What Do I Need

[markschneider39]

I WANT TO SET MY SON UP WITH AN ENTRY LEVAL RECORDING UNIT FOR HE AND HIS BAND. I WAS CONSIDERING AN 8 CHANNEL TASCAM, BUT UPON READING FUTHER, IM LEAD TO BELIEVE THEY CAN ONLY RECORD 2 CHANNELS AT ONCE. PARDON MY IGNORANCE BUT I WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME SIMPLE RECORDING. DOESN'T THIS REQUIRE A UNIT THAT CAN RECORD 4 CHANNELS SIMULTANEOUSLY? 1 GUITAR, 1 BASS, 1 (OR REALLY MORE) DRUMS, 1 VOCALS?
HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT SO I CAN GET THEM GOING
THANKS

*UPDATE: I should have mentioned that I was interested in a stand alone unit; one with a hard drive.....Any suggestions which won't break the bank???

 

[giraffe]

first, you need to remove your caps lock.

 

[jfrog]

If you're recording all those instruments simultaneously, then yes, you need more than 2 channels of inputs.

 

[2lim]

I would look into an 8 track digital model, because they generally allow 8 tracks simultaneous recording, and more than 8 tracks total. This will allow for recording the whole band at once, as well as doing overdubs if they decide to do a more "studio" like album.
Of course you will also need enough mics to go around!

Simon

 

[pedro_sandchez]

does he have a decent computer with firewire, a decent amount of ram and a pretty fast processor?
if so, you should look into a computer recording interface. I'm just getting into home recording and that is the route I'm going. Look at m-audio and presonus, and since he is going to be recording more than one track at a time, avoid usb interfaces.

 

[jfrog]

I would look into an 8 track digital model, because they generally allow 8 tracks simultaneous recording, and more than 8 tracks total. This will allow for recording the whole band at once, as well as doing overdubs if they decide to do a more "studio" like album.
Of course you will also need enough mics to go around!

Simon

I think most 8 tracks will record only 2 tracks at once...you might have to get into a 16 track to get 8 tracks of input. I believe the Fostex VF160 (16 track) has 8 tracks input, although there is a way for it to record 16 tracks simultaneously.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Also if you're on a tight budget the little Fostex MR8-HD will record 4 tracks at once.