The software chain

[BluesJr]

I'm done with purchasing hardware for the moment. I decided on a Mindprint DI-port with EXW 24/96 card for guitar and piano recording. This gives me a total of 4 inputs.

But now I have to make choices on software.
I have been reading alot about software packages, but I can't seem to get the picture of the whole sequence; what do you use for what and what do you need?
I will be recording guitar (mic'ed), piano (direct in), midi (Clavinova piano), and singing. Guitar and piano or midi at the same time for now.

Can someone give me the signal chain from the moment the signal comes into the computer, and what type of software you need for ultimately creating a multi-track recording with midi?

Maybe something like:
--> Soundforge/Wavelab (for editing the wav.)*--> Sonar/Cubase/Acid (for putting tracks together and add midi)

* Can you edit multiple tracks with Soundforge, because I record more than one signal at the same time?

I hope someone can help me out here, I don't know where to start.

 

[AlChuck]

It's not a chain in the normal sense. You use the various tools depending on what you are trying to do.

For recording, you would be best off with a multitracker. You might wish to make rhythm tracks with a looping tool such as ACID or SONAR, then record into either of them. You can record either audio or MIDI data; a true sequencer like SONAR or Cubase would be better if you want to do a lot of MIDI. Also, these kind of programs usually offer multiple tracks of simultaneous recording -- at least the "pro" versions do. In ACID you are restricted to a single stereo track at any give pass, though you can stack multiple tracks.

Finally, SoundForge is a stereo audio editor; you can only work with stereo files, so it's not useful as a multitrack recording tool.

 

[manning1]

signal chain

midi out of mididevice eg synth>>>midi in of soundcard
make sure send & rcve channels match. midi drums usually use channel 10.
midi out of sound card can go to a variety of midi devices.
Vocal or guitar >>microphone>>>mixerpreamp>>>soundcard line input
powertracks at 29 bucks will do you all you need.
tons of midi tracks and 48 digital audio tracks.
if you want to talk to a lot of midi experts i was helped on the pgmusic.com user forum.