Newbie Questions

[Blitzkrieg]

Hi

Im very new to recording and its all getting a little confusing , I currently use a Tascam MF-P01 and a behringer XM8500 to record my beatboxing But I want to upgrade and expand my horizons.I dont want to use a PC or Mac as they just dont feel right I'm also on a limmited budget, I plan to make Elecrto leftfield hip hop if that helps

I thinking along the lines of a VS 880 with a Alesis SR-16,Roland D10 and my Mic,Here is where the newbie questions come in

1; What else do I need to get me set up
2; Is there better equipment in the same price range that would be better suited to me
3; My 4 track recordes onto tape what do VS 880s record onto ?

Thanks for looking

Rob

 

[ssscientist]

1; What else do I need to get me set up

For a start, since vocals are key in hiphop, you'll need a better microphone like this one. You don't necessarily need a condenser mic - a dynamic like a Shure SM58 will do just fine - but either way you will need some kind of a pop filter.

2; Is there better equipment in the same price range that would be better suited to me

If you haven't heard one yet you'll probably find the sounds of the SR16 fairly dated. The D10 keyboard you are considering is from the late 1980s and will be comparatively weak.

3; My 4 track recordes onto tape what do VS 880s record onto ?

The VS880 was an early hard disk recorder --- it records audio to the same kind of hard disk that is in modern computers. There are different models available and my only advice is to consider how you will get projects on and off of the machine --- in other words, does it come with a CD drive of any kind.

.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

If you haven't heard one yet you'll probably find the sounds of the SR16 fairly dated. The D10 keyboard you are considering is from the late 1980s and will be comparatively weak.

What alternative do you recomend

The VS880 was an early hard disk recorder --- it records audio to the same kind of hard disk that is in modern computers. There are different models available and my only advice is to consider how you will get projects on and off of the machine --- in other words, does it come with a CD drive of any kind.

I have been told I will need to buy a CD-R

 

[ssscientist]

As an alternative you'd probably spend about the same on those two older pieces as you'd spend on one of these. I can't recommend it unqualifiedly but it would certainly be better than an SR16/D10 combo.

Find out if you need to buy a special CD burner that Roland makes or if you can use a generic one from a computer store.

Also - have you considered something like this? It records to solid state media called 'Compact Flash' --- the same cards used in digital cameras and has a built in drum machine. It also has a USB port to transfer your work to your computer which pretty much has to have a CD drive already. You can use the CD drive in your computer to burn discs erasing that from your 'stuff to buy' list.

.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Thanks ssscientist, The Boss BR-600 and Alesis Micron seem to be better option than the VS880 SR-16 and D20 combo cheaper too I'm guessing they would be easier to hook up to a PC at a later stage aswell.



Rob