How to hook it up

[YesZep Lick]

I just received my new computer and am trying to figure out how I get up and recording digital audio:

Tascam 414
Various mics
Alesis Nanoverb
Guitar, Bass, effects
Alesis SR16 Drum machine
Computer specs - Intel® Pentium® 4 processor at 1.6GHz
128MB SDRAM 40GB1 Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive SB Live! Digital Sound card Harmon Kardon HK395 Speakers CD-RW, windows XP

1) I would like to start by recording about 6 to 8 tracks on track at a time for now. How do I do that? Is there anything I need?

2) In the future, if I want to record more than 1 track at a time, do I just need to get a new soundcard that has multiple inputs that record at once?

3) Will it impact the digital recording (ie memory) if I use the PC for internet as well?

Thanks in advance from a real newbie,
YZL

 

[Atwork]

1. You didn't include any multitrack recording software in your equipment list so I assume you haven't got any. You'll need some. Popular ones are Cubase, Sonar and n-Tracks. There are others.

2. A new soundcard with multiple inputs would be a good idea because it ould be an audio soundcard, optimised for audio recording, and will have a better sound than the SB. A mixer is an alternative, though you'd only be able to record to one track.

3. Not much of a techie myself. So hopefully someone else will come in and answer this part of your question. With a PC spec like yours though you should easily be able to run a software multitracker and internet software. Recommendations on this board are usually to do music on a separate PC if you can, failing that to have two hard disks. However, I expect many people do both on one hard disk.

Hope that helps.

 

[Senor Cactus]

Sounds like you got a nice computer.

You will need some sequencing software. Many different ones out there. Most of them have downloadable demos you can try out to do some shopping before you buy them (or -Gasp!- bootleg them). To name a few: Cubase, Cakewalk, ProTools, N-Tracks.

You'll probably want to check out if these support midi. That'll open up a lot of options (and confusion) for recording with your SR-16. I think you'll have to buy a special cable that connects midi devices with the joystick port on your soundcard. Most computer stores or music stores have them.

Recording more than one track at once will require a soundcard with multiple inputs. It is possible to record two tracks at once with your present setup plus a mixer. Pan one instrument hard right and the other hard left and set up the tracks to get signals from either the right or left channel.

It's possible for the internet to affect your recording. It might be a good idea to install another hard drive to keep your recordings and your system stuff separate.

Good Luck.