Mom needs help!

[guitaristsmom]

Hi, I have a son who loves guitar; he lives, eats, sleeps, and plays guitar. I want to buy him some things so he can record stuff at home. He already has some stuff, he's been collecting things for a while. For Christmas, I want to select some products but don't know where to start. He has been playing guitar since he was 9. He's 15 now.

He's got some equipment towards his little home recording studio. He has:

A gibson Les Paul studio electric guitar
Marshall digital amp

PowerBook G4 Notebook
PowerPC G4 1.5GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 15.2-inch WXGA TFT Display, 4X DVD-R / 16X8X24 CD-RW SuperDrive, Mac OS X Panther v10.3. This has something called garageband on it.

Studio 4 Professional Desktop Audio Monitors.

What would you get for him next that will go with what he has without breaking me and something you would get a kid? Thanks in advance for your help!

Edited because I forgot the amp! Not sure if that makes any difference or not with recording directly into the computer.

 

[distortedrumble]

hey ...mom.. does he have a different soundcard that the one the computer came with? if he is still using the computer's soundcard then how about this http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-MII-AP2496.html

what is he using for recording software?
does he have a mixer? if not then how about this http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-YAM-MG102.html
does he have a condensor mic? if not then think about this http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-STU-B1.html

i picked some low cost things..each one is $99 whats you're budget for him?

 

[distortedrumble]

and let me just add that i wish my mom bought that stuff for me at 15.
oh yeah and i know this really kills the whole surprise factor on christmas but there are so many things to pick and choose from when it comes to playing music and computer recording that its really a good idea to ask him what he would like.

 

[manning1]

mom. if he doesnt have a microphone or mixer ..he will need those.
suggest a cad gxl for 50 bucks and a yamaha mg mixer.(90 bucks).
but the best thing you could buy him is a book on audio engineering
so he understands how some great songs were done in the past by the great producers of the past. he will learn a lot. and also he will learn its not just having gear...its how to use the gear to make great songs.

 

[guitaristsmom]

Thanks so much for the quick reply! Didn't want to come across as a yuppie mom with a whiny kid...hope I didn't. Budget is about three hundred...give or take some for sales tax. I hear ya about the wishin'...me too. We saved a very long time for that stuff. Most were combo birthday and Christmas stuff. Got the G4 notebook through a payroll deduction employee purchase plan at work--I'll basically be paying FOREVER!

He does have the same sound card in there. I like all three of your suggestions. I was looking at mics too. I also looked at the M-audio Fast-track usb when I was in the apple store. That was $129.95. Is that something he has GOT to have--some sort of interface?

Right now I'm just trying to get the bare minimum for him to record with.

 

[guitaristsmom]

mom. if he doesnt have a microphone or mixer ..he will need those.
suggest a cad gxl for 50 bucks and a yamaha mg mixer.(90 bucks).
but the best thing you could buy him is a book on audio engineering
so he understands how some great songs were done in the past by the great producers of the past. he will learn a lot. and also he will learn its not just having gear...its how to use the gear to make great songs.

Great idea on the book! I'll definitely get that. He loves books about guitars, music theory, arranging, history, etc.

That yamaha mg mixer seems to be pretty popular. He gave me a chart that shows in a little diagram how the basics of home recording works. Damned if I understand. He's the type of kid that will be thrilled to death with anything I get him. I've read alot here over the last couple of weeks but finally thought I would venture out and ask a few questions. Glad I did.

How about cords and plugs (xlr connection). Are those usually extra?

Oh, and edited to add. He's not using anything for recording software yet. His computer came with garageband though. He says he didn't have everything he needed yet. Nothing is hooked up.

 

[manning1]

i believe (check) that the g4 has a input for sound.
i would check with apple if it can be fed by a regular yamaha mg mixer.

be aware (i'm a computer engr) there have been some problems with usb.
sometimes it works ok on some computers - othertimes it might not.
so i would ensure you can return it if you get operational problems.
wish you had talked to me before getting that g4.
dont let kid spend you out. heh !!

 

[distortedrumble]

better yet...send a link of this forum to him so he has an outlet for questions

 

[guitaristsmom]

I got it at a really decent price (as far as apple goes, because of state contract pricing) so it wasn't too awfully bad. I've heard both good and bad things. Either way, that's what he's got now. We've got to work with it

 

[guitaristsmom]

Thanks for your help! Great idea on sending him the link. I'm going to wait tho' till Christmas. I want one or two things to be a surprise.

 

[distortedrumble]

the audiophile sound card will need 1/4' to RCA cables...find a local music store around you and they should have them or check out a radio shack. as for recording software...garageband is ok but http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-STE-CUBSE.html cubase would probably be a little better...thats open to interpretation. connection cables RARELY come with the equipment you buy.

 

[distortedrumble]

dont send him the link to this place yet then....he could always click on the "search" link and find out what you've been posting and figure out what his surprises are

 

[manning1]

mom i forgot to mention as he has nobody to record with. this will teach him a lot of music theory and builds a back up band in software. bit pricey though. try band in a box. you can try a free demo from pgmusic.com.
its used by lots of schools etc and songweriters to flush out song ideas.
you basically enter chords to a song and it creates a back up band in
the pc. and it can change every time. you choose styles for composition like rock, jazz, blues etc. hundreds of styles actually. he would learn a heck of a lot.
yes he will need hook up chords etc.
if wish this stuff had been around for my mom to buy me when i was a kid.
good luck.

 

[cellardweller]

If money is tight, price things at Musicians Friend, then call Full Compass. They have always been significantly cheaper then MF or AMS. 8thstreetmusic is another good one, though full compass is still cheaper.

Find Full Compass's phone # here-> Full Compass

 

[guitaristsmom]

I love that www.americanmusical.com website. Do you guys purchase stuff online there? I worry about shipping electronics. The prices are WAY better than what I have been looking at. If that's the case, what I think I will do, is buy him a couple of things and then get him a gift certificate for the rest.

 

[guitaristsmom]

Thank you, Cellardweller--like the name, I'll check them out too. You guys have been so helpful. I really appreciate your time. I bet your mom's are lucky to have you.

 

[cellardweller]

FYI Full Compass does not publish prices, even in their printed catalog. Their prices are below manufacturers suggested retail prices, and they are therefore not allowed to print them.

Call them. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Thier website isn't the greatest, but their prices are. Very prompt shipment also. Very courteous people.

And BTW, I am in no way affiliated with them, though I wish I was...

 

[distortedrumble]

most of my stuff has been purchased through www.americanmusical.com but check out that 0% financing for 3 payments on anything over 249. i love it. I'll be buying some things right now since its free shipping.

 

[cellardweller]

I have bought from AMS and MF, and I've no complaints about them, except that AMS took FOREVER to ship my Ibanez. More than a month I waited on what was supposed to be "in stock". Of course they were very apologetic, the salesperson erred in telling me it was in stock. I have bought from them since, and would say the first incident was a fluke.

Anywho, I've always saved 10%-20% buying from full compass.

If there is anybody cheaper, I'd love to know where I can find them!