home recording questions

[kbh]

hi all, very informative site! i'm very new to electronic music but not to music. questions!!

i've been playing guitar alone (occasionally out w/blues or jazz groups) w/ band in a box and inputting scores w/mouse etc. i'm interested in recording and have some friends that come over to play in a room/studio i'm setting up. i just got a yamaha p90 off ebay for the keyboardists (and to make it easier for me to enter note data than a mouse) and may try to learn keyboard myself. i guess from what i've read that i'd like also to make compositions that i could render to either a midi or audio file to use as backing tracks for solo performance.
here is what i have other than guitar/effects gear:

mackie 1202vlz mixer
mike(s)
yamaha p90
mackie hr824 monitors
multiuse laptop

main issue: what would be a good starter audio/midi interface? tascam us 122? is usb 1.1 a problem? probably at this point won't need a lot of inputs. is firewire better? other recommended units?
is a dedicated daw a good idea? recommendations?
do i need a separate midi controller?
software: i have bib/protracks. i've heard traktion is good. ideas?

any ideas appreciated! thanks.

 

[DavidK]

Welcome,

the Tascam should be fine, so should pro tracks if you already have it. If not, Cakewalk Home Studio is good. Tracktion should be fine but I havent tried it, looks like it will be good though.

I am guessing that firewire can do more tracks at once. If you are just doing midi/ a few audio tracks, usb will work just like you want.

 

[kbh]

thanks. then i think i'll just go w/the us122 and the protracks first. do i need a separate midi controller at this point (if so, suggestions?)? or can you just do everything in the computer? are there advantages to one or the other?

 

[kbh]

ok, i just realized that when i got a behringer v-amp2 a few years ago, i also got their fcb1010 midi foot controller, which is in a box and which i'm clueless about. would that be usable for anything here, or is that more for just changing patches in the v-amp?

 

[ssscientist]

i've heard traktion is good. ideas?

In my opinion it's the best, easiest to learn and use audio/midi sequencer out there. You can try the demo here and if you like it as much as I do buy it here.

As far as the FC1010 goes, it's a midi controller that sends out continuous controllers and program changes. The good thing about midi controllers is they're not brand- or product-specific --- whatever midi functions they have will work with any device, no matter the manufacturer. That being said, the FC1010 is not useful as a full-function midi controller because it doesn't send midi notes. See what's out there here. I recommend that you look seriously at the M-Audio Radium 49.

 

[DavidK]

That fc1010 foot controller actually looks pretty fun. It changes the sounds of the v-amp as you play live, and can do some other stuff.

Yes, you probably want a keyboard of some kind someday. I went with a 49key evolution, if I could do it over I would have gotten 61 keys at least, 88 would be best. The one ssscientist pointed out has slides and knobs for advanced midi stuff.

 

[KarenWms]

Nursing Home Project

Hello….(Thank you for this site)
I really need your help!!! I know just enough to confuse and may not be able to articulate what I want to do. However I was told this is the best site to find the right answers so here I goes:

I have a vision of making CDs to give out to Nursing Homes patient when our outreach ministry go and sing. The CD will be just the instrumental music to the songs we may sing. I just want to be a blessing to those that may not get to buy gospel, and Christian music for their personal enjoyment. So I want to do a home Studio. This is all the equipment I have in my music room. I began to buy equipment as I had extra funds… so I don’t know if I have everything I need to begin this project...Please help.

I will be playing the keyboard Yamaha 2100 or Yamaha Ex5. I have it connected to my LAPTOP computer. On the computer I have this software: Power Track, CakeWalk, Giga Studio. The sound card I have is the TASCAM US 122, The Multitracker is Fostex Multitracker (VF160EX), Peavey PV6 mixer…

I want to be able to do the CD with software and hardware.. Why? I want to know both worlds. I want to be able to do midi to play in the keyboard as I direct the singers and Audio file to place on the CD so I can do a full CD and leave with the residences of the Nursing Home.

Can you tell me if I have everything and what is the best way to hook it up….

Thanks

nerakwms@hotmail.com

 

[kbh]

not sure where the last post fits in...but anyway...

thanks ssscientist, i got the tracktion demo; and davidk. i looked at the midi keyboard controllers you either have or suggested, but since i already have the yama p90 stage piano w/midi and serial-pc connections, wouldn't i just need a midi 'control surface', i.e. w/o keyboard?

also, since i have good mic pres on the mackie 1202 mixer, and since i don't need a portable setup, would getting a good sound card like the audiophile 24/96 let me do w/o the tascam us 122 audio/midi interface?
thanks for your time and input.

 

[DavidK]

i looked at the midi keyboard controllers you either have or suggested, but since i already have the yama p90 stage piano w/midi and serial-pc connections, wouldn't i just need a midi 'control surface', i.e. w/o keyboard?

would getting a good sound card like the audiophile 24/96 let me do w/o the tascam us 122 audio/midi interface?
thanks for your time and input.

1. Yes you have a keyboard, no need for more.

2 yes, audiophile is fine. You still need ( I assume) some sort of midi interface to hook up with the computer.

I will be playing the keyboard Yamaha 2100 or Yamaha Ex5. I have it connected to my LAPTOP computer. On the computer I have this software: Power Track, CakeWalk, Giga Studio. The sound card I have is the TASCAM US 122, The Multitracker is Fostex Multitracker (VF160EX), Peavey PV6 mixer…

I would use the mackie over the Peavy.

If you have Cakewalk, what version is it? Cakewalk is an AWESOME program, it can do everything you want.

Heres a list of stuff to answer:

What kind of laptop, what specs?

What version of Cakewalk?

What kind of mics do you have (access to)?

You certainly havr PLENTY of equipment already to do what you want. Let us know exactly what you have and we go from there-DK

 

[DavidK]

would getting a good sound card like the audiophile 24/96 let me do w/o the tascam us 122 audio/midi interface?
thanks for your time and input.

If you already have the Tascam, use it. It would be redundant to get the audiophile.

 

[kbh]

hi davidk,
unfortunately, the post above seeking info from 'karen wms' has confused things. it should be a separate post and i don't have any of the equipment she lists, including the tascam. mine is listed at the outset.

the audiophile has midi as well as audio, so it seems i should be ok w/o a separate midi interface, i think. but using the yama p90 keyboard, would i need a separate 'control surface' , which it seems i would,and if so what's a good/reasonable one? thanks, and sorry for the confusion.

 

[DavidK]

Doh!

I saw the K initial, got confused.

Audiophile has midi- good. That will be fine.

You got the piano keyboard-check.

A control surface- I am guessing you are thinking a box with faders that you can use as a "mixer" with a program like Cakewalk or Pro tracks.

Personally, I dont use one or need one. In cakewalk, you can automate everything onscreen. Some people ( mainly those used to analog mixing) like to mix with real faders; I dont. With the computer you move faders, one at a time with the mouse. You can do it over until you get it right, and the faders will move up and down onscreen.

If you are interested, give me a PM with your email and I will send you an MP3 of something I did today and kinda mixed in cakewalk. You will hear the volumes change, the left-right panning, all that good stuff changing, its kinda elaborate.

 

[DavidK]

Testing 1 2 3

 

[DavidK]

Those are envelopes:

They record the onscreen fader in cakewalk ( and similiar products I think).
You can also draw them in, which is probably the best way to get them accurate.

You can automate panning, volume, effects, etc. For the example I pasted, I used the onscreen faders, they look like this:

 

[kbh]

good example. i'm comfortable w/computers much more than physical mixers, so i guess using the computer as the 'control surface' makes most sense for me right now. thanks.

 

[ssscientist]

Hello….(Thank you for this site)
I really need your help!!! I know just enough to confuse and may not be able to articulate what I want to do. However I was told this is the best site to find the right answers so here I goes:

I have a vision of making CDs to give out to Nursing Homes patient when our outreach ministry go and sing. The CD will be just the instrumental music to the songs we may sing. I just want to be a blessing to those that may not get to buy gospel, and Christian music for their personal enjoyment. So I want to do a home Studio. This is all the equipment I have in my music room. I began to buy equipment as I had extra funds… so I don’t know if I have everything I need to begin this project...Please help.

I will be playing the keyboard Yamaha 2100 or Yamaha Ex5. I have it connected to my LAPTOP computer. On the computer I have this software: Power Track, CakeWalk, Giga Studio. The sound card I have is the TASCAM US 122, The Multitracker is Fostex Multitracker (VF160EX), Peavey PV6 mixer…

I want to be able to do the CD with software and hardware.. Why? I want to know both worlds. I want to be able to do midi to play in the keyboard as I direct the singers and Audio file to place on the CD so I can do a full CD and leave with the residences of the Nursing Home.

Can you tell me if I have everything and what is the best way to hook it up….

Tacking onto the bottom of --- or in the middle of --- an existing thread is never a good way to get an answer to your good questions.

Please take the big plunge and start your own thread. I'm sure it will be much less confusing for all concerned and guarantee you will be pleased with the results.

In the meantime, here are links to two good articles on midi basics - part one and part two. They may be a little basic for you, but we can all use a refresher course now and then...

Looking over the list of your gear, if your laptop has a CD burner then you have everything you need.