Starting out...need advice.

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ceeelow

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Hey all,

So, even though I have a recording arts degree adn currently work as a Systems Integrator at an audio/visual company I can't seem to make up my mind on all these different directions for recording. So, I'm helping you all can lend your knowledge and experience and point me in the right direction.

The set up is pretty simple but the options are whats confusing me. All I'm looking for is a simple, fast, efficent, regulaur quality home project studio that I can write in.

It is apparent to me that my fourtrack is just not cutting it, but, I really enjoy its quick operation and simpllicity. So, to some it up, I want to have somthing that is as fast and simple as my fourtrack but I can use my new dell computer. What I'm afrraid of is not having that sit down, plug in, push play and record, push stop, grab the tape, through it in the car, bring it into the practice space, play the idea, and then play the idea with the band simplity. What I want that the four track can't do, is burn CD's, offer a high quality sound, editing, go to any part of the tracks instantly, Mklae MP3's to send to the other members in the group etc. etc.

So, can you all give me advice on equipment and setup?

1.I figure I only need a audio card with 2-4 inputs (1 keyboard (no midi), 1 vocal mic, 1 guitar, 1 for drum pad)and 2-4 outputs (1 set of monitors, 1 tape deck). Whats a good card?
2. Some kind of physicly played drum machine. Like a low budget drum pad or somthing. Just to get the basic beats down with out having to program a drum machine. Any ideas?
3. A cd burner or tape recorder to dump the ideas too. I can probably handle this one........
4. software?
5. Patchbay or Mixer? should I even bother? I can mix on my computer right?


I have headphones, two decent monitors, a crappy mic, a crappy keyboard and a new Dell.

Ok Doc, what do I do?
 
Lets simplify

After reading my post, I can see why no one has replied. Its a little confusing and I appoligies. Perhaps this will help:

Which do you think is better to buy, if I just want to record vocals and guitar in a simple home studio environment?

Echo Mia? or the M-Audio Audiophile 2496?
 
Well maybe if you wait more than an hour you will actually get responses, eh? :-)

If you don't plan to have a lot of external synthesizers controlled by MIDI you don't need a mixer.

You will soon notice if you need a patch bay. If you are constantly groping for the contacts in hard to reach places, or if your studio becomes one big mess of entangled cables, then you need a patch bay.

A good mic and a good preamp will go a long way. Also good monitors, but you said you already have that.
 
Theres a nice inexpensive USB interface that tascam just put out for arround 250.00 and for 80.00 more a decent burner can be put into your desktop.

Eerything else will be icing on that cake.
 
ceeelow said:
.......

1.I figure I only need a audio card with 2-4 inputs (1 keyboard (no midi), 1 vocal mic, 1 guitar, 1 for drum pad)and 2-4 outputs (1 set of monitors, 1 tape deck). Whats a good card?

2. Some kind of physicly played drum machine. Like a low budget drum pad or somthing. Just to get the basic beats down with out having to program a drum machine. Any ideas?

3. A cd burner or tape recorder to dump the ideas too. I can probably handle this one........

4. software?

5. Patchbay or Mixer? should I even bother? I can mix on my computer right.....
Click to expand...

1) Delta 44 or a Delta 66 made by M Audio (Midiman)

2) MPD 16 made by Akai

3) You can install a generic CD burner in your computer.

4) N-track, Sonar, Vegas Video, Cubase, Logic, etc.... to replace the 4-track. I would suggest Sound Forge 5.0 or Cool Edit Pro for your editing purposes.

5)You don't need one at this point. You could use the mixer in your sequencing program.
 
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