Where should I begin?

[ItsElectric]

I'm a complete newbie to all of this and need a place to start. I would like to record guitar and keyboards so let me tell you my "setup":

AMD Athlon XP 2100+
512MB of RAM
Vinyl AC'97 onboard sound (yeah, i know)

I believe that's all that is needed computerwise (besides the software), and as for my guitar and keyboard:

BOSS GT-6 guitar effects processor (you can get a look at all of the specs here: http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/GT-6/specs.html )

Hoping to just go from my guitar, to my GT-6, to my computer when recording.

As for my keyboard:
I have a Yamaha PSR-83 with Midi in/out, and a Headphones/Aux out

So, back to my original question.. What else do I need and where should I start?

Thanks,
-ItsElectric

 

[Stealthtech]

you're on the right track....
the PC will do fine for now
a better soundcard or interface (recommended)
multitracking software (a must)

 

[ItsElectric]

you're on the right track....
the PC will do fine for now
a better soundcard or interface (recommended)
multitracking software (a must)

Any certain recommendations on the soundcard? I've got ACID and Sonar if that works.

Thanks,
-ItsElectric

 

[billygoatmersh]

I realize that I am not very expierenced but I was in your same shoes 4 months ago and I just thought I'd tell you what I did. I bought an Audiophile sound card, Power Tracks, and a pre amp. I am very pleased with the set up. It was extremely easy to set up and I am very happy with the results. I'm sure that the more expierenced members of this forum wil have much more information and knowledge to share with you. Good luck.

 

[ItsElectric]

Also, how many cords and of what types will i need?

-ItsElectric

 

[ItsElectric]

Alright, here's what I've got so far..

As far as sound cards go I was looking at the M-Audio Audiophile 2496. (What do you think? Do you think the Audiophile 192 would suit my needs better?) For my keyboard I guess something like the Roland MPU64 MIDI processing unit would work?

As a side note, I'm no expert, but my GT-6 (which I will be recording from) has a digital out and a MIDI I/O. Now my question is which one should I use to record from?

Like I said, I have Cakewalk Sonar 4 and my friend has a whole other collection of software, so that's not a problem. Is this all that I would need to start recording?

-ItsElectric

 

[Ibrow]

Sonar 4 is an excellent choice.

I do most all my stuff myself, so I got the M-Audio 2496 a couple years ago. Since I don't record more than one track at a time, it works just beautifully. You can get the newer one, with 192, but you don't "need" it. Realistically, I actually only record at 24-bit, x 44.1. I don't even use the 96K. I tried it, couldn't hear a difference, so I opted for the smaller file-sizes. Definitely record at 24-bit though.

I have the Digitech GNX3 for my guitar. Same thing basically(options-wise) as your Boss. You can run the Spdif straight in off that for recording. I have a hardware Behringer mixer that I just run the stereo cords(L&R) from the back of the GNX to the mixer. I know you go D to A to D, but I like to be able to control everything, input level-wise, on the hardware mixer. Otherwise you will have to control your SPDIF on the M-Audio mixer inside the comp. No big deal really, just not as fast as I like.

I haven't really looked into the Boss, but the MIDI on the GNX is ONLY for adjusting patches via your computer and importing patches from the internet to your Pedal. I'm pretty sure that is standard.

If you are planning to sing at all on your tracks, you will need a pre-amp. The easiest way to do this is to buy an outboard mixer, as I did. I bought the Behringer 1604, as I have a bunch of shit I leave plugged into it full time. Then I can just move the sliders when it's time to play with that instrument. A lot of folks here will knock Behringer products, and suggest a Yamaha mixer or something. Do a search for "best mixer under $xxx". I'm sure you'll find plenty of opinions. The hardware mixers don't have the "best" pre-amps in the world, but they will get you by for a while.

Since you already have a keyboard, and if indeed it has MIDI on it(I assume so) then you are already good to go. Even if it doesn't have the best sounds in the world, you can always get software synths, and then trigger those sounds with your keyboard.

I've said enough I guess. But when buying gear ALWAYS look ahead! Do you ever plan on tracking two of you playing and singing at the same time? Or maybe tracking a drumkit? As your setup would stand now, with the Boss and a 2496, you could record the guit on SPDIF while singing on the Analog ins to the soundcard. You are good there. But, what if a friend wanted to play along also? If you don't mind tracking, basically, one at a time, it's a great soundcard. I'm the only one in my studio, and I've found it's really hard to play guitar and keyboard at the same time. So kind of keep in mind what you are planning on doing, in the FUTURE. If micing a drumkit is in your future, you'll need a different soundcard. If not, the 2496 should suit you just fine.

So, in your situation, I would suggest getting the 2496. I would also suggest getting an outboard mixer that is within your budget so you can use the pre-amps for your mics for vocals. For a first Mic, I would suggest the Shure SM57 or SM58. The SM57 has been around forever and is a good starting dynamic mic. If you are going to get a condenser mic anytime soon, make sure your mixer has phantom power.

Just FYI, the next "step-up" in pre-amps, at least suggested around here, is an FMR RNP for around $500. So your mixer pre's will get your through your learning just fine.

Now you have a studio. Enjoy it!

 

[ItsElectric]

Hey! Thanks for the response, your information is very useful to me! A few more questions though: Can you tell me more about SPDIF and what cables I will need to hook everything up? Also, If I can't use the GT-6 MIDI ports then I have to use the digital out, but I didn't think that the 2496 had the digital in? I could be completely wrong though!

Thanks a lot!
-ItsElectric

 

[Ibrow]

I looked at the back of the BOSS. For recording you have a couple of options.

You can take 2 1/4" cords and run them out in stereo, ANALOG, to your 2496. At the other end of the cord, you will need 1/4" to RCA converters, if they have such a thing. What I do is take, say, a stereo pair of RCA's(like the white and the Red on a YWR adapter you'd use for video) and run the RCA end into the 2496 and then go to Radio Shack, or GC, or maybe even Wal-mart, and get RCA to 1/4" converters to plug into your BOSS in the Right and Left OUT jacks. That way the signal goes analog from the BOSS to the 2496 into Sonar. The drawback to this is you are going from Digital, to Analog, to Digital. I go from the outs on my GNX to my mixer, then to the 2496. Technically, you "shouldn't", but I do. I don't notice any additional "noise" doing it this way.

If you want to go digital, you need an SPDIF cord. Technically, I think any, from memory here, 75ohm cord will work for SPDIF. If you have an old YRW video cord lying around, when the Yellow used to be THICKER than the other two, you could use that yellow cord. Or, you could just go to Radio Shack, or GC, or wherever, and get an SPDIF cord. I looked online, and about the only place I could find that had them at a decent price was, of course, ebay. The SPDIF cable would go from your BOSS to the 2496 SPDIF directly. The 2496 does have SPDIF (digital) in.

By using the SPDIF for your guitar, I think, you should be able to also record something simultaneously through the analog ins on your soundcard to a different track within Sonar. I haven't done it, but I suppose I could try it. If only I had an SPDIF cable.

I use a mixer just for convenience, as the 2496 DOESN'T come with a breakout box of any sort. So, I sit the Mixer on my desk, and run the outs from that to the 2496. Into the mixer, I plug my GNX3 footpedal in stereo, analog. I also have my keyboard wired up stereo to another in on the mixer. And my DTXpress drumkit. And my SM57, and my AT-4033. Are you starting to see why you "need" a mixer. LOL! Without the mixer, and no breakout box, I would have to reach behind the computer to hook up my keyboard, then disconnect it to hook up my drums, then disc, and back to the footpedal(which could be avoided with SPDIF ) then the mic, etc. etc. With a mixer, you just slide one down and bring the other instrument up. It's so much faster.

I hope that clears things up a bit.

 

[ItsElectric]

Thank you very much for your response! You have made a lot of things clear for me and I think I'm about ready to go. Just one last question though: I noticed in ACID that if I record something and then set the bar back to the beginning where i can hear the recording play and then try to record something else, that in the second recording it's recording the first one over along with what i'm playing, so in other words it gets really loud and crappy.

-----First recording
[Second recording
-----First recording

I dunno if that helps you see what I'm saying or not, but will this happen when I try to track with Sonar?

Also, by the way it sounds will I even need the MPU64?

-ItsElectric