newbie

[doney_9]

Hi all

My daughter who is 14 is looking for a microphone for christmas. She wants to record songs to a laptop. She also plays the piano while singing.

I am now stuck with not having a clue about singing etc etc and I dont contain 1 musical note in my body.

I was wondering if anybody could help me out by telling me from scratch what setup i would need to acyually get the music from a mic onto the computer and what is a good programe to use on the computer.

Thanks Steve

 

[Chili]

Welcome to the site, Steve. Couple of questions...

Is the piano acoustic? Meaning do you need a mic to record the piano or is it a keyboard where you can plug in a cable? If it's acoustic, what style is it? Spinet, upright, grand, etc.

Do you want to record your daughter singing and playing at the same time? Are you willing to record the piano first, then record the singing over top later?

 

[doney_9]

Hi Chili

Thanks for replying.

Its an upright piano and she is teaching herself to play and i would say she is brilliant, but hey i am her dad. lol

She plays adel and songs like that and sings to them. I think i know what you mean by recording the piano first (Is it called layering?) You then merge the two tracks together?
I suppose that would be better so if so then yes i think that would be best.

Thanks Steve

 

[mjbphotos]

Is she serious about this - how much are you willing to spend/waste at this point? The quick solution would be a USB microphone. If its an Apple/Mac, then Garageband can be used for recording.
If, at 14, she is 'just learning' piano, this may be a passing fancy and you will not have blown a walletful of cash.

 

[Chili]

I think that approach will make it easier for you to record your daughter.

I've never had the need to record a piano, let alone an upright. Hopefully, someone can offer suggestions for placing the mics. I'm thinking 2 mics to record teh piano would be best. Then you can use one of them to record your daughter singing. That means you can purchase a 2 channel USB audio interface which are not expensive. You will need two mics also... stands, cables, etc. Some online stores might sell bundles, so keep an eye out for that when shopping around.

The program you would use to record with is called a DAW. There are numerous ones on the market and most are of the same quality. The differences comes down to user interface, how to connect interfaces, and some other minor things. But for the most part, they all behave the same. There is a fairly steep learning curve to get over to just even get something recorded. It can be daunting. Luckily, you have this place (and teh rest of the internet) to find answers to your questions.

Most audio interfaces will come with a free "lite" version of a popular DAW program like Cubase or Sonar. For your needs, one of these will work fine. Be sure to keep that in mind when shopping for interfaces so you don't need to spend more money on something you already have. I personally prefer Cubase, but Pro-tools, Sonar and Ableton are popular, too.

Here's a list of USB interfaces that will work for you. I suggest to start looking at around the $150 mark. Remember, you'll need microphones, stands, cables, headphones and a few other things just to get started.

http://www.sweetwater.com/c695--USB_Audio_Interfaces/low2high/pn2

Good luck and be sure to come back with your questions...

And when you get something recorded, be sure to post it up, too.

 

[doney_9]

thanks for the answers.

She asked for a piano for her birthday and she is plugging away and seems to enjoy herself. wether its a fad or no is hard to tell but dont seem like one at the moment.
The laptop is not a mac.
Would a pre amp be more useful than an audio interface?

Thanks steve

 

[Chili]

thanks for the answers.

She asked for a piano for her birthday and she is plugging away and seems to enjoy herself. wether its a fad or no is hard to tell but dont seem like one at the moment.
The laptop is not a mac.
Would a pre amp be more useful than an audio interface?

Thanks steve

The mics you will need to buy will require pre amps. Most, if not all, of the interfaces in the list I linked have mic pres built in. If you buy condensor mics, which is probably what you should be looking at, the interface will need phantom power. Again, that's not a big deal, but something you should be looking for when shopping for interfaces.

My 6 yr old wanted a violin for christmas last year. She got one and took lessons well into the summer when she got bored. But there's a big difference between a 6 yr old and a 14 yr old. My 12 yr old son is in his 2nd year of trumpet in school, but that's a credited class and required. A little different motivation than taking lessons at home. He's doing great and loves it. I hope your 14 yr old stays with it. Such a great skill to have.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Just to elaborate on the fad thing. Keep in mind, that music may be something your daughter is interested in. The scope of her interest may change over time. Try to keep your expenses, to things that she can use, even after she changes her mind.

My youngest boy, was a pretty damned good drummer. Quite good actually, he played metal stuff at 10. We purchased a nice drum kit for him 4 years ago. He hasn't played it in two years. Now his thing is dubstep type stuff with software instruments. It's ok, I bought the kit back from him, in order to finance his new muse, and it is my studio kit now. But, I would have lost my ass if I had not the need for what I bought him, when he thought he was going to be a drummer.

Every musician is going to need a means to record themselves. Do much research into what might be needed in the future, including number of inputs, and phantom power for condensers.

From what I recall in reading, two small diaphragm condensers, work well with upright piano, though I have not myself tested this, nor can I give any more insight there.

She may decide later, that guitar or drums is more her style. Then you are screwed. lol.

But you will hopefully have the knowledge, and have purchased things that can be used for whatever she may aspire to focus her talent on in the future.

Welcome to the forum Doney!