need help what to buy to get started

[guitarjunkie]

i am looking for some advice on what i should buy to get started. i would like to have lots of inputs to record full band. can i plug a mixer with no midi in to a midi interface. can i use a mixer and headphone amp and other rack stuff with a midi interface. can i use that stuff with a lexicon omega? any info will be helpfull i am a novice and have a fair amount of money to work with.

 

[notbradsohner]

do you have a computer that you can use for recording?

 

[guitarjunkie]

i do i have a few things i have a midi man 4/4, a behringer board a new hp computer i have been messing around with cakewalk, i have mics, behringer rack mount v amp for guitar and bass i just dont know witch way to go. my mixer has no midi out. ido i need a diffrent interface with midi and 1/4 inputs? i want to be able to use various rack mount gear and mixer in to computer. if i need to start over i have no prob buying what i need. can i hook all that stuff up to a recording box like the lexicon omega or should i go with a nice interface. thank you for your reply any info will be a great help.

 

[reshp1]

I think you've got something mixed up here.

Mixers do NOT have MIDI. MIDI is a digital communications protocol for things like keyboards and drum machines. Basically MIDI sends "note on" and "note off" info. It doesn't actually trasmit sound signals.

 

[vangore]

does that midi man thing have usb or firewire? If i were you i would get something like a firewire audio interface and cubase or digital performer or stck with cakewalk and start with that,

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

I think you've got something mixed up here.

Mixers do NOT have MIDI. MIDI is a digital communications protocol for things like keyboards and drum machines. Basically MIDI sends "note on" and "note off" info. It doesn't actually trasmit sound signals.

Some mixers have MIDI for machine, automation or transport control. Many digital mixers have MIDI interfaces.

MIDI can be used to send any digital data... albeit slowly compared to USB or Firewire.

 

[reshp1]

Some mixers have MIDI for machine, automation or transport control. Many digital mixers have MIDI interfaces.

MIDI can be used to send any digital data... albeit slowly compared to USB or Firewire.

Okay, but I don't think that's what he meant. I got the impression he was trying to get the audio from his mixer into his computer through MIDI.

 

[guitarjunkie]

that is what i am confused about, what interface should i go with so i can run everything in to it like mixer and rack items like processors. i want to record full band. i have lots of time to mess with it i just dont know witch way to go. if i buy a firewire with q bass can i plug mixers in to it? i have the money to invest, i just bacially need to get started any help will be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[reshp1]

Okay, say you're set on using your computer to record...
How many sources are you expecting to record? Do you want each source recorded seperately onto it's own track for mixing later?

There's a few main features to look for in an interface.
1. the number of inputs. Breaks down into number of Preamps and Line out. If you have more mic sources than preamps you'll need to buy preamps in addition to the interface to amplify your mics to line level. This won't be too big of a deal, you can use the behri board's preamps in a pinch.
2. the number of tracks that can be recorded simultaneously, for example the Lexicon Omega only records 4 channels at once, likely not enough to do a full band all at once.
3. the type of connectivity, USB or Firewire or PCI. USB is usually cheaper, but because of the lower transfer rate, you won't get as many simultaneous tracks in/out. If you are looking to record a full band, you'll probably have to look at firewire interfaces (make sure your computer and O/S supports firewire). PCI requires installation directly into your computer and isn't "plug and play" so I wouldn't recommend that
4. This is mostly governed by the software you choose, but total track count. If you plan on overdubbing a ton, this may become important.
5. MIDI capability. Looks like you already have a MIDI interface, so this won't be too big a deal.

There's probably other stuff too, but that'll get you started looking.
How much are you looking to spend? Here's a few products to check out.

1. Digidesign 002R.
4 pre's, 4 line inputs. Records 8 simultaneously (expandable to 18 with addidional H/W). Comes with Protools LE. I'm currently using this setup and have no complaints.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/704168/

2. Presonus Firepod
8 preamps, switchable to line. 8 simult tracks. comes with Cubase LE
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/184131/

3. Tascam FW1082
4 pres, 4 line. Comes with a control surface, Cubasis LE and Gigastudio 3 LE
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/706931/

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

I've always been of the opinion that until you know WHAT to buy you're not ready to record... you haven't done enough research yet.

I'd recommend holding off on purchases and instead figure out more of the terminology and ways to record. There is no one right way to do it, but it does help to know what MIDI is for, differences between SP/DIF and AES, etc...

 

[NYMorningstar]

You can't go wrong following basically anything cloneboy says. You need to learn more before you go sinking more money into this. Catch yourself a copy of 'Modern Recording Techniques' by Huber & Runstein and read these forums a few hours a day for awhile until you can make an informed decision.

 

[guitarjunkie]

thanks for all the info a real big help i have been looking at the presonus firepod. i have been reading all day about firewire. i found a diagram of all the inputs and how they can be used it has q bass with it. i have a hp with xp it is a 1.7 processor, 512 memory and all the inputs its a fairly decent machiene. will this computer be sufficient? if not i would give me a great excuse to buy a new computer. thanks again ps i am working on around 2000 budget

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Although the urge to just "jump in and record" is huge (and I empathize) the sheer amount of money and time you end up saving doing research is amazing.

And *EVERYONE* needs to do research. I spent 4 MONTHS researching the equipment I wanted to open my studio. I've been recording for a good 17 years and it took me 4 months of looking at budgets, options, how I wanted to work, etc, etc, etc....

Even if you can't afford everything at once it is good to know how you are going to upgrade. My upgrade paths changed my initial equipment summary immensely.

Plus I got some peer input from this forum, fellow engineers I work with, some of my clients and so forth.

The way I saw it, I wasn't ready to submit my loan ap or open for business until I did the research to build my recording system.

So yeah, I follow my own advice.