My recording equipment has been sitting dormant for some time now and just recently have I had the time to sift through the hundreds of cassettes full of songs I had written. Listening to them now, I am not happy with the sound quality. I am thinking about getting into digital recording, be it through a soundcard/comp or hard disk recorder. I have been poring over many sites and message boards and I'd like to ask some of the more experienced users here what I should do in my situation.
What I'm doing is recording full songs - guitar, bass, drums(machine), keys, harp etc. I do not need to do anything simeltaneously, one track at a time is just fine.
My dillema is the computer/stand-alone question. Funds are not really an issue, although I don't want to buy the very top of the line. I have 2 computer systems (PC) already and both have more than enough memory/hd space/speed/CD recorders, so that is not an issue at all. Neither is computer expertise, as I am very good with complex computer programs.
My questions are as follows:
For what I am doing, is it better to go computer or standalone?
If I do go computer, would I be able to use my Tascam 488mkII 8-track in any way? Is there some use for it in a computer-based setup? I'm guessing you can't go directly into the soundcard without some kind of unit to go through, correct me if I'm wrong.
If I go standalone, is it as simple as recording onto the unit, then plugging it into the computer to edit and mix the tracks with something like Cakewalk?
I'm just trying to get an idea of the pros and cons of each setup as it pertains to my current needs. Thanks for any help.
<-----------------Newb!
What I'm doing is recording full songs - guitar, bass, drums(machine), keys, harp etc. I do not need to do anything simeltaneously, one track at a time is just fine.
My dillema is the computer/stand-alone question. Funds are not really an issue, although I don't want to buy the very top of the line. I have 2 computer systems (PC) already and both have more than enough memory/hd space/speed/CD recorders, so that is not an issue at all. Neither is computer expertise, as I am very good with complex computer programs.
My questions are as follows:
For what I am doing, is it better to go computer or standalone?
If I do go computer, would I be able to use my Tascam 488mkII 8-track in any way? Is there some use for it in a computer-based setup? I'm guessing you can't go directly into the soundcard without some kind of unit to go through, correct me if I'm wrong.
If I go standalone, is it as simple as recording onto the unit, then plugging it into the computer to edit and mix the tracks with something like Cakewalk?
I'm just trying to get an idea of the pros and cons of each setup as it pertains to my current needs. Thanks for any help.
<-----------------Newb!