor (aka condenser) mic then I would advise against it for now. For acoustic guitar it is hard to beat a Small D Cap mic. You can often get a good deal on a pair of these. I bought two (not a matched pair mind) AKG Perception 150s a couple of years ago for £85 and they are great. The 150 is now the 170, same mic but with a 20dB instead of 10dB pad.
You are going to need an Audio Interface and for acoustic guitar and vocals, spend as much as you can. I give a big reccy to the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 but there are others by Presonus, Focusrite. If perchance you are still running an XP PC look out for an Emu 0404usb 2, nice mic amps but is SAID to be a bit twitchy on Win 7?...Believe me, if you go cheap on the AI you will regret it.

Tip from a man with a very small room! Don't buy full size boom mic stands. Folks like Thomann do 1/2 sized stands that are ideal when seated and you can get them with a heavy base instead of the space grabbing tripod legs, cheaper too!