Need help with completing my equipment

4

420aligator

New member
Hi!

I'm thinking about setting up my place to make music for some time, but now i have funds, so i started reading more about what i really need to buy. I was searching for a couple of hours for an answer and because i didn't find a straight answer i decided to ask.

Things i want to use:
-Keyboard with pads (for example the akai mpk25, but i don't know much about them, so recomendations would be nice)
-My dynamic, oldchool Unitra microphone with jack plug
-Occasionally my electric guitar with some psychodelic effects which i can plug to mixer (i don't have one, but if i need it i can buy it) through jack cable or to PC by usb cable thanks to my guitar effect
-And of course my PC unit

Things i want to do:
-Record keyboard with pads, microphone and guitar (recording guitar with them is not necessary, but it would be nice) with the actual sound from the speakers

I think that's all. If I posted it to the wrong thread - sorry, I'm new here.
 
Hi there,
There are a few basics to understand first, I think.

Multitracking.
When you say you want to record with the actual sound from the speakers, what does this mean? Do you have backing tracks or do want to make new music from scratch?
The way modern music is recorded is called multi tracking.
This means we can record separate sources onto separate tracks for simultaneous playback.
The separate things can be recorded simultaneously or one after the other.

If you do the latter you'll be able to hear your previous recordings as you add layers on top so, for example, if you recorded a drum beat somehow you'd record your bass as a new separate track and you'd be able to hear the drums while you were doing it. See?



Connections and signal types.
The keyboard with pads - Do you want to record the sound that it makes? If so, what kind of outputs does it have?
It would really need to have a line output or, better yet, a stereo pair of line outputs.

Your dynamic mic is most likely low quality but if it's what you've got, fine.
Most decent quality mics use a 3 pin connector that you may have seen, commonly called XLR.
Devices with XLR inputs usually have microphone preamps behind them, which is necessary.
It's rare enough to see a jack input with microphone preamp on modern recording equipment so you'd really be better getting a new mic or using some sort of jack to XLR adapter.

Recording guitar directly as you describe (via the jack output) would require a DI input.

Mic, line, and DI inputs are all different for a reason and not interchangeable so really you need an audio interface with these three options available.
Sure, your guitar effects pedal has USB (which technically makes it an audio interface) but you'll need a separate device for mic and keys. Your computer won't like using two separate audio interfaces at one.

If you plan to record these instruments separately, one on top the other, then a simple interface like Tascam us122 will cover your needs.
There are tonnes of different models out there - The tascam is just one that I'm aware of but don't take that as a particular recommendation.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for the reply!

I know the basics of making music, so i know what multitracking is. Maybe my post sounded a bit like i'm totally new to this, but I appreciate what you wrote.

My mic is pretty good. Unitra [*] is very respected company in Poland. Back in the days of '80s while we were under communists rule it was one of those polish companies known for amazing quality in afordable prices. BUT even if it's not i won't use it for clear vocals anyway.

My vision was to play some background music, support it with keyboard and pads while me or my friend would sing through mic. We could try how different sounds fit with other sounds like that.

I don't actually have any expierience with midi instruments and my only concern was that i don't know if when i would connect it via usb i could use also mini-mixer for mic. I have that guitar effect which i connect to PC via usb and i it was like using different sound card do i couldn't use my main card.

I was thinking about connecting mic and guitar via effect to mixer and mixer to PC before, but i don't see how i could plug also a keyboard with pads.

If it's impossible i need to please myself with recording everyting separately, but i really want to make my vision real ;)
 
420aligator said:
Thanks for the reply!

I know the basics of making music, so i know what multitracking is. Maybe my post sounded a bit like i'm totally new to this, but I appreciate what you wrote.

My mic is pretty good. Unitra
[*] is very respected company in Poland. Back in the days of '80s while we were under communists rule it was one of those polish companies known for amazing quality in afordable prices. BUT even if it's not i won't use it for clear vocals anyway.

My vision was to play some background music, support it with keyboard and pads while me or my friend would sing through mic. We could try how different sounds fit with other sounds like that.

I don't actually have any expierience with midi instruments and my only concern was that i don't know if when i would connect it via usb i could use also mini-mixer for mic. I have that guitar effect which i connect to PC via usb and i it was like using different sound card do i couldn't use my main card.

I was thinking about connecting mic and guitar via effect to mixer and mixer to PC before, but i don't see how i could plug also a keyboard with pads.

If it's impossible i need to please myself with recording everyting separately, but i really want to make my vision real ;)
Click to expand...

Hi again,


Whether your mic is good or bad, you'll struggle to find modern gear with a mic preamplifier fronted by a TS/TRS socket.
It'll usually be XLR so that's your first hurdle.
Yeah, sure, your computer sound card has a mic jack input but we all know how good that is. ;)

Steenamaroo said:
The keyboard with pads - Do you want to record the sound that it makes? If so, what kind of outputs does it have?
Click to expand...

This is important. I went ahead and googled the Akai and it looks like it's just a controller that doesn't make any sound.
So...Forget what I said about line inputs. You'll need a USB or midi connection between the akai and the PC.
If it doesn't have a USB connection you can get cheap midi to USB adapters.

It's not an audio interface - it's just a human interface device like a keyboard or mouse, so it won't 'fight' with your soundcard/audio interface.
You'll need virtual instrument software in your recording suite for the akai to trigger.



Do you intend to use mic and guitar simultaneously?
That'll dictate what you need but really an audio interface is going to be the way forward either way.

A mixer is not needed.
Mixers mix and route. There's no need for that here.
 
I know I bang on about it a lot but! I really think the OP should get the NI Komplete Audio 6 interface.

It will give him the basics, mic* inputs, high Z guitar inputs and the famously low latency and stability but also Kontakt player and a lot of free downloadable samples. Cubase A1 which is the dogs for MIDI.

It also seems to me that the chap (chapess?) is of an experimental bent and the two extra line inputs of the K6 lend themselves to the connection of other sources, CD player (tho that could go digitally) or the mixer that seems to keep being mentioned?

Been said before but getting a good interface is the heart of a decent recording setup. Everything revolves around that.

*Might as well start as you SHOULD go on! Buy a solder iron and some basic tools and fit an XLR plug to the mic. Making and mending you own cables and adaptors is not going to save you a fortune (AFAIK in Poland) but it WILL save you time waiting for stuff and you WILL learn a lot about the electrical side of sound.

Dave.
 
You thanked me for writing my posts, but did you read them?


Steenamaroo said:
A mixer is not needed.
Mixers mix and route. There's no need for that here.
Click to expand...



420aligator said:
So i'll be looking for a mixer to plug guitar and mic to it
Click to expand...


Also, you didn't answer the question.
Steenamaroo said:
Do you intend to use mic and guitar simultaneously?
That'll dictate what you need
Click to expand...



I think what you meant to say in your OP was "I'd like to buy a mixer and I want someone to agree with me", right? ;)
 
arcaxis said:
Very likely could be an unbalanced Hi

I have left this quote as it worked for me. HR forum has been playing other silly buggers with me lately, anyone else having weirdness?

Yes Mark, quite likely fortunately you can get quite cheap inline balancing transformers.

Dave.
Click to expand...
 
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