this for richard monroe

[scrooooge]

hi richard this is in reply to your message you sent me about setting up my own recording stdio! ye i have a budget of about $1000-$1500. i already have a laptop, guitar, bass guitar,keyboard and just going to buy mics and cables. so what equipment would you recommend for my price range so i can connect my guitar, bass, keyboard and mics to my laptop.could u plz tell me the equipment i need to do this! but i want to connect more than 1 mic and guitar. so i need a piece of equipment within my price range that has multiple mic inputs, giutar inputs and maybe even keyboard inputs(if this is possible?).even if u cant get 1 piece of equipment like this i still want to my instruments the same way. so i may need more than 1 piece of equipment to do this. so could u plz tell me wat i need.

p.s the instruments arent part of my price range

ty in advance, scrooooge

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Scrooge! Well, I'm no expert, but it seems like you need some kind of computer interface, and some software. Most interfaces use either USB or firewire. Most laptops don't support really good soundcards, so it seems like a good controller/mixer that uses USB would be an option. Computer recording is not my strongest suit. There are a hell of a lot of guys on this board that know more about it than me. That said...
For your needs, I would think you could get most of the job done with the M-Audio Omnistudio USB bundle currently $529.00 at 8th street. That gives you 4 ins and 4 outs, preamps, FX, and all the Sonar 3 software. Goes by USB, so no additional soundcard is needed. Phantom power, pads, bass cut. It seems like that would be a portable beginning. Then add a few good mics, a good boom stand or 2, and a pop filter. That should get you started. I'd probably start with a B.L.U.E. Baby Bottle, a pair of Studio Projects C-4's, and a Shure SM-57. There, I pretty much just spent your $1500. You have to accept limitations, though, and the rig I listed above lacks a monitor chain. You are going to need headphones, monitors, and probably a headphone distribution amp. Good monitors will give you a case of sticker shock. $1000-1500 will only provide the beginnings of a very basic setup. Expect to spend quite a bit more before you are done.
Finally, the one thing I don't have a clue about is- why me? I'm a regular Joe who has spent way too much money on a home studio which, small as it is, I am quite proud of. There's a whole lot of regular Joe's on this board, a few trolls, and a few ringers. I've spent 2 years recording an album on a standalone digital recorder, and now I'm making the transition to a computer based Pro Tools rig, and my knowledge base is a lot weaker than many people on this board, especially in computer based recording. That does have one advantage though, I don't know enough to confuse you with techno-babble.
Good Luck-Richie