What do I need to buy to get started/pplay around?

[arwild01]

Sorry for the long post, but I'm looking at a lot of stuff...

If the title doens't say it, let me say that I'm a total newbie to the home recording arena, but ironcially I'm actually quite familiar with both guitars and computers. I've played guitar for 20 years and I've been a professional software developer and system administrator for over 10... but for some reason by two hobbies/passsions/professions have never crossed paths before. I should point out that my guitar playing took a serious nose dive at the same time as began my internships in college... which was in 1996.. the same year that Line6 really broke onto the scene.

Anyway... to my question. I'm in the market to purchase a set of electronic drums. I think I've settled on a a Yahama DTExplorer kit, and to buy it I'm going to open up a credit line to do so... if I'm going to bother I thought this was an opportunity to purchase additional gear/software to make it possible to record both drums and guitar (and I actually own a mandolin with a passive pickup too).

As I'm trying to play catch up with the last 15 years of invoations I'm a bit confused on what I would actually need to make all this happen on a relatively cheap budget. At this point I'm really just a hobbiest that wants to tinker around. I don't really plan to record anything professionally... so I really don't want to drop thousands of dollars on professional software here. I just want to make things happen... but VST plugins and MIDI are a whole new world to me.

I currently own (as I said above) the mandolin with its passive pickup, a Yahama Acoustic with an active pickup/preamp, and four eletric guitars (my main guitar is a 1993 Fender Floyd Rose Classic Strat with an original Floyd Rose and a Dimarzio PAF pro humbucker in the bridge position).

So on the guitar/mandolin hardware side I'm intrigued by the line6 POD studio GX because it gives me a way to get the guitar and PC to integrate and it comes with the POD Farm 2 plugin, but if there are better/cheaper options here I would love to here about it. I have also considered the UX1 because it adds the possibility of micing the guitars and mixing the mic and line-in recordings, but I don't know for sure that I would ever do it, and it's $50 more.

On the drum hardware side I realize I need some kind of MIDI to USB interface. (It's unforunatee that the DTExplorer doesn't have a USB out, but it appears to be the best "intro" drum kit at the $600 price point). I'm considering a Hosa Technology USM-422 cable (mostly cause its the only cable that Best Buy carries)... but searches online for it appear to turn up problems for some folks... but that said I can't find anyone using this cable with the Yahama DTExplorer Drums so it could be fine here.

I'm somewhat lost about Drum software. I'm hearing all kinds of things about BFD (lite) and EZ Drummer, but all of this software just seams out of my price range for someone that's mostly looking to play around.

For mixing and editing I'm really curious about Sony Acid Music Studio 7 (yes I know 8 is out, but stores don't seam to have it now) and I THINK this can host both EZDrummer and Pod Farm 2, but maybe I'm off base here? This intrigues me because I can get it cheap (around $50) and I currently use Sony Vegas Movie Studio when I edit video for DVDs so I expect my learning curve here is less steep. It sounds like I would get some kind of basic support for MIDI drums here as well, but it's not clear to me what that would mean.

Instead of the Line6 Pod Studio GX I've also thought about an M-Audio "Pro Tools Recording Studio" to interface the guitar... that goes for about the same price as the GX and I believe the bundled copy of Pro Tools M-powered would include BFD-lite... but it seams like POD Farm 2 has much better functionality on the guitar side.

I've also noticed that Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio Edition is also cheap and could be used instead of Acid Music studio, but it's not clear to me if it can host these other plugins or not (but Cakewalk is a name I definatley remember from my time playing in the 90s).

So.. does this sound reasonable? Am I missing something? Are there better backages I should be considering that might make all this easier?

If you had about $300 to spend and you wanted to record both guitar (electric and acoustic) and drums (via MIDI) what hardware and software would you seek out?

I guess the last point to consider is that all of my PCs are laptops so I would be limited to options that interface via USB or firewire (but USB is definatley preferred... only 1 laptop has firewire and I've never used it).

Thanks

 

[Armistice]

If you had about $300 to spend and you wanted to record both guitar (electric and acoustic) and drums (via MIDI) what hardware and software would you seek out?

I wouldn't. I'd find more money. but what should you do?

Man, that's a long first post.... too many questions and now I'm confused.

To record stuff, a good starter list would be:

PC
USB multichannel interface (replaces your PC's soundcard in the chain)
Software
Microphone
Cables

The PC you have, the software there are good basic freebies around. The rest... go and read some of the many, many "I'm new here and I don't have any idea what I need to record my meisterwerk" threads in the Newbies section (there are hundreds) and you'll find lots of links to suggested gear.

Then, narrow your questions down a little and come back.

I'm mainly confused as you're talking about buying drum kits, drum software, guitar software, but you only have $300 to spend on recording.

A lot of people find that, after scrimping on the recording aspect and setting up the cheapest possible "studio" that they have to upgrade relatively quickly because they're frustrated with the sound quality that their cheap gear is apparently giving them.

Often, it's not the gear so much as the person on the other end...

Read, refine, ask...

Good luck.

 

[arwild01]

I wouldn't. I'd find more money. but what should you do?

Man, that's a long first post.... too many questions and now I'm confused.

To record stuff, a good starter list would be:

PC
USB multichannel interface (replaces your PC's soundcard in the chain)
Software
Microphone
Cables

The PC you have, the software there are good basic freebies around. The rest... go and read some of the many, many "I'm new here and I don't have any idea what I need to record my meisterwerk" threads in the Newbies section (there are hundreds) and you'll find lots of links to suggested gear.

Then, narrow your questions down a little and come back.

I'm mainly confused as you're talking about buying drum kits, drum software, guitar software, but you only have $300 to spend on recording.

I believe I said "about" $300.

In all seriousness, I have some flexibility, but to answer your question directly,
I'm only interested in interfacing with the computer and recording more as a chance to get all my toys to play together and maybe to record some of my own compositions so I don't forget them. I doubt I will ever share a recording with another person... so I'm really looking for a bare-bones setup... and sure, if I really get into it, I can understand how I might get Gear Acquisition Syndrome, but that's okay. I really don't expect that to be the case given my intentions.

I have a PC. Del Studio XPS running Windows 7 64-bit. Dual Core P8600 processor (2.4GHz), 4GB of ram, 300GB hard drive. It has USB 2.0, firewire, and bluetooth and HDMI out if I want to send audio to my receiver. I have plenty of USB cables, and guitar cables. I really don't see myself using a mic given that all of my instruments have pickups. I will obviously be buying a MIDI cable with the drum kit, but I need some way of interfacing that to the PC as it does not have a MIDI in.

So really I'm looking for recommendations on hardware to interface the DTXplorer's MIDI out to the PC (probably via USB) and how to interface the guitar to the computer (again, probably also via USB)... and what software I really need... Ideally I wouldn't be using completely different packages for drums and guitar.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Armistice]

Suggest you go back and read like I said.

The answers are all there. MIDI interfaces with your PC via a USB/MIDI cable, sound (guitar) via a USB AD converter/preamp/interface.

I don't use either of these things, but I"m sure you'll find any number of recommendations for either/both/combination in the many, many threads that already ask this question.

 

[Chibi Nappa]

If you had about $300 to spend and you wanted to record both guitar (electric and acoustic) and drums (via MIDI) what hardware and software would you seek out?

I'd spend $20 on a cheap USB microphone and download Reaper for free. Then I'd spend the rest on monitors.

Hell, I'd spend $20 on the USB mic, save another $200, and then spend the rest on monitors.




Learning to record is just about 100% learning to listen on an absurdly obsessive level. Recording itself is about 20% plugging the right crap into the right wire and other tech related stuff and 80% listening on an absurdly obsessive level.

All of those programs and pluggins aren't going to help you learn much of anything. Working with a mic and monitors is.

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and tested suggestions that WORK: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm


Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Sony ACID Express (free 10-track sequencer): http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/
Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\
Kristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - http://myriad-online.com
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

 

[Kvasirsblod]

Tim O'Brien rules

I just joined the list a few minutes ago and I wanted to support what others have said - that a bit of research is the way to go. In particular I would commend Tim's advice as a place to start [if it is not a "sticky" somewhere in the newbie list then it should be - in fact probably the first thing anyone looks at]. I started searching the net a few weeks ago knowing nothing other than I wanted to record at home onto my computer and it would be basically just voice and guitar. I finally found this list and Tim's post and I visited some of his recommended sites [particularly tweakhead]. I am about to buy a Rode NT1a mike set up and a Presonus Inspire audio interface and some headphones to get me started. I will use the Cuebase LE that comes with the Inspire at first before probably trying Reaper. The key thing for me is that after reading the post and doing the research I have a bit of comfort in my choices.
Thanks Tim.

Eric

 

[Armistice]

I just joined the list a few minutes ago and I wanted to support what others have said - that a bit of research is the way to go. In particular I would commend Tim's advice as a place to start [if it is not a "sticky" somewhere in the newbie list then it should be - in fact probably the first thing anyone looks at]. I started searching the net a few weeks ago knowing nothing other than I wanted to record at home onto my computer and it would be basically just voice and guitar. I finally found this list and Tim's post and I visited some of his recommended sites [particularly tweakhead]. I am about to buy a Rode NT1a mike set up and a Presonus Inspire audio interface and some headphones to get me started. I will use the Cuebase LE that comes with the Inspire at first before probably trying Reaper. The key thing for me is that after reading the post and doing the research I have a bit of comfort in my choices.
Thanks Tim.

Eric

Congrats Eric on being a clever newbie. The fact that you are willing to research and work a bit out on your own will enable you to ask more focused questions as you work out your gear... and this will get you to where you want to go much more quickly... good luck. See you round.

 

[IndustrialOkie]

I would recommend the Presonus Firebox as an audio interface. It only has two inouts at a time, but it has an excellent sound and you can find it under $300 bucks now. Then as suggested before go to www.cockos.com and download Reaper for free- if you decide you like it purchase it for $60 bucks. That should be a good start. Don't even mess with usb mics, they are shiite.