Stupid Question

[TelePaul]

Hey guys, stupid question, but naturally I'm going to ask it anyway. If I have a sound card with stereo inputs...a tascam us 122....could i get an external mixer for say, 8 mics or whatever...and use that to mic my kit and run the whole thing through Cubase? Or how exactly do you record drums? 8 track?

 

[punkin]

Yup...you can do it that way. Probably the most economical way to boot if that mixer has phantom power and mic preamps built in. The only think is, you'll have to do all your mixing external to your PC since you only have the one stereo input to the sound card.

If you want to have a little more post recording mixing options, look into a multi channel audio card but but be aware, you'll need to have mic pre's and possibly 48 VDC supply to power the mics. There are some all-in-one products out on the market.

 

[iancl]

That's the way I do it. It's cheap and easy to set up the gear (although you have to get the mixing done first as the other guy said - but you can still pan your drums left and right and get a great stereo sound if you get it right).

If you've got the money, an 8 track will give you more options for post-mixing on the computer (although this takes up a fuckload of diskspace!).

 

[sirslurpee]

I find that it is a lot easier to use a multi-input recorder. Say like, presonus makes an 8-input multitrack that is firewire interface to the computer. You can record all 8 at once, and it comes with Cubase LE which is some of the easiest mixing software I have ever used. The package deal new was something like 699 I think when I got it. You might be able to find it cheaper on ebay or something. Seriously, it might be about the same price as just using a mixer and your recordings will sound a LOT better if you can separate the tracks. But that is just my 2 cents....

 

[iancl]

I find that it is a lot easier to use a multi-input recorder. Say like, presonus makes an 8-input multitrack that is firewire interface to the computer. You can record all 8 at once, and it comes with Cubase LE which is some of the easiest mixing software I have ever used. The package deal new was something like 699 I think when I got it. You might be able to find it cheaper on ebay or something. Seriously, it might be about the same price as just using a mixer and your recordings will sound a LOT better if you can separate the tracks. But that is just my 2 cents....

Yeah, that's the firepod - a 10 channel fire-wire multi-track. I've heard it's fantastic. If you have the money, get it, but as said before, it can be done without multitracking.

 

[Levinin]

It depends as well on what kind of music you want to make. Will you want to chop up the different drum parts? If so you have to go for the multi-track approach.

 

[TelePaul]

Music type

I'm pretty much into rock and folk....but i should say that I'm a guitarist foremost, so my drumming ability is...lacking! Also I only have a set of pearl targets...is this whole venture a waste? I currently use Midi Drums and loops and while they work fine, the idea of real audio appeals to me. I was thinking I'd have more uses for the mixer with regard to other applications (Recording Guitars or 'live' takes)