The need for more than 2 simultaneous inputs?

[Nitronium Blood]

I want to understand why people pay more for a card that can do more than 2 simultaneous mic preamp and line inputs.

The only reasons that comes to mind are :

1) For recording a drumkit.
2) Perhaps recording an in-studio/live jam.
3) Vocal harmony.

But other than that... why?

This is the way I record at home via CEP 2 with a craptastic nforce soundcard with ONE line in jack:

1) Insert a drum loop track first.
2) Use a POD 2 to record a riff. Pan 90% Left
3) Record the same riff with POD 2 again. Pan 90% Right
4) Use an Akai craptastic condenser mic into POD 2 for vocals. Leave in centre.
5) Mix
6) Mixdown to 16/44 and save as a .wav.

That's it! So why more inputs?

 

[Bulls Hit]

I use my Delta 44 to record drums

 

[TexRoadkill]

I1) For recording a drumkit.
2) Perhaps recording an in-studio/live jam.
3) Vocal harmony.

Those would be the main reasons. Anytime you want to use more than two mics you need more inputs.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

So that's it... right guys?

 

[AlChuck]

No, that's not it. There's another reason that guitar players in particular (being hte tone fanmatics they so often are) often need more than two inputs. Even if you are just tracking one guitar, lots of folks love to mic the amp, or run through a couple of amps and mic each, mic the room too, and maybe run the amp's line in into a track as well, so they can mix and blend all the possibilities to achieve something better than any one of them alone.

You also said "perhaps recording an in-studio/live jam." There's no "perhaps" about it. Pretty much any studio recording situation in the last thirty years or so means a separate track for each instrument and voice whenever possible.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

No, that's not it. There's another reason that guitar players in particular (being hte tone fanmatics they so often are) often need more than two inputs. Even if you are just tracking one guitar, lots of folks love to mic the amp, or run through a couple of amps and mic each, mic the room too, and maybe run the amp's line in into a track as well, so they can mix and blend all the possibilities to achieve something better than any one of them alone.

Yup, forgot about that. John Petrucci comes to mind.