Just tell me so I can get on with it!

[apl]

Hey, g59n, don't take it so personally! This is actually a very warm board, but like any family, there's a good deal of ball-busting. If you post a question, you'll get some smarmy answers and some meaningful ones, and you will certainly misunderstand from time to time, but I'm sorry, you will have to take time to weed out the nonsense.

Good luck!

 

[gibson59neck]

I guess I am bitter about smartass remarks. I run a painting crew, where I am lucky to find human painters that walk upright, breathe, and can figure out which end of the brush to hold while painting. I also have three boys, two of which have ADD. Between those things my daily patience levels are always dangerously depleted. Sorry. I don't mean to be so defensive.

 

[seenoevil]

Let me tell you how I solved my very similar problems. First of al there is a HUGE learning curve to recording with a computer. Everyone is exactly right about that. I started 6 months ago and like you I found out that I was set in my ways and my brain just couldn't hardly stand the workout.

But then I changed my attitude and accepted that this was technical and complicated simply because of MY lack of knowledge.

So after spending money on products I didn't need and going through hoops and making many many mistakes for the past 6 months I have finally got what I need.

I bought a M-Audio Delta 44 SoundCard with a break out box that has 4 TRS INs and 4 TRS outs. It costs $149.00 on Musicians Friend.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-Delta-44-Digital-Recording-System?sku=701346

I bought a SMPRO PR4V - 4 Channel mic pre amp. This has balanced XLR inputs and balanced TRS outputs. It is a perfect match for the Delta 44.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/SMPro-Audio-PR4v-4Channel-Preamp?sku=480831

I also purchased a set of 10 TRS to TRS cables to connect from the pre amp to the Delta 44.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Jade-Audio-TRSTRS-Patch-Cables?sku=339072

For mics I use 1 SM58, 1 SM57 and one 2 MXL 990s with shockmount.

Make sure that your computer has plenty of memory. 512MB and up!

This setup is really working well for me. As a matter of fact I just purchased a second pre amp and a second Delta 44 and now I have 8 live direct input channels.

I have noticed no latency using the Delta 44 card. It monitors in real time.

 

[XLR]

Hey, this turned into a good thread. Eddie Ray's suggestion of drawing a flow chart to clarify the signal chain and production process is a very good one. You can easily get lost just in signal routing, never mind differences between +4 and -10 levels, balanced and unbalanced signals, XLR and TS connectors, RAM, hundreds of software apps, ASIO vs WDM drivers and the rest. Just takes time to let it all sink in. Best to keep recording as simple as possible and focus on the music.

A simple digital stand-alone multitrack would be about the same to use as your cassette 4-track but have better sound quality. Why not just do that? You could always load tracks into a computer later for easy editing or processing, but wouldn't have to wrestle with computer stability... the nightmare clicks and pops that cause people so many headaches when tracking. It's easy to set up an editing/processing computer... much harder to set up a super-stable tracking computer.

Tim

 

[apl]

A simple digital stand-alone multitrack would be about the same to use as your cassette 4-track but have better sound quality. Why not just do that? You could always load tracks into a computer later for easy editing or processing, but wouldn't have to wrestle with computer stability... the nightmare clicks and pops that cause people so many headaches when tracking. It's easy to set up an editing/processing computer... much harder to set up a super-stable tracking computer.

Tim

Tim, I love ya, man, but...

I started out running Cubasis and recording through the PC's soundcard on an old PC. Never had any trouble with clicks and pops, and I was using a simple setup recording one track at a time and learning a lot.

 

[XLR]

Tim, I love ya, man, but...

I started out running Cubasis and recording through the PC's soundcard on an old PC. Never had any trouble with clicks and pops, and I was using a simple setup recording one track at a time and learning a lot.

I went a different route and had my music computer built for me so I wouldn't have compatibility and stability problems. I've used other systems also and they've never been 100% reliable re audio glitches during long tracking sessions.

From my reading of others' posts in various forums re computer recording stability it seems to be a common problem. Hey, we should do a poll!!

Tim

 

[apl]

I went a different route and had my music computer built for me so I wouldn't have compatibility and stability problems. I've used other systems also and they've never been 100% reliable re audio glitches during long tracking sessions.

From my reading of others' posts in various forums re computer recording stability it seems to be a common problem. Hey, we should do a poll!!

Tim

On the other hand, I've not had projects with large track numbers and never ran many plug-ins.

I wonder how much horsepower DavidK's computer has.

 

[gibson59neck]

much harder to set up a super-stable tracking computer.

Tim[/QUOTE]
Yeah - I was worried about that. I was contemplating getting the digi multi track, but came here to see if I could get into the computer more easily/cheaper, because I have the Guitar Tracks studio software. It seems to me based on responses, that I should avoid the computer and either stay with the four track or go digi, so as you said I can stay away from glitches and complications and just focus on the music! Plus, I really want to be able to record while using headphones, so I can play any time without maikng my wife and kids hate me, and really just for the purpose of catching ideas rather than making my own studio quality productions. Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[ez_willis]

Hey! After looking around at this site the past week or so, I have found that some here are very willing to help and offer good advice, and to them, I say thak you very much! I am beginning to get a much better idea of what I'll need to start getting into recording my music onto the computer.

Hmmmm.

Browsed the site. Novel. Another tip, use the Search function.

And this Audio Glossary will help you with all of that convoluted terminology.