Seeking advice on recording setup

[Scott123]

Hi please excuse the rambling question, but I am looking from some advice. I currently have a Tascam DP 02 FX and Tascam 424.
I am looking to get a Mac or PC set up mainly for the mixing part (ease of editing etc.) and because I also want something digital that records more than 2 simultaneous inputs at once.
A couple ways I was thinking of going:
1. Buy a Fostex MR8-track and edit files on PC or Mac.
2. Buy a mac w/Pro Tools (But this seems overkill to me since I am mainly going to mix on it and the Pro Tools I would need (Mbox Pro for the multiple inputs) plus the mac would be big bucks.
3. Is this even possible: Use the Tascam 424 as an input device (interface) to record on PC software. Something tells me that wouldn't work. Just wondered.

I'd even shell out the bucks for some good non-Pro Tools software. I know a lot of it's free, just not sure I trust it (spyware etc.) Anybody have any recommendations on all of this? Appreciate any comments.

Thanks

 

[The Green Hornet]

Beam me up SCOTTIE


You offer many possibilities to your recording work. Just an idea. Check out the Yamaha AW1600. I have two units.

You won't have any crashes with the Yam. It offers very good sound quality. You will have all the needed features on board the Yam. Of course, you will not have the "expert" editing; I don't get into the editing stuff. I can just save a track and redo a track OR just undo a track and do it again to make corrections.

You can have several virtual tracks and compare the best take.

All of this runs just under 1K. If you call my vendor, you can get free shipping too.

The AW1600 will let you do 100 full-worked for CDs. Then, you can save some tracks and delete others so you can record more songs.

Or, you can use other ways to record that costs less or costs more, depending on your whims and work-intensive ideas.

Enjoy,
Green Hornet

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)