the basic basics of recording

[sengle1013]

hi there, i am a piano player that enjoys recording piano and singing. i have done this with some success using the dreaded microphone jack. i was told to get a better sound i should update my equipment. well, i spend more than i care to admit to and bought a new pc, a mackie 400f and new sonar home studio. i've been a cakewalk user for years... anyway, i also have a tc electronic reverb effects deal. well, i've gotten it to record midi, and can hear my voice through the mackie and everything. BUT i have no idea what on earth i am doing. i have read the manuals but just don't get it. inputs? outputs? what does it all mean... i played around with it but the computer based mixer, it almost seems like inputs and outputs are the same thing... i can't get it to record, i assume because i don't have the right inputs and outputs selected. i am reading about buses, aux sends, returns, power strip, effects in sonar, chaining, it is just so overwhelming when you don't know any of it.. anyone that can point me where to start is appreciated. especially since i owe someone a disc of piano music in about 3 weeks... i can hear myself play through but geez... really feeling overwhelmed. thanks for reading

 

[brendandwyer]

ok. wow. ok. As simply as possible. You need to record piano via midi and vocals via a microphone into sonar so that you can burn a cd with piano music on it. I'm not tremendously familiar with Sonar, but most DAW's operate similarly in their fundamentals.

Each track in Sonar has a multitude of options. But put simply, what you need is to route the input of the 400f to the track in sonar. This is done by going into the track that you have setup for audio, and going to the little I (for input on the left). It is a drop down menu. Click it, then look for the entry for Mackie 400f, and select the option that fits. Might be mic 1 or mic 2 (as i said i'm not famliar, but no one has answered yet so i will.) As for an output, you should select l/r mix or main mix, or l/r buss. this will route the input of the mic to the recorder, and it will monitor through your speakers. HOWEVER, turn down the main output on the 400f so as not to create feedback while tracking. Put on your headphones, and plug them into headphones 1 on the 400f. turn up the volume.

Make sure you have the mic plugged in and the gain/trim up. try to see levels on the track.

Once you are seeing levels, verify that they are not peaking (meaning too loud and turning red on the level meter). if they are adjust the gain/trim knob on the 400f.

Verify that you are seeing midi data on your midi track, and that the output for the midi track is set to your piano.

Now, each track in sonar has three buttons M S R. they stand for Mute, Solo, and Record Enable. On the midi track, click the R. On the vocal track, click the R. now these tracks are recording enabled meanign that when you finally press play and record, only those tracks will record.

Now, up at the top of the screen, you'll see the same M S R buttons i think. Click the R. then when you're ready, press play. Now you are recording.

When you've tracked your parts, make sure to click the R's off on the vox and the piano so as not to erase over them

****i don't know sonar inside and out. I try to not record using computers. THEREFORE, if someone can better help him, please feel free to correct me and assist further****

 

[JeffLancaster]

Where are you at with this? I see that Brendandwyer gave you a bit of info to get started. I am a Sonar user and will try to help, but perhaps more specific questions would be in order. Start with the basics and try to record a single track. Have you been able to do this yet? If not, what have you done so far?

By the way, are you trying to record a real piano, or record midi for a sampled piano?

Have you checked out the book "Sonar Power"? It gives a nice introduction to using Sonar.

 

[brendandwyer]

Jeff, i think he's gotten as far as recording midi, he says so, but i'ts not clear if he's got it routed back to his piano or not. (or whether when he says he's recording midi if it means the midi is coming from the piano or not )

 

[sengle1013]

hi guys, thanks for respnding, thought everyone got turned off to the post because of the ineptness of the poster.. ok, i think i have things working finally and i do appreciate the responses. i've got it recording, now i just need to learn 'how to record.' in other words, i've got the functionality of it down. but need to learn how to setup a mic to record vox in stereo, assuming that is possible because theres only 1 mic jack, not 2 like piano. for example, when i go to record my vox in sonar, i pick stereo input in audio track to record, then there are 2 little graphics of recorded audio, but one is blank... kinda interesting. not too sure about that. the other thing that is confusing me is after vox (have been doing in mono) i want to add compression but there are a couple different variables... same for reverb.. what does it all mean? might be time for a book at this point or just plain old internet surfing to figure out, that of course with experimenting.. thanks!

 

[JeffLancaster]

hi guys, thanks for respnding, thought everyone got turned off to the post because of the ineptness of the poster.. ok, i think i have things working finally and i do appreciate the responses. i've got it recording, now i just need to learn 'how to record.' in other words, i've got the functionality of it down. but need to learn how to setup a mic to record vox in stereo, assuming that is possible because theres only 1 mic jack, not 2 like piano. for example, when i go to record my vox in sonar, i pick stereo input in audio track to record, then there are 2 little graphics of recorded audio, but one is blank... kinda interesting. not too sure about that. the other thing that is confusing me is after vox (have been doing in mono) i want to add compression but there are a couple different variables... same for reverb.. what does it all mean? might be time for a book at this point or just plain old internet surfing to figure out, that of course with experimenting.. thanks!

Most people just record vocals in mono. Here's a great online guide to give you some good beginner information. I think it may touch on the basics of compression and reverb (don't recall), but it is also a valuable guide to understanding the basics of home recording on a PC:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm