Which equipments i need to start simple recording?

[fratturgay]

i have above average laptop i know a bit about recording and i guess i need monitors, mixer, sound card/interface right? and of course software.. but can you explain am i need all of them
im going to record vocals and two guitars so which equipments will i setup between laptop and mics(amps) any link about 101s of recording would help of course

thanks for now

and by the way what is the diffrence between powered mixers and regular ones?.

 

[jjjtttggg]

You question sounds like a simple one, but the answer is very big. Search these forums. There's lots of information here about how to get started. As a bare minimum guideline, you will need:

1 - your computer,
2 - headphones or earbuds,
3 - an interface
4 - a microphone.
5 - software

I like having a mixer as well, so that I can keep lots of things setup and ready to go at the push of a button, but you don't really need one if you have an interface. If you DO have a mixer, and your computer has a high quality sound card with stereo line inputs, the mixer and soundcard can take the place of the interface. That is my setup, but most folks nowadays use an interface. You need one or the other, not both. That is a mixer and a soundcard OR an interface. If you have neither, the interface route will be cheaper and simpler.

If you want to make high quality recordings you will eventually also need monitors, but if you just want to get started without spending a lot of money you can do everything with your headphones. Just remember you can't trust them to tell you what your mix is really going to sound like when you play it out loud on a sound system, so before you send round to friends and family, you'll want to export what you think is your final copy to an mp3 play or onto a cd and then go listen to it on a good sound system, or better yet several different sound systems, so you can go back and make adjustments as necessary. This is a tedious process which is why most folks here will rightly say quality monitors are necessary equipment. But they're a big expense and you can certainly get started without them. If you do decide to get monitors, do some research and be prepared to spend some money on them. Cheap ones aren't going to do you much good, because they won't tell you what your mix will sound like on real world sound systems any more than your headphones do.

As for software you can download a program called Reaper. There are lots of packages you can purchase as well, but Reaper works great.

A powered mixer has an amplifier built in so that it can drive speakers. A standard mixer only outputs line level signals which would go to an external amplifier which would drive the speakers. There are also powered monitors which have the amplifier built into the speaker cabinet.

Good luck!
J

 

[suprstar]

I'd recommend not using a line-in on the sound card to record anything. It's made with the best parts 26.5¢ can buy...... Some mixers have usb or firewire. USB mixers typically record the main L/R out's, so you can record 2 tracks at a time (panned hard L/R) Yamaha mw series mixers are really nice, I used one of those for years. They're great if you can get by with 2 inputs. Firewire mixers typically record every individual channel, for example a 16 channel mackie 1620i can record 16 simultaneous tracks, you could record a whole band at once.

I like usb/fw mixers cuz they can operate as standalone mixers without a computer which is handy for a lot of homerec'ers. But there's also a whole world of standard interfaces that have different numbers of inputs and output channels, fx, midi, preamps, DAC's, and prices. Even the cheapest shittiest $40 interface will be miles ahead of your soundblaster as far as sound quality is concerned.

 

[Shadow_7]

Only 3 channels of input. Will you multi-track anything? As in record new content while listening to old content. Is this for live use, or just in studio? Lots of variables that could play a significant role in what gear suits.

Will the guitar players also sing while playing? Two mics each, versus one. You might need 8 tracks of input, versus just 4. When you start talking preamps at $100 per channel, plus stands and cables, that adds up.

What is your goal? Just a youtube video, any reason your iPhone wont suffice? Or something more commercial? Just audio, or video too? Budget?

 

[fratturgay]

i appreciated all your comments. actually i just want a start point to begin researching and i guess i have one now. im not planning to buy something right now. but i will when my researchs and learning period ends. im planning to make something professional and by that spending money will just pleasure when the time comes. i have a long road i know but if you think im still at the wrong direction maybe you can show the right one.. thank you again

ps: my iphone s screen just broken