Suggestions please....

  • Thread starter Thread starter NationalSandwic
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NationalSandwic

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Hi there!

I have a computer with Cubasis, Cakewalk Pro and Cool Edit Pro/Studio, which I want to use to produce some songs. The problem is this: I can't always use this computer (it is a shared machine, not only used for music). I can't always wait to use the computer, sometimes I just need to record NOW... also, I tend to need quiet and some privacy to record, esp. vocals, and the computer is in the middle of my house!

What would you suggest for recording the material remotely, and then transferring it to the computer for editing? I have a REALLY good tape recoder, the sound quality is good, though the right and left channels are seperate. I.E. I can only record to one channel (unless I use some splitting adapters or something to send the same signal to left and right). Any ideas? Shoestring budget!

Thanks!
 
you will probably only be recording mono sources? so maybe you could use that tape recorder......

what soundcard do you use?.....
 
one problem you will run into if you use your tape recorder, and then dump it into the computer, is that the tape recorder is going to "drift" and not keep a stable of enough speed to keep successively layered tracks in sync. sure...you'll be able to "drag" all your tracks into time, and have them start at the same time, but by a minute or so, they are going to start to drift apart in time...if not sooner. You can splice, edit, etc...to try and correct this once it is on the computer, but you'll always be fighting a losing battle. You NEED a digital recorder, no other way around it...and preferably dump it into your computer via a digital input (SPDIF, for instance). what low priced options are out there, I personally don't know. But with the price of computers, your best bet might be just to start saving for another computer...hey, even a used PII 233 can be had, most likely cheaper than any new gear you wanna buy, and should run your programs just fine.
 
cant a digital recorder "drift" out of sync of sync with the computer also?........
 
I suppose a tape based digital system could...but hard disk or similar mediums, I would suspect not. I'm treading into unknown waters here, but speaking from personal experience, I've been able to transfer from a digital keyboard for example, to the computer, and the timing was right on the money. Specifically as an example, I've had sequenced parts stored on a Roland xp series keyboard. Since the keyboard only has stereo outs, I've sent only selected tracks from the keyboard sequencer, to the computer, so my end result is the sequenced keyboard tracks in my multi track computer based program, but now in separate tracks. I use it a lot on drums to separate the drum kit, and other stuff such as doubling parts with different sounds, but yet retaining the track separation on the computer for mixdown, etc. Rather than using MIDI virtual tracks, I prefer the actual .wav files on my computer. This way I end up with the kick on one track, the snare on another, stereo cymbals on another...etc,..
..or a string pad on one track, and another type of string pad (with the same performance) on another track... Understand what I am saying? When zooming in on the multitrack program, it's a snap to line things back up.
I would suspect that if the master clock was in the computer, that any digital source could be used, or you could sync the tape machine...but that would be getting too involved for this particular project, I would think.
 
I would run amuck with a steaknife untill Im not shareing my computer anymore.:D
 
same here....i have MY computer(recording only)....and then there is OUR computer (me,wife,and daughter)......
 
hmm.
i may soon have access to a notebook computer. it is real old, a 486 i think. but I remember recording onto it before, and it was ok. i suppose that would work. the sound card was rubbish i think, and there is no way i'd be able to upgrade it! but it's not like i am recording for a company; it is for my purposes as a demo recording... should be ok. and i can always sort it out on the other pc...

i didn't even think that there could be sync loss on a tape recorder, but now i see that it is maybe not such a good plan. good advice! thanks.
btw, how do those 4-track tape recorders keep in sync then?
and analog recording studio stuff, with those looong reams of tape?

cheers
 
im still trying to figure this out....you have EXISTING TRACKS....you send a mix to one track of a digital recorder and then do overdubs on the free tracks.....send the new tracks back to the computer......yeah, i guess that would work.....

how many tracks do you typically deal with?
 
I don't have any existing tracks. (There are a few of things that I have done with MIDI on the PC, but that's all, and I may not even use those).

I need to record guitars, drums, vox, percussion and stuff, and mix it all together so that it sounds decent. I am on my own, so everything must be overdubbed.

Number of tracks? I would say 2 or 3 guitars, 2 vocals, 2 or 3 percussion tracks, including drumkit on ONE track. other pads, effects or samples would be digitally handled on PC (when I get a chance to use it!) and put onoto about 3 tracks. So lets say around 10 tracks.

I have a lot of trouble finding equipment here in South Africa, so I just need to be innovative with what I've got.
 
right!

i have got my hands on a 486! joy.
i am not sure if it will be capable of handling what i'm going to do.

i have also got my paws on a little 4 channel-mixer.

so here's what I am trying to do:
2 musicians (myself and a drummer) are going to do a dubbed recording. recording all instruments seperatley and putting them onto PC in a little studio/room that I have. we are using cakewalk pro 9, cubasis VST, and cool edit pro/2000. there are some programmed MIDI and VST tracks that we want to include alongside the audio (vocals, drums, guitars)

do you think the 486 will cope with this? i'm not sure what sound card it has, but i may buy a really nice sound card soon, and lots of RAM, and try to put it in there to improve performance.

what do you think about this setup? is this a feasible project, technologically? we really don't have the cash to get much better! we are broke musicians!
 
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