Probably the dumbest question ever

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mjazz

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I play guitar and keyboard and want to get my songs and ideas down, and record to a CD.
The only experience I've had with recording is a 4 track reel to reel.
What is the easiest, simplest digital recorder that you would recommend to a 61 year old non geek?
 
Audacity is free. Reaper is almost free, but it is a way more involved DAW.

I suggest you find what it is that you actually need from here.

Keep us posted mjazz. :)
 
Hi, A Zoom R8 is not overly complicated to operate, it's as simple or as complex as the user makes it. Just depends how many channels you want to work with. If cost is flexible there are larger versions. The record play and transport buttons are pretty much laid out like a tape deck. You do still have the option to work with more tracks using the already mentioned Audacity or similar software, or mix down the initial takes and put them on one track and go again with the free tracks which would give you plenty of tracks to work with.

regards

Tim
 
What does "record to a CD" mean to you? What level of quality are you aspiring to? Simple demo for friends and interested parties? Or something further up the curve?

How many tracks do you think each song will have? Will you be adding drums?

If your needs are simple and you can't be arsed with technology, then a simple standalone recorder may be the way to go. If you want better quality, then probably you should look at a computer-based DAW.

You don't have to be a computer nerd to work them, just have a bit of an interest and a bit of patience.
 
Grab you an used 20 bit Adat recorder in good shape for about $50 bucks..Works like an analog recorder and it's pretty user friendly..Also the quality will be good enough to " keep" if you get some good tracks..Can be transferred to 'puter if you ever wanna go that route..Good luck..
 
Morning "61 yr old non-geek" from a 68yr old "had to get geek (a bit)" in order to help musical but technicaly numpty son. Ok, I have 55yrs of electronics behind me but I was just as much a computer recording noob as yourself 6 years ago!

"Want to record guitar and keyboard". Vocals? I will assume yes. Guitar AND vocals? Keys AND vocals? Or do you want to put down individual tracks and build up?

Let us start at the front of the chain. If acoustic guitar you need a microphone and this is a no brainer really, you need a "Small Diaphragm Capacitor" (aka Condenser) Mic. shedloads about at well under £100, suggestion, the AKG Perception 170.

Mic goes into an Audio Interface. These are legion but I will suggest two that I know work with a various computers and Operating Systems. Oldish and available cheaply second hand, M-Audio Fastrack Pro. And new and lovely! Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6. Both of these work on usb, even if you HAVE Firewire on your PC it will be the "wrong" type, don't go there.

Keys: Does it make a nice sound that you intend to record acoustically? If so, and you want to sing along and record both you will need another mic and for vocals you will find the Shure SM58 hard to beat as a starting point. But the keyboard probably has MIDI? If so it can connect directly into either AI and you can record tracks that way. If the kb'd also has a "line out" that can give you a feed as well.

Electric guitar? You now have all the kit, talk later!

Now, if you have a look and a bit of a totup you will see, throw in mic leads, stands etc, we are looking at £300-400. But before you splutter! That is only a passing decent acoustic guitar and a "stage synth"? Barely buy you the chrome stand!

But rest assured, with that sort of outlay and kit, the quality of the recordings you make will be limited only by your own skill and to some extent your room (but we can fix that..A bit!).

Lastly. You mentioned "four track tape recording"? Do you mean a proper job with 1/4" or 1/2" tape or a casstte horror? If the former might you have a mixer?

Dave.
 
Have a look at the Tascam stand alone recorders, the 2488 or the DP-24, if they are too much even the DP-3. Link.

The reason I suggest the stand alone stuff is that they behave like the older tape machines to some degree and you won't have to learn how to run the software on a computer. In fact the 2488, DP-24 and DP-3 don't need a computer at all.

Cheers
Alan.
 
lisag said:
Audacity can be a bit fiddly, but it is free.
Click to expand...

ALL computer recording software is "fiddly". There is a steep learning curve to all of them and personal foibles will influence which seems the most straightforward (or at maybe that should read LEAST bloody infuriating!) .

For instance.If you have a backround with tape and perhaps a small mixer (c'est moir) then the "linear" form of Cubase, Samplitude, will perhaps appeal more than Fruity Loops type DAWs.

I am going to continue to push Sampltude Silver. Totally free, as intuitive as any of them get, built in MP3 encoder and cloud posterer. Limited to 8 tracks yes but more than enough for a noobish one man band!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
I am going to continue to push Sampltude Silver. Totally free, as intuitive as any of them get, built in MP3 encoder and cloud posterer. Limited to 8 tracks yes but more than enough for a noobish one man band!
Click to expand...

Samplitude is very good and very powerful.

The basic "Silver" edition still uses the same core as Sequoia (which I use) which is £2,000 +

Yes - recommended - and when you want to step up to the paid version, it's an easy upgrade.


(And I was also born when King George VI was on the throne) ;)
 
John Willett said:
Samplitude is very good and very powerful.

The basic "Silver" edition still uses the same core as Sequoia (which I use) which is £2,000 +

Yes - recommended - and when you want to step up to the paid version, it's an easy upgrade.


(And I was also born when King George VI was on the throne) ;)
Click to expand...

Woo-Hoo! A fellow "Tuder! Son and I started, 6 years ago with a £9.99 Smiths copy of MAGIX Studio Generation 6 which seemed amazing at the time. Then Computer Music magazine gave a free copy of Samplitude se 8 out that was a natural progression, far more powerful than Gen 6 of course and 24bits! We have bought Cubase (SE3, Essential 4, Le6, the buggers ensure you have to upgrade with Windows versions!) Sonar EX1, Reaper and have tried countless other demos but keep coming back to Sam SE8!

When son comes home for Christmas I shall see how he likes the demo of Sam Producer and if he does I shall splash the £149. Were he to come back to stay I might even go for Pro X!

Dave.
 
All you guys talking about which software have missed the point of the question,
"What is the easiest, simplest digital recorder that you would recommend to a 61 year old non geek?"

Forget any computer and recommend a stand alone recorder, plug and record and play and burn CD. Am I one the money Mjazz?

Alan
 
witzendoz said:
All you guys talking about which software have missed the point of the question,
"What is the easiest, simplest digital recorder that you would recommend to a 61 year old non geek?"

Forget any computer and recommend a stand alone recorder, plug and record and play and burn CD. Am I one the money Mjazz?

Alan
Click to expand...

Bit harsh Alan? These days anyone asking that question on a forum such as this is going to get the PC/AI/DAW response.
I have never used a "stand alone" digital recorder but from the reviews I have read to get one that does not have fiddly menue driven systems on a tiny screen, decent input arragements and CD burning is going to cost.

If the OP has a desktop computer made in the last 5 years or so he is 50% done in terms of getting a very powerful and versatile recording system on stream.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Bit harsh Alan? These days anyone asking that question on a forum such as this is going to get the PC/AI/DAW response.
I have never used a "stand alone" digital recorder but from the reviews I have read to get one that does not have fiddly menue driven systems on a tiny screen, decent input arragements and CD burning is going to cost.

If the OP has a desktop computer made in the last 5 years or so he is 50% done in terms of getting a very powerful and versatile recording system on stream.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Was not trying to be harsh I just thought we were off track, however, I can understand someone wanting a recording device that did not rely on having a computer and software, something more hands on with buttons and knobs, press record to record and play to play type of thing. I recommended the tascam 2488, DP-24 or DP-3 as they are stand alone and have a on board CD burner. I find that musician friends of mine that are not computer savvy spend all their time trying to get the computer and software to work properly and not playing any music. If you are writing songs or putting down ideas you want to press record and go.

Cheers
Alan.
 
Ok Alan but £400-£500? (I would not like to buy such a thing second hand). That is a very good interface, mic stand and cable, maybe a modest set of cans? Burning he already has.

I am NOT suggesting that the OP is "cheap"! But in general, people come to forums as noobs looking for a cost effective solution, at least as a startup.
Then, these days even many 60+yr olds are quite computer savvy you know!

Suggestion! Download Sam SIlver, and try getting it to play radio, Toob...Then find a .wav file and open it with the software. Next run thru' the menues and see if you can record the output of the computer's soundcard. Anyone who can work that lot out will have no trouble with a computer based recorder.

Dave.
 
Thank you all for your answers. It will take me a while to look up what has been suggested; working third shift (for me) is not conducive to getting things accomplished.
 
yup...sift thru the suggestions, do (a lot) of reading. Chances are something is gonna stand out a bit and say "pick me"

I've got a standalone, Akai DPS24, (sadly obsolete) and will probably snivvle and whine when it finally dies.
Then I'll be in here asking waaay more "stupid" questions than you.
:D
 
Hi I am new to this forum, but have bought an Olympus LS-100 (in post) but am now wondering if I should have got a 2488 neo. The LS-100 is 8 track 24 bit/96 kHz but no features like eq etc.
The 2488 is 16 bit 44 khZ.
Q. For recording Vox/Guitar/Bass/Drums with Rode K2/SM57/58 and mixing desk which would sound best?
 
mick335 said:
Hi I am new to this forum, but have bought an Olympus LS-100 (in post) but am now wondering if I should have got a 2488 neo. The LS-100 is 8 track 24 bit/96 kHz but no features like eq etc.
The 2488 is 16 bit 44 khZ.
Q. For recording Vox/Guitar/Bass/Drums with Rode K2/SM57/58 and mixing desk which would sound best?
Click to expand...
Well, since you decided to put this in an old thread, I might as well respond to you here.

Just to set the record straight, the 2488 is 24 bit, not 16.
 
Olympus? Makes cameras yes?

They're not exactly similar devices....
 
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