What do I need?

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hIP-NoTiZt

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I wanna get started in home recording, don't know much at the moment but I know all about portastudios, simple enough, but I'm afraid if I buy one I'll regret it in a few years becuase by then I will want more from my studio.i will be recording everything imaginable, from string quartets to indie punk bands to a bluegrass and acid jazz combo.

What are my other options? 1. a fully analogue studio? 2. computer based digital or 3.a bit of both? I have no idea what these are, just heard of them...WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE tell me what these different setups require ?? like what I need, or would it be better to get a small portastudio and learn off it while saving for something bigger later?
 
Don't fear getting a Portastudio because you think it will end up on a shelf collecting dust. Get one that will do regular speed cassettes as well as double speed and you'll use this thing as a cassette mixdown deck and as a headphone mixing monitor.
In the meantime you'll learn about the art of mixing by playing with it. You won't regret it. While you're learning, investigate getting a PC DAW.
By the time you're ready to pop for it you'll know enough about audio paths to ease the transition to the digital realm.
 
It's a really tough question to answer without knowing what experience you have, how much money you want to spend and the quality of the expected results.

Assuming you want professional results, and to take a stab in the dark, you'll need a good computer (Pentium II 300 MHZ or better), some sequencing software like Cakewalk, Cubase etc., but you can do it for less, plus a good soundcard, probably an outboard mixer (but there are other ways to go) a couple of good mics (Rode, AKG, etc.) maybe a Midi synth and some talent.

... but as the proverb says, there's more than one way to skin a cat, so that's one way and there are several others, and combinations of ways to do what you want.

I know this is probably not making much sense to you - but if you spend the next few days reading the main site, you'll find answers to the questions you have now, plus lots of food for thought to get you to the next wave of questions.

... and there are guys on this site, much more knowledgeable than I, and we will all help you get to where you want to be, so welcome.

By the way, does Bluegrass/Acid/Jazz sound any better when drinking Toohey's?

foo
 
It sounds like you are going to be doing a lot of live recording (I could be wrong). If so, I'd recommend a portable recorder/system. You can go the portastudio route or you can look into some digital porta-studio systems like the Roland VS880, Yamaha MD8, Fostex makes a few portable recording units. This systems will often be similar to cassette multitrackers (usually with more features and just as easy to use), and they'll have less noise.

In that case you will probably wait longer to upgrade (at least if sound quality if your issue). I would highly recommend a computer system, but if you're just getting into recording and you'll be doing a lot of traveling to record, a portable recorder makes the most sense.

Rev E
 
ok, what does a sequencer do? what is it?

and what does midi sofftware (hardware as well?) do, all I think midi is, is something that makes sure my keyboards can talk as in stay in time?!?!? i dont think this is right but yeh could anyone expain it simply????

with a computer do i just by like a mixing desk, and record everything through that, store it on my computer, then play it back again and again till it sounds ok, adding bits here and there? then burnn it to a cd???? is that it or what do you do?

thanks, and yes i will be doing a bit of live stuff
 
by the way, i have NO experience in home recording, i have done simple mixing stuff for a pa thing, just like putting plugs in, fiddling with the knobs and feeding it back out again.
Considering its my first home recording setup i dont want to spend more than $US2500 or so
I want results that will impress, so yeh i guess pretty polished, which i kind of figured that you cant really get with a digital portastudio like the d16 or roland...or can you??????
 
by the way, i have NO experience in home recording, i have done simple mixing stuff for a pa thing, just like putting plugs in, fiddling with the knobs and feeding it back out again.
Considering its my first home recording setup i dont want to spend more than $US2500 or so
I want results that will impress, so yeh i guess pretty polished, which i kind of figured that you cant really get with a digital portastudio like the d16 or roland...or can you??????
 
Recording technique makes the polish...I've heard stuff on a two track that blew me away...clean sound can be obtained by almost any way if you work at it....but for the most part, digital is the cleanest for us home recorders...but I still haven't made the full transition to digital myself...I still like my 488, but I'm pretty impressed with my computer too, and if I had the bucks to get a better comp set up I definately would...but of course, I wouldn't be hauling my comp around to record with, either...so if you're gonna need something portable, go porta studio, or digital porta....my two cents...gibs
 
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