New PC, how can I get started recording my guitar and mixing tracks?

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The Wood Man

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We just purchased an HP Media Center PC, and I would love to get started recording my acoustic (would need to be miked) & electric guitars and mixing tracks. Money is tight, so I need to know what I need to do to get started, simply at first. There is no room left in this PC for an inboard sound card upgrade; if needed it would have to go through he USB cable. Supposedly the sound card the PC came with is a good one, but I don't know if it can be used for an application like this. I want to be able to record my own music, mix the tracks, and burn it to CD. Can anybody help me on this one? Help me with getting started?

Thanks,
The Wood Man.
 
The Wood Man said:
We just purchased an HP Media Center PC, and I would love to get started recording my acoustic (would need to be miked) & electric guitars and mixing tracks. Money is tight, so I need to know what I need to do to get started, simply at first. There is no room left in this PC for an inboard sound card upgrade; if needed it would have to go through he USB cable. Supposedly the sound card the PC came with is a good one, but I don't know if it can be used for an application like this. I want to be able to record my own music, mix the tracks, and burn it to CD. Can anybody help me on this one? Help me with getting started?

Thanks,
The Wood Man.
Click to expand...

You need a good mic, a recording software, a mic preamp and a good soundcard.

for mics, there are lots of good mics from Shure products but all i know is 58a beta mic, cheap mic preamp at midiman.com maybe $119 but reliable. soundcard are also in midiman.com specifically delta 44 or audiophile 2496. recording software are lots even FREE softwares. inexpensive an N-track studio will do, not much cakewalk home studio 2002/2004, like professional? Cakewalk Sonar 2.2
 
Some low cost options:

1. PowerTracks Pro recording software from PG Music - $27
2. Behringer V-Amp for direct recording of electric guitar - $140
3. Shure SM-58 vocal mike - $100
4. EdiRol USB Audio Interface - $70
5. Dean Markley accoustic pickup - $80

Ed
 
I doubt that the sound card on the HP computer is "Good". Even though it may be "Good" for playing cds and stuff, i think HP designed the sound card with just home use for cds and mp3s in mind. If you can push your money to about $300, you can get a real nice Tascam mixer that hooks right into your usb port and alows you to control the mix with your fingers and not with a mouse. It also comes with good software too. After you get that, all you need is a good mic (With cable and stand) A shure sm48 is real good and it's only $69 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...2231171720787/g=home/search/d=tp?q=Shure+sm48

I would say use a condinser like a Marshall MXL603, but i don't want to make you push your money to far. I would also reccomend that you use a pre-amp like an Audio Buddy ($79) but as you said, your low on money, so, i'm sure that pres on the Tascam will do fine. If you can't push your money to be able to get all that, go to www.freewebz.com/audiotech and we'll be able to help you out ;)

Good luck,

Zeke
 
Thanks to everybody who replied. I really appreciate all the help. I am truly a "newbie" to all of this. I can play, but I really want to get into this recording side of it. It's awesome. I have a friend who plays and he's really just so-so, but the things he's done with his computer and the CDs he's made were really something. I haven't seen him in a few years and he's the guy I was hoping would be able to help me out when I finally was able to get my own PC.
 
This may sound strange, but you might want to try it:

My uncle recently aquired a whole box of 48 PC hands-free microphones at an auction. You know, the mics that people at the drive-thru in Burger King wear?

Well, I broke the headset off, taped the mic directly on the front of my guitar, bended the mic so that it faced directly on the sound hole, and I plugged it into the mic input on my sound card.

It sounded really good.
 
Oh, and it sounded really bright and crisp, and the mic is designed to cut out sounds that are not immediately in front of the mic. It works well w/steel stringed accoustic guitars, but it sucks for singing.

I'm not sure how much they costin stores, so you might want to see if anybody else has used PC mics.
 
Iv been recording about 2 years ( im a newby too ) but... I started out with just the basics. I still use the existing sound card that came with my HP, and am happy with the recordings that I get. as far as software, you can start out with something like N-Track Studio ( free trial version ) of course, as you gain so eexperience you'll want to upgrade to the full version. There are many good recording programs available depending on haw much money you want to spend ( 100$ to 1000$ ) of course , the 1000$ software has more features and sounds better. This BB will speed your progress greatly! This is the setup I use.
Hp Computer > Microphones( Condeser and Large diaphram condeser) Small Behr mixer, You'd be surprised what you can do...
Good luck
 
I was just about to purchase the PG Power Tracks Version 7 from ZZounds, but it said it was for Windows 95, 98, NT or 3.1. I am running Windows XP, so I guess that means that I'm S.O.L. I would have thought that any new product for Windows would have XP compatibility, but what the hell do I know. really pissed off. Finally was making a first move, now I'm back to square one.
 
The Wood Man said:
I was just about to purchase the PG Power Tracks Version 7 from ZZounds, but it said it was for Windows 95, 98, NT or 3.1. I am running Windows XP, so I guess that means that I'm S.O.L. I would have thought that any new product for Windows would have XP compatibility, but what the hell do I know. really pissed off. Finally was making a first move, now I'm back to square one.
Click to expand...

Good news....read your other post.
 
Are you talking about the one from Ed? Thansk for sending me there. I'll give it a try. Funny, but this is what zZounds said, and I quote:

"Hello.

Apparently PG Music can't afford the programming to upgrade to XP
compatible software.

Thanks for your interest in zZounds.com!

Sincerely
Customer zZupport
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/"

It's only 27 bucks, so I'll give it a shot. I had downloaded the PG Music video on it and it looked pretty cool. I just hope it does what I think I'm understanding it to do. But I guess we'll soon find out. Thanks for your help - I need all the help I can get!
 
Didn't you read the other thread a couple of days ago? At PG Music's website, they are up to version 8. Order it direct, it's the same price, and it explicitly says that it works under XP:

http://www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm

WAIT-- it's not the same price any more! They've finally raised the price of this program from $29 to $49!! I guess that could be a factor...
 
I got it last night. 49 bucks plus 15 to ship, but they hook you up with a link to download the program on-line. Would not download through my paid for MS provider, so I created a Net Zero free account and dowloaded it just fine.
Thanks for ALL the help!
Now it begins.
 
Ed Dixon said:
Some low cost options:

1. PowerTracks Pro recording software from PG Music - $27
2. Behringer V-Amp for direct recording of electric guitar - $140
3. Shure SM-58 vocal mike - $100
4. EdiRol USB Audio Interface - $70
5. Dean Markley accoustic pickup - $80

Ed
Click to expand...

Which EdiRol USB Audio Interface is this and any idea where I can buy it?

Thanks.
 
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