Is there a difference in the conversion process?

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creation25

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So here's the thing. I'm currently using my onboard sound card that is built in my motherboard. I know I'm not suppose to use this for recording but it's what I have right now until my FW card get here so I can start using my FW audio interface. So here's my question: Does rendering audio to be ready for mixing in a daw effect the quality compare the onboard sound card vs the audio interface? So if you rewire Reason with Pro Tools or whatever daw you're using and you record them into audio in another daw like Pro Tools, this is like converting midi into audio. How does the sound compare between onboard and audio interface? The reason I ask is because I don't know if I should wait until I get my audio interface up and running and then start the midi to audio conversion and ready to send audio files out for mixing. I dont know how much difference that would be compare if I convert it using the onboard. Anybody have any idea?
 
Not sure what you are asking. If you record on your computer sound card and get a crappy recording it will sound crappy on whatever you try to process is on. A lot of people like pro-tools but for my level of knowledge I prefer Mixcraft 6 because it is intuitive, does a good job, it's cheap and has lots of factory pre-sets that I can use and if I want to make adjustments to the factory pre-sets I can. I Have used software similar to Pro-Tools and it is absolutely frustrating unless you take a semester class at the local community college on how to use it. You need to be a sound engineer to use it effectively.

Basics for recording. Get a computer interface. Get a good microphone. cheap ones under $300 to $400 are not really that good and you will never be happy with them. Get a cheap MXL 990 mic or something similar and have them modified and you will get a mic that can do the job but won't break the bank. They will rival the Newmanns mics.

I have recorded stuff on Audacity with equipment that was less than stellar and they sound less than stellar. I have tried to work on them in newer/better software and the result has never been satisfactory.

The bottom line is that if you have good quality equipment you can create songs that are professional in sound.
 
Rendering takes place in the cpu, not in the soundcard. Will make zero difference in quality.

You can even render or export on a computer without a soundcard.
 
Thanks guys. I'm just going to wait until I get my audio interface up and running this week and then I will render midi to audio and have it mixed. I don't want to screw up.
 
TimOBrien said:
Rendering takes place in the cpu, not in the soundcard. Will make zero difference in quality.

You can even render or export on a computer without a soundcard.
Click to expand...

This is important.

No offense to Guitar Hack, because the original post was pretty unclear, but if all you're asking is about rendering MIDI to audio, it's like TimOBrien said. The actual rendering is just the CPU, so just go ahead and render it out now. It'll make no difference in sound quality between rendering the audio now and when you get your FW card.
 
+1.
Interface or 'sound card' has an effect on the analog audio that goes in, and the audio that comes out as analog.
It doesn't have an effect on the quality of digital processes.
 
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