Helpmeimanoob
New member
Well i'm currently a n00b. I just got a few good (for dummies) starter books on Home Recording . But i figured I'd post this while i'm reading them to try and meet some people i can trust if i have any questions later on down the road. But i need help...i got ahead of myself.
--First Problem! Walking into Guitar Center with over $200 store credit and over $200 in my pocket. And i'm 19 years old so... I did something VERY VERY DUMB. I walked into the audio section and told the clerk, "I want to record my guitar and vocals with my computer! Show me what to buy please!" So i left with over $300 in equipment that i BARELY knew how to use. I got it all working but its really quiet. And the quality isn't very good either, it sounds like i recorded with a stage mic onto a Line 6 Looper pedal. But i'm not entirely sure that there's a quality problem because the volume is so low. I also had some playback problems. When i would try to record on top of other tracks, the meter would move but... "silence." (But I think the problem is either one, my sound card, the way i hooked everything up, or the fact that i wasn't very comfortable at all with the software)
I have made a nice, easy-to-read picture of my gear. (computer,interface,mic) It's an attached file on this thread. I'm sorry, I know its kind of a hassle to download a picture. But i'm going to hopefully make a reply with the picture already showing so you wont have to. And for software, I just bought this computer and it came with an ...80% trial of ASUS Music Maker . So i used that.
Gear:
PC: ASUS Desktop computer. I print-screened the Dxdiag for you. It's on the attached picture along with the other gear.
Art USB Dual Pre: Left and Right 1/4" /XLR in. USB out to computer. It did not come with any software. The CD that came with it was only Audacity. that's all.
ST55: I've used it a little to record on my friends Mac and it worked extremely well. warm acoustics! (a lot more sound than what i got using my setup)
SO! Let me wrap this up here...
#1: Should I give the gear i have now another try after I become familiar with a new Home Recording Software? (to be honest more knowledge of the entire audio recording process)
#2: If you feel that the USB Dual Pre isn't a good product, can you recommend a different one that will work better with me? (On these terms)
- I am of the understanding that an external interface and a sound card that i would have to install into my computer are the same thing? And I've heard that its easier to get an external interface because if you switch computers its a simple process. But im not planning on switching computers anytime soon so i'm willing to take either route.
- One day soon I'll want to record drums. (not sure how to go about doing that but it makes sense to me that it would work well to record the whole drum set at
once with multiple microphones) But for now my mission is just recording guitar and vocal tracks. (layered with multiple of each of course)
- I'm going for the best quality I can possibly have WITHOUT! spending a fortune. And if it just so happens that it would be best for me to buy a new interface or sound card and a new recording software like SONAR or something like that, I'd like to spend Maximum... $500. (that's not strict, but the honest Max isn't much higher than that)
- I really want the most accurate playback as possible. It's crucial. When i am recording vocals over top of a guitar, I really need what's coming out of my mouth
to be RIGHT THERE! in my ears, instantly!
#3: If i'm wrong in saying that an interface and a sound card will both do/are the same thing just one is internal and one is external... then please let me know.
So my plan from here is.
#1) Read up on the entire recording process.
#2) After i get some feedback from you, and some knowledge to base opinions on, I'm going to purchase a Recording Software. (And read the ENTIRE manual
)
#3) Get whatever else I may need. AND then... AND ONLY THEN! Record some awesome tunes!
- - - - - Any advice, warnings, recommendations, ideas, thoughts, etc. are very very welcome. - - - - - -
Thank you very much for your help, (and attention. that was a long post)
Colton
P.S. If someone wants to reply with some sort of checklist like "things you need so you can record using a condenser mic and your computer" then I would be eternally grateful. srsly.
--First Problem! Walking into Guitar Center with over $200 store credit and over $200 in my pocket. And i'm 19 years old so... I did something VERY VERY DUMB. I walked into the audio section and told the clerk, "I want to record my guitar and vocals with my computer! Show me what to buy please!" So i left with over $300 in equipment that i BARELY knew how to use. I got it all working but its really quiet. And the quality isn't very good either, it sounds like i recorded with a stage mic onto a Line 6 Looper pedal. But i'm not entirely sure that there's a quality problem because the volume is so low. I also had some playback problems. When i would try to record on top of other tracks, the meter would move but... "silence." (But I think the problem is either one, my sound card, the way i hooked everything up, or the fact that i wasn't very comfortable at all with the software)
I have made a nice, easy-to-read picture of my gear. (computer,interface,mic) It's an attached file on this thread. I'm sorry, I know its kind of a hassle to download a picture. But i'm going to hopefully make a reply with the picture already showing so you wont have to. And for software, I just bought this computer and it came with an ...80% trial of ASUS Music Maker . So i used that.
Gear:
PC: ASUS Desktop computer. I print-screened the Dxdiag for you. It's on the attached picture along with the other gear.
Art USB Dual Pre: Left and Right 1/4" /XLR in. USB out to computer. It did not come with any software. The CD that came with it was only Audacity. that's all.
ST55: I've used it a little to record on my friends Mac and it worked extremely well. warm acoustics! (a lot more sound than what i got using my setup)
SO! Let me wrap this up here...
#1: Should I give the gear i have now another try after I become familiar with a new Home Recording Software? (to be honest more knowledge of the entire audio recording process)
#2: If you feel that the USB Dual Pre isn't a good product, can you recommend a different one that will work better with me? (On these terms)
- I am of the understanding that an external interface and a sound card that i would have to install into my computer are the same thing? And I've heard that its easier to get an external interface because if you switch computers its a simple process. But im not planning on switching computers anytime soon so i'm willing to take either route.
- One day soon I'll want to record drums. (not sure how to go about doing that but it makes sense to me that it would work well to record the whole drum set at
once with multiple microphones) But for now my mission is just recording guitar and vocal tracks. (layered with multiple of each of course)
- I'm going for the best quality I can possibly have WITHOUT! spending a fortune. And if it just so happens that it would be best for me to buy a new interface or sound card and a new recording software like SONAR or something like that, I'd like to spend Maximum... $500. (that's not strict, but the honest Max isn't much higher than that)
- I really want the most accurate playback as possible. It's crucial. When i am recording vocals over top of a guitar, I really need what's coming out of my mouth
to be RIGHT THERE! in my ears, instantly!
#3: If i'm wrong in saying that an interface and a sound card will both do/are the same thing just one is internal and one is external... then please let me know.
So my plan from here is.
#1) Read up on the entire recording process.
#2) After i get some feedback from you, and some knowledge to base opinions on, I'm going to purchase a Recording Software. (And read the ENTIRE manual
)#3) Get whatever else I may need. AND then... AND ONLY THEN! Record some awesome tunes!
- - - - - Any advice, warnings, recommendations, ideas, thoughts, etc. are very very welcome. - - - - - -
Thank you very much for your help, (and attention. that was a long post)
Colton
P.S. If someone wants to reply with some sort of checklist like "things you need so you can record using a condenser mic and your computer" then I would be eternally grateful. srsly.
